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1. Censorship and the Curriculum The following Web sites contain extensive resources related to censorship and, in particular, banned books. Use these sites to answer the questions below. While the First Amendment is intended to protect our freedom of expression, where should we, as educators, draw the line when it comes to the books and other materials we allow into our schools? For example, what if an honor-roll student in your AP history class wants to do a report on "Pornography and American Society"? Would you forbid it? If so, why? If not, would you limit his or her access to certain books, periodicals, or Web sites? Would the maturity or achievement level of the student have anything to do with your decision -- i.e., what if he or she was only an "average" student in a lower-level social studies class? What if the requested topic was abortion or the white supremacist movement? What aspects of your educational environment e.g., administrators, parents, local politics would be likely to influence your decision? 2. The Textbook Shapes the Curriculum Statewide textbook adoptions have been criticized because of the so-called Texas and California Effect. When these populous states buy textbooks for students in their schools, the result is enormous income for the selected publishing companies. Critics charge that this gives these large states unfair influence over textbook development. Read the following online articles, then answer the questions below.
Based on these articles, summarize the main points of controversy regarding statewide textbook adoption. What are your personal views on this issue? How would you feel about teaching in a state where the "acceptable" textbooks are selected for you? If you intend to teach in a specific subject area e.g., math, social studies, English, what textbook selection issues would you expect to face if you worked in a textbook adoption state? For further research on this topic, you may want to check out the National Association of State Textbook Administrators. 3. Is the United States Going Test Crazy? Click here to visit the Web site for the National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST). Spend some time reading one of their current reports on testing. Find three critical points that are intriguing and generate a new summary item for Chapter 8. 4. The Teacher as Curriculum Developer The Internet can be a powerful tool for curriculum development. To see this in action, check out the Education World Curriculum Center . How are teachers using the Internet and the Web in particular to support their curriculum development efforts? What are the advantages and disadvantages of using the Internet for curriculum development? As the Internet continues to grow, what do you think its impact on the curriculum will be? Does this trend give an unfair advantage to "wealthy" schools where teachers and students have greater access to computers and the Internet? |