Child Abuse and Neglect

As educators, we are responsible for the intellectual development of our students as well as providing a safe and nurturing environment for them to thrive and grow. This responsibility also includes being aware of the signs of child abuse and fulfilling our legal obligation to report any suspicions or incidences of abuse. The challenge then lies in recognizing the signs of child abuse as well as knowing when and where to report suspected abuse and neglect.

In the January 2005 issue of the Middle School Journal, Tracy W. Smith and Glenn W. Lambie introduce us to the nature and prevalence of abuse and neglect among adolescents. Their article, Teacher’s Responsibilities When Adolescent Abuse and Neglect are Suspected, delves into the signs of abuse and provides guidelines for reporting suspected cases of abuse. The authors encourage teachers to advocate for a comprehensive support plan for assisting students who have been victims of abuse if one does not exist. Smith and Lambie also address the importance of a collaborative effort between teachers, counselors, administrators and other school personnel to address the needs of abused students as well as equip staff with the information and training necessary to support our students.

Child Abuse Resources:
Washington State Department of Social and Health Services 1-866-363-4276
Child Protective Services website

My Educational Philosophy

During my studies and practice as an adult educator I have examined, explored and applied various components of the five core educational philosophies (essentialism, perennialism, progressivism, existentialism and behaviorism) and that practice has cultivated my personal educational philosophy which is theory-based, skill-based and faith-based. The ideal adult learning environment provides opportunities for learning on an individual basis, enables learning that is sustainable and provides assistance/instruction from a supportive instructor.

The core of my educational philosophy is based upon John Dewey’s work in Progressivism. His theory takes into consideration the three learning types (auditory, visual and kinesthetic learners) and focuses on the development of “lifelong learners.” The application of Dewey’s theory enriches the education growth process and emphasizes the combined characteristics of active inquiry, independence and individuality in a learning task. I strive to develop curriculum that incorporates learning activities that encourage creative and analytical thinking with the presentation of authentic questions and small discussion group opportunities. I believe that information and activities presented in various modes to accommodate the different learning styles present in my classroom optimizes learning and encourages self-motivation.

A.S. Neill’s educational philosophy of existentialism influences my interaction with learners as I nurture the creativity and individuality of my students and provide guidance on their educational journey. I partner with my students in creating an environment that is conducive to their learning styles by soliciting their input regarding curriculum content so that what is presented is what they want to learn. I believe that by developing learning activities that are meaningful to the students and fostering a learning environment where adult learners feel accepted, respected and supported are the skills that I possess that aid in my success as an adult educator.

Another educational philosophy that has influenced the way I teach is perennialism. This philosophy is founded upon the premise that the teacher presents principles – not facts – and allows the students to reflect upon, reason and question the subject matter presented. My current work is in Christian Education and I believe my role as an adult educator in this arena is to “teach” the tenets of our faith while providing various opportunities for learners to explore, question and apply the concepts and principles to their own lives. My role then becomes one of a facilitator as I ensure that discussions stay on topic and clarify any errors in reasoning as the class works together to reach a conclusion or consensus regarding the subject matter.

Who I am as an educator has been and continues to be influenced by my education, my experiences and my faith. As I carry on in my professional endeavor in the area of adult education, I am wholly focused on Christian Education and the impact of technology integration in curriculum development. My continued examination of adult education theory, exploration of and deepening of my Christian faith and the application of technology will aid in the continual development of my personal educational philosophy.

American Education: Multicultural Education

In Chapter 5 of Joel Spring’s book, American Education, he shares his research on multicultural education in the United States of America with references to the works of John Ogbu, Lisa Delpit, Rosalie Pedalino Porter and Mick Fedullo. Spring also explores the effects of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the English Language Acquistion Act of 2001 on ethnocentric, bilingual and bicultural education in US schools and its impact on the diversity of its student body.

Readers are introduced to the three types of culture that exists in American schools – dominant, dominated and immigrant. The dominant culture in US schools was brought over by European immigrants and modified by the social and political conditions at the time resulting in a European American dominant culture established in our public school system. Spring defines dominated culture as “groups who were forcefully incorporated into the United States.” This “incorporation” produced African American, Mexican American, Asian American and Native American cultures through the domination of the European American culture. The “first generation” of groups who freely decided to come to the United States are considered immigrant cultures which also includes European American immigrants.

Spring shares the main concern of the multicultural educational movement and its goal “to reduce prejudice, eliminate sexism and equalize educational opportunities through empowerment.” The leaders of the movement – James Banks, Christine Sleeter, Carl Grant and Sonia Nieto – are committed to “empowering oppressed people by integrating the history and culture of dominated groups into public school curricula and textbooks” through three types of multicultural education: ethnocentric education, bilingual education and bicultural education. Ethnocentric education is focused on teaching from the perspective of a particular culture which has traditionally been the European American culture in US schools; however, the curriculum of “new” ethnocentric schools are developed based on the cultural frames of reference for African American, Native American and Hispanic cultures. Bilingual education protects the language and cultural rights of non-English speaking students while teaching them English but, as Springs points out, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 opposes the bilingual education movement by emphasizing English acquisition with the English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement and Academic Act. The author defines bicultural education as “being able to function in another culture without losing ties to one’s original culture” and illustrates his point with the work done by Mick Fedullo with Apache students in Fedullo’s book, Light of the Feather.

Joel Spring ends this chapter with seven questions for us to ponder as educators regarding multicultural education, but these two really caused me to reflect on my own educational experiences as an African American student and my role as an educator:

• Should students have the right to learn their mother tongue and the dominant language?
• Should the major goal of instruction about different cultures be the teaching of appreciation of other cultures?

What do you think?

Wikis and more…

The work I have completed during my Masters studies has led me to focus on developing curriculum for Bible study groups. My concept is Christian Education Technology Integration (CETI) which incorporates various technology tools in the operation and delivery of the curriculum to  increase interest, participation and productivity. The goal is to transform passive, “sit in a circle and talk” groups into interactive and engaging discussion groups.

In my June 2009 post I shared the implementation of the curriculum and my attempts to gather feedback from the participants. I conducted personal interviews with the participants that did not respond to my e-mail request. I received rich, valuable comments from the group members. One suggestion to increase the use of the wiki by the participants was to provide a workshop or lesson on wikis to further educate the members that were not familiar with the wiki and its uses.

This quarter I had the opportunity to experience practical application of my studies by creating a slide show presentation on wikis and develop an implementation plan to integrate the use of a wiki in the women’s study group I am currently working with. This process has been enlightening and exciting for me as I further develop my curriculum development skills in my work in Christian Education. The combination of my passion and talents has made my work a joy and I am looking forward to the group’s growth in learning and spiritual maturity.