Thursday, December 30, 2004

Glencoe/McGraw-Hill Launches Online Multilingual Math Glossary

Glencoe/McGraw-Hill Launches Online Multilingual Math Glossary: "Company responds to booming growth in population of English language learners

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Education's data speaks for itself: The number of English-language learners (ELL), now estimated at 5.5 million, is growing at an explosive rate. In fact, this population increased by 95 percent from 1992 to 2002. That growth is particularly pronounced in states like California, where one out of four students is an English- language learner. As a result of that growth, there are more students than ever who need special resources to help them learn. Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, the nation's leading provider of secondary school electronic and print products and services, is responding to this need by launching an online multilingual glossary specializing in math terminology, at http://www.math.glencoe.com/multilingual_glossary."

Use the link above to learn more about this free internet resource.

Friday, December 24, 2004

NEA: NEA Today January 2005

NEA: NEA Today January 2005:

Closing the Gap

"In 2003, 75 percent of white fourth-graders showed competency in reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), compared with 44 percent of Hispanic fourth-graders and 40 percent of Blacks.

But race isn't the only issue. If their parents have time-shares and nannies, kids are much more likely to score better than their poor peers. Last year's NAEP scores showed just 45 percent of fourth-graders eligible for free or reduced-price lunch were competent readers, compared with 76 percent of their wealthier classmates.

Then there are the other gaps: girls are better readers than boys, but girls often trail boys in secondary math and science. Special education students, even with testing accommodations, often are outscored by regular classmates."

Use the link above to read the entire article.

Tuesday, December 21, 2004

MSNBC - Blacks dying for lack of health care

MSNBC - Blacks dying for lack of health care: "More than 886,000 deaths could have been prevented from 1991 to 2000 if African Americans had received the same care as whites, according to an analysis in the December issue of the American Journal of Public Health. The study estimates that technological improvements in medicine -- including better drugs, devices and procedures -- averted only 176,633 deaths during the same period."

Reduced access to health care doesn't account for all the racial disparity in preventable deaths. Blacks have greater incidence of some diseases; some of this greater morbidity results from education, income level and environment as well as access to health care. The challenge, the authors said, is to deliver the same quality health care to everyone, despite these factors.

Use the link above to read more.

Saturday, December 18, 2004

Yahoo! News - What's in a Racial Identity? American Latinos All Over the Map, Study Finds

Yahoo! News - What's in a Racial Identity? American Latinos All Over the Map, Study Finds: "The analysis of Census data and recent surveys is perhaps the most detailed in a relatively new field of research on how Latinos adapt to the rigid racial categories they encounter in the United States. It is the first to probe the differences between Latinos who consider themselves white and those who say they are of some other race.

In many Latin American countries, race is a flexible concept and can change with a person's status in society. Historical and contemporary evidence shows that a Latin American strain of racism favors lighter-skinned over darker-skinned people, but as an old Caribbean proverb says, 'Money bleaches.'

In the United States, Latinos are an ethnic group made up of people of different races, often mixed, and with a variety of ancestral homelands. In the 2000 Census, they mainly selected two racial categories to describe themselves. Forty-eight percent identified themselves as white, and 42% chose 'some other race.'

Latinos who perceive themselves as white appear to feel that their place in American society is more secure, the report found."

Use the link above to read more.

MSNBC - African Americans getting by, not ahead

MSNBC - African Americans getting by, not ahead: "Even as African Americans and other minorities have made economic progress in the last 40 years, many of those reaching the middle-income rung are finding it a hollow promise. In earlier decades, a union-protected factory worker or government employee earning such a wage could expect a comfortable life with company-provided health and retirement benefits, and perhaps enough money for indulgences such as the occasional new car.

Now, though, blacks and other minorities reaching the economic middle find the ground shifting."

Use the link above to read more.

Monday, December 13, 2004

USATODAY.com - Pay closer attention: Boys are struggling academically

USATODAY.com - Pay closer attention: Boys are struggling academically: "Girls are taking the nation's colleges by storm. They're streaming to campuses in greater numbers, earning better grades and graduating more often. The same phenomenal success shows in high schools, where girls dominate honor rolls, hold more student government spots and rake in most of the academic awards."

Use the link above to read more.

Sunday, December 05, 2004

aha! Process, Inc.

aha! Process, Inc.

Dr. Ruby Payne

Ruby has been involved with education since 1972 as a teacher, principal, consultant, and administrator. The lessons learned during those years are the bedrock on which aha! Process, Inc. has been built. Her first book, A Framework for Understanding Poverty, is a powerful tool for educators to use when dealing with children from poverty.

In her book, Ruby discusses the hidden rules that govern how each of us behaves in our social class. Those rules, because they are hidden and only known to those within the group, prove to be a major stumbling block for individuals trying to move to a new social class. Students from poverty often languish in classrooms run by members of middle class because those are the rules that govern.

Ruby has developed this message for seminars and workshops as well. Speaking to approximately 200 groups a year, Ruby is working to spread the word throughout North America that children of poverty need not suffer through an educational system oblivious to their needs. More than educators are heeding her message. Judges, social workers, ministers, community leaders and health professionals are all learning from Ruby's work.

Dr. Payne will be in our area in January. Please use the link above to find out how to register for her upcoming Baltimore session.

Baltimore, Maryland January 20-21, 2005 (800) 955-6905 $225

The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture

The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture

The past is only a part of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture. Through a partnership with the Maryland State Department of Education to reach more than 860,000 students and 50,000 teachers, the museum will invest itself just as heavily in the future – a future that will assuredly burn brighter as we work to close the African American achievement gap and foster greater understanding among all students.

The curriculum will require that students intensively prepare for their trip to the museum (or for the museum’s trip to them – traveling exhibits are one of the museum’s features), reflect upon it afterward, and use its lessons to guide future learning. The task force will begin writing curriculum for grades 4-8 before turning its attention to high school and, finally, to the primary grades. The grades 4-8 curriculum will be completed in time for the 2004-05 school year.

Training teachers well in the curriculum will be key to its success. In addition to district- and school-based workshops on incorporating the museum’s themes into instruction, Maryland teachers will be given lectures and tours by museum staff so they can prepare lessons. They’ll also be able to tap a cadre of experts in African-American art, culture, history, and contemporary life so they can make those lessons more interesting to students.

But, of course, the museum isn’t only for African-American students and neither are the heroes it celebrates. These are the stories of democracy, and their lessons apply to all. This is why the curricular connection is so important: it ensures that every Maryland child will understand the role African Americans played in our past and appreciate its implications for our future.

Use the link above to see how this exciting new museum will support the new state curriculum.

Black history: A yearlong lesson - The Washington Times: Metropolitan - December 02, 2004

Black history: A yearlong lesson - The Washington Times: Metropolitan - December 02, 2004

Lessons about inventor George Washington Carver or slave rebellion leader Nat Turner no longer will be relegated to the 28 days of February — or to black history classes — in Maryland public schools, but will shape the foundation of an expansive new curriculum.
Students will learn about blacks' contributions to society in a variety of classes — such as science, music, language arts and American history — in a new, year-round curriculum called "An African American Journey," state school officials said yesterday.

State schools Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick said the 41-lesson program — which deals with work, family, community, arts and enlightenment of black culture — is a multiyear, multicourse study of black history from the Colonial period to the present.

Next fall, the curriculum will be implemented in all state elementary and middle schools, along with a pilot program for high-school students.

Use the link above to learn more about this new state curriculum.

Tuesday, November 23, 2004

Trends in Educational Equity of Girls & Women: 2004

Trends in Educational Equity of Girls & Women: 2004: " This statistical report assembles a series of indicators that examine the extent to which males and females have access to the same educational opportunities, avail themselves equally of these opportunities, perform at similar levels throughout schooling, succeed at similar rates, and reap the same benefits from their educational experiences. This report serves as an update of an earlier publication, Trends in Educational Equity of Girls & Women (NCES 2000-030), which was prepared for Congress in 2000."

Monday, November 22, 2004

Universities Record Drop In Black Admissions (washingtonpost.com)

Universities Record Drop In Black Admissions (washingtonpost.com)
Despite winning a marathon Supreme Court struggle last year to continue using race as a factor in admitting students, the University of Michigan is reporting the smallest class of African American freshmen in 15 years.

A similar decline in the number of incoming black students has been recorded at many state universities across the country, from California to Georgia to much of the Midwest. The trend has alarmed and puzzled college admissions officers, who place great importance on targeting and recruiting talented minorities.

Use the link above to read more.

Wednesday, November 17, 2004

Joseph and the Achievement Gap

Publications
Many African American boys, such as Joseph, come to school with several strikes against them: language barriers, low expectations, poverty, and more. These circumstances should compel us to do everything in our power to motivate these young men by engaging them in reading and writing that is relevant to their interests and experience. I urge you to become advocates for the Josephs in your class, to challenge them, and to give them the support they need as readers and writers to build a bridge—across the achievement gap—to personal and academic success.

Use the link above to read more about how you can help children like Joseph in your classroom.

Wednesday, November 10, 2004

CNN.com - Groups push for teacher diversity - Nov 9, 2004

CNN.com - Groups push for teacher diversity - Nov 9, 2004

"Teachers of color" often serve as role models and cultural brokers who help students connect to their school through shared identities, group leaders say.


Read more about the need for teachers from diverse backgrounds by clicking on the link above.

Friday, October 15, 2004

Gender gap sends schools on man hunt

Gender gap sends schools on man hunt: "School officials in Indiana and nationwide are looking for more than a few good men to offset gender gaps in teaching, particularly in elementary school classrooms."

Use the link above to read further about the need for more male teachers.

Vida Activa - Questions and Answers

Vida Activa - Questions and Answers

Hispanic kids are at higher risk for obesity than other kids in the U.S. The percentage of overweight Hispanic children is higher than the national average for all kids. And the prevalence of obesity among Hispanic adults is higher than that of the overall population.

* Federal government data show, nearly one fourth of Hispanic children and teenagers aged 6 - 19 are overweight, and over 27% of Hispanic adolescent boys are overweight.
* Nearly two of three adults (64.5%) in the U.S. are overweight or obese; among Hispanics, the rate is even higher. Nearly three of four Hispanic adults (73.4%) in the U.S. are overweight or obese.


Hispanics, may be at greater risk for obesity due to cultural differences:

* Cultural Isolation:
Hispanic children are less inclined to join after school sports programs and neighborhood games.
* Parents not role models for physical activity:
Hispanic parents are less likely to be active themselves; therefore, children do not have a role model at home that pushes them to be more physically active. Again, cultural differences may be a barrier to neighborhood activities and community sports.
* Parents' views of healthy weight:
A study recently published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior shows that Hispanic moms view plumpness as being healthful, not unhealthy.
* Poor eating habits/Lack of Nutrition Education:
Parents tend to choose foods the family enjoys, not necessarily thinking about nutrition first. Also, under-nutrition that may have been experienced with poorer socio-economic conditions earlier in life or a generation ago translates into parents wanting to provide abundance for their children.

Obesity is a complex problem that has no easy answer. Recent evidence shows that sedentary activities, such as video games and television, and poor eating habits are the largest factors in this rising epidemic. Family environments and community factors, such as lack of culturally-relevant nutrition education and opportunities for physical activity, may contribute to obesity.

But promoting fitness for children doesn't mean cutting out their favorite foods and beverages. Registered Dietitian Sylvia Enid Melendez-Klinger offers fun and practical ideas to promote healthy eating and physical activity for kids at home, indoors and outdoors, with family.


Thursday, September 30, 2004

Minorities Driving Growth in D.C. Area (washingtonpost.com)

Minorities Driving Growth in D.C. Area (washingtonpost.com)

Asians, Latinos and other minorities accounted for two-thirds of the Washington region's recent population growth, according to new census figures that point to dramatic increases in counties well beyond the Capital Beltway.

The census figures, scheduled to be released today, cover the period from the 2000 Census to July 2003 ...

Monday, September 20, 2004

Opening of the Museum of the American Indian

On Tuesday, September 21st, the long awaited Museum of the American Indian Museum will open its doors to the public. It is located at 4th Street and Independence Avenue, S.W. The hours are 10:00 a.m. until 5:00p.m. daily. With special events scheduled everyday during the opening week, crowds are expected. Visitors will need timed entry passes (similar to the Holocaust Museum). For further information check the museum's website www.americanindian.si.edu or call (202) 633-1000.

Friday, September 17, 2004

TOP 10 ESOL STUDENTS’ COUNTRIES IN MCPS

Office of Organizational Development
Diversity Development and Training Team


TOP 10 ESOL STUDENTS’ COUNTRIES IN MCPS



Countries - Number of Students

1. El Salvador 1409

2. Peru 540

3. Korea 422

4. Ethiopia 348

5. China 304

6. Mexico 300

7. Colombia 206

8. Bolivia 205

9. Brazil 192

10. Japan 181


Records updated last May 20, 2004.

Friday, September 10, 2004

MPPI: The Maryland Public Policy Institute

MPPI: The Maryland Public Policy Institute

Getting Results: High-Performing, Low-Income Schools in Maryland

In Getting Results, the new education book from the Maryland Public Policy Institute, author Megan Farnsworth examines 12 high-poverty, high performing schools in Maryland to determine what philosophies and practices they use to bring success.

Schools in this study, which included Georgian Forest and Pine Crest elementary schools in Montgomery County, share many positive strategies such as staff collaboration, parent-teacher partnerships, varied instructional techniques, benchmark assessments, test-driven instruction, and strong administrative leadership.

You can purchase the book for $12.95 at the Maryland Public Policy Institute site.

Tuesday, September 07, 2004

Thursday, August 19, 2004

MSTA Convention 2004

Convention 2004

Looks like there is a terrific line up of professional development opportunities focusing on diversity at this year's MSTA 2004 Convention. The convention is scheduled for October 14-16 in Ocean City, MD. If you are planning on attending, check out some of workshops being offered:

*Celebrate the Diversity of Humanity
*Introducing Authentic Multicultural Literature to Young Readers
*Believing the HYPE (Helping Youth Pursue Excellence)
*Recognizing and Using Cultural Characteristics of African American Students in Academic Settings
*Teaching from the Missing Pages: Creating Lessons in African American History for the Schools
* Lessons in African American History
*Using Action Research to Achieve Equity in the Classroom

You can get more information about the content of each session, presenter biographies, and complete schedules by visiting MSTA Online.

49th Annual IRA Convention Handouts for Download

49th Annual Convention%3A Convention Handouts for Download

This site has an excellent power point presentation on reading and the urban child. It's hot off the presses from the 2004 IRA Annual Convention and available to download.

Scroll down the page to find:
Campbell, Kristina S
Connecting with the Urban Child: Making Literacy Relevant

Then click on the download link.
ENJOY!

Tuesday, August 17, 2004

The African-American Teachers Lounge

The African-American Teachers Lounge

This wonderful site explores topics related to African American educators and their students. Features include lesson plans, chat, news of interest, and discussion boards.

AFRICA ACCESS

AFRICA ACCESS

This online database contains reviews and annotations of over 900 materials on Africa. These critiques and descriptions were written by university professors, librarians, and teachers most of whom have lived in Africa and have graduate degrees in African Studies. Africa Access Review is a collective response to the critical need for authoritative information about children's materials on Africa. Studies have repeatedly shown that many U.S. libraries that serve children contain biased and stereotypical materials on Africa. We encourage educators to use the information provided here to build accurate and balanced collections on Africa.

Great Opportunity at a Great Cost!

On August 11th the Diversity Team attended one day of a three day Summer Institute sponsored by Frederick County Public Schools. This event is was the 4th annual Institute
which provides educators with an opportunity to network with other professionals throughout the state, hear keynote presenters such as Ruby Payne and participate in workshops i.e. "Log On To Blog". You can't beat this professional learning experience all for the cost of a lunch!
Put a reminder on your calendar to check the Frederick County Public Schools website
FCPS.org, in late May or early June for registration info for the 2005 Summer Institute.

Diversity Team LISTSERV

Be sure to sign up for the Diversity Team LISTSERV to get a monthly mailing with tips on best practices. The list will be sent out on the 15th of each month.

Wednesday, August 11, 2004

Tolerance.org

Tolerance.org

This entry was created using BlogThis! Notice the automatic hot link to the site.

Tuesday, August 10, 2004

The George Lucas Educational Foundation

The George Lucas Educational Foundation

This is an example of how you can create an entry using BlogThis! This site has an extensive streaming video library of over 70 videos from educational experts. I am not sure that any of the topics are perfect fits with the mission of our team, but the resources are impressive.

Welcome!!

The Diversity Team Blog will have "official" content by August 24th. Until that time, the blog content will vary as team members get comfortable posting content in this environment.