Course
Description
Teachers across America are looking into the eyes of new faces. Demographic shifts are both informing and alarming, and assure that classroom teachers will be seeing “new” faces in ever growing numbers. This will be true as long as this great country offers hope and opportunity to the world; they will keep coming, both legally and illegally. The children of immigrants are bringing to our classrooms new and formidable challenges and now is the time to prepare to meet those challenges. This course has been designed to provide skills and knowledge that will empower the classroom teacher to meet the needs of “new faces,” and at the same time improve the educational opportunity for all students.
Objectives
- To identify immigration issues and the impact of immigration issues on education
- To understand how stereotyping and myths influence the immigrant experience
- To complete an overview of the history of immigration
- To differentiate between “individualism” and “collectivism” and to delineate values associated with individualism and collectivism
- To review research and analytical theories associated with immigration
- To identify “blocks” that hinder and/or prevent immigrant assimilation
- To understand the conditions for effective parental involvement
- To differentiate among critical terms most often used in describing problems, concerns, and issues associated with immigration
- To provide participants the knowledge and skill to begin action research regarding immigrant “questions”
- To summarize the challenges and strategies for meeting the challenge of new faces in the classroom
Time Requirements
Participants will pursue a “mastery” learning pedagogy based on a one-to-one tutorial with the course instructor. Activities are experience-oriented with assignments providing opportunities to apply what is covered during delivery of the course. This is an online sixty-hour, three credit graduate level course completed over a thirteen-week period.
Hardware &
Computer Skills Requirements
Students may use either a Macintosh computer or a PC with Windows
95 or higher. Students should possess basic word processing
skills and have internet access with an active e-mail account.
Students also are expected to have a basic knowledge of how
to use a Web browser, such as Netscape Navigator, Microsoft
Internet Explorer or America Online's (AOL) browser. To download
a browser at no cost, visit one of the following Web sites –
Netscape.com;
Microsoft.com
and AOL.com.
Course Materials
The required textbook for this course is Bridging Cultures Between Home and School: A Guide for Teachers, by Else Trumbull. Supplemental content was selected from a range of sources included in the bibliography. The textbook and course materials will be provided for all students. A variety of readings will be referenced throughout the course. Other supplemental readings will be provided.
Session Outline
Module 1: Immigration Issues
Contents:
- Initiate a perspective on immigration
- Define immigration
- Identify issues associated with immigration
Module 2: Stereotypes and Myths
Contents:
- Develop a relationship between stereotyping and myths
- Identify myths associated with an immigrant
- Review the U.S. Census Bureau demographics
Module 3: History of Immigration
Contents:
- Identify trends that predict present and future immigration growth
- Recognize via law immigrant rights
- Complete an overview of the history of immigration
- Complete an analysis of Plyer vs. Doe
Module 4: Cultural Issues
Contents:
- Differentiate between “individualism” and “collectivism”
- Name values associated with individualism and collectivism
- Address the issue of how much assimilation is essential
Module 5: Research and Analytical Theories
Contents:
- Review research “bullets” regarding immigration
- Study three theories that can be used to analyze newcomer educational issues
- Reach three important generalizations
Module 6: Assimilation Blocks
Contents:
- 1. Identify blocks to newcomer assimilation
Module 7: Parental Involvement
Contents:
- Identify sources of miscommunication between newcomer parents and school personnel
- Identify guidelines for developing Newcomer Parent Involvement Programs
Module 8: Culture/Value, Ethnicity, and Social
Contents:
- Differentiate among “ethnic,” “culture,” and “social”
- Use the differentiation to analyze newcomer issues
- Complete an “attitude” survey
Module 9: Teachers as Researchers
Contents:
- Develop an understanding of Action Research
- Revisit the “Cross Culture Parent/Teacher Conference
- Articulate a question regarding assimilation of newcomers
Module 10: Meeting the Challenges
Contents:
- Review what has been covered during this course
- Consider the primary challenge immigration creates
Grading
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Assignment |
Points |
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Grading
Scale |
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|
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|
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Forum
Participation |
20 |
|
|
100
– 93 |
A |
|
|
|
|
Assignments |
40 |
|
|
92
– 85 |
B |
|
|
|
|
Lesson Plan |
20 |
|
|
84
– 77 |
C |
|
|
|
|
"Must See" Reviews |
20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
Points |
100 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Student
Requirements
|
1. |
Actively
participate in all Forum activities. |
|
2. |
Complete all assignments and submit a reflection of each |
|
3. |
Develop a lesson plan that “bridges” assimilation and differentiation |
|
4. |
Prepare a brief review of each “Must See” link |
Student
Academic Integrity
Participants
guarantee that all academic class work is original. Any academic
dishonesty or plagiarism (to take ideas, writings, etc. from
another and offer them as one's own), is a violation of student
academic behavior standards as outlined by our partnering
colleges and universities and is subject to academic disciplinary
action.
Register
To register to take TEI's New Faces online
graduate course, go to the Course
Registration page.
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