New Faces Online

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New Faces Online

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

Assignment	Points	Grading Scale
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.