NWET ch 3 - Grade: A PDF

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NWET Chapter 3 Proposal: Group Members: Amirah Ali, Carolina Rosario, Cydney Jackson and Juliet Akumuo Indigenous Group Studied: Indigenous African Chapter 3 Summary: In the American, we never really learn about Africa, even though it was there that we found the earliest source of human biological and cultural developments. Africa is not only geographically diverse, and immense in size, but it has great respect for cultural, linguistic, and ethnic diversity; each which is different depending on the people who live in each region. “Africa… is one cultural river with numerous tributaries characterized by their specific responses to history.” (NWED. P56) But one thing is similar in all of Africa and that is their methods of education. The Indigenous African Education had multiple goals they sought to achieve. The seven goals this group were: learn physical skills, develop character, learn respect for elders and authority figures, develop intellectual skills, vocational training with healthy and positive attitudes toward labor, participation in both family and community affairs, and appreciate and promote cultural heritage. Together the seven goals taught to children were the characteristics of what is considered to be a good person; as long as they were also intertwined with social, economic, and political threads. In other words, “it’s a natural process by which the children gradually acquire skill, knowledge, and attitudes appropriate to life in their communities.” Another characteristic of the Traditional African Indigenous Education system is based on the oral tradition, as well as helping to use the language creatively and effectively. Children learned proverbs, riddles, word puzzles, tongue-twisters, and ideations that should allow them to exercise their minds. It’s used to help select and analyze problems. The most understood aspect of African education is initiation. Initiation is the process of a child/adolescent transforming, socially and spiritually, into an adult, which is different in each African society. Their ritual process has multiple components: separation of the community with a specifically selected leader, formal and informal adult duties, responsibility, and obligations, must learn community history, observe behavior, sexual taboos, and restrictions, circumcision of both sexes and physical markings. For the most part, everyone is born into what their family does for a living. If one person is born into a family that blows glass, they don't usually start grow up to be farmers. Career paths usually follow in family.

Contemporary US urban education issue: Our group has identified a series of intersecting issues within our urban education system. However, we thought that the best way to identify our issue(s) with the urban education system, would be to think inversely, and identify a goal first. As such, our goal is to regulate schools within the urban education system in a way that allows for: consistent & reciprocal community engagement, development of proverbial thinking, development of socially aware and participative individuals in a community, and to spread an understanding and appreciation for cultural heritage. Congruently, we also have begun to identify solutions that could support and sustain our goal. Too often do children go through a K-12 academic career without any intense and genuine character building, introduction to vocational training, sense of belonging,or standards of respect for elders. To combat these specific things we think that one of the most imperative things to do is create a culture within the school. By this we mean, creating and teaching additional curricula based on moral principles, like skills, etc, in a communal space. This allows for the children to get the more well rounded ideas about life and has them delve into these topics head first with family (their classmates) around them. Due Dates: TBD based on availability and work schedules *established group chat to communicate availability* Presentation: Our presentation will appeal to the class via visual, aural, and social appeals. Visual- Prezi (includes videos) Aural- Sound clips of African Proverbs Social Appeals- Group work & class discussion

Annotated Bibliography:

The Role of Moral and Performance Character Strengths in Predicting Achievement and Conduct among Urban Middle School Students Seider, Scott, et al. “The Role of Moral and Performance Character Strengths in Predicting Achievement and Conduct among Urban Middle School Students.” 2010, people.bu.edu/seider/Consolidated%20papers/Role%20of%20Moral%20and%20Performance %20Character%20Strengths%20MS_Seider%20et%20al.pdf. Summary: For some time now charter school networks have begun to identify character development as a focal point in promoting student success. This interest has focused primarily upon cultivating students’ performance character. Performance character consists of the aspects allowing an individual to regulate their thoughts and actions using their achievements in a particular endeavor. These could include persistence, self-discipline and grit. Moral character, however, strives for positive ethical behavior, like empathy or integrity, in relationships with other people. Many charter schools are finding support in a body of research demonstrating correlations between academic achievement and performance character strengths. Examples could be things like persistence and self-discipline. In this study, the data presented from three urban charter middle schools reveal both moral and performance character strengths to be predictive of students’ achievement and conduct. Counter-Storytelling with African Proverbs: A Vehicle for Teaching Social Justice and Global Understanding in Urban, U.S. Schools Asimeng-Boahene, Lewis. "Counter-Storytelling with African Proverbs: A Vehicle for Teaching Social Justice and Global Understanding in Urban, U.S. Schools." Equity & Excellence in Education43.4 (2010): 434-45. Web.

Summary: This article discusses the current demographics of urban schools in the United States. It displays and reflects a speedy growth of “culturally and linguistically” diverse students. It shows that though curricula continues to focus on mainstream culture(s), cultural and linguistic experiences of these diverse students are under-taught and under-represented in classrooms. Throughout this work, Boahene uses evidence to examine how the use of “counter storytelling” by way of

African proverbs, as mentioned in Non-Western Educational Traditions can prove to be tools for teaching priceless concepts of things like social justice in the urban education systems. Urban science education: examining current issues through a historical lens

McLaughlin, C.A. Cult Stud of Sci Educ (2014) 9: 885. https://doiorg.libproxy.temple.edu/10.1007/s11422-014-9598-8 Summary: Cheryl A. McLaughlin is the author of Urban science education: examining current issues through a historical lens, published on September 18, 2014. The topic of this piece illustrates contemporary challenges that are being faced in urban educational school systems. The article integrates a collection of urban science education studies published from 2000-2013 that recognize present-day challenges that both the teachers and students have to overcome. The piece also takes into account historical events that have had an effect on the conditions and interaction of these urban school systems. Educators in urban classrooms face issues of inequality and poverty while trying to meet the needs of their classrooms. Urban students are marginalized in these types of systems that focus more on control than a great education. In her review, McLaughlin poses a few questions: What are some of the historical events that have shaped current challenges faced by urban science teachers? What is the focus of urban science education studies since the start of this millennium? How are issues emerging from these studies linked to social and historical events during the course of the development of urban education? The author first approached these series of questions by producing sixty-eight articles in her initial search. From there, she went through a second selection process to narrow down her collection. These articles were subjected to further screening and forty-two articles were chosen and synthesized to relate underlying and emerging themes. McLaughlin notes one of the major themes discussed was that learning goals must be collaboratively constructed by all members of the learning community and should take into account values, desires, and needs of the stakeholders. The study showed that the basic strategy and guidelines of urban schools have not fundamentally transformed since they were established. The notion of a “one best system” links the collection of works that McLaughlin chose as the foundation of her article. This “one best system” is reflected in many urban classrooms and is an obstacle in the development of urban education. The author utilized secondary sources, such as articles from databases (ERCI, PyschInfo, JSTOR, etc.). Because of the use of scholarly databases, the sources are credible. I do agree with the conclusions of the author. I believe that because there is a lack of progress within urbans school systems, in regards to policies and structure of the schooling, detracts from the possibilities of hosting a dynamic learning environment....