What strikes me most from the reading is the idea of American exceptionalism.  This ideology has been used so many times in the history of the U.S. as an excuse to forcefully assimilate others and to resolve guilt for these actions.  Although there are schools today that provide some form of bilingual education and culturally relevant pedagogy, I think that the vast majority are intent on teaching on the English language, American history, culture, and customs, due to a common belief in American exceptionalism.  I think that the diverse population of children in the U.S. should be able to learn about various cultures and perspectives on history, especially with the growing number of diverse populations.  I performed a study last semester for another education class asking Emory undergraduates about their formal schooling and the diversity of their school populations.  My partner and I were investigating whether there was a positive correlation between high cultural diversity of schools and knowledge of culturally relevant pedagogy such as the Native American boarding schools and the Chicano Movement.  It surprised us that there was no correlation, which meant that regardless of population diversity of schools, different perspectives on American history were not being taught in U.S. schools.  It is troubling to me think about the diverse groups of people in the U.S. who lose knowledge of their own languages, histories, and cultures due to America's "one track mind."

Gutek Chapters 7 & 9

NYT Article by Sara Rimer

I found the NYT article about the Twin Cities International School the most interesting out of all the readings. One comment that struck me in particular was the line about critics arguing that international schools somehow contribute to a “re-segregation of public education” and counter the “melting pot” idea that public schools often try to drive home. But the whole “melting pot” idea is what many of these immigrant and refugee parents want to avoid. I think the “melting pot” idea suggests a stripping away of the differences that makes us unique as we blend together to form a homogenous “American” identity. Many of these parents do want their children to learn about American culture and history, but at the same they don’t want them to forget the culture and history of the country they came from. The thought of their child wanting the latest Nikes and baggy shorts, and forgetting to respect their elders frightens a lot of these parents. International schools offer an environment where students are sheltered from the American materialistic ideals learned from their peers, and are free to uphold their religious and cultural traditions without being teased, not to mention the abundance of teachers who understand their needs. Some may call these International Schools segregationist, but until public schools start addressing the needs of these students and parents, then institutions like the International Community School will continue to exist.

Back to school: Cross Keys' mission

Stuck in the Emory bubble, we are ignorant of the fact that Dekalb is one of the most ethnically diverse counties in the entire state. The articles in the AJC drove home the fact that the issues of immigration and diversity in regards to education brought up in Banks’ article can be found right in our back yard. I found the case study of Cross Keys’ high school to be particularly interesting. One issue that Pickel brings up is that often students understand concepts but can’t express the answers to questions about them in proper English. Although the teacher, Mr. Bragg says that he gives them credit anyway, it’s inevitable that their inferior English speaking skills are going to hinder their progress in the future. It is extremely important that these students learn to speak proper English if they want to be successful in the United States. It is ironic that although we do not have an official language in our country, if someone does not know English they will have an extremely hard time getting a job. I thought that Bragg’s tactic of pairing students with poor English skills with those who have a better command of the language was an effective one. It is good to see that teachers are serious about helping their students overcome language barriers. I thought this was a very eye-opening article and appreciated the specific examples it presented.

A Second Chance for Refugee Students

When I read "A Second Chance for Refugee Students" by McBrien, I was shocked by the environment that refugee students were forced to be in. Even elementary students had to be mature when it came to school because they were given limited resources and little help with learning English. Also, it was upsetting that because many of these refugee students could learn English relatively faster than their parents, they were burdened with adult responsibilities. Being an immigrant to the U.S. myself, I didn't realize the big differences between immigrants and refugees. This article helped me realize that unlike myself who was able to move to America with my entire family, many of these refugee students may have gone through traumatic experiences and were most likely forced to leave their countries. Now that I have more background information on refugee students, I look forward to tutoring them this semester at the RFS Center.

AJC articles

Reading these articles makes me realize how sheltered I’ve been.  The school I attended in Mississippi was an all white private school up until my sophomore year.  When I graduated there were 3 African American students and about five Asian students in the school.  When I think back on my school and then read these articles about how challenging it is for these students that come from so many different areas and countries, it stuns and amazes me.   I completely agree with the ajc.com article that says that these non-natives can understand concepts but have problems articulating them.  Some English-speaking students have the same problem.  They understand the ideas behind the concept but have problems writing it down when it comes time for tests and homework.  I also know what it’s like to be moved away from your home, without your consent and into a new country with people who you don’t understand.  My dad was in the army when I was younger so we were constantly moving around to different countries. Granted it wasn’t so bad, he was mainly moved around between the United States and Europe, but there were instances where it took me a while to adapt to the language and the customs.  That’s one thing that I was surprised that the article didn’t touch on: how the education system itself is or could be completely different than the one they are used to.

McBrien "A Second Chance for Refugee Students"

After reading this article and the ones that followed it my eyes were opened to a problem that I did not know too much about. I knew that refugees were forced to leave from their original homes but I never thought about the difficulties that they must experience once they arrived at their new home. I think that it is wonderful that there are programs that help tutor students that are having difficulties with English. I think that more programs like this should be implemented throughout the US because we are a country that has many different ethnicities. I also believe that there should me more classes to help the adults who come to the US not speaking any English. If we want to be a country that thrives we should be willing to give help to all those who need it.

Gutek Chapter 8

A section of Chapter Eight: Educational Systems in National Contexts focuses on “The Problem of Comparability.” This particular section discusses the American standpoint in international comparisons of educational systems, which are done by the IAEEA and the NAEP; the testing mentioned covered mathematics and science, subject matter that has less specific cultural context and should be uniformly taught. In the 1992 survey, as with prior surveys, ranked the United States and average to poor in comparison with other technologically developed countries. The text mentions that one of the primary arguments of how this is not an appropriate comparison relates to the fact that more academically diverse students in the United States complete a higher level of education.

Based on my own experiences in Germany, I can attest the truth of this statement. Germany divides their students into diverse pathways of education after primary school. Here, every student moves onto secondary school and is then filtered into class levels; therefore, more students are going through the secondary education system. Also, there are very few schools in the United States that have the option of vocational training programs. In Germany, the students are placed, based on academic testing in Grundschule, into a university-bound program through 13^th grade at the Gymnasium, or in a 10^th grade Realschule, which ends with a skilled apprenticeship, or lastly into the Hauptschule, which ends at 9^th grade and prepares students for a vocational school or basic work in public or secretarial service. There are very few Gesamtschule, which are schools that allow for students to complete academics at all of these levels. International testing occurs from the Gymnasium, where the students have already been selected for academic skill and is, therefore, a more elite group than the American students participating in mathematical tests in high school.

Banks 17 - 47

I was disappointed by Banks’ approach to analyzing the issues of globalization and citizenship in regards to education, which he discusses in “Diversity and Citizenship Education”. The educational environment that I grew up in was very simple. Everyone was from the same socioeconomic background and spoke the same language, so the issues of immigration and diversity did not really apply. Even so, the points that Banks make in his article seem to me to be rather obvious. It is a given that people from different countries are educated using different techniques, and when borders are crossed this is bound to create all sorts of issues. Is this not the main reason for the study of comparative education?
Banks gives us a brief glimpse into the educational systems of other countries and offers both praise and criticism. We also get a little bit of history and assurance that things are generally improving. However, Banks signs off the article stating that there is not yet a solution and that these issues are still being worked on. I just feel as though he didn’t really discover anything new in this article or point out anything that was particularly startling. The fact that he ends the article with a series of questions suggests that Banks too is unsatisfied with his findings. I would have appreciated the article much more if I had been left with answers rather than questions.

Castles, pages 17-29

     Stephen Castles provides us with an interesting analysis of how the ongoing globalization of the world is redefining traditional views on citizenship and undermining certain pillars of the 20th century "Nation-State". No longer do states have full control over the exchange of people, things, and ideas across their borders, and the increased contact between distant peoples is blurring ethnic and cultural boundaries. Certain regulations can now be handled from a supranational level, taking the power out of the hands of the governments of these Nation-States. Castles goes on to outline the differing attitudes toward migration from the point of view of the receiving country, mentioning first "assimilation" and "differential exclusion", approaches that attempt to protect the receiving country from influences that immigrants may bring with them, and later mentioning "multiculturalism" and "social equality", approaches that focus on understanding and appreciating everyone's background. I think that even within my lifetime in the USA I have seen a marked transition from valuing assimilation and protecting the status quo to appreciation for the more understanding ideas of multiculturalism and social equality, and that this change is a reflection of growing understanding and acceptance resulting from increased contact between different peoples. 

Castles p. 17-29

Stephen Castles writes about issues that can occur when globalization with take away the identity of a citizen to his or her nation-state.   While it is true that with globalization, individuals may feel less connected to specific locations and governments, the positive aspects are immense.  In Europe, for example, the Schengen Union was created to allow for easy travel between European countries by taking down the borders.  This has caused more tourism, as people are able to travel between countries without showing a passport. The European Union has allowed people to work almost anywhere in Europe without dealing with work visa issues.  This creates more economic prosperity for people who may otherwise not have been able to experience it.

I did my semester abroad in the Czech Republic (part of the Schengen Union) and it was painless and easy to travel across most of Europe.  The Czech Republic used to be a communist regime, however, now citizens are able to work and travel all over. They are being exposed to all different cultures and while this may take away from a sense of Czech citizenship, it opens up more opportunities to succeed.  Castles is right that having a national identify is important, (as evidence by the recent inauguration ceremony) however this must be balanced with a constant effort to increase globalization.  

Gutek 1 & 8

In Chapter 1 of Gutek's American Education in a Global Society, the emphasis on the importance of events taking place in remote countries is highlighted. Throughout history, we have interacted with foreign nations in such instances of war, trade, and politics. As we continue to hold relationships with these foreign countries and study their economic, political, and educational systems, it is important to understand how these operations affect our own society and cultures. In any relationship, it is important to understand both sides so that one party and their actions are not ruled out and undermined during certain situations. When both parties fully understand each other, the relationship can grow and the connections between us, and other peoples can be developed. In Chapter 8, Gutek explains how this concept of foreign understanding applies to education. The study of American education exists for many different purposes, two of which are seen as primary and most important: To develop and improve our educational system, and to better understand students of foreign backgrounds. Each region of the world has its own model of schooling. There are pros and cons of each and as we study these options, we are able to take certain aspects and use them to further build our own. As our country continues to become more diverse, these multicultural students must adjust to our educational systems. It is our job to help these students adapt and to alter our teaching styles to accommodate to some of their learning techniques. As we study a global society we must define the reasons why we are studying it, and how we can benefit from its understanding.

Banks Reading

I never really thought of education on the global/international level and reading this article has brought some elements of education and it’s problems to light for me.  It never really crossed my mind that students from different countries around the world were taught differently.  What I mean is that I knew that people were taught differently but I didn’t consciously understand what that meant.

It was really interesting to read about how education on the global level influenced so many elements of governments.  I found the section that dealt with immigrants the most interesting.  I never quite realized that some countries wanted immigrants to leave after a period of time.  To me immigrant means someone who comes from one country to another to live permanently.  I found that the disregard that these countries had for these immigrant children and their education disastrous.  I liked how, after some time, efforts were made to better acclimate the education system to these immigrants and how the education system has had to try to evolve to help these people to better acclimate to living in the new country they have moved to. This article has helped me to better understand some of the challenges and problems of globalization and education.

Gutek, Chapter 8

Gutek Chapter 8, Educational Systems in National Contexts begins with a definition of comparative education, "the analysis of educational systems and problems in two or more national environments in terms of socio-political, economic, cultural, ideological, and other contexts" as well as a purpose for education: to understand the "similarities and differences in education in the various nations." I think this chapter provides great background information on what comparative education actually is and why we need to study comparative education.

One thing that really stuck out to me in this chapter was something that we had discussed earlier last week in class. Comparative education is both a mirror and a window, "looking out aids one to both understand a broader perspective as well as look inward and get a clearer picture of what is taking place in American education." In other words, comparative education not only allows us to reflect upon ourselves and our experiences, but it also helps us to gain a global perspective on educational issues over the world. I look forward to learning more about different educational systems and issues and understanding the similarities and differences between them so that I can have this window and mirror perspective.

Gutek Chap. 1

I thought the most interesting part of this chapter was "New Economic Centers of Power." I hadn't realized that the recent political issue of jobs in the U.S. being "shipped overseas" would have educational implications. The shift from production industries (iron, steel, cars, even clothing) to service and IT industries has caused a parallel shift in education. In the early 20th century, there were probably special classes and schools devoted to industrial education, such as woodworking and textile manufacturing. Now, those special classes and schools are devoted to business and IT. The same is occurring in South Korea and Japan, where education is probably no longer focused on agricultural aspects but specialized for industry and technology.

I also found it a coincidence that the No Child Left Behind Act was intended to make Americans more competitive against foreignors. The Act has stressed standardized testing and therefore most teachers have focused solely on reading, writing, and math, and left out important subjects such as art, social studies, and foreign language that contribute to having a "global perspective." Professional corporations, which the U.S. economy largely depends on, have strongly encouraged diversity in the last ten years because having employees with different sources of ideas and outlooks (being able to think "out of the box") gives them a potential competitive advantage. It is interesting that the No Child Left Behind Act has actually impeded upon this personal strength from developing in students by limiting their thinking to the basics. Also as Gutek mentioned, corporations are becoming multinational and therefore their employees need to know how to communicate across cultural lines. The only way to learn this effectively is by having an international education from the beginning.

Gutek, Chapter 1

In Gutek's first chapter, I found the 'brain drain' argument as an explanation for why there is a need for international education quite interesting. The brain drain phenomenon is when skilled people leave their own country (usually a developing one) to find jobs in better-paying positions (usually in developed countries). To me, this is a huge problem because this idea deprives developing countries of the pool of skilled workers to help their own society. There is no way a developing country can break through to become more developed if this keeps happening. It was only through reading the chapter that I realized that international education has ramifications that extend to have global consequences. If education and  the opportunities in developing countries were on par with those of developed countries, then perhaps there wouldn't be such high rates of brain drain going on. Conversely, I never thought about migrant workers leaving their home country to find work as another need for international education. It seems that both the upper-crest  and the lower-class workers of developing countries are leaving. And while for very different reasons, these points made me realize how necessary international education is in a way I never thought of before. 

Banks Ch1.

While reading Castle’s, “Migration, Citizenship, and Education” I was surprised to learn about the difficulties that exist in other countries when it comes to teaching immigrant children. For some reason I just thought America was the only place that had not found a solution for helping educate minority children. In the section on controllability of differences I thought that the idea of differential exclusion was the most unjust thing that any country could do. I don’t think that it’s right to leave a group of people uneducated because they are not from the same nation-state. The fact that some places still do this is shocking to me because I have always thought that educating children should be high on any country’s priority list, regardless of where the child comes from. The reality is that transnational communities are appearing everywhere so transnational education is going to have to happen. I believe that school curriculum’s all over the world will have to change. In my opinion it’s about time things changed in schools, because there are many historical events that are left out of the history books of today and it is important for students to get different perspectives on historical events.

ICS and RFS

As you are deciding where to volunteer, you can check out the programs' websites:

www.intcomschool.org
http://refugeefamilyservices.org/

International News Websites

http://today.reuters.com/news/home.aspx
http://news.bbc.co.uk/
http://www.cnn.com/
http://news.google.com/
http://www.wnnetwork.com/ (World News Network)

http://iht.com/ (International Herald Tribune)
http://nytimes.com/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/
http://www.latimes.com/

http://allafrica.com/ (Africa)
http://mg.co.za/ (South Africa)
http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/ (Nigeria)
http://www.ghanaweb.com (Ghana)
http://www.granma.cu/ (Cuba)
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/ (Jamaica)
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/index.html (Canada)
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/ (India)
http://www.dawn.com/ (Pakistan)
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/ (China)
http://www.asahi.com/english/index.html (Japan)
http://philnews.com/ (Philippines)
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/index.htm (Egypt)
http://turkishpress.com/ (Turkey - though run out of the US by Anatolia.com)
http://www.jpost.com/ (Israel)
http://bethlehemnews.com/ (Palestine)