1. Our Weekly readings, research and discussions will continue until my learner objectives for that content module have been met or until the due date indicated in the calendar arrives.

2. I will close the general discussion and put a Summary discussion thread up. This is not a place for discussion.

3. You will summarize ALL the data you have collected in a 200-300 (approximately) statement.Do NOT just summarize the selected reading. This is NOT a book report!

 4. Please make sure that your lesson activities connect to the unit we are working with.  The purpose of this learner objective is for you to create curriculum which will raise the consciousness of the students towards the marginalized groups we are studying.  Research reports will not meet that objective unless they have critical and creative thinking in your design.

Grading Criteria for most readings-several have their own.

1. Synthesis and  understanding of the major  content points of ALL the data intake  50 points

2. SPECIFIC CLASSROOM ACTIVITY OR LESSON suggestion.  DO NOT FORGET THE ASSESSMENT! How could you deliver the material to a K-12 classroom? State the grade level. Make sure to target the group we are studying. DO NOT BORROW A LESSON. THIS IS TO BE AN ORIGINAL WORK.Your lesson activities need to be ORIGINAL.  It is Ok to browse around for a germ of an IDEA but do NOT lift a lesson or activity off line. 50 points

NOTE: If you are going to include discussion points in your assessment you MUST have an individual assessment strategy!!!  Not “I will observe them!!”.

Developing Measurable Objectives as Assessment Tools

Measurable objectives are used as assessment tools. Once the objective is defined, this then becomes the foundation for your grading or assessment tool.  The measurable objective should mention your expectations for performance on the assessment.

In developing your objectives be sure to include:

• conditions (how or where the student will perform the task)
• behavioral verb (describe student behavior)
• criteria (how well the student performs the behavior)

Guidelines for Writing Measurable Objectives Rubric

The hardliners in the field of writing behavioral objectives state that the behavioral objectives must be written according to the following template:

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Matthew's Feedback on the Hmong Weekly Unit assignment.  This feedback is posted to the open discussion board for all to read. The grade is posted privately. the students report they like this approach as they read the feedback to others and learn more. 

Matthew,

Your response is very impressive.  Thank you for synthesizing and building on the data which was provided.

Your lesson meets every single criteria for  outstanding curriculum development- INCLUDING personal relevance AND covering all the data points! Well done!

The Lesson: Wow... love the Coke or Pepsi modification.  I wonder if either Coke or Pepsi underwrote the books?

<<< Replied to message below >>>
Authored by: Matthew 
Authored on: May 31, 2011 11:23 PM
Subject: Hmong Summary

The Hmong experience in America is unique to other immigrant/refugee groups, even that of other Asian immigrants/refugees.  The Hmong, writes Fadiman, were resistant to acculturation because they never chose to leave their country and they all had wishful hopes of returning.  One theme in the book that struck me and applies to teaching is cultural understanding.  The conflicts in the story were born from huge misunderstandings from both the Hmong and the medical establishment.  My classmates and I discussed which culture was “right” and how we thought the situation could have been better handled.  Obviously, translators were needed, but Dr. Murphy correctly states (p91) “The biggest problem was the cultural barrier.”  How could this barrier be reduced? Also... no one has $$$ for translators More dialogue was necessary between the two communities as a whole.  Possibly, as Fadiman suggets, shaman could have been allowed to perform their rituals as a part of Hmong patients’ treatment (good luck getting Blue Cross Blue Shield to cover that, though!). ; / ) More important than you may think.   Overall, both sides needed to both look into their own background for biases and weaknesses they are blind to as well as open up to the other side’s point of view.  For my teaching practice, this lesson speaks volumes!  I need to think about each and every action and decision I make – is it culturally appropriate for all of my students?  How could my actions be interpreted by my students and their families?  How can I make sure that my students are receiving the right message from what I say and do?  It takes a whole lot of sensitivity to do this well!

Our discussions also looked at a case study of a black majority school where Asian students were bullied.  It seems like cultural understanding was also completely lacking in this situation.  Teachers and administrators completely mishandled the situation and allowed it to escalate.  Training obviously needed to be done with the staff first and then turnkeyed to the students.  At the very least, teachers could have spoken out against the violence and been a voice in opposition to what was going around. Can you guess why they did not?  In my own teaching practice, this article shows me the importance of being that voice before the problem escalates.

We also discussed plastic surgery practices commonly practiced by Asians in order to appear more white.  It is unfortunate that these individuals feel the need to change their physical appearance to seem less “ethnic.”  In Why Are All the Black Kids…? author Tatum writes about raising her African American child surrounded by positive cultural references to battle what the mainstream media was feeding her child: negative, stereotypical images of African American males.  As a teacher, these ideas point out the necessity to do so for my students – surrounding them with positive images from a variety of cultures (especially those that my students come from) in an attempt to counter the negative images they are immersed in by society.  Good -Practical!

Lesson

Objective

Students will analyze critical-thought-based questions and choose an opinion and support their opinion with two reasons through discussion and then writing.  Students will receive credit for new ideas and thoughts that build off of others.  Students will achieve a 9/10 according to the scoring guidelines outlined below.

Activity

My students are in love with this book series called “Coke or Pepsi?” which has a ton of different versions – the author/publisher must be making a MINT off of it.  Basically, it is chock full of “Would you rather…” and moral dilemma questions.  They are great for sparking discussion and we have been using them in class to help foster accountable talk and stimulate building off of one another’s ideas. 

The lesson would start with a quick intro to Hmong culture and history and.a brief synopsis of A Spirit.

I would remind the kids of the activity and our ground rules: one voice at a time, always being respectful (particularly important in this lesson), and to listen to our partners. I would point out the accountable talk bubbles that give the students prompts to encourage critical thinking: “I agree with what ____ said and would like to add…” “I disagree with _____ because…”, “I hear what you are saying, but I think…” etc.).

I would then present the following “Coke or Pepsi?” questions:

• Which would you prefer – coke or Pepsi?
• Which would you prefer – reading a book on the beach or listening to a book on tape in the library?
• What would you do: Your neighbor butchers a pig in the backyard.  (Some of my students come from agricultural backgrounds so I am interested to see what they say!)
• What would you do: You are the doctor in The Spirit. Do you let the family of a sick child invite a shaman to perform a ritual?
• Which would you do: You are Foua Yang, the Hmong father in The Spirit, and your daughter is sick.  The doctor prescribes a medicine that you believe will make your daughter sick but the doctor believes might help your daughter.  Other children have gotten sick from medicine the doctor prescribes.  Do you give your daughter the medicine or not?
• What would you do: How can the two sides in the story understand each other better?  What could the hospital, doctors, and medical community do?  What could the Hmong community do?

Assessment

Students will respond to the following question: You are Peggy Philp, the doctor in The Spirit.  You want the Hmong family to give the medicine to their daughter.  What can you do or say to encourage them to give their daughter the medicine?  Remember the family isn’t used to giving medicines like this to treat illnesses.  Remember the family does not read or write English words or numbers.  Remember the family is suspicious of you as a doctor.  Remember the family thinks that it is a spiritual problem and that medicine can’t do much and might actually hurt their daughter.

We will first discuss the question and then students will write their response.

I will grade the written responses:

States their position – 3 points

Gives reasons to support their position (up to two) – 3 points for each reason

WOW factor – if you present a new idea or thought that build off another student, you get 1 point for each.

Scored out of 10 points.