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Group, Here are the results of my second question. Some of our teachers are interested in rearranging subjects so that students take related subjects at the same time....such as American Lit and American History in the same year. Thank you everyone for responding. On Sat, 8 Jan 1994, Betty Dawn Hamilton wrote: > LM_NETters, > > Here's another one. Your opinion . . .? (I LOVE this idea! It provides > all kinds of research possibilities.) > > Group, > > Another question . . . at our Principal's Advisory Committee meeting > yesterday, one member proposed that the grade levels where certain > subjects are currently required be changed to correspond chronologically. > For example, students who take world history would also take world > literature. American history would be scheduled the same year American > literature is required. We would encourage other interdisciplinary > collaboration wherever possible, yet we wouldn't totally scramble our > credit system during the transition. > > Do any of you do that? Of course, I will look for relevant documentation > through research, but first-hand on-going experience will allow us to ask > questions. (And it is NOW in real time!) > > Again, thank you for your suggestions. > > Betty ****************************************************************************** Our students register in the spring for eight courses to be taken the following year. They take and complete four each semester. Our students will be entirely finished their first four courses this coming Thursday (if it ever stops snowing we were out two days and went in late the other three last week). At any rate seniors who only need two or three credits can take them in the fall and goe to the community college in the spring etc. What it does for me is allow us to spread out the term paper "season" and it provides ninety minutes for students to use the library. Usually though teacher use the library to "break-up" the long period by spending 30, 45, 60 or so minutes in the library. It also gives the kids a chance to work for extended periods of time on AV, computer and other projects. In terms of integrating curriculum ( a big buzz word around here) it give me the chance to work with set s of teachers who have the same kids for related subjects. We attempted to have teachers who assign research use subjects that ar broadbased enough to encompass several curriculum areas. We also try to incorporate the appropriate library an d information skills in there. We encourage certain genres of fiction during certain class sets. Biography and science fiction during science and math, Historical fiction and popular novels during history and english classes. I wouldn't say it works smoothly by any means but the energy and direction are the and believe it or not it often works just the way it should. Good luck with your presentation. Charles Phillips Library Media Specialist - Brunswick High School, Brunswick, Maryland Media Library Science Instructor - Western Maryland College ********************************************************* Hi, Betty! Hurray for you folks in Texas! I lobbied the administrators and teachers where I taught here in Alabama for two years to arrange our curriculum similarly, but I never convinced enough people to change things. Personally, I have tried to study using a seamless approach to the various disciplines since I was fourteen years old. At the end of my eleventh-grade year in high school, I was so aggravated by the fragmented curriculum in my school that I quit and enrolled in Auburn University, where I had greater freedom to select my courses. As an undergraduate, I chose courses that would enable me to make connections between disciplines; for example, one quarter I took 18th century philosophy, 18th century English literature, 18th century European history, and a course in baroque and rococo art history. From my own experience, I believe I developed a deeper understanding of what it means to be human than my peers who followed a more traditional approach. Frankly, I also think I developed better critical thinking skills. On the other hand, it took me longer to finish college (which may translate, in your curriculum, to fewer ideas being covered in greater depth). Also, it was difficult to incorporate math and science into my scheme (one book I've read that does it beautifully is Jacob Bronowski's Ascent of Man, which you may wish to consider). Finally, I felt STRONGLY that I swam against the tide during my undergraduate years. In our world, there are many subtle pressures to specialize rather than to synthesize. As our understanding becomes more sophisticated, the pressure to devote our energy to one area drops into lower and lower grade levels (hence, the existence of an elementary magnet school for science and mathematics in Alabama). However, I still think rearranging your curricular requirements is a splendid idea! I believe the benefits to high school students will far outweigh other considerations. Good luck, and please let me know what you decide to do. Jan Hosey <hoseyjz@mail.auburn.edu> P.S. I am currently pursuing a graduate degree in library media. As a library media specialist, I plan to continue encouraging teachers to arrange at least some units of instruction so that students have an opportunity to make meaningful connections between their courses. ********************************************************************** Betty, In California most schools have U.S. History in grade 11 along with American Lit. World History is grade 10. The 10th grade English curriculum is exploratory as far as lit is concerned and may include many non U.S. pieces. I understand how you would want to pair classes of similar topics. Good luck. KeikoHentell ****************************************************************** From: "Charles H. Phillips" <charlesp@hamlet.umd.edu> Subject: Re: Rearranging Requirements (fwd) Betty, I teach in a school where we have semesterized the calendar and have four ninety minute periods. In our schedule we have set up the schedule so that students take their American history and American literature during the same year but during the same semester. The next semester they will take a math and science together along with various electives. This process makes for very interesting research projects and an opportunity to mix and match assignments in the library. Charles Phillips Library Media Specialist - Brunswick High School, Brunswick, Maryland Media Library Science Instructor - Western Maryland College *****************************************************************