TARGET> Making Required Subjects Correspond

[Betty Dawn Hamilton <bhamilt@TENET.EDU>]

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
*****************************************************************