Our teaching tasks have concluded. We now focus our attention on what lies next. I thought that I would enclose the letter that will be sent home with all students on Wednesday. It explains what students will have to endure, and eventually claim triumph over, for our next phase:
Dear Parents/ Guardians:
The purpose of this letter is to inform you of our upcoming unit on Growth in America. The focus of this unit is to analyze the development of Modern America from economic and social points of view. Some of the concepts addressed will be industrialization, immigration, social awareness, differing approaches to economic growth, Westward Expansion, as well as the growing divide between North and South with regards to the institution of slavery. The chapters covered in our textbook will be 11, 12, and 13. As with so much this year, change is a compelling concept. In past years, I have engaged in a series of direct instruction lectures designed to accomplish the comprehension of content in these chapters. However, this year I am proposing a different way to grasp the essential concepts that arise from these chapters. As with so much that we have done this year, this differentiation will rest on the broad shoulders of our students who will have to choose which option best fits their particular talent sets.
Each student will be presented with three options for their course of study and will have to choose one. These options are presented in more detail in the notes attached to this document. (Will be distributed on Wednesday). One of the options is a textbook based, secondary source analysis, another one is an American History primary source analysis, and the last option is a Political Philosophy primary source analysis. Intrinsic to all options is that, all students will have to read and absorb all the sections of chapter 11, 12, and 13. There will be individualized tasks within each student choice. The point values will be the same for all students, but the specific tasks will be different for different students. For example, a student who chooses the textbook based secondary source analysis will have a different set of tasks to complete than the American History primary source student. Direct instruction will be conducted by groupings, so not all students will receive directed instruction each day. Hence, on the days when students are not engaged in direct instruction, they will have class time to work on their specific task at home as well as time at home. Students will be asked to make a commitment to their choice on Thursday of this week.
I have outlined the three choices to all the students. The choice is going to be left to them. I encourage you, as parents/ guardians, to discuss which option is best suited for your particular student, your emerging scholar. While the problem here could be the choice, it could also be the source of liberation, as students can find their academic voices through an appropriate choice. I stress to all students that their choices are for them, and them alone, and they should choose what they think is best for them. These tasks will be done individually, so collaboration with colleagues will not be an option in the completion of each grouping’s tasks. As with all choices, it is my hope that students make the right choice, for the right reasons.
The last point I would like to make here is one based on the notion of differentiation. Over the year, I believe that I have taken special strides to differentiate the content in American History in order to reach every student. However, I have always claimed that a large component of differentiation of content is contingent on student choice. When students choose to find their academic voice, choose to inject their passion and zeal into their work, and choose to display their heart within the paradigm of intellectual discourse, differentiation has been accomplished as content has gained more purpose. In this particular unit, groupings have been offered and within each designation, further differentiation is even more evident. Yet, students will have to choose which task is best suited for them. Every student will be granted equal access to all options. All students are entitled to a pasture within which their intellectual sojourn can take place.
If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me at school or at home (__________________________). In the final analysis, as we begin our mad dash towards the end of the year and the Final Assessment, it is the choices of our students, your emerging scholars, which will be able to demonstrate the best chance of success.
Thanking you in advance,
Mr. Kannan
P.S. Students will receive the calendar of events, a sequence that lists due dates of all specific assignments, once choices have been declared. Our journey begins with all students reading chapter 11, so if students wish to move at their own pace, they could begin here. In the words of the great coach, “Is this fun or what?!?”
Dear Parents/ Guardians:
The purpose of this letter is to inform you of our upcoming unit on Growth in America. The focus of this unit is to analyze the development of Modern America from economic and social points of view. Some of the concepts addressed will be industrialization, immigration, social awareness, differing approaches to economic growth, Westward Expansion, as well as the growing divide between North and South with regards to the institution of slavery. The chapters covered in our textbook will be 11, 12, and 13. As with so much this year, change is a compelling concept. In past years, I have engaged in a series of direct instruction lectures designed to accomplish the comprehension of content in these chapters. However, this year I am proposing a different way to grasp the essential concepts that arise from these chapters. As with so much that we have done this year, this differentiation will rest on the broad shoulders of our students who will have to choose which option best fits their particular talent sets.
Each student will be presented with three options for their course of study and will have to choose one. These options are presented in more detail in the notes attached to this document. (Will be distributed on Wednesday). One of the options is a textbook based, secondary source analysis, another one is an American History primary source analysis, and the last option is a Political Philosophy primary source analysis. Intrinsic to all options is that, all students will have to read and absorb all the sections of chapter 11, 12, and 13. There will be individualized tasks within each student choice. The point values will be the same for all students, but the specific tasks will be different for different students. For example, a student who chooses the textbook based secondary source analysis will have a different set of tasks to complete than the American History primary source student. Direct instruction will be conducted by groupings, so not all students will receive directed instruction each day. Hence, on the days when students are not engaged in direct instruction, they will have class time to work on their specific task at home as well as time at home. Students will be asked to make a commitment to their choice on Thursday of this week.
I have outlined the three choices to all the students. The choice is going to be left to them. I encourage you, as parents/ guardians, to discuss which option is best suited for your particular student, your emerging scholar. While the problem here could be the choice, it could also be the source of liberation, as students can find their academic voices through an appropriate choice. I stress to all students that their choices are for them, and them alone, and they should choose what they think is best for them. These tasks will be done individually, so collaboration with colleagues will not be an option in the completion of each grouping’s tasks. As with all choices, it is my hope that students make the right choice, for the right reasons.
The last point I would like to make here is one based on the notion of differentiation. Over the year, I believe that I have taken special strides to differentiate the content in American History in order to reach every student. However, I have always claimed that a large component of differentiation of content is contingent on student choice. When students choose to find their academic voice, choose to inject their passion and zeal into their work, and choose to display their heart within the paradigm of intellectual discourse, differentiation has been accomplished as content has gained more purpose. In this particular unit, groupings have been offered and within each designation, further differentiation is even more evident. Yet, students will have to choose which task is best suited for them. Every student will be granted equal access to all options. All students are entitled to a pasture within which their intellectual sojourn can take place.
If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me at school or at home (__________________________). In the final analysis, as we begin our mad dash towards the end of the year and the Final Assessment, it is the choices of our students, your emerging scholars, which will be able to demonstrate the best chance of success.
Thanking you in advance,
Mr. Kannan
P.S. Students will receive the calendar of events, a sequence that lists due dates of all specific assignments, once choices have been declared. Our journey begins with all students reading chapter 11, so if students wish to move at their own pace, they could begin here. In the words of the great coach, “Is this fun or what?!?”
The nightingales will be singing new songs soon.
All best and happy choosing.
Mr. Kannan
P.S. What might be the last extra credit assignment in this class will be distributed out to students on Monday, 4/14, and will be due next Monday, 4/21.
Encourage your emerging scholar to test their academic will against this formidable and reflective task.
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