Centro América/Puerto rico/22 Marzo 2018/Fuente: Telesur Tv
Maestros del sistema público puertorriqueño rechazan la reforma que entrega la administración de las escuelas públicas a sectores privados.
El Senado de Puerto Rico aprobó este lunes la reforma educativa impulsada por el gobernador, Ricardo Rosselló.
La reforma pretende imponer las escuelas charter, que son escuelas públicas administradas por empresas privadas y son rechazadas por los docentes.
Con un total de 19 votos a favor, ocho en contra, una abstención y dos ausentes fue aprobado el proyecto.
Los votos en rechazo a la ley de transformación educativa provinieron del oficialista Partido Nuevo Progresista (PNP) y del opositor Partido Popular Democrático (PPD).
Por su parte, el gobernador Rosselló agradeció el respaldo al proyecto dirigido a cambiar el sistema de educación pública, que a su parecer potencia la educación privada.
Desde que se presentó la propuesta de las escuelas charter en Puerto Rico los docentes se han expresado en contra de este modelo de administración escolar, cuyos resultados en Estados Unidos señalan de cuestionables.
“Estamos complacidos con el trabajo titánico que hizo la delegación de mayoría en el Senado y en la Cámara para mejorar el proyecto del Ejecutivo para transformar nuestro sistema de enseñanza público”, señaló Rosselló.
Este proyecto fue discutido y aprobado por la Cámara de Representantes el lunes de la semana pasada.
Rosselló aseguró que con esta medida los niños y niñas tendrán un mejor sistema de educación y agregó que no se trata de una reforma curricular, sino de una repartición de los fondos públicos.
“Es hora que el estudiantado tenga alternativas efectivas de educación sin importar los recursos económicos de sus padres”, añadió el gobernador.
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos faced blistering questioning from House Democrats on Tuesday as they confronted her on gun control, racism and LGBTQ rights.
DeVos’ testimony before the House Appropriations subcommittee got so tense that the chairman made a point of thanking DeVos for her poise when he concluded the meeting.
DeVos, already reeling after a series of rocky, high-profile interviews, unveiled some details of a federal commission on school safety that she will be chairing. The commission, formed after the Florida high school shooting in which 17 people were killed, will be composed of herself and the heads of the Homeland Security, Health and Human Services and Justice departments.
DeVos said the commission will begin work within the next few weeks. A spokeswoman for DeVos later added that the panel also will involve students, teachers, law enforcement and mental health professionals as experts.
DeVos said the commission will, among other things, consider whether to ban gun sales to people younger than 21. Trump initially spoke in favor of such a proposal but backtracked after meeting with representatives of the National Rifle Assn. DeVos would not tell the subcommittee whether she personally supports the idea or not.
DeVos also defended states’ and communities’ rights to decide whether to arm teachers.
«The question of school personnel being armed is very much one for local communities and states to grapple with,» she said.
DeVos added, «If there are going to be guns in schools, they need to be in the hands of the right people, those who are going to protect students and ensure their safety.»
Patty Murray of Washington state, the top Democrat on the Senate committee overseeing education, was upset that DeVos did not include any Democrats or any experts in the subject matter on the school safety commission.
«I am not very optimistic that that will accomplish anything,» Murray told the Associated Press. «Real experience is absolutely critical to get anything done.»
DeVos also faced scathing criticism from Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., who said minority students were being disciplined much more frequently than their white peers for similar infractions. The Obama administration issued guidance in 2014 that instructed schools to pay attention to the problem. DeVos is now reviewing that guidance, and civil rights groups fear she intends to rescind it. She would not talk about her plans at the hearing.
«Your head is in the sand about racial bias and racial discrimination,» Lee said. «Madame Secretary, you just don’t care much about the rights of black and brown children. This is horrible.»
Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., launched into a tense back-and-forth with DeVos on whether she would require private schools that receive federal funding to follow federal civil rights laws that prohibit sexual, racial and religious discrimination.
DeVos has been pushing to increase public funding of alternatives to traditional neighborhood schools — such as charter school or private school programs. Critics say private schools get to choose which students to admit and may discriminate against minorities.
«Will you guarantee as secretary of Education that that money is included with non-discrimination policies for those private schools?» Clark asked.
«Federal law must be followed when federal money is involved,» DeVos said.
The foundation of any civilised society is surely the sanctity of the human life and the principle that all lives have the same inherent value.
I can’t imagine that many would differ from these statements. Until one spells it out: the value of a new-born baby of a president, a billionaire or a celebrity has to be valued at exactly the same level as the new-born baby of a labourer, an unemployed person living in a squatter camp, or a vagrant.
A baby doesn’t choose his/her parents. No civilised society can tolerate it that a baby’s worth and fate are determined by where his/her parents feature on society’s hierarchy or by the amount of money they make.
When South Africa became a democracy in 1994, it wasn’t possible to eradicate inequality, poverty and unemployment with the stroke of a pen. We could not eradicate the legacy of colonialism and apartheid in an instant, but we could and should have assured a new and better future for our new generations right from the day the first democratic government took office.
Our challenge was to steadily undo the damage of the past by making sure that the new generation of children being born all have an equal chance to live fulfilling and healthy lives and develop to their full potential; that they could escape the poverty trap their parents were caught in.
Children like Lumka Mketwa, the five-year-old girl who died the most horrible death when she fell down a pit latrine at her Bizana school last week and drowned in human excrement. On the same day we heard of Lumka’s death, we also heard that R34 million of taxpayer money was spent on the private court actions of former president Jacob Zuma and R22 million by former SABC chief Hlaudi Motsoeneng.
My builder friends tell me that the state could have built more than seven thousand safe toilets for schools with that R56 million, and then Lumka would have been able to walk to her school this morning.
My teenage daughter’s school is a brilliant institution where she is treasured as an individual, intellectually stimulated and sensitively prepared for adult life. She only has that privilege because her father can afford it and lives in the right middle class neighbourhood. There are girls her age and with her intellectual capabilities a mere five kilometres from her school who daily walk to school dodging gangster bullets.
Their school has no laboratory, library or computers and there are fifty learners in each class, often being taught by a totally under-qualified teacher. These girls have very little chance to compete with my child once they’re out of school, and not because of anything they did or did not do.
It is in such schools, probably most state schools, where youngsters with dyslexia, attention deficit disorder, Asperger’s syndrome or other challenges on the autism spectrum, or serious trauma because of their domestic situation are called stupid and difficult. With a little bit of understanding these kids could have been top performers in their class.
The statistics are there for anyone to look up: If your father and mother are poor, the chances are overwhelming that you will also be poor and unsuccessful as an adult. In this way we perpetuate the inequality and injustice that is increasingly polarising and destabilising our society, because almost all the schools without proper infrastructure, facilities or qualified teachers are in the townships or the deep rural areas.
According to all indications, the education our children get in these schools are of the worst in the world, while most of our suburban schools are above the world average. We have been perpetuating apartheid. The way the elected governments since 1994 have treated the education of our black children is tantamount to a crime against humanity.
I fully support the idea of free tertiary education, but what sense does it make to spend so many extra billions of rands on students at universities when primary education is of such a low standard – and children drown in pit latrines?
Unless President Cyril Ramaphosa’s «new deal» is an election gimmick, it will have to start off with a massive and ambitious intervention in basic education. It was largely through civil society’s activism that South Africa got rid of the Zuma/Gupta nest of corruption and restored political accountability.
The education of our children should surely be civil society’s next target?
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Six months after the explosive allegations of sexual harassment against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein came to light, giving impetus to the #MeToo movement, this series looks at the aftermath of the movement, and if it has brought about lasting change to sexual harassment and gender equality.
The #MeToo movement has generated much needed discussion about inappropriate sexual behaviour and what constitutes consent to any sexual encounter. Despite some backlash, there is a sense women have reached a new level of agitation that won’t settle. The groundswell of anger might be sufficient to sustain a deep dismantling of systems of sexual discrimination against women.
But such cultural revolutions require change at many levels, from the interpersonal to the institutional. Young people are important in this revolution – many are leaders of the movement. Others need the knowledge and skills to recognise and interpret signals, and assert their own positions within the complex, often confusing situations that require sexual negotiation and consent.
These are learned informally from parents, carers, peers and the media. Formal school education is widely accepted as one of the appropriate institutions for teaching children and adolescents about relationships, sexual and reproductive health, and personal responsibility.
Post-#MeToo, teachers who are already engaged in skills-building in the area of consent might explore its nuances. They might delve deeper into sexual harassment and what it looks and feels like. And help shift young people’s understanding that consent is not just about (mainly) girls saying “no”, but also (mainly) boys understanding “yes”.
The importance of sexuality education
This year, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) published a revised version of their 2009 International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education.
This report summarises decades of evidence of the positive impact comprehensive sexuality education has on measurable aspects of sexual behaviour. These include delaying commencement of sexual intercourse, reducing the number of partners and increasing use of contraception and condom use.
Other desirable outcomes, such as less gender discrimination and gender-based violence, and healthy relationships, have been less rigorously studied. But these are also likely to be positively impacted by comprehensive sexuality education.
Teaching consent
In Australia, the principles of sexuality education are covered by the national Health and Physical Education curriculum. This includes a range of topics broadly classified as aspects of consent.
As early as kindergarten, the curriculum areas include:
Understanding in what situations parts of the body should be kept private
recognising one’s own emotions and learning how to express them, and
being able to name people you trust and places you feel safe.
As the curriculum progresses through primary and secondary school, these themes continue. Attention is paid to understanding the body as it develops, recognising emotion, exploring empathy and respectful relationships, particularly between peers.
During the mid-adolescent years, risk-taking behaviours and peer influences are a natural feature of development. At this point, the curriculum articulates the need for students to learn “practising skills to deal with challenging or unsafe situations” and “asserting their stance on a situation, dilemma or decision …”
Young people are playing an important role in dismantling of systems of sexual discrimination against women.Photo by Nicole Adams on Unsplash
All states and territories will adopt or use the national curriculum as a basis to develop their own health and physical education syllabuses, where additional detail can be found. For example, in New South Wales, the current syllabus for years seven to ten (circa 2003) explicitly discusses teaching the role gender can play in a range of attitudes, behaviours and health outcomes.
Power in relationships is also specifically mentioned. So too is a detailed list of learning outcomes about communication, assertiveness and negotiation.
The new draft NSW syllabus mentions the word consent in three places in years seven and eight, and years nine and ten. But this is done in the broad context of ethical relationships, not specifically sexual.
The Victorian curriculum (circa 2016) also articulates principles of respect and ethics in relationships and discusses power and gender. A search through the health curricula of other states and territories finds similar themes.
The average age of first intercourse among Australian secondary students is 16 years. But by this time, the majority have experienced some form of (non-penetrative) sexual activity. It’s reassuring that notions of consent appear in the early secondary years alongside learning about personal boundaries, recognising one’s own emotions, and communication skills.
Despite most sexually active secondary students reporting that they have had pleasurable sexual experiences (an important indicator of sexual health), a high proportion consistently report having had unwanted intercourse, with significant gender differences. In 2013, our five-yearly national survey found 28% of female students had had unwanted sex compared to 19% of males.
Intoxication was a common reason (around 50%) for all students, but for females, pressure from a partner was the most common, at 61%. Being frightened was cited by 34%.
About 300 health and physical education teachers in public, independent and Catholic schools across Australia were surveyed in 2011. A whopping 89.6% indicated they had taught communication and negotiation skills with a partner. The evidence looks promising – although “consent” is not specifically named, it is implied.
Will #MeToo help?
Our national curriculum and state syllabuses refer specifically to gender-based and sexual violence and abuse. It is not surprising, however, that despite best intentions, school curricula and quality classroom teaching alone are not sufficient to prevent them.
Perhaps #MeToo will be a signpost, a guide to future classroom discussions. It’s noteworthy that the NSW Minister for Education, Rob Stokes, and Premier Gladys Berejiklian made statements that the #MeToo movement provided new opportunities for teachers to have “open and frank” conversations with students.
This will involve conversations about the building blocks of respect. Teachers and students need to examine why women and their bodies are still objectified despite four waves of feminism. They might also explore the unconscious ways sexism writes the sexual scripts that children and adolescents learn.
This is rich material for many subject curricula, and our teachers have the skills to do this well. It’s only one component of the revolution, but playing an active part is surely what lies at the heart of the #MeToo movement.
State Senator Henri Martin (R-31) March 14 addressed special education teachers, administrators, students, and supporters at the state capitol.
“I am happy to say that society has recognized the value of education for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We now know that the right education can help these students live productive, fulfilling lives. We recognize the tremendously positive impact that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities have on society and in our own lives,” Martin said according to a press release from Senate Republicans.
“Every person in this room has value,” he continued, according to the press release. “Intellectually and developmentally disabled children, like all children, have a right to an education that will help them live as productive and independent a life as possible.”
Sen. Martin represents the communities of Bristol, Harwinton, Plainville, Plymouth, and Thomaston.
Argentina/21 de marzo de 2018/Por: Luisa Corradini/Fuente: https://www.lanacion.com.ar/
¿Memorizar o experimentar? ¿Evaluar periódicamente o a fin de año? ¿En qué momento comenzar a desarrollar el espíritu científico de un niño? ¿Qué formación debe darse a los maestros? ¿Qué papel juega la remuneración de los docentes en la educación? Esos y muchos otros temas decisivos para una buena educación fueron tratados en el coloquio «Historias de Éxito», organizado el 14 y 15 de marzo en la sede de la UNESCO en París por la delegación argentina ante esa organización.
El seminario, moderado y conducido por el embajador argentino ante esa institución, Rodolfo Terragno , contó con la participación de expertos de Singapur, Shanghai, Japón, Corea del Sur, Finlandia y Estonia: países que se ubican en los niveles más altos de las mediciones educativas internacionales, como PISA y otras.
«No para copiarlos, sino para inspirarnos de ellos. Para ver si alguna de las técnicas que utilizan puede adaptarse a nuestra realidad concreta», explicó Terragno a La Nación. Los temas tratados fueron múltiples y los resultados «apasionantes», relató el embajador argentino, evocando el entusiasmo y el número de asistentes.
Apoyado con vehemencia por el presidente Mauricio Macri , en la cita estuvieron presentes la directora general de la UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, el ministro de Educación argentino Alejandro Finocchiaro , representantes de la Asociación Internacional para la Evaluación del Logro Educativo (IEA) y de la Organización para la Cooperación y el Desarrollo Económico (OCDE).
«Los países que avanzan son aquellos que apuestan por el conocimiento», dijo el ministro Finocchiaro en su discurso de apertura. «Cuando educamos, formamos gente en valores. Construimos ciudadanía formando hombres y mujeres de bien, no solo para nuestro país, sino para la humanidad», agregó.
¿Acaso la enseñanza moderna debe basarse en el razonamiento y la experimentación, más que en la memorización? Tema de gran actualidad y debate en los países occidentales, los panelistas parecieron coincidir en la excelencia del tradicional método «memorístico»: «El razonamiento se realiza a través de conocimientos fijados en la mente, y experimentar no es improvisar, sino verificar hipótesis que parten también de conocimientos adquiridos por memoria», explicó Terragno.
Para la japonesa Akiko Ono, directora de Departamento de Investigación del ministerio de Educación de su país, «lo importante es -en todo caso- identificar y descartar la memorización inútil».
También hubo coincidencias en la necesidad de evaluar periódicamente a los alumnos. Ese fue el ángulo defendido por la bióloga y psicóloga eslovaca Paulina Korsnakova, del IEA. La científica señaló la importancia de que la enseñanza incluya desde la primera infancia un espíritu científico, mostrando las relaciones causa-efecto e incitando a formular hipótesis, sometiéndolas a verificación.
«Otro de los puntos de consenso fue la necesidad de realizar estudios universitarios específicos para ser docente, someterse luego a evaluaciones periódicas y seguir perfeccionándose a lo largo de la vida profesional», recordó Terragno.
Según la profesora china Huihua He, de la Universidad Normal de Shanghai, los maestros se seleccionan por concursos de antecedentes y exámenes. En los contratos que firman con el ministerio de Educación, «los maestros se comprometen a dedicar 40 horas semanales: 20 a dar clases y 20 a estudiar», precisó. Todos coincidieron: «Esta es una de las claves principales para alcanzar la excelencia en la educación», subrayó Terragno.
Chae Hong Joo, director de Presupuesto del Ministerio de Educación de Corea del Sur, señaló por su parte la necesidad de una «remuneración adecuada» como uno de los requisitos de la calidad educativa, junto con la formación, las calificaciones y la eficiencia de los docentes. No obstante, las cifras mencionadas en el coloquio demuestran que, en la mayoría de los países invitados, los salarios de los docentes son equivalente a los ingresos de un empleado público.
En cuanto a la debatida cuestión de la duración que deberían tener las clases, el especialista de la OCDE, Yuri Belfali, opinó que la extensión «no es importante en sí misma: lo que importa es cuánto conocimiento aporta el docente por cada día de clase». «Las clases cortas pueden ser más eficientes que otras. Pero esto requiere un gran esfuerzo de parte del docente», dijo.
El doctor Lee Nga Hoe, del Instituto Nacional de Educación de Singapur, país de referencia en la enseñanza de las matemáticas, entusiasmó tanto a los presentes que el ministro Finocchiaro le extendió una invitación para visitar Argentina.
«No, nuestro país no pretende que convirtamos a los chicos en atletas», explicó. «No, nuestro método no es demasiado costoso como se dice. Tanto que incluso se puede acceder a él por Internet», dijo Lee Nga Hoe. El secreto de ese modelo que ya utiliza hasta Estados Unidos es inducir al niño al razonamiento, que desde el primer día entienda el porqué del cálculo matemático. Las tres jornadas del coloquio fueron grabadas en su totalidad por la Universidad Siglo XXI, que las subirá a su red, donde podrán ser consultadas.
United Kingdom/20 de marzo de 2018/by Murray MacKay/Source: https://www.imperial.ac.uk
This year’s Education Day brought together staff and students to explore how to make learning and teaching more inclusive.
Opening the event the College’s Assistant Provost (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion), Professor Stephen Curry, said: “Actions often speak louder than words. We must ask ourselves tough questions – do certain teaching methods perpetuate bias? As an institution what can we do to add value to this debate?
“Progress has been steady since the passing of the Equality Act in 2010, but more can be done. I’m proud that the principles behind this legislation are threaded throughout the entirety of the College’s Learning and Teaching Strategy, as well as our Curriculum Review.”
«At the heart of a positive student experience must be a strong sense of belonging.»Professor Liz Thomas
Education experts from across the College were joined by keynote speaker Professor Liz Thomas, member of the Teaching Excellence Framework panel, as well as an author and editor of over ten books, and many journal articles, reports, briefings and best practice guides.
Professor Thomas said: “At the heart of a positive student experience must be a strong sense of belonging. Embedding inclusivity is as much about changing the culture of teaching as it is related to the structure of teaching.”
Professor Thomas also set out some of the signs of a positive student experience:
Supportive peer relationships
Meaningful interaction between staff and students
Developing knowledge and having confidence in your identity
Having a higher education experience that is relevant to your future goals
Investigating inclusivity
The day included a number of break-out workshops which allowed attendees to discuss issues in more depth. Attendees enjoyed a wide range of conversations and activities, including ‘Breaking Bag’ – an escape room challenge set by Principal Teaching Fellow, Giskin Day.
Attendees attempt the ‘Breaking Bag’ escape room challenge
Imperial’s ambition to transform teaching and learning
Education Day 2018 forms part of a plan to radically transform teaching at Imperial, the UK’s most international and innovative university. By investing significantly in education the College is empowering students to solve challenges facing the world today and in the future.
As part of this ambition the Learning and Teaching Strategy will create and nurture a supportive environment for staff and students. A healthy learning and working environment will foster a community in which different backgrounds and cultures are cherished and recognised.
OtrasVocesenEducacion.org existe gracias al esfuerzo voluntario e independiente de un pequeño grupo de docentes que decidimos soñar con un espacio abierto de intercambio y debate.
¡Ayúdanos a mantener abiertas las puertas de esta aula!
As part of this ambition the Learning and Teaching Strategy will create and nurture a supportive environment for staff and students. A healthy learning and working environment will foster a community in which different backgrounds and cultures are cherished and recognised.
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