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Regents, Commissioner of Education, Education Reform, Standards, Curriculum Frameworks, Assessments, Race to the Top, Charter Schools, PAGE,Geography
In January 2010, my “word wall” takes words from recent events in New York State education.
In 2009, Dr. Merryl Tisch became Chancellor of the Board of Regents, and Dr. David Steiner became Commissioner of Education. Tim and I have been examining statements and initiatives set forth by our state’s education leaders, especially as they relate to geography. As I try to promote geography, I also try to better understand the words on my “word wall.”
Education Reform, Standards, Assessments , Commissioner of Education: On the internet, I read Commissioner Steiner’s agenda for education reform (http://www.oms.nysed.gov/press/AgendaforEducationReform.html ). Phrases that caught my eye included the following: a “need for a greater specificity in student learning standards” and assessments that tap “higher-order critical thinking skills.” I thought immediately of the need for greater specificity and higher-order critical thinking for geography.
Regents, Race to the Top, Charter Schools: In late 2009, the Board of Regents considered the Obama administration’s “Race to the Top” (http://www.regents.nysed.gov/meetings/2009Meetings/December2009/1209emscd3.htm). This summary addressed the issue of underperforming schools and proposed as a legislative priority “raising the charter school cap to facilitate the creation of new charter schools, particularly secondary schools, focused on serving high need populations of students.” I wonder how geography can contribute to helping high need populations of students.
Geography, PAGE, Charter Schools: In October 2009, Chancellor Tisch was a keynote speaker at the New York Charter School conference, and she specifically mentioned the need for New York students to have competencies in geography and economics. I mention charter public schools in the previous sentences because I work part-time at the Renaissance Charter School in Jackson Heights, Queens. In 2009, the National Geographic Education Foundation awarded an “urban initiative grant” to Renaissance and its collaborative network of charter schools in NYC for PAGE (Partnership for Advancing Geography Education). PAGE’s central goal is to integrate geographyinto core academic content (e.g., history, science, reading). I think that integrating geography is an important goal for all schools, not only for charter public schools.
Geography: NYGA members work in a great variety of schools throughout New York; our local conditions differ and yet we are connected. (“Local conditions” and “connections among places” are fundamental geography concepts!) Within NYGA, we may have different “word walls,” but I hope that geography will unite our efforts. We will need the help of many NYGA members to promote geography in New York.
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Geography Awareness