http://www.nea.org/home/index.html
NEA, or the National Education Association, is a foundation that began in 1857 when “one hundred educators answered a national call” to make sure that every child had a right to a good public education. These teachers saw the injustice that was being made and chose to take a stand. The NEA boasts an impressive record of, “welcoming Black members four years before the Civil War and electing a woman as president a full decade before Congress granted women the right to vote”. Today NEA’s website offers an array of information and tools to help students, educators, and those who just want to make a difference. The NEA also offers grants and awards for teachers, schools k-12, and universities, such as the Healthy Living School Grant and the Ezra Jack Keats Minigrants. NEA also offers awards to individuals who have reached excellence such as the NEA Friend of Education Award and the NEA Human and Civil Rights award. On top of everything that NEA offers it also has a special section for teachers who would like help on classroom management and character building. It’s obvious that the National Education Association recognizes the problems that plague America and until all children are treated equally they won’t be going anywhere.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
ARC, Social Bookmarking #3
http://www.aynrand.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_arc
ARC, or the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights, is a website based on the beliefs of author Ayn Rand. The Ayn Rand Center is a branch of the Ayn Rand Institute and works to ensure the freedom and individual rights of all people. As stated on the website, ARC “sponsors writing and research; produces articles, op-eds, and other media content; hosts forums, panel discussions, and debates; reaches out to businessmen, elected officials, and policymakers; and assists victims of governmental abuse in their efforts to defend themselves on moral grounds”. ARC offers many different opportunities for learning, growth, and contribution for not only students but the media. Through ARC supporters can request speakers, start a club, read blogs, and learn about government policy.
ARC, or the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights, is a website based on the beliefs of author Ayn Rand. The Ayn Rand Center is a branch of the Ayn Rand Institute and works to ensure the freedom and individual rights of all people. As stated on the website, ARC “sponsors writing and research; produces articles, op-eds, and other media content; hosts forums, panel discussions, and debates; reaches out to businessmen, elected officials, and policymakers; and assists victims of governmental abuse in their efforts to defend themselves on moral grounds”. ARC offers many different opportunities for learning, growth, and contribution for not only students but the media. Through ARC supporters can request speakers, start a club, read blogs, and learn about government policy.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Scholarly Review #2
Scholarly Review #2
“[LIS teachers] see all students, including students of color and speakers of languages other than English, as learners who already know a great deal, and who have experiences, concepts, and languages that can be built on and expanded to help them learn even more. They see their roles as adding to, rather than replacing, what students bring to learning. They are convinced that all students, not just those from the dominant group, are capable learners who bring a wealth of knowledge and experiences to class.”
Abdullahi, I. (2007). Diversity and intercultural issues in library and information science (LIS) education. New Library World, 108(9/10), 453-459. Retrieved from Research Library. Document ID: 1341235711.
It is a well-known fact that as our country grows there is an influx of diverse cultures, and as these cultures grow, people are now forced to live closer to one another than ever before. Since public libraries are supposed to be the center of the community, then how can we, as librarians, make sure that all patrons are being treated equally? Abdullahi states in his article, “Diversity and intercultural issues in library and information science (LIS) education” that cultural acceptance and knowledge should start with LIS teachers. Through these teachers LIS students will learn what it takes to become culturally aware and sensitive and will therefore be better equipped in the workforce. Abdullahi argues that there are four main components that need to be recognized in order for LIS teachers to truly be able to inform their students. A good LIS teacher that commits to these four components:
“is socioculturally conscious, that is, recognizes that there are multiple ways of perceiving reality, and that these ways are influenced by one's location in the social order; has affirming views of students from diverse backgrounds, seeing resources for learning in all students rather than viewing differences as problems to be overcome; sees himself or herself as both responsible for and capable of bringing about educational change that will make LIS schools more responsive to all students; and uses his or her knowledge about students' lives to design instruction that builds on what they already know, while stretching them beyond the familiar.”
As an LIS student in her final semester I must admit that my cultural diversity class is the first class that I have taken in my program that truly emphasizes that importance of diversity. At first one might be apt to say, “Well of course that class discusses diversity! It’s titled Multicultural Information Services isn’t it?” While this is true, after reading Abdullahi I realized that all of my professors should have made it a point to discuss multiculturalism. As a future LIS professional I find it disheartening that the only time I really received an in-depth look at the differences around me was in my multiculturalism class. If libraries are the vein of the community, and these communities are constantly changing and growing, then as stated by Abdullahi, these four components, “…must be consciously and systematically woven throughout the learning experiences of information professionals in their coursework and fieldwork. Thus, they serve as the organizing framework guiding the infusion of attention to diversity throughout the LIS education curriculum”. The true cultural depth of our society shouldn’t only be offered to LIS students through one of the few multicultural classes that are available.
Abdullahi makes a significant point when he discusses the fact that each person has their own view of the world that is shaped by sex, age, race, cultural, and social status. He also points out that a good LIS teacher will recognize these differences in his/her students and use them to not only help grow the individual, but the class as a whole. If all LIS educators took this stance I feel it would greatly help the students because acceptance and understanding of cultural and ethnic differences would become second nature to them. This would then allow them to bring their understanding to the communities and groups that they serve thus starting the change in the LIS profession that is so badly needed.
In this article it is stated that, “Librarians are change agents whose job is to facilitate the growth of knowledge and development of other human beings. LIS students depend on their teachers having their best interests at heart and to make sound educational decisions”. If our educators begin to make a conscious effort to follow the four components that were discussed earlier then hopefully LIS students will begin to see a change. It is guaranteed that some of these LIS students will eventually go on to become LIS educators themselves. It is my belief that if the present students start to see a change in their LIS professors in that they all begin to recognize and celebrate differences, then these students who go on to become LIS teachers themselves will not think twice about including the same belief in their class. The sooner all LIS educators take a greater interest in diversity and culture, the sooner acceptance and understanding will become second nature to the LIS community as a whole.
“[LIS teachers] see all students, including students of color and speakers of languages other than English, as learners who already know a great deal, and who have experiences, concepts, and languages that can be built on and expanded to help them learn even more. They see their roles as adding to, rather than replacing, what students bring to learning. They are convinced that all students, not just those from the dominant group, are capable learners who bring a wealth of knowledge and experiences to class.”
Abdullahi, I. (2007). Diversity and intercultural issues in library and information science (LIS) education. New Library World, 108(9/10), 453-459. Retrieved from Research Library. Document ID: 1341235711.
It is a well-known fact that as our country grows there is an influx of diverse cultures, and as these cultures grow, people are now forced to live closer to one another than ever before. Since public libraries are supposed to be the center of the community, then how can we, as librarians, make sure that all patrons are being treated equally? Abdullahi states in his article, “Diversity and intercultural issues in library and information science (LIS) education” that cultural acceptance and knowledge should start with LIS teachers. Through these teachers LIS students will learn what it takes to become culturally aware and sensitive and will therefore be better equipped in the workforce. Abdullahi argues that there are four main components that need to be recognized in order for LIS teachers to truly be able to inform their students. A good LIS teacher that commits to these four components:
“is socioculturally conscious, that is, recognizes that there are multiple ways of perceiving reality, and that these ways are influenced by one's location in the social order; has affirming views of students from diverse backgrounds, seeing resources for learning in all students rather than viewing differences as problems to be overcome; sees himself or herself as both responsible for and capable of bringing about educational change that will make LIS schools more responsive to all students; and uses his or her knowledge about students' lives to design instruction that builds on what they already know, while stretching them beyond the familiar.”
As an LIS student in her final semester I must admit that my cultural diversity class is the first class that I have taken in my program that truly emphasizes that importance of diversity. At first one might be apt to say, “Well of course that class discusses diversity! It’s titled Multicultural Information Services isn’t it?” While this is true, after reading Abdullahi I realized that all of my professors should have made it a point to discuss multiculturalism. As a future LIS professional I find it disheartening that the only time I really received an in-depth look at the differences around me was in my multiculturalism class. If libraries are the vein of the community, and these communities are constantly changing and growing, then as stated by Abdullahi, these four components, “…must be consciously and systematically woven throughout the learning experiences of information professionals in their coursework and fieldwork. Thus, they serve as the organizing framework guiding the infusion of attention to diversity throughout the LIS education curriculum”. The true cultural depth of our society shouldn’t only be offered to LIS students through one of the few multicultural classes that are available.
Abdullahi makes a significant point when he discusses the fact that each person has their own view of the world that is shaped by sex, age, race, cultural, and social status. He also points out that a good LIS teacher will recognize these differences in his/her students and use them to not only help grow the individual, but the class as a whole. If all LIS educators took this stance I feel it would greatly help the students because acceptance and understanding of cultural and ethnic differences would become second nature to them. This would then allow them to bring their understanding to the communities and groups that they serve thus starting the change in the LIS profession that is so badly needed.
In this article it is stated that, “Librarians are change agents whose job is to facilitate the growth of knowledge and development of other human beings. LIS students depend on their teachers having their best interests at heart and to make sound educational decisions”. If our educators begin to make a conscious effort to follow the four components that were discussed earlier then hopefully LIS students will begin to see a change. It is guaranteed that some of these LIS students will eventually go on to become LIS educators themselves. It is my belief that if the present students start to see a change in their LIS professors in that they all begin to recognize and celebrate differences, then these students who go on to become LIS teachers themselves will not think twice about including the same belief in their class. The sooner all LIS educators take a greater interest in diversity and culture, the sooner acceptance and understanding will become second nature to the LIS community as a whole.
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