Final Project: A Letter to Teacher’s Response – Early in the semester, you will read “A Letter to Teachers,” a work of James Baldwin. For this project which will be your final exam, you will encompass all that you have learned in the semester to respond to James Baldwin’s letter.
Write your own “A Talk to Teachers” expressing your opinion about education in the US – how we got here, where we are, and where we need to go.
Regardless of choice, all projects must include the following to get full credit for this assignment:
Your belief about the purpose of education. Include at least one reference to a philosophy or theory of education that we have discussed in class.
Information about the state of education in the United States, including efforts to make schools more socially just since 1963. Select at least 3 bulleted items from the list below and be sure to support your ideas with evidence, including direct references to the text, course materials, and field experiences:
What has changed since 1963 when Baldwin wrote his letter?
How did we get to where we are in education in the United States (include a discussion of world origins of American education and the historical and philosophical roots of education)?
What legal and political changes have occurred in schools since 1963 (desegregation, inclusion of students with disabilities, the impact of charter schools and magnet schools)?
How are schools governed and funded? How do the current governance and funding models impact school culture?
What are some of the obstacles to learning in American schools today? What are some possible solutions to these obstacles?
3. Your own vision for the future of American education and your role in it. Why do you think what you think? Incorporate evidence, including direct references to the text, course materials, and field experiences to support your ideas.
