CHANGE Program
(Culture, History,
Anthropology, Nations, Geography & Economics)
Purpose Statement: Human Services and Social Studies form the cornerstone of any society. A people's culture, government and history give them a unified identity and help them appreciate being a part of something larger than themselves. Cultural diversity strengthens and enriches life, but also provides special challenges. Students need to extend their awareness beyond the boundaries of home and community, and learn to appreciate the multi-textured fabric of society and humanity.
Philosophical Position: We believe that tolerance is a learned attribute of a civilized society. We believe that citizens have the obligation to learn and participate in their country's political structure. We believe that true leaders serve their fellow man.
Supporting Documentation: What a person does and why they do it is generally a reflection of what they believe. What they believe is what they have been taught by others or learned through personal experience. Prejudices, biases, and negative judgments are all learned traits as are traits of tolerance, acceptance and responsibility.
Not since the 1930s has the ethnic composition of the nation's children been so diverse. Non-whites now account for almost one-third of the U.S. population of children and youths (to age 18), with recent growth accounted for almost exclusively by Latinos and Asians--two groups that are themselves extremely diverse. Estimates of the number of students in U.S. schools with limited English proficiency range from 2.3 million (U.S. Department of Education, 1992) to much higher (Stanford Working Group, 1993). The current influx of new immigrant groups, some of whom also have relatively high rates of birth, will fuel continued growth in the number of students who enter school with little or no English proficiency and whose cultural and educational backgrounds may not correspond to the norms and expectations they encounter when they start formal schooling. (National Academy of Science, NAS)
The confluence of peoples and cultures is an increasingly global, multicultural world brimming with tension, confusion and conflict in the process of its adjustment to pluralism. There is an understandable urge to return to old conventions, traditional cultures, fundamental values, and the familiar, seemingly secure, sense of one's identity. Without a secure sense of identity amidst the turmoil of transition, people may resort to isolationism, ethnocentrisms and intolerance. This climate of change and acute vulnerability raises new challenges to our ongoing pursuit of universal human rights. How can human rights be reconciled with the clash of cultures that has come to characterize our time? Cultural background is one of the primary sources of identity. It is the source for a great deal of self-definition, expression, and sense of group belonging. As cultures interact and intermix, cultural identities change. This process can be enriching, but disorienting. The current insecurity of cultural identity reflects fundamental changes in how we define and express who we are today. (United Nations)
Critical Elements: This program will focus on various areas of the Humanities and Human Services. The topics will emphasize eight main objectives:
1. Identification and analysis of diverse interpretations of historical issues and events
2. Awareness of the geographic positions of the United States and other nations
3. Understanding the contributions from diverse cultures and societies.
4. Understanding the underlying values and beliefs of our democratic society
5. Appreciation of family, community, ethnic, national, and world heritage
6. Knowledge of different economic systems and institutions
7. Recognition of biases and prejudices inherent within one's own belief structure
8. Acknowledgement of diversity within the school and community
Program Objectives: The objectives in all areas of the CHANGE program will be to provide students with a well-rounded perception of our society and other world cultures. The Cultural objectives will be to introduce students to other ways of thinking, lifestyles, and belief systems. The objective in Geography will be to locate world nations and resources. History will focus on the interpretation of issues and world events and Anthropology will study the interactions of diverse cultures. The objective in Economics will be to instruct students in the underlying principles trade. Nations will focus on the political systems throughout the world, with special emphasis on our own.
Observable Standards: The CHANGE program will provide students with a clear and comprehensive representation of world societies and their place within our society. Students finishing this program will be able to demonstrate the following:
Identification and analysis of diverse interpretations of
historical issues and events
Examine an historical event through different perspectives
Write an essay portraying another viewpoint on an historical issue
Compare strong and weak evidence supporting a historical issue
Distinguish between fact, interpretation and opinion
Describe some major events and controversies in history
Awareness of the geographic positions of the United
States and other nations
Locate on a map the relative positions of world nations
Explain the relation between a country's location and resources, and its development
List the continents, their location and their relative size
Name the States and identify their locations in the United States
Identify the location of major world natural resources
Demonstrate knowledge of global positioning technology (GPS)
Use Latitude and Longitude to locate global positions
Identify the origins of different products that we use
Trace different aspects of our society to other cultures of the world
Name people from other countries that have significantly contributed to our country's advances
Describe our three branches of government and explain their different roles
Know the organizational structures of State and local governments
Name the local, State and Federal government representatives
Understand the importance of laws to regulate and protect individual rights
Know the essential ideas expressed in the Constitution
Appreciation of family,
community, ethnic, national, and world heritage
Create a "family tree" to trace ancestry
Develop a project to explore ethnic heritage
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of ethnic diversity
Understand and accepts the responsibility of world citizenship
Knowledge of different economic
systems and institutions
Demonstrate knowledge of money management
Research information sources for consumer reports
Understand pricing and its relationship to supply and demand
Know various kinds of special economic institutions in a market economy
Recognition of biases and prejudices
inherent within one's own belief structure
Discusse views and examine origin of currently held beliefs
Develop a survey to examine popular biases and prejudices
Present alternative views on a variety of subjects
Examine the evidences supporting or refuting beliefs
Acknowledgement of diversity
within the school and community
Design a demographic study
Develop a survey to establish the degree of ethnic and cultural diversity
Write an essay describing other points of view
Facility Needs: The facility should accommodate students and teachers as well as provide space for the development of projects. A site close to a partnered business would be ideal.
Equipment/Communication needs: Equipment will include computers with Internet access, software programs, printers, fax, telephones, copy machine, TV monitor, DVD player and office supplies, as well as books and classroom equipment.
Material/Transportation needs: The county school busing system or alternative carrier will provide transportation for students to and from the POD site. Field trips will be scheduled with available carriers.
Area of needs to be assessed during design: The needs during design will include the acquisition of an adequate facility and the scheduling of guest speakers and presenters. Contact to local agencies and representatives will be needed to enlist their support and participation.
Time-Line for implementation: This program should begin in the 2006/2007 school year. This will give sufficient time to allow the following developmental steps: Select a program director and coordinator, Submit the proposal to the School Board for acceptance or modification, develop a curriculum plan, identify staff, develop a budget, select students, plan activities such as field trips and speakers, secure the equipment and prepare the facilities, write grants and secure district and private funding.
Budget: All PODs will be funded with business "seed" money every year to develop and maintain business ventures. In addition, money will be provided for books, supplies, technology equipment, office equipment, computers and teachers as outlined in the 5-year budget plan.
Evaluation/Validation checkpoints: The students will be evaluated and monitored on a continual basis throughout the program. Progress will be assessed in the areas of History, Geography, Economic and Government through the following criteria:
Knowledge: Prior knowledge in the subject areas will be determined based on tests and surveys. An exit exam will be used to determine knowledge gained. Presentation in project areas will be judged. Essays, research papers, and short answer responses will show studentŐs level of comprehension. Completed certification areas will illustrate student's working knowledge.
Skills: Competency in skill areas will be demonstrated by the achievement of certifications. Individual and group projects will be assessed, as well as involvement in community projects. Students will exhibit mastery in appropriate technology and in planning and organizational skills.
Attitudes: Students will complete a survey geared to determine the perceived effectiveness of the program. Students will publish and display their work to the general public. Parents will also be asked to evaluate the program by completing a survey to assess the motivation and enthusiasm of their children for the program.
Task / Responsibility chart: The following people are necessary to develop, maintain, and operate this program:
Program Director and Coordinator -This person will be responsible for the support of the program and help provide the needed coordination with the district administration, the associated business sponsor and the parents of the students involved. Initially, this person should be a coordinator/teacher, but upon initiation of the program the participating teachers can assume these responsibilities.
Staff - The staff will be deeply involved in the planning of the program as well as the selection of the curriculum. They will need to be trained in all areas of the program, including business, leadership, technology, Social Studies and Economics. The staff will run the program, supervise the students, assess student performance and report to the school-based Board of Directors on a quarterly basis.
Dissemination Plan: The program will begin at the start of the 2006 school year. The participating students will receive their schedules and proceed to their first day of the program. After initial instruction, they will continue with their instructors into the POD to begin their lessons. Instruction will end at the regular end of the school day and students will return home as all other students. The program instructional staff will perform according to a prearranged and approved curriculum and provide a safe, educational and enjoyable experience for the students.