Is Academia Worth It?

~~Ainslya Charlton and Carly Napier~~

Examining the Past to See How the Present Affects the Future

fUnit Significance

fUnit Significance

fUnit Significance

fObjectives

In an 8th grade Hartford public school English classroom, we will facilitate a weeklong examination of the role academia in “success.”

Students will identify what their view of “success” is and discuss how their environment shaped these views.

Students will compare and contrast statistics, including high school graduation and college enrollment rates, which represent the different socioeconomic groups in the educational system.

Students will then identify and outline the qualifications necessary for their desired occupations.

Students will relate the experiences of Ben Carson and Sonya Sotomayor to their own lives.

Students will evaluate the importance of their education after synthesizing all of the information presented in the unit.

DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5

1. (15 minutes) Individually written paragraphs, explaining their views on success.

2. (15 minutes) Groups of 3-4 to create “Success” tree diagram

3. (15 minutes) Class discussion about the environment and views on success

Homework: Write about your career aspirations and your plan to achieve them.

1. (25 minutes) Students will individually research the requirements for their desired occupations.

2. (10 minutes) Class discussion about the requirements of the most popular careers.

3. (10 minutes) Class analyses data regarding academic achievement in relation to socioeconomic status.

1. (10 minutes) Class analyses excerpts from Ben Carson’s Gifted Hands, an introduction into his background and achievements.

2. (25 minutes) Class selects and performs a scene for Gifted Hands.

3. (10 minutes) Individuals share their thoughts and feelings about the scene, and Carson’s story as a whole.

1. (15 minutes) Watch “The Most Electrifying Moment in Justice Sonia Sotomayor's Life” and outline the Justice’s background and achievements, using her book.

2. (25 minutes) Groups of 4, discussing the challenges she overcame to achieve success and most surprising parts of her story.

1. (13 minutes) Dyad discussions, using the two stories, of likely obstacles in achieving their goals and ways to overcome them.

2. (12 minutes) Students individually outline the steps necessary to achieve their goals. Willing students share.

3. (10 minutes) Class discussion -Is academia

worth the effort?

Dreams to RealityAcademia from Inner Cities to Success

Background

Raised in low income Detroit neighborhood by an overworked single mom with a third grade education.

He was teased by his classmates for receiving the worst grades in the class and was written off as a troubled student.

His passion for knowledge developed with the direction of his mother and reading, astonishing those who once doubted his capacity to learn.

Why Ben Carson?

Achievements

Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Yale University

Studied neurosurgery and took over as Johns Hopkins’ Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at 33

Highly regarded for separating Siamese and radical hemispherectomies

Inducted into the Academy of Achievement Received Presidential Medal of Freedom

Dreams to RealityAcademia from Inner Cities to Success

Background

Raised in a housing project in the South Bronx by a single mom after the death of her father. Both of her parents were Puerto Rican immigrants.

Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at age 8 Inspired to become a judge after watching a

fictional television show based on courtroom proceedings.

Why Sonia Sotomayor?

Achievements

Bachelor’s degree in from Princeton University and graduated from Yale Law School

Ruled in Federal District Court and US Court of Appeals by George W. Bush and Bill Clinton respectively.

She was appointed by Barack Obama and confirmed by the US Congress to become the First Hispanic Supreme Court Justice

fEvaluations

Using two methods, we will assess students’ learning and determine whether our objectives were meet at the conclusion of the unit.

1. Students will use the last 10 minutes of day 5 to evaluate their group members on their engagement and participation during discussions using a questionnaire provided by the teacher.

2. Written Homework AssignmentPrompt:

Write a one to two page reflection on this week’s unit. Discuss your view of “success” at the beginning of this unit. What shaped these views? Did your views change over the course of this week? Were there specific parts of the unit or ideas that were shared that made you think about your future in a new way? Did you set new goals as result of what we learned? How do you feel about your ability to meet those goals? Will this have an affect on the way you approach your academic career?

Works Cited

ALAS! “The Sky is Falling on Black Men? Pt. Drop Out Rates and Graduation Rates. June 4th, 2006.http://www.amptoons.com/blog/2006/06/04/the-sky-is-falling-on-black-men-pt1-drop-out-rates-and-graduation-rates/

Churchill, Steven. Learn Higher Paying Skills. “Is College Worth Your Time and Money?” November 2010.

http://higherpayingskills.com/2011/12/college-worth-time-money/ Connecticut State Department of Education. “Nearly 1 in 5 Connecticut does not

complete high school in 4 years.” December 29th, 2011. http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/pdf/pressroom/2011_graduation_rates.pdf

Fitzgerald, Jay. Boston Globe. “College degree is costly, but it pays off over time.”

October 7th, 2012.

Weber, Katherine. The Christian Post. “Ben Carson Maintains Stance on Gay Marriage,

but Apologizes for Previous Comments.” April 8th, 2013.http://www.christianpost.com/news/ben-carson-maintains-stance-on-gay-marriage-but-apologizes-for-previous-comments-93494/

Youtube. “Exclusive: Justice Sonya Sotomayor.” March 24th, 2013. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqEHV_ciVY4