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Lesson :Graphic of a Filing cabinet drawer Diversity
Introduction:
Teacher at Chalk Board
After the Smith Hughes Act was passed in 1917, the Federal Board for Vocational Education (which was created by the Act) had the responsibility for developing policies to govern vocational education. These policies were published in a document titled Bulletin 1. In this document, the Federal Board identifies the type of student who is supposed to be in vocational education - "normal, healthy students, not the backward, nor the incorrigible..." 

If you have been around vocational classes today, you realize the above description doesn't exactly match vocational students today. There has been a change. The primary impetus for the change was the civil rights movement of the 1960s which recognized the rights of all individuals to receive equal treatment and education. Many citizens were being left behind and political leaders, in an attempt to rectify the situation, passed legislation that mainstreamed many special education students into vocational classes. And federal legislation in the 1960-1990 era called for substantial amounts of money allocated to vocational education be spent in working with special needs groups.

Another factor impacting upon the type of student in vocational education, is the changing demographics in America. Immigration and birthrates in certain ethnic groups is rapidly changing the complexion of our society.

In this lesson we will examine a variety of issues related to student diversity. As an agriculture teacher, you will be expected to deal with these issues.

Learning Objectives:
Graphic of a Road Sign
Upon completion of this unit the learner should be able to:
* Define learning styles
* Give three examples of different learning styles
* List the eight kinds of intelligence identified by Gardner in his "theory of multiple intelligences"
* Describe cooperative learning
* Identify the goal of multicultural education
* Identify nine categories of exceptional learners
* Describe the five critical principles of special education
* Discuss: 
  • Public Law 94-142
  • Plessy vs. Ferguson
  • Brown vs. Board of Education
  • Title IX 
* Describe what an IEP is and what is to be included in an IEP
Instructional
Activities:
*  Take the interactive pretest on student diversity.

* Read Chapter 2 "Different Ways of Learning" and Chapter 3  "Culturally Responsive Teaching" in Sadker and Sadker (8th edition). In the 5th edition the corresponding chapters are Chapter 4 "Student Diversity" and Chapter 13 "The Struggle for Educational Opportunity"

* Read Chapter 21"Meeting the Diverse Needs of All Learners" in the Handbook of Agricultural Education in Public Schools.

*  Read the article "Cultivating and Investing in the Agricultural Education Diversity Landscape" from the Agricultural Education Magazine, Jan/Feb 2008 (volume 80, Issue 4)

* Read the article "Challenges Experienced by New Mexico Agricultural Education Teachers in Including Special Needs Students" from the Journal of Agricultural Education (2006, Vo. 42 Issue 2)

*This article presents a little different view regarding diversity. Read the "The Hidden Diversity Factor" from the Agricultural Education Magazine, July/August 2007 (Volume 80, Issue 1).

 
*   After reading chapter 2 see how you do on the review quiz: http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073525901/student_view0/chapter2/multiple_choice_quiz.html

 
*   And try this one after chapter 3: http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073525901/student_view0/chapter3/multiple_choice_quiz.html
Lagniappe:
image of a gift


One of my favorite cartoonists is Randy Glasbergen. He has cartoons about education, animals, teens, marriage, computers, business, health, etc,

Assignment:
Graphic of a sheet of paper and pencil
If you are currently teaching, please send an e-mail to your classmates describing the types of "special" students you may have in your classroom, what is done to accommodate these students, and the impact these students are having on the agriculture program.

If you are not currently teaching, send an e-mail to your class mates and address one of the following two questions:
1. What are your biggest concerns in regards to working with special needs students?
2. What caught your attention (and why) from the materials you read for this lesson?

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