Our local union paper included the following, with respect to the issue of
psychology in the high schools:
The
Office of Professional Preparation Services (OPPS) has notified Michigan
colleges and
universities that the following endorsements, as of January 1, 2009, will no
longer be available to new teacher candidates not already enrolled in an
education program. The endorsements
targeted are as follows:
Academic Study of Religion
Anthropology
Behavioral Studies
Cultural Studies
Environmental Studies
Humanities
Philosophy
Recreation
In
addition the following endorsements are under consideration for elimination:
Psychology
Sociology
Technology and Design, or Industrial
Technology
The
rationale given for this action is that these endorsements should be eliminated
because they are not critical to the Michigan Merit Curriculum.
While
the elimination of these endorsements will not have a direct impact on teachers
who currently hold any of these endorsements, it will impact the ability of the
district to offer programs in the future.
If
you have concerns regarding this action by the OPPS contact Dr. Flora Jenkins,
Director, Office of Professional Preparation Services. She may be reached by
email at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or by mail at:
Dr. Flora Jenkins, Director
Office of Professional Preparation Services
Michigan Department of Education
P.O.
Box
30008
Lansing, MI
48909
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: tips@acsun.frostburg.edu
Subject: RE: [tips] AP Sociology Curriculum
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2008 21:54:33 -0400
David, et al.,
The brain trust at Michigan DOE most likely came up with this after the
screaming stopped after the ACT/Merit scores for this year. The social studies
test scores (scanty breadth in the curriculum and no way is there any depth)
were in the dumpster overall. The memo was released two weeks ago and is just
now getting disseminated. I found out from the Michigan Education Association's
hotline.
My school district decided to drop AP Psych this year (16 years of being the
only AP social studies program in our 6 district ISD) after discovering that
they had an unqualified teacher (not me) teaching it. Actually, the curriculum
didn't go through the audit. I was in the process of doing it when I was
reassigned and I expressed concern that it was going to be dropped because of
it. They responded that it would be taken care of. Obviously, it was.
It won't be a district decision to drop psych and soc. It will come from the
state. Unfortunately, we don't have a presence with Michigan Council for the
Social Studies and we don't have a state level organization for high school
teachers for either psych and soc. So I am really worried that it will be a
bulldozing. I will be happy to send Dr. Jenkins contact information to you and
any who agree as you do that this is wrong headed.
Jodi
Jodi Gabert
Reed City High School
Where we have 16 sections of advanced strength conditioning and 1 section each
of psychology and sociology in a 5 period trimester schedule.
> Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:46:02 -0400
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> To: tips@acsun.frostburg.edu
> Subject: Re: [tips] AP Sociology Curriculum
>
> Jody: When did the notice go out from MDOE re the discontinuation of psyc/soc
> courses? Has Reed City DOE made a decision yet? It's certainly a wrong-headed
> decision, eh? David
>
> >>> Jodi Gabert <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 10/10/08 12:36 PM >>>
>
> A while ago, someone asked about the proposed AP Sociology curriculum. The
> link to it is at
> www.asanet.org/cs/root/topnav/sociology_depts/an/aptype_sociology_high_achool_course
>
> Unfortunately it seems that the latest casualty of the state graduation tests
> and increased graduation requirements will be psychology and sociology
> courses. Michigan DOE has sent out a memorandum stating since those two
> courses aren't on the test, they don't need to be taught and they're
> recommending to Michigan colleges and universities that they should no longer
> offer psychology and sociology as teaching majors.
>
> I know there's been heated discussion about thie merits of teaching HS psych
> and soc here in the past, but as someone who loves the two orphans of social
> studies, there is a feeling of a door slamming hard and I hate that.
>
> Jodi
>
> Jodi Gabert
> Reed City HS
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