Noon, everybody.
I'd like to call the June
13th curriculum Council meeting to order
and just start with roll call initially.
And we'll just begin with the members in the room
and then we'll move to online. So.
Dr. Shuman and I am present.
Lindsey Cup Board member.
Cathy Shaker Board Member.
Lindsay Jur Board Member.
Bob Bennett Board member.
Tracy Landry Director of Professional Learning and Innovation Present.
Stacy Winslow Superintendent.
Thank you, everybody.
And I will just note, I see
we don't have as many people online as we normally do, but we do have Mrs.
Scott gavel with us.
Mr. Valentine's with us.
Miss Goma is with us and Mrs.
Mullins is also with us.
Is there anybody I didn't mention who is there that I'm not seeing?
No. Okay, then I think we'll move on
with our agenda.
And the first item on the agenda is just listing that
the summary notes from our last meeting are posted there.
We don't go through any formal process
of approving the notes, but they are there just for the purpose of review.
And for reference,
we do not have any informational items on the agenda for today.
We also do not have any items for discussion and but we do have
three new business items.
We have three textbook recommendations
coming from our eighth grade ELA teachers.
These are books that they use for read aloud in the classroom
and for that purpose, because every student's exposed to the information
they're bringing those forward for to go through the approval process today.
So I'm going to turn it over to our eighth grade teachers
and let them we'll just go through them in order.
We'll do one at a time and do discussion and then
and we'll motion them individually as we go through the process.
So we'll start with
the macro themes and I'll bring that up.
And that kind of folder.
In Abby, if you want me
to open up the actual document or just the highlights.
Okay.
So Renee is going to talk a little bit about the rationale for Read aloud, but
all of the books in our that we're seeking approval
for today were selections for the Global read aloud,
which is exactly what it sounds like an international project
for reading aloud to students from elementary through secondary.
So this book, The Macro Saves,
was the selection in in 2019
and then the creator of the read aloud, the Global Read aloud
had initially thought that she would take it.
There would be over,
but she's since brought it back.
So the proceeds published in 2017
is about a dystopian future
in which indigenous people are being hunted for their bone marrow
because the belief is that Indigenous people have the ability to dream,
which everybody else has lost the ability to do.
So we read this book for a number of reasons, but mostly because,
one, the indigenous perspective is one that we don't have
in our curriculum currently, or if we do, it's very, very minimal.
Rene And I just did a, a study,
a representation study of our books,
and I believe that this one was one of the very few.
We're talking single digits
with Indigenous representation, so that's one.
But it also ties to our curriculum's focus on sort of the interconnectedness
of all of us and our stories and sort of what happens
when one person's story is erased, what can happen for everybody.
So that's really one of the reasons that we focus on this book.
Like I said, it was published in 2017 and it's won
a few awards, mostly Canadian awards.
Sheree DeMille and the author is an indigenous author from Canada.
And that's where a lot of the awards kind of originated.
There's a sequel that's coming out later this year to this book.
And prior to the pandemic, there was talk about a television series
through Netflix.
So I think that's something that's coming back, but
something that was wasn't on our radar
when we started reading this book, but we read it in 2019, 2020.
It was interesting because I finished it with my students
before the pandemic, and I believe Rene and Stevie
at the time finished it just
in the start of the pandemic.
It was kind of an interesting time to finish this book
that's about this dystopian future.
But our feedback from students has largely been very positive.
When we read it aloud and we read it aloud
since 2019, 2020, through this past year.
So three, three years.
Thanks, Abby.
Yeah?
Does anyone have any questions or discussion for Abby about morality?
Actually, I do.
So I believe that you feel maybe some of this book
is too mature for certain students and requires you to censor some of it out?
Is there some reason we're using a book that can't be appropriate
and doesn't require the teacher to subjectively censor things?
So the lexical level of this book is is below eighth grade.
It was also it was the secondary pick for the global read aloud.
So grades 7 to 12.
But we try to be mindful of our kiddos
and what language that they are they are used to hearing.
We talk a little bit about this book and how
we try not to say anything or read anything
that doesn't forward the plot, not for the sake of the plot.
So we try to just be mindful of that.
We're not we're not reading it for shock value.
So because having my daughter just been gone through the eighth grade
read this book.
So here, here's a conversation happen in my house just for reference.
So in the OGI lunch, they were reprimanded for using the word stupid and sucks,
or that was a term they were allowed to use.
So the question I had to fill my house was why can I not say stupid or sucks
in the classroom in the cafeteria when Miss Edgar can use profanity
in the classroom? Right.
So I always I mean, I think all of us stressed to our kids
when we are reading aloud
that the words that we're reading aloud are from the page.
We're not revising a book for profanity.
We're not putting it in there.
But also
we usually use it if it establishes characterization.
I don't I'm not on lunch, Judy,
so I don't know what they're reprimanded for language wise.
I certainly don't read anything from this book as a
derogatory term towards anybody in the room, which is my guess of
maybe how they're being reprimanded for using it in the cafeteria.
But I but I definitely understand the contradiction,
the confusion, for sure.
This is Wendy Cook.
I had a couple of logistical questions.
Just when we do approve books for these read aloud lists.
First, not everybody gets a copy of this book, is that correct?
The copies are for the teachers. That's correct.
The teachers are the only ones with the book in their hand.
Unless we do have kiddos who are just anxious to read further
than we read that day and will sometimes get the book and then we get strict.
You may not spoil this or everyone else, but yes, we're the only ones
and then when we approve the book, are we approving it for eighth grade ELA?
Or is it an approved read aloud list for the middle school as a whole?
Does that is there any did you know the answer to that question?
We don't have like an approved list of read aloud,
so we're just approving it as part of as an option
that they could use within their curriculum for that purpose.
As far as I know, I mean, it might be something we would look
to develop in the future, but I'm not aware of any.
We just track that internally. Okay.
But it would be for eighth grade read aloud and not middle school in general.
It wouldn't be used by. Sixth grade or seventh grade.
This is only eighth grade.
Okay.
Thank you.
Any other comments or discussion
around power proceeds?
Okay,
then I would like to ask if we could get a motion
to move Metro thieves on to the next step
in the approval process to the level of first read.
So move to Cathy sticker
second Lindsay Cup.
All in favor?
I opposed. No.
Okay.
So one no
arrests
for both.
Okay, so
then that will move
the text on to the next step in the approval process.
It will be available for a 30 day review
out here on our credenza
with the rest of the materials that we've been putting through the process.
So we're at this point.
We'll move on now to the second book.
And let me just
revisit the agenda.
See next step we have orbiting Jupiter.
Jupiter again, another these are all eighth grade ELA books.
So I am Renee Owens.
I'm one of the eighth grade English language arts teachers
and I am going to talk to you about Orange Jupiter,
which was a global read aloud book in 2016.
And we have
been reading that book aloud.
The exception that we did not read it aloud
last year, this year, because of time being conscious
of how much time we're spending with read aloud.
One of the things I would have talked about if I introduced
this a little bit earlier would have been we try to focus on 30 minutes a week
and last year with the hybrid learning, we were concerned about how much time
and this year with trying to balance, trying to catch up
with some skills that we thought we needed to spend more time on.
We only did two read aloud instead of three.
So it has been
the students of 2020 were the last students
that would have heard orbiting Jupiter. Right.
But we are seeking approval, all of us, so we can continue that.
Orbiting Jupiter is written by Gary Schmitt.
So seventh grade is reading Wednesday Wars.
That's one of the books that they're seeking approval for.
This is a second book students will be exposed to
by the same author, but yet a different style.
So it'd be a great conversation to have with them
just about how one author can write books with very different kind of perspectives.
The reason why we
have read this book, and I love to continue reading it,
is really because this book, beyond our Curriculum ties, which I'll talk about,
it, has a component that we're trying to focus on ACL
and just
this idea that life is messy and hard
and there's disappointments, but through it all, there's happiness
and there's good in the world worth fighting for.
And when you invest time and attention and love to something,
there's no stopping what it can be.
And in this book, the character is a
you know, a character who has been through
a lot misunderstood, troubled young man.
He's an eighth grader.
And because he is given attention and time and love,
we get to see the full potential of what his life could be.
As students have commented on reading this book
of how much they have learned about people and how people can change
and how first impressions are the whole story, and that we,
as we learn people's stories,
we can have a deeper appreciation for why they do what they do
and understand that some actions
aren't a complete picture or definition of a character.
When we read this book,
it is an excellent example of character change.
So we students will look at how they would define the character
beginning the middle and the end, and then how that change then connects to theme.
So it's one of the reasons, curriculum wise, that we enjoy doing that book.
So it's a real strong example of how
character change connects to theme,
because this book is read toward the end of the year, and it's after essay testing,
we are able to do a lot of discussion
questions and hit our speaking and listening skills.
So beyond the PSA test, we can really where
we're focusing on those skills with our book club.
So this read aloud allows us to do some modeling of those skills.
And that's
really the purpose of our reading aloud,
is to be able to model skills and provide mentor text.
I think that's
what else I want to say.
You have so many questions about the book.
Sure.
Does anybody have any questions for Mrs.
Owens about orbiting Jupiter?
I don't I didn't have a comment.
I looked it up on the school library journal just to see the review for there
and think that it sounds like a really great
realistic fiction option.
I know it's one I think I'd probably says it's a short read.
So I think knowing I have a rising student in the middle school would be one
that, you know, sounds like it would be great
to read myself just to get the perspective.
So I definitely think one of the most
realistic things about the book is that there are adults in the book that
teachers
included that are not doing their best to help him.
But then there's also those that are giving everything for him.
Same with peers,
those that are standing up for him and those that are making life difficult.
So the parallels life
very much so.
I also just wanted to note for the group that it's a grade
seven and up reading level.
Any other discussion on orbiting Jupiter?
Okay.
Then I would like to ask the committee if I could get a motion to move
orbiting Jupiter on to the next step in the approval process
to the first read level.
So move Nancy Drew.
Second and Cathy Zwicker.
All in favor.
I any opposed.
Thank you.
Okay.
So we have one more under new business.
We are looking at third text
read aloud option for eighth grade Bronx Masquerade.
So I think Mrs.
Miller will be talking speaking to that.
Hi, I'm Christina miller.
I'm the third eighth grade teacher.
And the third book
we would like to have approved for Read aloud is Bronx Masquerade.
This is my first year teaching eighth grade English, so this is my first year
reading the book and I really enjoyed reading it along with the kids
and hearing their reaction as I was reading it with them.
This book introduces students to a diverse group of characters,
allowing each one to find something they connect with.
There's so many different personalities and different types of people that they
all can find something within the book that they can make a connection to.
Following the journey of these 18 different characters, students are able
to see how much each one changes throughout the course of a school year.
The book takes place in a school in the Bronx, and they can see
where the kids start
the beginning of the year and where they end at the end of the year.
So they're able to make connections in that way.
It provides an excellent example of how characterization is used
throughout the course of the novel.
There are also connections made to universal themes that students
are able to identify, how these themes weave in and out of each other's stories.
They answer discussion questions about the book,
so they are able to make connections to our eighth grade
writing standards and finding evidence to support the answers that they are given
in the text.
This book provides an opportunity to focus on the literary
analysis of poetry in a way that's nonthreatening to the students.
They come to see that they enjoy hearing the poems of the students in the classroom
as they get to know the characters better.
They enjoy hearing their poetry as well.
The poetry is connected to the chapters
written in prose, and it's full of characterization.
Since the poems are connected to each individual character,
they already understand the topics that are being covered before
reading the poems, so they're able to have a better understanding of what
the poems are about and are able to engage with it in a more meaningful way.
It does have a higher level of seven, six, seven,
which makes it accessible to all of them.
But the juxtaposition of the prose and the poetry
as well as the content of the stories makes it
a more challenging and interesting read for our eighth grade students.
Any questions
or discussion around Bronx math?
Great.
Not so much of a question for you, but just I've read a couple
of these sections out of this book, and some of the issues I have with it is,
especially in today's climates, referencing AK 47 drive by shootings,
and one of them, it's to me that we're normalizing violence
in the gun culture at this point,
like we're hearing in school, just like, oh, that just happens.
I think it's not a good thing to be doing.
The other read has to do with the underage sexual assault that occurs.
And from a parent perspective, the way this was handled is not at all
how I want my daughter to handle it.
She was sexually assaulted.
And then once again, that's not it.
Not really something once again normalizing,
Hey, if I get sexually assaulted by a boy, this is the way it goes about doing it.
That is not at all how I want my daughter to do it or want any female to do it.
So putting this in their head, if that's an acceptable way to do it.
Sexual assault is bad.
In reference to your.
First point about the gun violence, I think that's mentioned one time
and it's not shown and it's very much shown.
And like this is something terrible that happened to his father.
It's not glorifying it in any way.
It's towards the beginning of the book.
And we see how he grows from that and is able to overcome
the fact that that happened to his father.
The sexual assault, obviously, is something
that we hope none of our students have to experience, of course.
But then as teachers, we're able to talk to them about that
and say like, this is probably not the best way to handle it.
We're also, you know, we see that characters are flawed.
Everyone handles things differently.
We obviously, you know, we don't have those deep conversations about that topic,
but we do
have those conversations with students as they ask those questions.
So but why would we pick books that then require the element
of the middle school English teachers to engage in how you handle sexual assault
topics like that?
You're bringing in something that doesn't need to be bring in a broad
in English class and now puts yet another burden burden on you,
the teachers, to explain why this is not the proper way to handle sexual assault.
And as for the gun violence thing, he's pretty cavalier in his explanation of it.
Like use blame and all.
It's not just like some story about a tragedy happens, Father.
It's very cavalier.
And it's it's like I said, it's just it's normalizing that.
Like, that's just that's just what happens
is. And.
So again I think so admitted
when we look at this book, we choose books again.
They introduce us to the global read aloud.
And the book wasn't chosen
based on where the book starts, is chosen on the progression
and the points of the book.
So Tyrone is a character at the beginning that is very cavalier.
He absolutely doesn't take life very seriously,
but that is his environment.
He is growing up in an environment that's very different from this one
that many of our students don't have any exposure to and
therefore would not understand that kind of reaction.
So when they hear that most of them are very shocked,
we choose the book not to focus on that, but to focus on his growth and change.
And again, his if you would, ask Tyrone
at the end of the book how he feels or how that event, as Mrs.
McMillan was trying to share, like that was a defining moment in his life.
But through the book, because he although there's 18 different characters,
he is our constant narrator and we see him react in the very beginning.
He's cavalier, he's abrasive, he's rough, he's unkind.
And as the book goes on, he changes.
And we see his response is to be more reflective, to be more.
He pauses and he tries to understand other people.
And through that, we see that he realizes that the choices
and things that he did in the beginning are not where he should be putting out.
So, yeah, I don't want to glorify.
I think there's a lot of things
in this world
that people are concerned about desensitizing and glorifying.
And one of the things that we talk about that book
is some is a point to make sure that they don't do that.
So we're not choosing that book to focus on guns or to focus on an attitude.
But that discussion naturally comes out of that
and we try to focus on the change and where where they are.
The other thing
that's important is unfortunately, sexual assault is a reality of life.
It's not a pleasant one.
It's not, as Mr.
Miller said, we don't hope that any of our students go through that.
But we do work very closely with guidance and all three of these books to make sure
if any students have any questions or concerns or personal situations
that might be triggered by a book, because we can never predict
that we're working very closely with them to be aware
and making sure because that's not our job to guide,
be the guidance or therapist for our students,
but it is to make sure they know that there are resources available.
If a book
perchance would trigger something. No.
So I haven't read this book, so I can't speak to some of the things Mr.
Bennett is referring to about the way situations are handled.
But I do think when we look at historically
the books that we've read throughout school, I mean,
the outsiders come to mind, you know, for me
and where a lot of these topics,
violence or drugs or, you know, that type of thing,
have been historically woven into the texts that we read.
And so if there is a shift that talks about dealing with something like that
and then overcoming the adversities or the challenges
or the things that can marginalize students,
you know, from helping them progress and and kind of rise above that,
then I do think it's an important balance of perspective.
I'll also just speak very personally and say,
as someone who was sexually assaulted in 10th grade,
I wish I had had a book when I was in eighth grade that addressed it
because I didn't even know what to do about it, you know, in 10th grade.
And not that reading a book
would have steered me in the right way or the wrong way,
but it would have at least given me some level of comprehension and exposure
that would know that maybe would have helped me
understand that I could go to books to find a resource,
you know, or know the right or wrong direction.
This one is essentially going to tell you
cover up your black eye when you go to school and don't mention who did it.
That that's what that's telling you.
That's pretty much what she did and how that was addressed.
I guess, to that, I would say that's a culture that
I did that because that's what was expected and that's
what people felt like they needed to do, and especially when it's a peer.
And so
maybe it would even help
someone not feel as alone or feel like they could speak up.
And along with that, the conversation we're then able to have with students
in regards to the book and the content that we're reading is, you know,
looking at the character and say like, well, why would she make that decision?
Well, what led her to that decision?
And that's where we can really draw into who the character is
and how she's making her decisions in that moment.
Not saying that she made the right decision.
We don't tell the students they should agree or disagree
with any of the character choices that they make,
but just looking at them and saying what would get them to that point
where they would choose to make that decision.
But this just seemed way outside the scope of an eighth grade English class, like,
I'll just do English and do what you need to do without bringing in these issues,
which the teachers in a position where they have to like
take on this extra burden of explaining all this
and dealing with this, it seems just unnecessary.
That this is somebody sicker.
I just want to jump in real quick.
The teachers have to work with this and explain this regardless
of whether or not it comes up in literature.
And a lot of times in literature, what happens
it is opens the door for a student then to be able to confide
and get the adult help that they need that they wouldn't normally be able to.
So I understand that in your household it's something that maybe feels
a little uncomfortable, but it also opens the door to have a conversation.
This is how we would want you to respond.
This is how we would want you to react in our family.
I know that's how I've used this kind of literature with my own children.
I have two daughters.
They read all kinds of different things.
We usually read the stuff along with them
and we did when they were going through school.
And so while
you can think about this from a very singular point of view,
I think it's really important
to think about the fact that you're talking about nearly 300 kids
who come from all different kinds of backgrounds.
You have all different kinds of experiences, and literature opens the door
for them to make adult connections and for them to confide when they need to.
So while I understand where you're coming from,
I also think there's a very important avenue for students.
And regardless of whether or not
this is the literature that they were reading,
students are going to experience these things
and teachers are going to have to work through them with them and divide
or direct them to the correct kind of resource.
So I think that's just an important consideration for the community
as a whole to take. Understand that.
This is Cathy Zwicker.
My heart is racing because
my family's
life was shattered by gun violence with my brother's death by gun.
So me mentioning that he was killed
by a machine
gun violence doesn't glorify gun violence.
I tell my story so that hope that we can change what's happening in this culture
because unfortunately, it's a reality
that is happening too often.
Every part of our society.
And I would never want to approve a book that would glorify something like that.
But and I have not read this book, but
unfortunately, we live in a society in this culture of America
that is riddled with gun violence,
and we need to shine a light on it.
So it changes because every time I hear
of another shooting, I know what that feels like.
It destroys, it destroys me, it destroys my family having to live with that,
you know?
And again, that section.
Of the book helps the students tie into the setting of the book as well,
because they make that connection of why is he talking about it so casually?
And then we talk about, well, this is taking place in the Bronx.
It's different than living in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
This might be something that happens a lot more often.
And sadly, that makes him not as it makes him more numb to it.
So that's why he mentions it so casually.
And then they're able to see that connection to the setting
and how it's different from where they're living as well.
This is Lindsay Cook.
I do think that everybody's making really valid points
because you never know how a child is going to comprehend attacks.
You don't know if a young eighth grader is going to read or hear the text
and think like that and think that this is what I should do
or almost think like what you had said about,
you know, this is what you shouldn't do.
So I think that all the points are really valid.
I know for me, between now and the next time we talk about this,
like I'd like to get my hands on it, I also do not know, so
I don't know specifically like the points that Bob is referencing.
I, I think that in a time where we do want to be sensitive as to what
we're exposing students to, it's important that like
I know I would like to make them more informed decision.
I have no problem like moving it
along to the next round, but I would like to get my hands on it
between now and then, just to kind of make sure I'm fully aware of what
everybody's talking about it.
But I just wanted to almost like I just understand why it's so difficult
because you just don't know how children are going to respond.
Yeah, absolutely.
I just I would
direct you to the character Shankara Troop.
She her line when she talks about the abuses.
I don't have any time for some imitation love that packs a punch.
So she talks about the fact like she knows this is not love,
but she grew up in a family where a sister
also experienced that and she's seen it, but she wants it to be different.
She's going to be different from her sister.
So that, you know, when you read that, you see it's
very important to read the whole thing and you'll see the difference between,
as my mother talked about the prose and then the poetry.
So they tell a story in the prose part,
and the poetry sometimes is a complete contradiction.
So you know what happened.
But now the poetry is who they are, what they're really feeling.
Thank you.
Any further discussion around this text?
Panic over here.
I just want to add that I think it's important to like
trigger warnings when there's needed because like, people are on your end,
is there to notice anything that might affect them personally?
But I do think that it's not I think I do think it's important
not to glorify anything, but
I also think it's important to talk about a topic.
It's something that's really prominent in American culture,
just Western culture in general.
And I think that's definitely something that happens in all of our classrooms.
I know specifically for the chapter that was referenced, I told my students
there's a lot of heavy content in this material.
If at any point you feel like you need to step out of the classroom, feel free.
If you go down to guidance, feel free.
So we do make sure students are aware that we're not going to be cavalier
with the topics that are addressed in the book
because they are very serious topics and we want them to feel comfortable.
And so obviously we don't know everything that these students have been through.
So if there's something that's triggering to them,
we want them to know that it's a safe space for them to just take a step out,
go see a counselor, talk to their teacher or anything like that.
Okay,
There's no further questions or discussion.
I would like to see if I can get a motion to move
the Bronx Masquerade on to the next step in the process to the first read level.
I just before we do that, wanted to say thank you for the conversation on this,
because while I'm just filling in today now, knowing that,
you know, if it precedes it and then comes before the board that like Dr.
Cook said, I want to read it myself and really have
a better understanding of the full context.
So I appreciate the discussion
and I will move to move it forward.
Second, Lyndsey Cook.
All in favor?
I opposed
no one, no.
So that will move
Bronx Masquerade on to the next step in the process.
So it will be on display out here for
actually longer than 30
days because I don't think we meet again until August.
So for those of you
who have on your summer reading list, you'll have a little more time
to review it before we get back together.
So that brings us to the next item.
On the agenda is old business.
And we have the five books that went through
the first read phase of the process, and it's our last meeting.
All middle school books.
Seventh grader LA read aloud options
and one sixth grade social studies.
And unless anyone has an objection, I'd just like to
motion to move all of these forward.
And if there is one that you want to talk about
in more detail, we can certainly break it out.
But just
in the interest of moving them all forward,
that's what I think we ought to do.
But before we do that, does anybody have any of them
that you specifically want to speak about or discuss further?
Okay.
So hearing none, if I could get a motion then to move
the middle school, read aloud books in the old business section of the agenda
on to the second phase
in the process, which will ultimately bring them
to the full board for approval at an upcoming meeting.
So move.
Lindsey Clarke second Cathy Stricker all.
In favor. I.
Any opposed.
Okay.
So that brings us on to the public comment
portion of the meeting.
Does anyone here in the audience
like to address the committee?
I Hi,
my name's Sophia Gladney.
So I'm I have a speech about why
we should have speech and debate all year throughout the school year.
And I wrote this for speech and debate
class as a persuasive speech,
and my teacher recommended that I read it here.
So if there is so important to everyday life
now and in the future, then why wouldn't you spend as much time learning about it?
The American Debate League sites that were only 50% of high school
students in urban schools graduate 90% of urban high school debaters.
Graduate students who take formal speech communication courses have the experience
to learn how to speak in public speech, communications and introduction to debate
is currently an elected class that should be required for all students
to take year round because of its many benefits.
Just some of the benefits include proper public speaking fundamentals of grammar
and usage, proper pronunciation, research skills, critical
thinking organization, persuasion and communication
speech.
An introduction to debate may not seem what it sounds like.
Students will learn learn things that help during high school.
Also, long after speech and debate, students see tangible benefits
from participation while in school confidence and speaking situations,
spontaneity
in interviews, improved writing in other courses
and diverse perspectives which allow for positive interpersonal interactions.
Obviously, the most important thing that speech will teach you is public speaking.
Stanford National Forensic Institute, or SNF.
I states that it is evident that debaters build confidence
and expressing their ideas fluently and expressively.
Being comfortable with speaking in front of others is useful
in so many areas of life, from interviews
to school presentations to discussions in college seminars, research
skills are another important element when enrolled speech and debate SNF.
I also indicates that the art of debate requires students
to explore their ideas and support them with evidence.
Teaching them to conduct research and assess sources.
Debating helps students to develop essential, critical thinking skills
the ability to make reasoned and well thought out arguments in addition
to questioning the evidence behind a particular stance or conclusion,
a number of studies have reported that participation in debate
increases to critical thinking and students
debate participation
promotes problem solving and innovative thinking, and helps students to build
links between words, ideas to make concepts more meaningful.
All of these skills ultimately lead communication
and debate students to notable academic achievements.
Communication students constantly earn impressive grades throughout high school
and college.
The average debate student is in the top 10% of their class.
Improvement and academic performance is common to all speech
and debate students, regardless of their level of academic achievement.
Prior to joining the activity speech debate,
students also score better on the ACT and S.A.T.
than their peers who may not have had a formal communications course.
These students are constantly admitted to prestigious post-secondary institutions.
90% of debate students attend college and debate
participation increases the chances of being offered college scholarships.
Many debate students go on to earn advanced degrees
beyond their academic careers.
Debaters tend to enjoy success.
Debaters debate.
Students tend to become leaders in their school
and communities because they develop strong listening skills, self-confidence
and strong leadership roles within their teens.
Finally debate.
Students tend to be politically active and have high levels of civic engagement.
Speech and debate isn't simply talking in debating.
There are so many more valuable benefits that come with taking this class,
which is why I believe it should be taught year round in our school districts.
That's a.
Thank you.
Very much.
Thank you.
I just want to say congratulations for having the courage
and the preparedness and the willingness to get up in front of
this entire group and read that.
I know that just speaking publicly in any situation can be really overwhelming.
But when it's in front of teachers and and peers
and people, you know that, you know, in the community, it makes it even harder.
So congratulations and thank you for using your voice.
Thank you.
Okay.
Do we have anyone else for public comment
or we have one more.
Yeah.
We're May 126 Java Avenue.
Based on everything I've seen here today,
this is a very baby issue, and I wanted to bring it up.
I've been thinking about it a lot.
Like way before this meeting.
And I don't really know the proper course to say
it in with Sophia, her
first
job, and having to fill out the paperwork.
I notice she doesn't know how to write in cursive.
She doesn't have a signature.
And I've talked to other parents about this,
and they're like, Yeah, my child does it either.
But then I've also heard that people are
moving to DocuSign and everything is electronic,
so do they really need to have a signature?
But I think it brings up this whole bigger issue in our curriculum
of handwriting mind,
brain, hand connection,
doing book reports, should a book report do?
And I was like, Awesome, we can go Staples and get all the stuff.
She's like, I have to do it online, which I was kind of bummed about.
So I'm not really my thoughts on this aren't very organized,
as you can tell, but I'm sure that it's something that is on
administration's radar.
So I just wanted to say that I'm concerned in
seeing how this plays out in the future and trying to kind of roll back in these
maybe more basic back to basics grassroots skills that I think that they need,
because I am a little bit upset
that she doesn't know how to write in cursive,
which means that she doesn't know how to read in cursive.
So that's it. Thank you.
Thank you.
Thanks.
Any other public comments?
Seeing none in the room.
I don't believe we have any online
so that
brings us to our next meeting, which
will actually be in August, I think, when we reconvene.
Curriculum Council.
So if I could get a motion to adjourn, that would be wonderful.
So move Lindsay Cup second.
Lindsay drew.
All right, so meeting is adjourned.
We don't have to vote on that one.