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American Prison State

Ta-Nehisi Coates: There are roughly 2.3 million people in jails and prisons in America, more than any country in the world. The United States has 756 people in jail per 100,000 people. No other country has more than 700, and only two are over 600 Russia (629) and Rwanda (604). Of the 2.3 million […]

December 8, 2010/by dpogreba

AP Language Education Test Questions

AP Language News

Potential Paragraph Responses [These need to be really focused, well-developed paragraphs of 7-9 sentences. You will complete five on the test and choose from 6 options.] Explain how elenchus is the cornerstone of true education, according to Socrates. In his article “Dehumanized,” Mark Slouka argues that our current educational focus undermines civic life in America. […]

November 14, 2010/by dpogreba

American Prison State

Fact of the Day

December 8, 2010/by dpogreba

AP Language Education Test Questions

AP Language News

November 14, 2010/by dpogreba

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American Prison State

Fact of the Day

Ta-Nehisi Coates:

There are roughly 2.3 million people in jails and prisons in America, more than any country in the world.

The United States has 756 people in jail per 100,000 people. No other country has more than 700, and only two are over 600 Russia (629) and Rwanda (604).

Of the 2.3 million people in American jails, 806,000 are black males. African-Americans–males and females–make up .6 percent of the entire world’s population, but African-American males–alone–make up 8 percent of the entire world’s prison population. I know there are people who think some kind of demon culture could create a world where a group that makes up roughly one in 200 citizens of the world, comprises one in 12 of its prisoners

December 8, 2010/by dpogreba

AP Language Education Test Questions

AP Language News

Potential Paragraph Responses

[These need to be really focused, well-developed paragraphs of 7-9 sentences. You will complete five on the test and choose from 6 options.]

Explain how elenchus is the cornerstone of true education, according to Socrates.
In his article “Dehumanized,” Mark Slouka argues that our current educational focus undermines civic life in America. What is his problem with current educational trends and what does he propose to do to reverse them?
Explain how Paolo Freire’s “subject-object” metaphor drives his beliefs about education.
How, according to Jonathan Kozol, does the belief in “adequacy” undermine the promise of Brown v. Board of Education?
Both John Dewey and Kenneth Robinson discussed the futility of trying to prepare students for specific jobs. Why does each believe this cannot succeed?
Summarize Sol Stern’s critique of the Pedagogy of the Oppressed.
How can the work of Eric Hanushek from Stanford improve American schools?
Explain Paolo Freire’s banking metaphor and summarize why he thinks it damages students.
Why does Nicholas Carr believe that the Internet is damaging our ability to think?
“Waiting for Superman” argued that charter schools offer better education because they faced less restrictions and interference from unions. What are these restrictions?

Potential Essay Topics

[Each of these will be answered with a thesis and 3 paragraphs] You will complete two on the test, and choose from three choices.

Using at least three sources, make an argument for how schools can achieve the ideological goals of deschooling without eliminating the schools.
Using at least three sources, make an argument for public education not being focused on vocational training.
A number of the articles and videos we have watched suggest that public education depends on tracking at the least, and failure of some students at the worst. Analyze this argument and defend, refute or qualify it, using as much evidence as you can.
Defend, refute, or qualify Jonathan Kozol’s argument that American schools are engaging in “apartheid.”
There are two schools of thought about curriculum reformed we have discussed: programmed learning, like the KIPP schools and individualized instruction, as promoted by George Siemens and others. Using multiple sources, make an argument that one of these approaches is likely to be more effective.

November 14, 2010/by dpogreba