Idea+Brainstorm

=Ideas on How SWN Can/Should Impact UMF=

The SWN Advisory Board works to answer the question, how might the lessons learned from the Schools We Need Project impact UMF's programs and projects.

Initial thoughts (10/17/07) of the Advisory Board include the following:
 * Preparing our teacher candidates to teach via “Real World Learning”
 * Creating Field Experiences & Internships for UMF teacher candidates and faculty at SWN schools
 * Creating a partnership to help UMF’s need to adequately address diversity
 * Exploring the idea of Civic Engagement

Additionally, we might explore these ideas, as well:
 * Distance Masters program for SWN teachers
 * The overlap between SWN standards-based credit system and Maine's proposed standards-based graduation requirement

Additionally, there were some other ideas shared and questions posed:
 * How do we underwrite this work (paying for exchanges, visits, etc.)
 * How do we help our students see a need?
 * How do we leverage this work to help classroom students see a need to learn in school (make school more meaningful)
 * When do we get the administrators that we need and the school board that we need?
 * Your best voice is your successful students
 * An Academy School-type school in Maine?
 * Students emerging from the context of their families is a message that our students might not get. What is "home" to this student? How does that impact what we do in the classroom? "they aren't coming from the right homes." "the parents are doing the right job."

“Real World Learning”
If these are important qualities/skills in teacher candidates where do we see those in ours

Diversity
I know Kathy Y has concerns about both undergraduate and the new graduate program and NCATE’s concerns about diversity. We were thinking that maybe in the graduate program (my area of concern), we might be able to electronically connected our participants with teachers/students in a school with a good population of diverse teachers and students through one or more of the courses/projects our people will be doing as they work toward their masters degree. So that’s definitely something I’d like to put on the agenda/discussion for this meeting. - Pam Wilson

Niagara University
 * how diverse are they
 * is it both undergrad and undergrad?
 * can we do student exchanges (rural is a different kind of diversity)

Civic Engagement

 * Where do they see real service in the learning?
 * UMF's Center for Civic Engagement

Standards-based Credit Systems: Maine & SWN
10/23 Some thoughts... Mike and others, I have been thinking a lot about our discussion, especially around the topic of Civic Engagement, and while this is not exactly tied to the UMF relationship- it's been on my mind a recent articel I read about Politics 2.0 http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2007/07/fight_different.html addresses how the web tools that we are using to engage students in more meaningful learning are also allowing a broader audience to participate and change the political arena. I am wondering about how we at UMF, and in schools where you are working we could use these tools to allow our student to see that their voices and concerns can participate in the potlical arena that shape their world. I know that last year when I asked my 40 students in the fall who was a registered voter, and how they felt about TABOR I was shocked to realize that they felt like the issue had nothing to do with their own futures as educators...Mike I know your students are not of voting age (or some may be) but perhaps there is the oppurtunity for a 'real world' learning project with political activism- not for a certain position, but for students to feel empowered to join the dialogue rather than feel like it trickles down to them. As I am writing I guess this does connect back to UMF in terms of how do we empower our students to be professional contributors and particpate in the conversations- and I think we could do this more to help our students become leaders who are aware and engaged in the fact that schools are political places.

Just some thoughts that have been rolling around in my head... Jo Prince johanna.prince@maine.edu