I spent this past Sunday afternoon at Nanalou Sauder's house in Kerr's Creek. Nanalou was the first woman to serve on Rockbridge County's Board of Supervisors. The time I spent with her proved why she was so successful in local politics: she listens to you and knows how to express her feelings about the things she cares most about. Here's a vlog about what I took away from my interview with Nanalou.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
What happened to cultural enrichment for the sake of cultural enrichment?
Hispanic Heritage Month began five days ago, but you may not know it.
A quick glance at the county’s activities shows that there is no planned celebration.
Surely there must be some kind of celebration in schools to teach kids to respect Hispanics? Wrong.
The school district does not mandate teachers to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with their students.
Rockbridge County’s director of instruction, Cindy Crance, said that celebrating the month is not part of the district’s required curriculum.
Because kids will not be tested statewide on Hispanic history, they miss out on this cultural enrichment.
Crance said she did not receive any community complaints about the school’s attitude towards Hispanic Heritage Month.
Rockbridge County High School teacher Pam St. Clair Correa added that pressure on teachers to get through the information required for testing makes teachers leave things like Hispanic Heritage Month out of the curriculum.
However, because Black History Month is part of the standardized testing, schools celebrate that month, she said.
St. Clair Correa said that she and other Spanish language teachers have implemented a daily trivia quiz about Hispanics to celebrate the month.
While middle and high school foreign language teachers incorporate Hispanic history into their curriculum, elementary students are left alone.
Crance blames this on the low number of Hispanics currently living in Rockbridge County.
“At the elementary level-if you don’t have a connection-students have trouble holding onto that information,” Crance said.
According to Crance, since students may not see Hispanics on a regular basis, they won’t retain what they learn about Hispanic history.
Don’t kids in school learn intangible things daily? Should a whole group of people be ignored because kids won’t remember?
A quick glance at the county’s activities shows that there is no planned celebration.
Surely there must be some kind of celebration in schools to teach kids to respect Hispanics? Wrong.
The school district does not mandate teachers to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with their students.
Rockbridge County’s director of instruction, Cindy Crance, said that celebrating the month is not part of the district’s required curriculum.
Because kids will not be tested statewide on Hispanic history, they miss out on this cultural enrichment.
Crance said she did not receive any community complaints about the school’s attitude towards Hispanic Heritage Month.
Rockbridge County High School teacher Pam St. Clair Correa added that pressure on teachers to get through the information required for testing makes teachers leave things like Hispanic Heritage Month out of the curriculum.
However, because Black History Month is part of the standardized testing, schools celebrate that month, she said.
St. Clair Correa said that she and other Spanish language teachers have implemented a daily trivia quiz about Hispanics to celebrate the month.
While middle and high school foreign language teachers incorporate Hispanic history into their curriculum, elementary students are left alone.
Crance blames this on the low number of Hispanics currently living in Rockbridge County.
“At the elementary level-if you don’t have a connection-students have trouble holding onto that information,” Crance said.
According to Crance, since students may not see Hispanics on a regular basis, they won’t retain what they learn about Hispanic history.
Don’t kids in school learn intangible things daily? Should a whole group of people be ignored because kids won’t remember?
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