Learning through Books, Media and Technology

ARTICLES THIS ISSUE:

1993 Administrative Leadership Awards

Accentuating the positive

1993 President's Award Winner

The energy of synergy

This is my country --- an my school

We are the world: our success is yours

Social sciences and technology --- a natural combination

No question of relevance

Inspiring students to speak out

Big ideas prepare students for the future

Open doors, open minds

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Good Ideas! is published by CSLA

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We are the world: our success is yours

Woodrow Wilson High School

Students representing individuals in the 1960's and 1970's segment of the multicultural history project pause for a snack.

No single ethnic group at Woodrow Wilson High School comprises more than 33 percent of the student body. At least a third of the students enter school with limited proficiency in English. Three-fourths of them are classified as "educationally disadvantaged." Scores on standardized tests reflect a general lack of fluency in reading and math ---skills that will be desperately needed by each of them as they enter the job market or apply to attend college in just a few years.

Teachers at Woodrow Wilson have been intensely involved in creating and presenting a curriculum module that would (1) help students be selective about resource choices and process information more effectively; (2) focus on varied presentation modes --- oral, written, and graphic; (3) increase student knowledge about relationships between science, technology, and society; and (4) make the learning experience enjoyable, affirming to each student that he or she is a capable, valued learner. The subject matter for this module is interdisciplinary, with an emphasis on the social sciences.

Entitled the HERALD (Humanities Education Research and Language Development) Project, this comprehensive activity requires students to select a character from any culture, who lived in the U.S. during a specific period. Students mist become fully involved with the chosen character, eventually dressing in the role, participating in dances of the period, and presenting a short speech to introduce themselves, which is videotaped for later viewing. Finally, they must prepare either a visual or scientific display, a live performance, or a written report (a paper, diary, letter, etc.). All of this requires, of course, considerable research from a variety of sources and fosters collaboration among the library media teacher, two history/social science teachers, a science teacher, and three English/ESI teachers. Teachers explain that they want their students to incorporate their own heritages into their knowledge of U.S. history.

• Woodrow Wilson High School (Grades 9-12, enrollment1,116)
  400 Mansell Street, San Francisco 94134, (415) 469-4550
  Jenny Horn, Principal
  Evelyn Stanton, Library Media Teacher
  San Francisco Unified School District