EDU 6315

Urban Environments and Multicultural Education

Final Examination Spring 2004

Instructions:

1) The exam is due at 9:30 p.m. on May 4, 2004 at Prof. Kemper's office (405 Heroy Bldg.). You may submit your paper by e-mail to rkemper@mail.smu.edu if you prefer. In either case, late papers will be penalized one letter grade for any part of each 24-hour period -- beginning at 9:31 p.m. on May 4th.

2) You must answer one of the two questions in section I and one of the two questions in section II. Write between 1,000-1,250 words (approx. 4-5 pages double space in a reasonable font)

3) You may write in English or in Spanish for either question,; please do not mix languages in a specific answer.

4) Be sure to make good use of the course materials (i.e., lectures, readings, videos) in each of your answers.

Section I

Question 1. In Adler's monograph, Yucatecans in Dallas, Texas (2004), education is an important value for many of the migrants whom she interviewed. Why is education such an important value for immigrants from other nations who come to the United States?  What are the background factors that contribute to the prominence of education in the experiences and aspirations of immigrants like the Yucatecans in Dallas? Are the educational experiences/aspirations of the  Yucatecans typical or atypical of other immigrant populations in the Dallas region?

Question 2. In Adler's monograph, Yucatecans in Dallas, Texas (2004), gender is an important issue in the lives of the migrants whom she interviewed. Why is gender important in the migrants' lives? What are the similarities and differences in gender roles in their place of origin (Kaal) and in their destination (Dallas)? Are gender roles among the Yucatecans typical or atypical of other immigrant populations in the Dallas region?

Section II

Question 1. In a recently published Special Section of the Dallas Morning News devoted to the topic "Dallas at the Tipping Point: A Road Map for Renewal" (April 18, 2004), the story on Schools began with the statement, 

"Few indicators better predict a city's vitality than the performance of its public schools. Student achievement today creates a skilled workforce tomorrow. It attracts business, nurtures wealth and ensures a city's prosperity" (Angela Shah, Section W, p. 12W) 

The article goes on to provide measures of school performance for DISD, but says very little about the larger region in which the city of Dallas and DISD are embedded. Would a broader understanding of the urban context of North Central Texas change the picture painted in the story by Shah?  What data need to be considered to reshape her analysis of schools? Are DISD's "difficulties" more related to what is happening within its boundaries or more related to larger forces beyond its immediate boundaries and control? How does the situation of DISD compare with that of other school districts in the region?

Question 2. You have been hired into the newly-created position of "Multicultural Education Czar" for North Central Texas. This position (and its staff) will be funded by a consortium of school districts and city governments in the 16-county region covered by the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG). Your first responsibility involves designing a plan for the next ten years of elementary education in the region. The plan must take into account the changing (multicultural) demographics of the region (for data, go to: http://dfwinfo.com, the website of the NCTCOG) and its constituent cities and counties. The plan also must deal with the traditional and entrenched ways of doing public education in the region (within state and federal guidelines) and seek ways to transform education, particularly in the face of the growing rift between public and private sectors.