NYC Public School Teachers: Advice Needed

Hello all. I am working on a project for my masters program IT alignment class. We needed to pick a topic that has social issues and can be resolved using technology. My apologies for this being long and possibly a little confusing.

My group has picked the subject of addressing (preferably public) schools that do not have enough textbooks for students. This may be due to overcrowding (not enough books), inventories of solely outdated textbooks, and simply textbooks in such poor condition and the school does not want to risk losing more books by letting students have their own copy.

Our idea is to create an integrated system that has the manufactures place their books in an online system and the school purchase rights to use that system for X amount of years and be able to print at will for students. From what my group understands from an interview we had “the publisher, at least in NY State (MacMillan/McGraw Hill) determines curriculum standards by designing some (if not all) of the standard tests that students are required to take. Therefore I believe that we MUST consider the publisher’s interests while at the same time NOT trying to solve the ‘monopoly problem’ ”
Our focus will be on highly urban areas where situations like these have been known to happen

What I ask from anyone that is still reading this, can you provide your insight to:
- any of the problems that lead to not having enough textbooks,
- thoughts on how the curriculum is developed
- any comments on the problem, this social issues, the proposed solution

We are a group of tech/finance people and do not have many connections with educators and none of us are parents with young children

I appreciate any advice, comments you an offer. Please feel free to FM me. If you have any questions, I will be glad to answer.

TIA
Crystal

Re: NYC Public School Teachers: Advice Needed

I can't speak for every school in NYC, but out school doesn't use many textbooks. For Reading we use actual literature (meaning kids read from children's books on their reaidng level from the classroom library). For Math they use consumable workbooks to support the lessons the teachers teach. For Science we use a hands on program that is supported by consumable workbooks. For Social Studies we have textbooks but to honest they are underused! Anyway, this may not be helping you but maybe it's why a lot of teachers aren't responding (? I dont' know!). I teach 3rd grade so maybe high school teaachers may have more experience with textbooks. Good luck!!!! Hope I didn't confuse you more.

Re: NYC Public School Teachers: Advice Needed

Especially in ELA where we are using the TC workshop model, we do not use many textbooks.
Also, remember that if you are focusing in on urban schools where budgeting may be a problem, access to computers in the school (and at home) may be an issue.
In terms of how curriculum is developed it is aligned to the NYS Standards and you may be able to contact McGraw Hill directly for more information.
Your project sounds so interesting! Good luck!

Re: NYC Public School Teachers: Advice Needed

Thank you both.

Re: NYC Public School Teachers: Advice Needed

**I am not a NYC teacher, but this is just my opinion based on being an educator.....

Many schools I know of are steering away from textbooks, based on things like Teacher's College and Workshop models that incorporate literature into lessons rather than texts.

With this shift, other curriculum areas are being taught through literature, research, and non text models. We have texts, but they are underused bc we do our lessons so many other ways.

McGraw Hill's impact should be considered, given their role in NYS testing/curriculum.


This reminds me of the Kozol book Savage Inequalities that I had to read years ago for my undergrad work. It was an interesting topic at that time, and I think still is.

Re: NYC Public School Teachers: Advice Needed

MY school too doesn't really use textbooks, at least in the younger grades. We follow models that don't require textbooks to be used. For reading students read books at their own level. For Math, our students get their own workbooks for homework that they write in. For SS, we actually have materials in the classroom (not student textbooks) but we dont use them, my school doesnt like reproductables (they want student made stuff and probably because they dont wat to make the copies). For homework we make photocopies of the reading\writing homewrk we want students to complete.

Again, this is what i notice in the younger grades, the upper grade elementary students may use textbooks, but i'm unsure.