Reworking the Education System

Where are we?

2011-08-22T07:41:00.000-07:00

In an op-ed piece from the New YorkTimes by Joel Bakan, he mentions that the kids are not all right. In his piece he writes about the power of corporations and how essentially instead of protecting the youth, they are placed in danger due to corporations. As well written the piece is and true it is, I only can think Yea, you just got the memo?

The kids are not all right, and let’s face it, they haven’t been all right for a while. They’ve been getting by, and mostly due to their own accord and will power. This isn’t to say that all parents are neglectful and terrible. Rather, it is not just the youth who are absorbed in the technological world and the media, it is also the parents. Children learn by doing.

So what is to be done? Join a commune? Take away the internet? Force your kids only to read books? No, no, and maybe. Well, reading is my own personally opinion, but in any case eliminating technology and the media from youth is absurd. This generation and future generations are connected in ways that were only dreamed of in science fiction novels. It can be powerful and destructive. The person or people who can effectively use it to speak to the world will be the winners, and those who can’t will only follow. Breaking the connection is not the answer, but rather putting information and truth out on the networks. When you bring something to someone’s living room, the will listen.

In regards to corporations, those will be around for a while. Maybe you are anti-corporations, maybe you just don’t care, but in the United States and the world, they are here and they are ready to play. Mr. Bakan makes a wonderful statement when he says, “The good news is that we can — and should — work as citizens, through democratic channels and institutions, to bring about change.” How do we do that though? Get the message out. Don’t be radical about it, if anything that turns people off. Be steady in your actions and words. Make alternatives actually accessible. Organic food isn’t cheap, and hey, I’m living on a government stipend, I go for what is cheap. Yes, farmer’s markets now take food stamps, but who knows that? I’ll tell you when I saw friends get their food stamps they weren’t told of this, just that you can’t buy alcohol.

Yes, a change needs to happen, but it needs to be coming from all ages and groups, and truthfully the internet will be the thing connecting us all. Be it a mass text to attend a rally or a video on YouTube. If we want to change the world and opinions we need to connect with people from all classes and generations, and really, the net may be the only way that happens.

The Future of NCLB and the Blue Print for Reform?

2011-06-12T15:20:00.000-07:00

Sam Dillon wrote an interesting article in the NY Times "Education Secretary May Agree to Waivers on ‘No Child’ Law Requirements."

Under NCLB it said that in 2014 100% of public schools in the US would have students at proficiency in reading and math. However, as stated in the article:"In March, Mr. Duncan predicted that the law would classify 80,000 of the nation’s 100,000 public schools as failing this fall unless it was amended."

To help with this, Arne Duncan has said that if Congress does not act by this coming Fall to pass education legislation he will provide waivers to states who have not met the requirements of NCLB. This has caused much controversy of over stepping boundaries and the role of the legislative branch.

Yes, it points to that, but it points to so much more. 80,000 schools? 80,000 schools in this country are not at proficiency in reading and math in this country? We as a country are failing 80,000 schools and those children who attend them. Our Congress is failing 80,000 schools by not passing new legislation that provides a more structured, flexible, and innovative education system.

Lets get this out there. Blue Print for Reform is not the be all of great education legislation out there. It has its faults and issues that need to be looked at. This is true, but it attempts to help with some of the issues NCLB created or further progressed, especially the issue of the "passing" or "failing" school.

It is just a sad state that this country is in when states decide to cut back on education and the federal government spends money on wars. Or the fact that federal dollars go to other countries when we can not guarantee a child a place in their own state, be them immigrated, minority, middle class, or refugee. Of the fact that not just with education, but that we have to even consider a budget when we look at disaster relief. There are certain things the government of the United States of America should be able to provide for its citizens, no matter their perceived identity.

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Think about it Congress sometimes. I feel like you have forgotten what this country was supposed to stand for. I think we have all forgotten what we are supposed to stand for.

The Role of Catholic Schools in Education

2011-06-11T15:43:00.000-07:00

So it has been a while since I last posted and feel like I should get back up on the ball. Blog posting keeps me up to date with the world in reality and forces me to reflect on it. So here it goes.

A few days ago (probably week now) I ran across an article from the NY Times Samuel Freedman called "As Catholic Schools Close in Major Cities, the Need Only Grows." Looking at the closing of one Catholic School in New York, it raises some interesting points about the future of these schools and what role they will play in upcoming year.

I admit, I am a child of the Catholic School system. I attended a Baptist Pre-K where I was taught to read by learning passages from the Bible, and from Kindergarden until my senior year in high school I went to Catholic Schools. Yes, my family is Roman Catholic, but there was a greater reason for me to go there than just a "religious education." The schools were better, especially compared to the option I had. The East Baton Rouge Public Schools, which ranks as some of the lowest in the country. To attend a Catholic School was to attend a school that would put me ahead of the game, and being from rural Louisiana, that means something.

Yes, I received an over arching religious education, but if anything the people graduating from Catholic Schools end up in another religion. The fact is, they attend a private school that is run by religious leaders (who are doing the work for free) and typically it is in a strong community environment. If anything I recognize the benefit I had in receiving such benefits.

But the fact is, the Catholic Schools are losing enrollment and it has to do a lot with the cost of these schools and the funding coming in. I've known a few people on scholarship who went to my high school, but most were either the well off families who could afford it or were like mine, who had to take out a second mortgage on their house to let me go. As the article mentions, the parishes are pulling funding from small pools, and if they don't give, they miss out. Sure, Catholic Schools can apply for federal grants, but many times they do not. Why? They lack the staff to apply for them or simply they feel like they can't because they are a religious school.

How do I know this? I worked as a contracted technology consultant for an elementary to middle school Catholic School in rural Louisiana that was constantly fearing they couldn't show certain videos or do certain things on the technology they received from grants. Thus, the resources they had were out of date or they simply did not look for funding. Of course, this is not always the case, but it was something I noticed.

In any case, I feel like losing the Catholic Schools will be a lose to the US education system. These schools can reach students who make fall on the fringes of society and provide them with valuable education that puts them forward in life, be them in the urban or rural schools. Look at me. I am attending of tier 1 liberal arts college in the US on scholarship and have been introduced to many leaders in Louisiana as well as in the academic world. I could have attending my rural public high school, but I was able to test into a Catholic School that let me travel and develop as a person. It gave me the chance to go places, and shutting the door of these institutions does not only mean the power bill for that spot is ending. It means the door of opportunity for someone's future my also be closing.

Entre Les Murs aka The Class

2009-12-16T20:16:00.000-08:00

So I haven't done this yet, but lets do a movie review! A few weeks back I was talking to a friend about French films and she said, "Hey have you seen this film, 'Entre Les Murs', it is supposed to be really good!" So we sat down and watched it.

Now, I have to say it is not your typical, 'this is so inspiring I feel really touched by this film and want to volunteer for a week then stop.' It is more of a film that plays like a documentary, but isn't. Essentially, it shows a teacher teaching French in one of the urban schools in Paris. The group of students are mixed, showing the diverse background that is Paris. We watch as this teacher goes throughout his day, trying to reach his students and deal with the same diverse group. Of course there is the challenge in the film, a student who is viewed as "a bad seed" and the story ends up following the work done with him.

I'll go out and say it. The ending is not what you want to happen. The way many people like to see a film end is with a happy ending where the bad students get on the right path and all is well in the world. Well people, that really isn't how things go. If anything, those "bad seed" students are left. There was one quote that really got to me in the film. One student said that he hates teachers who expel students because when they do they give up on them. Yes, I realize that expelling students is sometimes the only thing some teachers can do, but it does feel like giving up. I personally feel that we as a society focus on saving the the majority and ignore the minority group. If they are causing the problems, we need to remove that small group to protect the larger. I understand that, but do we really have to leave them to fend for themselves? If anything, they need more help. It is easier to toss a problem to the side rather than fix it.

It is just so frustrating to see it happen. I know many times when I was teaching I had to defend my students because they were those "bad seeds" in school. They were placed in the behavioral problem classrooms and they were the ones teachers dreaded working with. The thing is, those kids loved me, and I really did care about them. When the students would do something in class, the teachers would give up and I would have to go over and talk to them. All they needed was someone to reason with them down to their level. They needed someone who would let them be a kid. It was also frustrating to see the "help" these kids would get. The school had part time counselors who would meet with them once a week. The counselors did a Freudian analysis and really didn't work on the social problems the students were having. Seeing the counselors ended up being free time away from class. I couldn't be too mad at the school though, they were they only counselors they could afford in their budget.

There is defiantly a problem in schools when dealing with these "difficult" students. Unless you have the extra staff, such as my City Year team, working in the school the teacher is the only source of help these students can get. This can cause a teacher to be overloaded and maybe even to give up. As well, schools lack a lot of funding to provide that extra support for kids or to find ways to connect the parents with the school problem. When we look at education reform we have to look at ways to help every child succeed, not just a majority. Like the film says, we can't give up on a child just because it is not easy.

City Year= Nazi Youth? (Answer: No)

2009-12-14T09:43:00.000-08:00

Has anyone seen this video? In recent months it has caused a huge controversy on YouTube. Many people have commented that they compare the video to that of the Nazi Youth and Hitler. The critics of the video argue that the individuals in the video are part of Obama's evil plot essentially to brainwash US citizens to follow all his "liberal reforms."

Really people. Really...Now, this is going to sound like propaganda, I realize, but lets look at the organization for a minute. As an alumni of City Year, I understand that the culture behind the organization can be ridiculous and cultish. The organization will say that out front. What needs to be realized by the critics out there is that City Year started long before Obama was in office. It was started by two Harvard roommates in 1989. They wanted to do something with their summer, and it turned into something more. City Year is an organization that supports youth of diverse backgrounds coming together for a common cause, helping the youth in education and promoting civic duty. You give a year, more like 10 months, of your life to serve your country from the inside and fix some problems that the government just can't seem to get around to.

As an alumni I can tell you that a lot of people got annoyed with the organization, but in the end we were working there because we wanted to make some sort of change in the lives of the children we worked with. It wasn't about us, it was about them. It was about something bigger than ourselves. It was about bringing a smile to a child's face and letting them know that they weren't forgotten. It was a very inspiring year in my life, and it made me see a reality that was hidden from me.

So critics can argue and say that it is all brainwashing from Obama. However, I would say that the critics out there need to look at their facts a little more and actually talk to the people in the organization to understand it. The funny thing is that one commercial is getting a lot of heat because it shows "PT" (Physical Training) that is done once a week as a group. It seems "militaristic." However, the other commercials out there don't. You can watch them and judge for yourself. Just before you judge, look into the facts more before following anyone's opinion.

It's Time to Talk Day

2009-12-10T07:36:00.001-08:00

So I was browsing the Department of Education's website today and came across this article. Apparently December 3rd was national "It's Time to Talk Day." What is this day? It is a day where adults talk to the youth about healthy relationships, domestic violence, and abuse. This is the 6th day held to acknowledge the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) that was passed 15 years ago. The Department of Education has partnered with other organizations, such as Start Strong, "the largest initiative ever funded to target 11-to-14-year-olds" and Liz Claiborne Inc., who have organized the event since 2004

“For too long, we’ve been unwilling to face the reality that teen dating violence occurs,” Secretary Duncan said. “It’s been a taboo subject folks would simply not talk about. But we can’t afford to do that anymore. Too many young people are getting hurt. We must all do our part to break the silence and work toward eliminating teen dating violence.”

I find it interesting that this article was on the Department of Education. This is a serious topic that usually gets glanced over in society, especially in the school system. I know that back at home domestic violence is never talked about. If anything, it is a social norm that everyone learns to deal with. To give an example, when I was a kid the teachers explained rain during a sunny day like this. "The devil is beating his wife." We all knew what it meant, and we didn't say anything. I feel like this is a positive step forward if schools can engage in this kind of conversations with their students and their parents. It is a very real situation that has yet to be addressed in the United States. If children can realize the importance of healthy relationships it can alter the history of many students who live in an environment of abuse.

Where are all the Men?

2009-12-06T16:32:00.000-08:00

Where are all the men in early childhood education? Not there, that is what. In my experience in both going to elementary school and volunteering in school I have noticed there are not many adult males who will venture into the field of elementary and sometimes middle school education. Teaching is often a job that is associated with women. Women are seen as care givers and are the ones who usually raise the children. Societies usually see the male as "the bread winner" in the families. These are our preconceived notions of gender types in education, but they are really lacking in today's world.

If anything, schools, especially in urban areas, need male teachers. Again, I will use a story from my time with City Year. I was in a classroom with students from various backgrounds. However, most of them were from the rougher parts of town and acted like it in class. When I first came into the classroom I only had the minimal amount of respect a student would give an adult. I had to prove to them I was someone they could trust and respect. I felt like my students and I had a good relationship. They realized I cared about them and in many cases my story could relate to their stories, at least in some way. I realized many times my students, especially my male students, found it difficult to relate to me because I wasn't from the same background as them and also because I was not a male. I was privileged to work with a male teacher though. My teacher may not agree with me, but he provided something those male students needed, a positive male role model. In the kids' eyes, he was cool and intelligent. They knew he was looking out for them and would always remark in passing that they were happy they ended up in his class.

This is just my story, but I feel like it is a universal one in schools. I do believe female teachers can identify with their students and form that connection, I have seen it happen with myself and my other teacher (a female). However, I feel like that initial connection is more easily formed between male students and teachers. In places where there may not be many male role models to provide positive examples in life, some young males may not venture far from the path they were given. It is when students have that positive image in both genders that they can identify themselves into something else than what was given to them.

Sex Education...Oh Yea.

2009-12-05T11:20:00.000-08:00

This video amuses me, and I agree with it completely. Use condoms people. This commercial has been out for awhile, and I remember showing it to friends in high school. We would all laugh and say everyone should use a condom. Everyone should use a condom.

Now here is where it gets funny and sad. Even though these people are saying this, I know for a fact some of the people who saw that commercial have no idea how to use a condom and they are misinformed about sex. It usually results in me having to sit down with them and dislodge some of their perceived "facts" about sex.

Why is this happening? Most schools do receive some sort of sex education. NPR reported that only 7% of Americans think that schools should not teach sex education (aka sex ed). This means 93% agree to the teaching. But what is being taught? I received sex education in the 5th grade. It was taught by the religion teachers and a sister and we were separated by sex for the classes. I remember getting green handouts of the sexual organs and such. I think everyone, almost, knows the basics behind how a baby is formed, but the process of actually becoming pregnant and the ways to prevent it were rushed over and inaccurate.

The Guttmacher Institute has some statistics about sex education:

More than nine in 10 teachers believe that students should be taught about contraception, but one in four are prohibited from doing so.
One in five teachers believe that restrictions on sex education are preventing them from meeting their students’ needs.
By 2002, one-third of teens had not received any formal instruction about contraception
Approximately 14% of the decline in teen pregnancy between 1995 and 2002 was due to teens’ delaying sex or having sex less often, while 86% was due to an increase in sexually experienced teens’ contraceptive use.
Despite the decline, the United States continues to have one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the developed world—almost twice as high as those of England, Wales and Canada, and eight times as high as those of the Netherlands and Japan.

Graph provided from the Guttmacher Institute

The sex education students are receiving is not good enough and only marginal. Yes, it is a difficult subject to talk about. I worked with 5th graders, remember? They would never out right ask the questions, but I knew they were lurking in the background of their minds from some of the things they would say. That changed though. They are in 6th grade now and all they want to talk about is sex. In the one day I got to spend with them at school as 6th graders I could tell they had a very different perspective in sex education and the school needed to catch up with their questioning minds.
Sex is a taboo subject to talk about in schools, but it needs to be discussed in a serious atmosphere with all the different possibilities for preventive measures taught. The responsibility needs to fall on the school to provide accurate information, but the majority needs to fall on parents. If the school can not teach the curriculum to their students, then they need to provide the correct information to the parents so they can inform their children. I have talked to women from 15 to their mid 20s who do not know some of the basics and are sexual active. Every time I hear some of their stories I cringe on the inside because for the next hour I will have to reteach sex education for them.

Website:
NPR
Guttmacher Institute

Demanding After School Programs

2009-12-03T07:37:00.001-08:00

So the last post I gave a small story about my class last year. I think I shall continue the trend. So if not said already, I worked for a non profit organization called City Year in 2008-2009. I worked full time in a fifth grade classroom. Along with this I served as a mentor and after school worker for my students. The last part of what I did will be the focus of the post.

I worked in an after school program run by my team in our school. It was a free program for 3rd-5th graders and ran from 2:45-5:30 pm. It was structured to provide homework help but also to be a social network where students would interact from different grades and learn about issues in their community. I loved the program, and I know the kids did as well.

So why talk about after school programs? Take a look at this graph:

Graph provided from the National Criminal Justice Reference Service

Between 2PM-6PM violent crimes committed by youth under the age of 18 peak.Isn't this around the same time that students are getting out of school? In a society where many households have both parents working, students are left unsupervised and essentially calling the shots for a few hours. Here are some after school facts from SafeYouth.org:

"Other safety issues surface in the after-school hours as well. Students who spend no time in extracurricular activities, such as those offered in after-school programs, are 49 percent more likely to have used drugs and 37 percent more likely to become teen parents than are those students who spend one to four hours per week in extracurricular activities."

Another statistic:

The parents of more than 28 million school-age children work outside the home. As many as 15 million "latchkey children" go to an empty house on any given afternoon. (Source: U.S. Department of Labor; U.S. Census Bureau, Urban Institute estimate, 2000)

And one more statistic to let things sink in:

"Teens who do not participate in after school programs are nearly three times more likely to skip classes or use marijuana or other drugs; they are also more likely to drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes and engage in sexual activity. (YMCA of the USA, March 2001)"

So it would seem logical that all parents would have their kids in an after school program. False. It is true parents want to put their children in after school programs, but usually they are too expensive or there just isn't a program near their home. After school programs are a wonderful thing and can help children succeed while also providing jobs for young adults. Currently I work at the YMCA and I would rather be playing a game of 'Fishy, Fishy Cross My Ocean' with my students than see them at home alone. When educators look at education reform, they need to also look at those vulnerable hours after the school bell rings and find affordable alternatives for students.

Websites:
SafeYouth.org
After School All-Stars

The Great Outdoors and School?

2009-12-01T16:26:00.000-08:00

Last year in the fall, my teachers took our students outside to do water tests for ph levels. The school I worked at was located near a nature reserve, something uncommon for most schools in the area because it was near a major city. I was excited to be outdoors and interested in the activity. My students felt differently. They yelled and complained about how they were "city kids" and didn't want to go outside.

Is this a common trend now a days? Or really is it a continuation of what school is? When I was an elementary school student, I never got to go outside, unless for recess. However, sometimes my teachers would let us sit in the sun and read or maybe draw outside. I think that those moments outside made me love to read more, and it is probably the reason why I will always find a patch of grass in the sun to sit on and read. It is in those moments where I think education can be different.

There are many advocates and alternative summer camps that focus on outdoor education. It is thought that bringing students outside gets them closer to the actual science of the world and experience education and life in a different way. Also, some summer camps offer programs where kids build character development through outdoor activities, something you can not always get in a classroom. Along with this, having students spend time outside lets them appreciate the natural beauty around them and would create stronger advocates for preserving out natural resources.

I'm not saying we have to send all our kids to expensive outdoor camps or even have class outside at all times. What I am saying is it should be encouraged, rather than discouraged to have class time outside. It creates a bond with nature and a new appreciation for education.

How Much is Too Much?

2009-11-30T07:42:00.000-08:00

As I wander through the internet after my Russian class I came across a few articles. Both talk about Pre-School and Kindergarten, specifically about the prices for such schools.

In recent years there has been a huge push from the government and the private sector to focus more on early childhood development. If you look on the United States Department of Education website you will find "resources" to help you prepare your child for education starting from a few months old. There is a whole section of preparing your child for pre-school.

So this doesn't seem too bad, we are educating the youth at a young age. I agree. Education needs to start young and build those foundations for children. From there, kids can have a better start in the upper grades. I'm fine with that. It is when I see articles like those in the NY Times about pre-school kids getting "boot camps" to prepare themselves for the Kindergarten entrance test. Sessions can cost up to $80- $90. It follows the same idea as test prep for the SATs, just these test preps are geared for children under the age of 6.

One parent commented that it is worth the price because their child can get in to the public school's gifted program for kindergartens, which is essentially free to them because of those nice taxes. If they didn't get in, they could be looking at anywhere from $15,000-$20,000 for private schools in pre-school and kindergarten.

Really, those articles bother me. I feel like the public schools gifted program test is to find those gifted children at a young age who have had no testing experience. If we have a class of people paying for test prep sessions, we are isolating another class that can not afford it, and essentially may not be able to get their child into the gifted program. As well, the high prices of early childhood education limit children to a specific class, essentially the upper middle class and elite. I do approve of more focus on early childhood education. I think it is very important, and schools and parents play the factors in the equation on how it works out. However, high prices and competitiveness on such a young level seems ludicrous in my eyes.

To Keep or Not to Keep Recess

2009-11-28T22:58:00.000-08:00

Does anyone else remember Disney's show called Recess? I remember watching it on Saturday mornings wishing I could be as cool as those kids on my own playground at school. Alas, it never really happened like that. My recess involved trivial conversation with friends and playing made up games while chasing the annoying boys around who dared to cross "our" side of the field. Recess was an amazing break in the day after or before lunch where I could finish last minute homework, talk, and really hang with with my friends because we really didn't have time in the day and sometimes didn't have time at the end of the day.

Okay, so is this post just about my sentimental thoughts on my childhood? No. When I went home for Thanksgiving, one of my friends told me that our old elementary school was looking to cut recess almost completely from the school program. The information bothered me.

I know as a kid I needed that break just so I wouldn't jump on a table and beat up one of my peers for their stupidity. Of course I was a very angry child, but many students feel the same way. In an article from the Washington Post students who have a recess have better behavior in class as reported by a teacher rating system.

Recess gives that time for students to really be kids and also to learn about being in social situations and with conflict resolutions. Many times teachers are forced to create small societies in their classrooms for students to learn how to interact with each other. It may seem odd, but recess creates that basic society where students are forced to interact without counsel from the teacher.

Some critics of recess say that it promotes violence and bullying. Yes, that aspect is there, but there are many teachers and organizations that provide the tools to fix these problems. One organization that I have worked with is "Sports 4 Kids" an AmeriCorps group that works with keeping recess around, making it safe and fun. If there is a dispute on the playground the adult doesn't solve it, the students do a quick game of 'Rock, Paper, Scissors.'

Essentially, recess is an aspect that needs to stay in the school system, and when we talk about reforming education we need to include recess. After 'No Child Left Behind' came into play on the political field, recess was one of the first things to go to add more time in the schedule. More time is always needed, but we can't take away the time that helps students interact with each other and helps form those individual personalities that our students have. As T.J. from recess would say, a school day without recess would whomp.

Teachers...Holler!

2009-11-23T15:08:00.001-08:00

So this was a video that I showed one of my teachers when I was working in an elementary school last year. Besides being funny at points, it really is a shout out to teachers across the world.

I feel like teachers get a bad reputation a lot of times. Usually, they are the first thing we turn to as the problem of education. I know I may have even mentioned harsh criticism of teachers. Everyone should be reminded that teachers are not the only cause for a student's failure. I have seen teachers put their heart and soul into a child. The kid didn't become the star player in the class, but he wasn't failing anymore. Even though I wasn't a full teacher, I knew what it felt like when you work with a student for hours and when that test came they froze on the same problem they knew backwards and forwards. It hurts, but you know you did as much as you could. That is what counts. The student knows you are invested in them, and when you both have that acknowledgment you know you have done something positive.

Teacher reform happens, and will continue happening. There are some bad teachers out there, and they need to be held accountable for their actions. At the same time, new methods of teacher certification need to be looked at to provide creative and innovative teachers to our students. Teachers provide the knowledge to our children, the future of the world, and they deserve the respect that comes with having that role.

So holler teachers!

A Reminder

2009-11-22T18:39:00.000-08:00

I have been posting articles, as can clearly be seen. I have talked about various policies being acted on and sometimes I take a view, and other times I don't. Currently I am working on a research proposal paper for my Latin American Politics class and I mention in it that education is important to fix the drug trade problem. Along with this research, I also went back through my photo album to see the pictures of my students last year.

So I just want to say this.

I believe that everyone, no matter the age, race, sex, has the right to a GOOD education. Everyone has the right to have the basic skills in reading and math. Everyone has the right to knowledge, and they should not be denied these factors. I focus on children because of all people, they are the ones who feel the affects of policy and have the least amount of allowance in what direction they can go in, at least until the become an "adult." We as a people have the duty to provide this basic need, education, to our people and allow them the opportunity to strive to be all that they can be.

That is all. Here is a video from the OLPC Foundation (One Laptop Per Child). I'll do another post on them, but just take the video for its message. Digest it, and decide what you will do.

"Dear Mr. President"

2009-11-21T09:45:00.000-08:00

I came across this while looking up videos on education. I really don't want to comment on the video, I feel like it speaks for itself. What do you think?

Trying to Fix the Dropout Problem

2009-11-17T10:24:00.001-08:00

Occasionally I shift through the articles from my local paper and I come across something of interest. One of them is the change in diplomas. Louisiana wants to start a new program that would allow students in high school to have the option of pursuing a "normal" high school diploma or seeking the "career" path high school diploma.

Initially I was very opposed to this diploma. Already, Louisiana has a high drop out rate for high school students. Yes, an alternative path for a diploma would keep more students in school, but what would be the requirements of this diploma? It was mentioned that the students would take less Math and English courses, so would these students be getting a sufficient amount of education? I'm all for keeping students in high school and using different ways to do it, but if it limits a student, then no.
It seems like the people negotiating this diploma were feeling the same way. The local newspaper in Baton Rouge, 2theadvocate.com, released a couple of articles about the exit tests for high school. First, the graduation exit exam will be removed.In the new system, "students will have to earn passing marks on at least three end-of-course tests out of six subjects. Those are: Algebra I or geometry, English 2 or English 3, and Biology or American history." It is thought that in this way students will have the test instantly at the end of the year where the knowledge is still fresh, rather than waiting to the end.

The new "career" path diploma students will have to take the same tests at the end, but the other course work will be exempt. This is to give more credibility to the diploma. In this aspect, I am happy with the new diploma, but I still have my reservations.

Don't get me wrong, I know some adults from other states who received the technical training diploma rather than the "normal" high school diploma. They are successful and have happy families. They are also intelligent individuals. So, I have seen the positive affects of it. I just have reservations when it comes to Louisiana Educators making this course curriculum. Will an exit exam for English 1 be on the same level of difficulty as it would be in New York? Also, would more students go for the career diploma and take less courses because it seems easy? Will students realize that universities will not always take those diplomas? I guess I am just hesitant to put my full support behind it. In my ideal situation, I would want students to have the same course work until their junior year where they would start on either path they wanted. Before they could choose they would have to talk to their school counselor and really think about the decision they are making, because it is a huge decision, and it is something that needs to be discussed. Maybe it will be that way. Who knows, but whatever the case is Louisiana is going through with it, if I like it or not...

High School Exit Exam Article
Career Diploma Article

Rules Defined in the Race to the Top Competition

2009-11-13T08:02:00.000-08:00

Since I posted about the Race to the Top Program, I figured I should do a bit of a follow up on the rules. I know I was confused navigating the Department of Education's website. Apparently some states were feeling the same way.

The NY Times posted on article about it.Recently Obama clarified some of the rules for the states, basically all of them. This clarification includes how the states will be graded on the application.

"A perfect application would earn a state 500 points, with 125 points allotted for articulating a perfectly coherent agenda for change; 70 points for adopting higher standards and higher quality tests; 47 points for developing computerized systems to track student academic progress; 138 points for recruiting quality teachers, evaluating their effectiveness, and using the evaluations in tenure and other key decisions; 50 points for turning around failing schools; 30 points for other miscellaneous categories of change; and 40 points for fostering the growth of charter schools."

Some states have been overwhelmed with the application alone because there is so much paperwork. Also, states have to get support statements from their school districts. However, states are not alone. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has given $250,000 to 15 states to higher grant proposal writers to look over the state's application. Nice deal huh?

A state's application will be due Mid-January, and the second round will be in June.

Also, there has been clairification on the budgets for each state.

"The new rules urge states to seek amounts of money proportionate to their sizes. They urge four states with large student populations, California, Florida, New York and Texas, to outline budgets in the $350 million to $700 million range. States with small student populations are urged to propose budgets of $20 million to $75 million."

Overall, the Race to the Top has been receiving positive reviews by educators. At first the American Federation of Teachers provided some harsh criticism to the program, but after the new rules were released, they have been more cordial on their remarks. Either way, many schools are looking to the competition for help in the "budget problem" in the school systems, and it seems like everyone sees how this can create a positive outcome. Yes, there are critics to the program, but most see it as a time for schools to implement some form of reform in their schools. Even if the schools do not get the grants, the programs will be implemented, and the US education system will see a change in the system for the next two decades.

Teacher Performance Pay, a Good or Bad Idea?

2009-11-08T10:54:00.000-08:00

Is the above comic the reality of teacher performance pay? I feel like something that should be clarified from the last post is the idea of teacher performance pay. The issue is always a huge debate amongst educators and politicians. Also, considering the last post mentions that under the Race to The Top Program, student evaluation will be used in teacher pay, it is something that should be noted.

Ellen R. Delisio from Education World did a great post on teacher performance pay. Currently the teacher pay system is based on years rather than on student evaluations. Have you ever heard of tenure? In this system, there are a set standards on bonuses. Under a teacher performance plan, the pay would be based upon the performance of the students. The desired outcome of the whole situation would be more hard working teachers and a competitive field with better paid teachers, which some say would attract more people to the teaching field.

However, the thing that causes controversy is the idea that student performance will essentially grade the teacher. Will it be the state tests that evaluate the students or will it be something else? For the districts that have teacher performance pay, most use "student test scores, teacher evaluations, teachers who teach in hard-to-staff schools and subjects, and professional development" are factors for evaluating different teachers as Vaishali Honawar from the Washington Times said.

So what is stopping people from doing this? Well, it has to do with the before mentioned controversy, but also the cost of an overhaul of the old system. Some say the whole process would be too costly considering new evaluation methods would need to be made such as tests and observers to pay for. It would be "a complicated situation."

Maybe. Many states are going along with it to compete for the Race to The Top Program. Although there still is no hard data saying teacher performance pay is linked to higher test scores and closing the achievement gap, many schools will see a change in salaries, for the better or worse.

Racing for More Money?

2009-11-08T08:52:00.000-08:00

Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson

I don't know if anyone has heard of this, but there is a new incentive for states to reform their education assessment system. The government will offer 4.35 billion dollars in grant money for states that show they are reforming their education system to better evaluate students and teachers.

As stated by the Department of Education, "The Race to the Top Fund provides competitive grants to encourage and reward States that are creating the conditions for education innovation and reform; implementing ambitious plans in the four education reform areas described in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA); and achieving significant improvement in student outcomes, including making substantial gains in student achievement, closing achievement gaps, improving high school graduation rates, and ensuring that students are prepared for success in college and careers."

One requirement under the act is that student performance will reflect upon the teachers.

So how do states get this money? Well, from my understanding after reading the political documents and finally finding the appendix where all the knowledge is referenced, it all comes down to the paper work. An application needs to be submitted before December 31st, 2009 and it needs to be detailed like no tomorrow. See, the grants will be given from the application, and then once the state receives the grant, they will have annual reports that they have to compile, tracking student progress and finances. The first one is for $4 billion dollars for overhauls of education system and reform. The second grant at a later date, Race to the Top Standards and Assessment Competition, is for $350 millions for states "to support the development of assessments by consortia of States."

So yes, more money going to schools for reform. Yea? I don't really now how to feel about it. I think the idea of competition for grants based on reform ability is a nice incentive for states to try new and better programs for their schools. However, it gets to a point where money can not always fix the problems. An important question needs to be asked, will more money help our schools, really? At one point I want to say yes because I have seen schools that have no resources and just can't even get paper for class. Then again, I have seen schools with rooms of paper that they over ordered in the 70s and is just sitting there, never to be used. If anything, evaluation of their budgets need to be taken into consideration when dealing with this new grant. I once applied for a grant for a shelter I was working for, and one requirement was to make a budget showing how much money my group could earn/raise and the rest would be covered from the grant. We need this evaluation process as well in the schools.

So maybe out of this we will have better schools, or at least for awhile. Who knows what will actually happen once the grants are passed out.

Links:
Department of Education

The New Way to Meet Student's Parents

2009-10-27T07:38:00.000-07:00

So maybe this is not really what happens in schools anymore. Parent Teacher Conference. When I was kid, if you had one of those that meant you were in trouble. My parents saw my teacher maybe at maximum 2 times a year. This was at the Open House in the fall and the last day of school. Luckily, I attended a small Catholic school so everyone knew everyone, even the teachers. Maybe my parents were like the woman in this photo at one point, but times are changing and some schools are adapting to the change.

Recently Mark commented on the blog and suggested I read this article regarding teacher house calls.

Areas in Boston and Springfield are having their teachers make house calls to students to promote parental involvement in the schools. Areas such as Springfield report that grades are going up and parents are becoming more involved in their child’s school. Also, some believe that having the teacher visit the parents takes away some misconceptions both the parent and teacher may have of each other.

I personally like the idea of house calls. Many times parents cannot visit schools and the parent teacher conference that constantly gets rescheduled can finally happen. Also, the house call makes things more real. What do I mean by this? It is no longer a kid going to school. It is a kid, their child, going to school and interacting with the person who is sitting at the table with you. I know many times parents have questions about the material and they wonder what they can do for the child, but feel intimidated on what to do to solve the problem. I had a parent come to my after school last year asking how to solve math problems to help her daughter. This mother took the time to come to the school and ask, but many times the parent can’t due to timing, jobs, lack of transportation, or any other circumstance.

Maybe I am being a bit naive, but I think most parents want to find ways they can help their children. Maybe they won’t be the school’s mascot of school pride, but a parent can volunteer and do the most important thing for a student, make sure they stay on track. I have heard, and I myself have said, that schooling is not only in school. It is the parent’s job to make sure their child receives the constant reinforcement of education in the household. I feel like a statement is made when a teacher visits a home, “I’m making the commitment to you by seeing you. Now you need to make the commitment that you will support this child.”

Hispanics and Education: Lack of Motivation or Genes?

2009-10-25T18:19:00.000-07:00

So I was on the internet, which is where I as most people spend many hours, and came across a few different articles on Hispanics and education. I think both are worth reading and present some interesting views.

The first article comes from the New York Times. The main finding can be seen in the first line:

"The children of Hispanic immigrants tend to be born healthy and start life on an intellectual par with other American children, but by the age of 2 they begin to lag in linguistic and cognitive skills, a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, shows."

In the study it also says that low income whites and African Americans also fall behind on cognitive scores, but it is higher in Hispanics, especially those from Mexican backgrounds. One belief for the decline may be due to the education levels of Hispanic mothers, who usually have a lower education level than most other mothers of different ethnic backgrounds. One professor also remarks that you do not see children in lower income Latino households doing reading activities or saying their ABCs to their grandparents. The article then talks about how the Obama administration is investing 8 billion over eight years to states to start programs to promote learning skills in toddlers and pre-k students.

The other article comes from James Nava. In the article it talks about the high school drop outs in the Hispanic community. It argues that most in the community value education, and that the community needs stronger values like motivation to succeed in the community. At one point it also says that of the Hispanic students that were evaluated, 35% that dropped out were failing. The other 65% were actually doing well academically.

The question that needs to be asked is why? What causes this? I personally feel that the idea that it is a mental reason Hispanic students are failing seems illogical and a scapegoat excuse for explaining why one group of students are not doing well. Yes, the study does mention that it has to do with economic status, but the fact that "Mexicans"do worse on cognitive levels than others in low economic standings seems...almost ridiculous. If anything, I want to be in those houses the examiners went in. If the second article is correct, Hispanic families want their children to do well in school. Why would the grandparents not play word games with their children? I was raised in a middle class family, so maybe I don't understand. However, I feel like laying the blame in "cognitive" development skills seems too simple to be the actual explanation.

Louisiana: Still Ranking Low in Education.

2009-10-24T08:38:00.000-07:00

Some disturbing articles from Will Sentell in The Advocate present a dark outlook on education in Louisiana.

The Department of Education has said that Louisiana ranks 47th in the nation for high school graduation rates. In 2007, 61.3% of high school students graduated on time in Louisiana. The whole "on time" meaning that the students took the average 4 years to graduate. As Mr. Sentell says, "Only three states had lower rates that year: Nevada at 52 percent; South Carolina, 58.9 percent; and New Mexico, 59.1 percent." In the nation, the average is 73.9% with Vermont ranking the highest with 88.6% of on time graduates.

Something else that should and needs to be noted is the difference between the Caucasian and African American students. In the report, 71.3% of Caucasian students graduate on time, whereas 49.9% of African Americans graduate on time.

Another disturbing fact is that Louisiana ranks the highest in the country for 9th grade drop out rates at 8.3%.

Along with the low "on time" graduation rates, Will Sentell wrote another article about math rates on Louisiana. The results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress "show fourth-graders are 48th in the U.S. in math and eighth-graders are 45th, said Scott Norton, assistant superintendent for the state Department of Education." Here are some statistics from the report:

Fourth-graders earned an average score of 229 out of 500, down from 230 last year.
The national average is 239, the same as last year.
Eighth-graders earned an average score of 272, the same as last year.
The national average is 282, up two points from last year.

In a nut shell what does this say? Louisiana is still ranking low and there haven't been improvements. As a native to Louisiana this is so frustrating. "Scott Norton, assistant superintendent for the state Department of Education said, 'It is disappointing to see that we didn’t grow.'" It is a lot more than disappointing. It is appalling. The other thing that frustrates me is the common belief that it is just okay. My parents are visiting me and when I told my dad about the statistics between blacks and whites in graduating on time, he said, "Are you really surprised?" No, I'm not, but that should not stop you from finding it terrible that it is still there. We have to still be angry when we see things like this and not apathetic. Apathy does not lead to change, it leads to acceptance of the same problems.

2 Million Minutes

2009-10-18T22:14:00.000-07:00

Ran across this trailer while wondering through the endless depths of the Al Gore creation, internet. It has an interesting concept, judge US kids against other rising countries in education and see how the go up against each other.

Looking into different countries and seeing how their education system ranks against the United States is always something worth looking into. What is being done differently? Should we put more money into the school systems or is it a matter of methods? Do we care more about being "well rounded" or scores?

This is the trailer, but from what I've seen in the bits and pieces of the documentary on YouTube, there is the same information being taught (usually) but the focus of the material is different. At one point it is argued that the United States focuses more on extracurricular activities. The other countries have a larger focus on education and the majority of the day, and years, stays focused on learning the material only rather than engaging in sports and other activities.

Is this really the deal? Does multitasking take away from education? Is that the huge flaw? Or is it something else?

A Report Card for the Teacher?

2009-10-09T13:22:00.000-07:00

About a month ago I ran across this article from the New York Times. I know, a month? Well, now it is here for your viewing pleasure!

In New York, they have a sort of report card system set up to grade the teachers each year.

"The reports use standardized test scores to monitor how much teachers have helped students improve from one year to the next and whether they are successful with particular groups of children, such as boys or those who have struggled for years."

Interesting concept. However, many teachers do not view these cards because it is not required by the school. Also, the report card does not affect teacher pay. So for the teachers who view it, they get to see where they stand with other teachers in New York and what group they work well with.

The reason I like the report card idea is because teachers DO need to be evaluated. Sure, I have a thing against state testing, but if we look at student scores and there is a huge sign that students are not doing well with a teacher then something is up. Knowing that information can be huge. Think about it. A school receives a report card that one of their teachers passed students who did poorly on state testing (along with other students in the class). The next teacher could recognize the problem early on, and that student would get the help they need through the school or outside sources. Also, the teacher with a low result would have more pressure to do better, or at least evaluate their teaching method.

So of course the Teacher's Union didn't want the test scores public. Why? The fact being that there are some bad teachers out there that are still keeping their jobs because they have their "years" in with the system and it is basically impossible to fire them. Now, I may not be the mind reader of all principals, but I saw this same thing in my school last year. There was a teacher that they wanted to fire. She was originally working with the young children (2nd-3rd) and some things happened so that they needed to move her. Well, she had at least 50 years of tenure under her belt and it was impossible. What to do? She becomes a specialist. Was she good? No. The class was chaos, and teachers began to do their own supplement of science because they were going to be tested in science this year on the state test. Those kids NEEDED the information. Eventually though she did go under early retirement the last 2 months of school.

The school should have had a teacher in that class who was competent and could control it. It shouldn't have just been a placement position anywhere because they needed to move her. Don't get me wrong, wonderful lady outside of class. However, maybe she needed a report card to show herself where she stood in the classroom with other teachers.

Teach to teach vs. teach to learn?

2009-10-06T18:48:00.000-07:00

While wondering online and doing some Latin American Politics homework I came across this video. Yet again, the calm futuristic music plays in the background as educators urge for a change in the system of education. A change to a 21st century model of education. At one point, the 21st century plan of collaboration and technology proficiency is quoted word for word. For a moment I want to yell, "Yes! Policy change!" Then I stop. Why do I stop?

Maybe I am a cynic, but I feel reluctant to believe in a 21st century model of education. Not even completely that. This blog is called "Reworking the Education System" to see other methods of education and how to improve upon the United States model. Yes, the ideas are presented well in the video, and I feel like they are ideas all teachers would agree with. I guess my reluctance comes when I think about classroom vs. test scores. The 21st century model, in my eyes, only applies to a classroom model. They don't mention that pesky thing No Child Left Behind requires. State Testing.

We can't escape those things, at least not in the EVALUATION method that schools require. In theory, the new model, the "21st century" model, will make students strive for a higher education. But what if in that strive, kids are studying more about the Civil War than on percentages? I get so frustrated when I hear that the teachers are failing students. Yes, there are some bad teachers out there, but there are good ones as well. I was in a classroom last year where my teachers had to sacrifice social studies to teach reading and math. We had to try and go out of our way to find a way to inform students about their history in the country. I should mention my students were mostly immigrants as well, so they wanted to also know about their own history as well, which the school couldn't provide. However, minority history is another topic for another day.

What I am trying to get at is that state model testing requires teachers to essentially teach the material that will be on the test. Some may say, "Shouldn't the teacher already be teaching that?" They are, but if you don't get al the material in to a short time frame, then the student will miss points. Yes, you may have to go a bit fast in the material, but it isn't about grasping the full concepts. Teach to teach. That isn't what the previous model of education was based on, but that is what it became. The original one was teach to learn. Maybe the 21st century model will get us back to that, but it still has to battle with that age old bully, Uncle Sam.

Education for the 21st century, new idea or old?

2009-10-04T21:46:00.000-07:00

What is a 21st century education?

Hey, I wanna know as well. I was looking online for some articles on education and came across this piece by Dave Mundy. He gives a pretty harsh idea of what the "21st century" skills are. Mr. Mundy asserts that education reform isn't really happening in the United States, and if anything, only can prepare students to work at Wal-Mart and use a computer. Asserting that the skills outlined in the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) are only skills to help utilize computer skills that are already being understood by students. Here are the skills that are on the NCTE website:

Develop proficiency with the tools of technology
Build relationships with others to pose and solve problems collaboratively and cross-culturally
Design and share information for global communities to meet a variety of purposes
Manage, analyze and synthesize multiple streams of simultaneous information
Create, critique, analyze, and evaluate multi-media texts
Attend to the ethical responsibilities required by these complex environments

That doesn't sound that bad does it? Mr. Mundy thinks so. He asserts that it is just computer skills. Hold up, just computer skills?

So in the article he says to go to the Department of Education to read about it. Guess what? The buzz word everywhere is "21st century" education. But what IS it? Yes, we are in the 21st century, but from my knowledge nothing seems to have radically changed. In middle school we used technology to help us with projects and we also worked in groups to collaborate on work. Is it that new of an idea? Or is this supposed to be in the context of hands on materials? Everyone talks about hands on work so what is different about that?

If anything, it just seems like it means that we are going to just use technology more in the classroom to promote collaboration. However, that is not the only aspect to it. Mental abilities become greater in the idea of math, science, and literature. The idea of grasping concepts through mental calculations rather than pen and paper.

Okay. So the mental math/science is new, anything else? I don't see that much. So maybe Mr. Mundy's statement that education reform isn't happening is true and it is only there to fill the pockets of "reformers." Whatever the case is, "21st century education" is my buzz word for the week and the next couple of posts will be focusing on its development and why it is coming about now.

Looking Back on Bedtime Stories

2009-10-04T14:31:00.000-07:00

As a child, my favorite book was "Bootsie Barker Bites" by Barbara Bottner. I can clearly remember my mom sitting next to me and reading the story over and over again. I'm pretty sure we read it together from the ages of 4-8. I loved it. I even learned big words like "paleontologist." Yep, I was cool. I still have the book with edges ripped and colored on with my own interpretation of Bootsie Barker's hat.

So okay, I liked that story as a kid, what is the point of this post? I want to talk about not just education reform, but education as a child and the role of the parent. If you have ever wandered over to the U.S. Department of Education website there is a whole page dedicated to "Helping Your Child Become a Reader." Throughout the page things such as "read to your child" and "talk to your child" are mentioned. Well, yea. What would you do? How would you not talk to your child? As Jane E. Brody mentions in the article in the NY Times, this is not a common feature anymore. Many adults are turning to their cell phones and Ipods rather than talking to their babies and interacting with them. This is a huge deal, but why?

"Children whose parents read to them tend to become better readers and perform better in school (Snow, Burns, and Griffin 1998)." These students will come into Kindergarden with a higher vocabulary and, in theory, will be a better developed reader. Here are some facts for you from Allina Hospitals and Clinics:

An average of 2 minutes of reading or talking to a child will result in a vocabulary of fewer than 4,000 words.
An average of 1 hour of reading or talking to a child will result in a vocabulary of 8,000 to 10,000 words.
An average of more than 1 hour of reading or talking to a child will result in a vocabulary of more than 10,000 words.
By Kindergarten, children need to know more than 10,000 words to become successful reader.

So talking and reading to your child is a good thing! It gives a child that bonding time they need for emotional support and also helps in education! It may not seem like a baby really understand what you are saying, but the whole process is a way for the child to develop an understanding of different sounds and syllables that are needed in language development.

But reading and talking to your kids should just not be at the baby stage either. Reading is a life long skill that needs to be practiced. I'm pretty sure if my mother didn't give me that time to read with me I wouldn't want to read as much as I do now. And really, it doesn't just have to be written stories. Oral stories are a form of practice to children. It invites them into a different realm, one of creativity and exploration.

And since I like this song I shall post it! I put the clean version just in case.

P.S.- Some viewers may find the video offensive. I would like to note the images depicted in the video do not reflect any ideas I have. Only the fact that you should, "read a book."

Schools out for summer...or not?

2009-10-02T08:23:00.000-07:00

Alice Cooper once sang all students national anthem of school. "Schools out for summer!" Well, if Obama has his way, maybe not Mr. Cooper.

While going to check my email yahoo posted an article about the Obama administration and education reform. The gist of the article that you need to get is that administrators and politicians are thinking about extending the hours of schools and cutting down on the summer.

So what does this mean? No more summer!? Of course not. Everyone realizes that kids need that break away from education. It provides a time for relaxation and growth that school can not give to kids. Rather, a new policy would limit those summer days.
As Arne Duncan, Education Secretary said,

"Our school calendar is based upon the agrarian economy and not too many of our kids are working the fields today."

The calendar has been based on the agrarian calender when children were needed for the planting and harvesting seasons. Now, yes, some areas still need that. However, most cities and school areas have migrated towards a capitalist society and no longer work on the family farms. If this is the case, why not lose some summer day and replace them with school? Kids are not planting in the summer, they are chillin at the pool. Obama feels the same way (not necessarily in the same terms). Even if we don't extend the year, why not have more summer programs and summer school things?

Summer School, eh? Now, I don't know what other kids school years were like, but summer school was a source of shame for me. Back in the day, it meant you were not smart enough to pass the grade and needed more time to finish. Sadly, this is a stigma still in summer school. However, it shouldn't be that way. It is very frustrating to see kids leave school with a high reading level then come back from the summer and they drop two grade levels in their reading. What happened? It was only a few months, how could it drop so low? Lack of practice. Reading is a skill you have to do everyday to fully excel in it. Most of the times, kids just don't read. There are always amazing programs like the summer reading program at public libraries. However, the sad truth is that if you are not forcing a kid to read in the beginning, then they just won't. Educators look to summer school to fix this problem, or at least a summer school program disguised as "camp."

Clip Art by Mark A. Hicks

There have been plenty of organizations that realize that summer time is critical for students. So what to do? Make summer school fun! They implement a school like curriculum into the program. The thing is, they realize it is summer, and they give a lot of time to field trips and hands on learning to make it fun. In my personal experience, I never attended summer school or a real camp in the woods sort of deal. On the other hand, I went to a lot of "educational" programs through Girl Scouts. I did everything from dinosaurs to mad scientists things. I was learning without knowing it in a sense. I was lucky and had that offered to me. Some kids don't.

Are there other benefits to longer school days? Yes! Did you know that juvenile crimes are highest between 3-6 in the afternoon on week days? What time is that? After school time. After school programs are in high demand throughout the country and the cost is just as high. So why not extend school time to half of that and provide that extra learning time? I remember working in the school system in Boston. It was difficult because all you could do was focus on reading and math. There was hardly any time for the fun subjects like science and social studies. If there was that extra time, students could have more time to really absorb the information brought to them in class. Crazy huh?

So extend school time or have a longer school year. Personally I would do both, but each one cost a lot, so I know we would have to pick one. So maybe school isn't out for the summer...but it is still rocking.

"Here is the First Way I Solved the Problem, Second, Third..."

2009-09-27T19:19:00.000-07:00

When helping my students with their math homework, there are two words that make me cringe. Turk Method. What is the Turk Method? It is a method of math that focuses more on mental math and different methods to solve problems. In theory, it is supposed to help the students who can not solve math problems in the classic algorithm way.

Personally I think the method is useless. Why? The classic algorithm is the method that parents have been taught. Turk math is a recent development in the math world, and because of this parents do not know how to use the Turk method to help their child. Along with this, Turk math uses "partial" math a lot to solve problems. In my experience with students it is difficult to keep track of the numbers and they end up getting the wrong answer. Along with that, there are so many different ways to solve the problems that the students use maybe three different ways to solve one problem on the first try.

Really. I feel like the following video will help to describe the many levels of confusion this method can cause.

Testify Lombardi!

2009-09-27T14:28:00.000-07:00

Photo from The Advocate by: Travis Spradling

In the Baton Rouge paper The Advocate, my local paper, there was an article by Sarah Chacko about budget cuts in the public colleges and universities in Louisiana. All I have to say in reply to the comments from LSU System President John Lombardi...thank you! Finally someone with common sense in this state!

As much as I love Louisiana for its culture, people, and life, I can't stand the policy making. Due to a failing economy, the state has to look over the budget. What is the first thing to go all the time? Education. The budgets cuts are looking to be about 1 billion with $146 million of that being taken away from the public universities and colleges of Louisiana.

"Lombardi said university officials, rather than legislators, should control the decisions made by the institutions."

Yes! You would think this would be a given fact? No folks. It never is. This is following a history in Louisiana. As in the 70s when the United States witnessed increased gas prices and a failing economy, education was cut in Louisiana. At that time, Louisiana State University was emerging as a high class university. The budget cuts killed it and only recently has it emerged back to enter into the list of tops schools in the US News. Currently it shares the spot for 128.

He also mentions that students CAN afford tuition at LSU. TOPS is a scholarship offered to all students in Louisiana who qualify. He argues that students should still get TOPS, but rather it should be a fixed amount and students pay for the rest. This way it can curb the cuts on the university.

The other point I love is this.

"Academics have to be given the same financial supports as athletics at LSU, he said.

Nobody suggests paying LSU football coach Les Miles less or employing second-rate coaches or cheap facilities, he said.

'The price goes up for quality,' Lombardi said. 'We all pay more for tickets and complain … and moan. And then they show up.'

Exactly! I don't think I have ever seen any cuts in the football program. The day when the philosophy department is getting some cash and football at least has a stall in funds is the day I think I may believe in Louisiana Education policy again...However, I think my cynical outlook will be in tact for awhile.

So What is the Deal with Charter Schools?

2009-09-25T12:41:00.000-07:00

Recently the New York Times published an article Study Shows Better Scores for Charter School Students.
In this article the debate of charter school vs. public schools are brought up. As is noted in the article, it shows that in a study students that won the lottery and were accepted into the charter schools fared better on the New York state exam than their fellow students who entered the lottery and did not receive a seat (and in turn attended public schools).

So what is a charter school?
As defined by US Charter Schools,

"Charter schools are nonsectarian public schools of choice that operate with freedom from many of the regulations that apply to traditional public schools. The "charter" establishing each such school is a performance contract detailing the school's mission, program, goals, students served, methods of assessment, and ways to measure success...They are accountable for both academic results and fiscal practices to several groups: the sponsor that grants them, the parents who choose them, and the public that funds them."

The main thing to gain is that it is a public school that operates on a different scale. This means that the charter school does not have to follow all the rules public schools do, as long as they can prove that the methods work. This means, better test scores. So some charter schools have class on the weekends and have longer school years. Also, teacher salary may be based on the performance rather than designated salary provided by the union.

Here is a real life example for you. In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston schools are required to teach math through the Turk method. This method emphasis mental math and finding "strategies" to solve math problems. Go to any public school in Massachusetts and you will see the blue and white workbooks. However, charter schools do not need to follow this rule. The Neighborhood House Charter School in Boston does not use this math method, rather working with the old school algorithm method. This is just one example of it.

So what is the deal? Why doesn't the public sector follow the lead of the charter school? Really, it is more politics then anything. Charter schools are few in number and their policies can be altered. To change a whole entire state's education system would have to deal with weeks of teacher training and policy reform. In the end, it is easier to leave things as is. Of course this isn't always the case...

So why education?

2009-09-24T19:37:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome to 'Reworking the Education System.' This blog is dedicated to taking a critical look at United States education policy from Pre-K to continuing education programs for adults. It will look at reports from the United States and attempt to answer (or look into) the drop out crisis and education reform that is happening in the United States, and even the rest of the world. So don't be surprised if you see some information about education in other countries. The United States is not an entity by itself. Many students are immigrants to the United States and knowing their background in education gives a glimpse into why the current system is failing or progressing.

And why education?As the blogger here, I personally believe that education will determine the future of individuals. All persons have the right to basic education, which includes basic math skills, reading, and writing. Yes, there are technical jobs, but having at least a high school diploma will almost guarantee in today's economy that you will progress in your job through promotions rather than stay at a consistent salary. If anything, the education system in the United States is failing its citizens, both new and old. I will take my personal experiences from working in urban public schools and government assisted after school programs as a means to help me in my analysis. However, it will not just be about personal stories, but also the policy. If anything, I hope that my stories will make the policies come alive and give the reader an idea of what things like No Child Left Behind means for a student that in all eyes is "left behind."

So stay tuned and keep a look out.