Monday, January 31, 2011
Improving Education
Anika Hampton..."Education is the key to success". This motto is something you will hear throughout high school. " Every student college bound" is another motto known throughout schools and is frequently used by principals and staff members. These mottos normally represent goals and values of the schools. The school system is not living up to the parent's expectation. Of course parents have to be concerned about a child's education and also do their part to make this process a success. Unfortunately, According to The Commercial Appeal, May 2010 the school board approved $48.3 million in cuts to what is now an $888 million budget, sparing it to having to close schools and cancel text books order, but forcing it to cut jobs and mandate that every employee take two days of unpaid leave. The biggest saving, $13.8 million, came from cutting staff, staff that interact with families, monior in-school suspension areas and deal with behavior problems. This issue concerns me because how can students suceed academically if the schools are overcrowded and the city is cutting back on teachers. There are many plans in work that will supposedly better schools academically, but how will these plans be successful if the city keeps cutting back. One teacher is only assigned to so many students, which is sometimes still ineffective because that one teacher does not have the ability to meet the individual needs of all the students. I want my son to learn all that he can learn while he is in school. I do not want him to go to college not knowing things like how to write a professional paper. When students are sent off to college, they should be academically ready. Improving education starts within the family structure. It begins with the family's value and expectation of their child. How parents raise their children is vital. Teachers have to be patient with kids when trying to educate them. Some students need one on one interaction and encouragement from both the parent and the teacher. The resources have to be available for students when they need them. No student should have to go to school without school books. Taking baby steps will eventually improve education if everyone works together.
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You make some excellent points. Education is not limited to the education system. It must begin in the home. Though, what if it doesn't? What if for many children it doesn't? This is where the root of the problem is, I think. How do we inspire a nation to seek and demand education?
ReplyDeleteThere is just so much that can be said about the need to improve education, but I think it can all fit into one word, "Love." Just to name a few: from home care, support of the community, to teachers and officials who really care. Love will help us to understand that our children really are you future and will drive us to want a better education system for them. Once we learn how to love, there will be no limits on the education of our future.
ReplyDeleteJust a thought,
Tonja
I think the individual attention you touched on for a moment is important. People learn in different ways, some learn visually, some learn by doing, others by reading or writing, and others by listening. Schools are streamlined so a large number of students can learn at the same time. However, I think it would be great instead of just breaking children up into different classes, they should figure out how the children learn best and divide them into groups based on that. Then the teachers can focus on the way their students learn best, so they actually learn. I think if figuring out ways to educate better would go a lot further than solely relying on funding and teaching kids to improve their scores on standardized tests so their school can receive more money. The money is important but why not try and explore better ways to educate too?
ReplyDeleteSarah, that is a good point. This is where our values come in to place. If parents have values and goals, then they should instill those values and goals into their children. Education should be a priority because without education we can not be successful.
ReplyDeleteTonja, I definitely think love is a factor also. Children need that love, support, and encouragement to succeed.
Erin, you are right. I would love to see mutiple teachers in one classroom providing hands on with these kids,but that also goes back to the funding. They are cutting back on teachers.
Improving Educaiton...Great Topic! It disturbed me tremendously to hear that the school's budget was going to be cut and that they were closing some schools. I know that we are in a recession and everybody is affected some kind of way; however, to close schools and fire employees seems to be far fetched. Especially, with the No Child Left Behind motto. Kids are being transferred and schools are over populated, which causes stress on the teachers, staff and the children. It doesn't seem that the children are able to receive the best education possible with limited textbooks and assitance from teachers.
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