Our discussion in class about leveling the playing field made me rethink my last post. I realize now more fully how this would completely transform our entire society and I don't think I saw the big picture until today. My thought for making all things equal for all children when they were young learners was to provide equal opportunities for all children regardless of their social class. I'm wondering how much potential we are missing out on by not educating all of our youngsters to the best of our abilities. On one hand, we are doing ourselves and the working class students a great disservice by not expecting more of them. On the other hand, to teach the working class students in the same ways that we teach the executive elite students and then expect them to return peacefully back to their working class status is perhaps a greater disservice. All things are not equal and I now realize that this is a big part of the plan.
I believe the purpose for education is to teach children how to learn, to help them value knowledge, to socialize and familiarize students with their peers and with authority figures, to provide them with structure, to keep them organized, regulated, and out of trouble, and most importantly to prepare them for future success in life, whatever they may do. It provides a method of controlling the population, imparting wisdom and knowledge to young minds, and maintaining homeostasis in our delicate social structure. We go to school to learn to follow directions, to obey or alternatively question and challenge authority figures, to think creatively, to prepare for solving real life problems later in life, and the list goes on. Without these skills, we would not be successful as adults. However, even with these skills I find that I know an awful lot of unsuccessful adults. In all honesty, I do not consider myself to be a successful grown-up.
Check out this article I found articulating the finer points in the debate around the purpose or meaning of education: http://www.teachersmind.com/education.htm
I wish I had been taught in an executive elite school and could readily conceptualize problems the way they were taught to from such an early age. My education seemed to vary from teacher to teacher, but I would have to say that overall, I would classify my school career as somewhere between middle-class and affluent professional. I do feel that I also developed a conflict relationship with capital, just like the working class students did. I'm not sure if that came from my formal education or from my years spent in the actual working class.
My purpose for my own education is to better myself. I do not wish to stagnate or to blindly follow what others tell me. My desire to be educated stems from my longing for challenges, respect, discovery of self and my surrounding world, competence, growth, stimulation, and purpose. I want my contribution to the world to matter in some small way. I want to find meaning and purpose in my work and in my achievements. Being a successful grown-up would be a good start, but I will hopefully surpass that as I continue to aspire to greatness.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
Leveling the playing field: Equal Resources for All
Our conversation in class was very interesting. Discussing the different "resources" that are available to some and not to others was very enlightening. When your father makes enough money that your mom can stay home and help you with your homework, work at fundraising for your class trip, be a classroom mom, chaperon a field trip, or attend a PTA meeting, you, as their child, are benefiting from your mother's involvement and knowledge of what is going on in your school career. If your parents or parent have to work every minute of their day just to provide food and shelter for you, their ability to invest further in your school career is hindered. It may appear to your teacher or others that these parents don't care. I am not so naive as to suggest that there aren't some parents who do not care. However, I imagine that it is hard to focus on bettering your child's situation when you can hardly survive. In most cases, it is not that the parent does not care, but is working so hard to make ends meet that finding time to spend at their children's schools is damn near impossible. There is no way I know of to change these disparities. Our situations are what they are. To level the playing field for all families would be impossible. There has to be some way that we can provide equal opportunities for children in safe and abundant environments that prepare them for their lives.
I loved the clip that Patricia brought of the CLAS school. (To see this clip, click on this link: http://youtube.com/watch?v=W3AbBFzIokg) It is good to see that some people out there are thinking of new ways to do things. Trying new things is essential to find a better way to achieve our goals. I did, however, find that Kerri-Ann's assessment of their school was accurate. While they were doing some amazing things and achieving great success with students who had not done well before attending this new school, they were perpetuating segregation. Where were the Native Americans and the Latinos and the Asians and the Caucasians who were having difficulties? What day do they study about the Berlin wall coming down, the French revolution, or the fighting in Ireland? The things that shape us, our own personal history, is paramount, yes; however, the history of the world that surrounds us is just as prevalent.
http://www.brookings.edu/press/review/spring98/darling.htm
Check out this article I found about unequal resources. Linda Darling-Hammond even discusses Kozol's work and his findings. It is a very informative article, but it is just further evidence to support what we already know.
What can we do to improve this situation? My ideas are similar to what Marx said. I think that out of necessity, the proletariat will have to overthrow the system of capitalism in this nation, at least in the case of education. We will have to take a socialist approach in order to provide for each of our children equally. Instead of some schools getting an overabundance of resources and others going without the basics, we should divide the funds for education evenly. There shouldn't be schools within minutes of one another with such gross financial disparities. The working class parents that need to call for this kind of change may be too busy working to further capitalism to see to this change. I guess it is up to us as the informed constituents to do what we can with what resources we've been blessed with.
As a teacher in training and a person hoping to be blessed with a child, I am hopeful that some changes can be made to our system to improve the likelihood that all children are given the opportunities that I wish for my students and my children. How can we increase the resources and their availability? What can we do as regular old constituents of this great nation to ensure that the future is brighter for ALL of our children? As the educated and concerned citizens, where can we begin to level this playing field for all children?
I loved the clip that Patricia brought of the CLAS school. (To see this clip, click on this link: http://youtube.com/watch?v=W3AbBFzIokg) It is good to see that some people out there are thinking of new ways to do things. Trying new things is essential to find a better way to achieve our goals. I did, however, find that Kerri-Ann's assessment of their school was accurate. While they were doing some amazing things and achieving great success with students who had not done well before attending this new school, they were perpetuating segregation. Where were the Native Americans and the Latinos and the Asians and the Caucasians who were having difficulties? What day do they study about the Berlin wall coming down, the French revolution, or the fighting in Ireland? The things that shape us, our own personal history, is paramount, yes; however, the history of the world that surrounds us is just as prevalent.
http://www.brookings.edu/press/review/spring98/darling.htm
Check out this article I found about unequal resources. Linda Darling-Hammond even discusses Kozol's work and his findings. It is a very informative article, but it is just further evidence to support what we already know.
What can we do to improve this situation? My ideas are similar to what Marx said. I think that out of necessity, the proletariat will have to overthrow the system of capitalism in this nation, at least in the case of education. We will have to take a socialist approach in order to provide for each of our children equally. Instead of some schools getting an overabundance of resources and others going without the basics, we should divide the funds for education evenly. There shouldn't be schools within minutes of one another with such gross financial disparities. The working class parents that need to call for this kind of change may be too busy working to further capitalism to see to this change. I guess it is up to us as the informed constituents to do what we can with what resources we've been blessed with.
As a teacher in training and a person hoping to be blessed with a child, I am hopeful that some changes can be made to our system to improve the likelihood that all children are given the opportunities that I wish for my students and my children. How can we increase the resources and their availability? What can we do as regular old constituents of this great nation to ensure that the future is brighter for ALL of our children? As the educated and concerned citizens, where can we begin to level this playing field for all children?
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Education's Pitfalls-Especially Special Education and the Myths of Desegregation
"Treat a man as he is, he will remain so. Treat a man the way he can be and ought to be, and he will become as he can be and should be."
~Goethe
This quote reflects how I feel about education. There is not a child alive who doesn't need some one of authority to believe in their abilities. Don't misunderstand me. I do not believe having children chant in unison, "If it is to be, it is up to me," is going to change their circumstances. However, as human beings we all share universal needs that need to be met in order to thrive and succeed. Some of the needs include: acceptance, empathy, to understand and to be understood, growth, and stimulation. All of these things require a willingness of the powers that be-i.e. teachers, administrators, elected government officials, and those tax paying constituents of society whom elect those officials-to provide the time, resources, and guidance necessary to help our children succeed.
The special education system has many positive and negative aspects. It can afford children with a sense of family in smaller classrooms. In some instances, it can provide students with more individualized attention. The teachers in a special education classroom are often better equipped to teach students whom are differently-abled. Nevertheless, these smaller classrooms do not usually include students who are not differently-abled and this does not prepare the special needs children with a sense of community with them. Frequently, my friends who are special educators have told me of the overwhelming task set before them with little or no support nor the necessary resources to provide an education to students who clearly needed more attention than one teacher and two aides could ever possibly provide them with. Do the positives outweigh the negatives? I think that perhaps in some schools they may, but in many they do not.
Inclusion classrooms may or may not be the answer. This, at least, provides the children who are deemed "normal" with tolerance of peers who have different abilities than they do. It also provides those students whom are differently-abled with peers whom they might model after and feel a sense of commonality with. It does tend to cause some disruptions for the teacher and the students when special needs arise throughout the inclusion time. In these instances, teachers who have not been formally trained in special education have no clue what to do. This can be alleviated by requiring all educators to be certified for special education.
I, however, feel that inclusion classrooms are the best option. If I were in charge of radical educational reform, I would first require every teacher to be a certified special educator. Secondly, I would schedule part of the day for "Enrichment Programs" where all of the children in the larger classroom would be separated into smaller groups based on their similar needs. These needs could and should change and children should not be in the same group each Enrichment period. There should not be a "smart group" or a "stupid group." In this way, assimilation and inclusion would be utilized and more specific needs could be met on a more individualized basis. I feel that this would be the most effective way to provide students with the acceptance, growth, and stimulation they so desperately need. I know that in some schools this might be what happens, but I feel that all schools should operate this way nationally.
As a student growing up in a primarily white area, I was completely unaware that desegregation was not achieved long ago. Segregation is so hard for me to talk about. I think it is a difficult subject for a lot people to discuss and that may well be why it still exists. I realize that some efforts were made in the past. I've been led to believe, all of my life, that those efforts were successful and that we are all equal. It wasn't until I came to Binghamton University that I realized how ignorant I truly was. I have the presence of mind to admit that I have little personal knowledge of this, but I am anxious to learn and I endeavor to effect change in whatever small ways that I can.
In this week's reading I learned that segregation is alive and well in the most clever of disguises. We use words like "diverse" and "inclusion" to belie the obvious de facto segregation that still exists to this day. While there is no such thing as official de jure segregation in this day and age, what difference does it make? No matter what you call it, the balance is tipped and it is not in favor of those people we label "minorities." While I would love to be an advocate for positive change in this arena, I admit that I have no reasonably feasible ideas to eliminate de facto segregation.
I am completely against segregating children due to differences of culture, race, sex, or ability. Life requires tolerance and I believe that school is where we send our children to prepare them for life. What better way to familiarize them, than to include and accept all types of children into each school? There are many obstacles preventing this from happening. The children whose parents are financially able are sending their children to schools which they are sure will provide them with the best opportunities available. Unfortunately, not all of us have the ability to send our children to these schools. My question is, "Why are there schools in existence that have more resources and better opportunities than others?" I mean, if we are all paying taxes based on what we make and we are all contributing to the budget used to teach all of our children, then why is it that each public school is not presenting our children with equal opportunities and available resources?
Treating each of our children as students deserving of every opportunity and capable enough to achieve anything is something every teacher should do. It is the one sure way to be positive of cultivating the people that these children can and should become. Radical reform is compulsory!
~Goethe
This quote reflects how I feel about education. There is not a child alive who doesn't need some one of authority to believe in their abilities. Don't misunderstand me. I do not believe having children chant in unison, "If it is to be, it is up to me," is going to change their circumstances. However, as human beings we all share universal needs that need to be met in order to thrive and succeed. Some of the needs include: acceptance, empathy, to understand and to be understood, growth, and stimulation. All of these things require a willingness of the powers that be-i.e. teachers, administrators, elected government officials, and those tax paying constituents of society whom elect those officials-to provide the time, resources, and guidance necessary to help our children succeed.
The special education system has many positive and negative aspects. It can afford children with a sense of family in smaller classrooms. In some instances, it can provide students with more individualized attention. The teachers in a special education classroom are often better equipped to teach students whom are differently-abled. Nevertheless, these smaller classrooms do not usually include students who are not differently-abled and this does not prepare the special needs children with a sense of community with them. Frequently, my friends who are special educators have told me of the overwhelming task set before them with little or no support nor the necessary resources to provide an education to students who clearly needed more attention than one teacher and two aides could ever possibly provide them with. Do the positives outweigh the negatives? I think that perhaps in some schools they may, but in many they do not.
Inclusion classrooms may or may not be the answer. This, at least, provides the children who are deemed "normal" with tolerance of peers who have different abilities than they do. It also provides those students whom are differently-abled with peers whom they might model after and feel a sense of commonality with. It does tend to cause some disruptions for the teacher and the students when special needs arise throughout the inclusion time. In these instances, teachers who have not been formally trained in special education have no clue what to do. This can be alleviated by requiring all educators to be certified for special education.
I, however, feel that inclusion classrooms are the best option. If I were in charge of radical educational reform, I would first require every teacher to be a certified special educator. Secondly, I would schedule part of the day for "Enrichment Programs" where all of the children in the larger classroom would be separated into smaller groups based on their similar needs. These needs could and should change and children should not be in the same group each Enrichment period. There should not be a "smart group" or a "stupid group." In this way, assimilation and inclusion would be utilized and more specific needs could be met on a more individualized basis. I feel that this would be the most effective way to provide students with the acceptance, growth, and stimulation they so desperately need. I know that in some schools this might be what happens, but I feel that all schools should operate this way nationally.
As a student growing up in a primarily white area, I was completely unaware that desegregation was not achieved long ago. Segregation is so hard for me to talk about. I think it is a difficult subject for a lot people to discuss and that may well be why it still exists. I realize that some efforts were made in the past. I've been led to believe, all of my life, that those efforts were successful and that we are all equal. It wasn't until I came to Binghamton University that I realized how ignorant I truly was. I have the presence of mind to admit that I have little personal knowledge of this, but I am anxious to learn and I endeavor to effect change in whatever small ways that I can.
In this week's reading I learned that segregation is alive and well in the most clever of disguises. We use words like "diverse" and "inclusion" to belie the obvious de facto segregation that still exists to this day. While there is no such thing as official de jure segregation in this day and age, what difference does it make? No matter what you call it, the balance is tipped and it is not in favor of those people we label "minorities." While I would love to be an advocate for positive change in this arena, I admit that I have no reasonably feasible ideas to eliminate de facto segregation.
I am completely against segregating children due to differences of culture, race, sex, or ability. Life requires tolerance and I believe that school is where we send our children to prepare them for life. What better way to familiarize them, than to include and accept all types of children into each school? There are many obstacles preventing this from happening. The children whose parents are financially able are sending their children to schools which they are sure will provide them with the best opportunities available. Unfortunately, not all of us have the ability to send our children to these schools. My question is, "Why are there schools in existence that have more resources and better opportunities than others?" I mean, if we are all paying taxes based on what we make and we are all contributing to the budget used to teach all of our children, then why is it that each public school is not presenting our children with equal opportunities and available resources?
Treating each of our children as students deserving of every opportunity and capable enough to achieve anything is something every teacher should do. It is the one sure way to be positive of cultivating the people that these children can and should become. Radical reform is compulsory!
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