It is disturbing that high school drop out rates continue to rise in America.Many students say that they dropped out of high school because they weren’t motivated or their classes were not interesting enough.Many of those who drop out realize the importance of having a high school diploma but only after they drop out.
The issue of having little motivation to do well in school is alarming.If parents, teachers and school administrators can help students realize the importance of graduating high school, I believe that students would become more motivated to do well in school.Some facts that I feel would help motivate some students would be to inform them that those who drop out are more likely than those who graduate high school to be unemployed, live in poverty, be in prison, and be single parents of children who also drop out of high school.
So could one reason for little motivation also have to do with students not finding the classes interesting or stimulating enough?In order for adults to expect students to do well in school, I feel that it is vital that teachers are able to keep the students’ attention.If students do not find the curriculum interesting they are less likely to pay attention, do well and more than likely be less motivated to come to class or do well in the class.We cannot expect students to pay attention when the material is not related or interesting to them in any way.
Other prevalent issues that many drop outs say contributed to them quitting school was little parental involvement and or students were failing high school.Many say their parents didn’t get involved in their education until they were close to dropping out.I think it is partially the responsibility of the parents to keep their children in school.If there is little help and motivation from the parents part, the children are less likely to see the importance of graduating from high school.Those students that were failing school either missed too many days of school or were not academically prepared for high school.They felt that help such as tutoring was not available to them.Many of these students also felt that what they were taught in elementary and middle school did not properly prepare them for high school which led them to fall behind in school work and eventually drop out.
With all this said, I do not believe that finding classes boring is an excuse for dropping out of high school.If there is a problem students should feel that they are able to talk to their teachers and school administrators about what can be changed.There needs to be more resources for students such as tutoring or after school activities that involve learning.Parents should be more involved in their students’ academic lives and be more encouraging.Finally, teachers and administrators need to find ways to best help their students from dropping out, whether that be changing their curriculum, the way they teach the curriculum or asking the students what they would find most helpful.I believe the more students are involved in the curriculum they are inclined to pay attention and the less they can say it is boring because it is what they wanted.
Being the “principal’s daughter” for seven years of my schooling has definitely allowed me to see numerous different situations that a school principal has to deal with day in and day out. The constant line of students entering his office allows for him to barely finish all other aspects of his job. This article brings up a really important aspect of teaching that doesn’t seem to get a lot of attention. According to the article, many teachers are sending their students to the office for reasons that are too frivolous, especially when it takes away learning time for the students. When students are being sent to the office for reasons such as dress-code infractions or not following directions, we have to wonder why the teachers believe that the needed disciplinary action isn’t their responsibility. Without proper classroom management, how can we expect these students to learn? When teachers are going through training it is important to make sure that they are not just learning how to teach, but also how to make their classroom a controlled environment in which focus and learning can take place. Seeing student after student come into my father’s office every day, it made me wonder if teachers were developing a habit of dumping the responsibility of discipline onto the administrators. Yes, technically deans and administrators are supposed to handle a lot of these problems, but the teachers may be forgetting that they are just as responsible. If your student’s shirt is too revealing, make them put on a sweatshirt. If they forgot their supplies, lend them a pencil. If they are horsing around and using profanity, it’s your place to figure out a way to put an end to the problem and also come up with a way to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Actions regarding assault, drugs, theft, etc., of course should involve someone at a higher stature, but small infractions that are controllable, should not. The idea that a teacher can find it appropriate to send a student out of the classroom for something so small makes it seem as if they believe that problem is more important than the student’s learning time. The rise of this faulty disciplinary system is denting and inflicting the learning process that is present in schools. This dent then allows for the education system to fall. It becomes a cycle of mediocrity that we really cannot stand for.
Link to Video (can't seem to get the video actually embedded onto the post) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHzTUYAOkPM This is a McGraw-Hill teaching video from 1945 on classroom management and disciplinary actions.
Being active has always been a main component of my life and when it came to picking a field of study during my college search I chose to take the route of Exercise Physiology. Many people asked me when I was applying to schools what that meant and to be honest I was not really sure, but what I did know was it is the study of exercise on the mechanisms of the body. I also knew that exercise was pertinent to living a healthy life. Although Americans know that exercise is beneficial and necessary for sustaining a healthy lifestyle a staggering number actually participate in the Surgeon Generals recommendation for daily activity. This may not seem like a big deal at first but the Surgeon General recommends a mere thirty minutes of moderate activity a day. Not only this, but it can be broken up into ten minute bouts. A brisk ten minute walk between classes counts! Although this is the bare minimum recommended every little bit counts.
Even more astounding than the percentage of adult obesity in the United States is the occurrence of Childhood Obesity. Surgeon General recommends sixty minutes a day of activity for children. School attendance is the law to age sixteen in the United States; therefore it is easy to wonder how these children are not meeting their activity needs. Obesity is not the only problem; sedentary lifestyle is linked to heart disease high blood pressure, all forms of cancer, nervous system diseases and almost every other disease. Despite this widespread knowledge of the importance of exercise in preventing disease elementary, middle and high schools across the country are phasing out Physical Education classes or making them optional to make more room for academic classes. Many people may agree with this decision to make more room for academics but another question comes to mind. If the children do not learn to be active when they are young when will they make time for it? In their busy career which they are preparing for in elementary school? According to the Chattanooga Times, a study done at Johns Hopkins University found teens were more likely to maintain a normal body weight as young adults if they had physical education in school. Schools Reviving Physical Education Classes
Although some schools are riding their systems of P.E. others are enriching the programs because it is impossible to ignore the importance of Exercise. Many schools that have implemented a fitness based form of Physical Education rather than free for all sports have noticed a change in their students. Not merely physical health and weight management, but increased focus and confidence all around. One school found that traditional forms of P.E. was not catching the interest of the majority of the students and decided to go out on a limb and purchase Unicycles for the school. It has been a great success story for the school and according to the gym teacher, everyone eventually gets it and the students love to come to gym, they leave each day more confident focused and coordinated! Since there is no national curriculum gym teachers and schools are allowed to expand to grander things that may inspire students to be active. Mast Academy in Miami, FL a science magnet school offers a variety of activities for physical education including kayaking and windsurfing! Physical education does not necessarily mean that kids have to participate in kickball they may be able to do what they like and set a positive experience in motion.
In Minnesota physical education is mandatory, but again there are no specifications to how much and to what activities so one high school has implemented an “online P.E.” There have been some critiques on the system but the intentions are good. Students may pick their activity of choice for example mountain biking, hiking, swimming, running and depending on the activity wear a heart rate monitor and upload the information to the teacher. Students are also required to read articles on exercise and physical activity, take tests, and write papers. Some students have said the class is too hard for P.E. and to just take it in school instead while others are excited to be able to participate in their activity of choice. Other critiques have included heart rates having to be the same while everyone’s body is different. Every child is going to have a different heart rate so that does need to be tailored to fit. Other complaints are there is no team bonding or cooperative efforts in an online class. Either way the expansion of physical activity is a step in the right direction.Online Physical Education
So it is determined that many schools are steering away from the conventional P.E. classes and turning to a more health based idea. Seattle has standardized P.E. and schools are now required to teach kids how to exercise and the importance of core strength. Kids are also learning how to use exercise equipment properly such as therabands and heart rate monitors. Kids enjoy using exercise equipment so this seems like it might work. They will have the confidence to go to the gym when they are older and know how to use the equipment and how to give themselves a healthy work out. Stretching the curriculum: Seattle schools standardize PE Seattle is headed in the right direction but are still in the experimental phase as well.
It is interesting to see the differences the country is going through as far as P.E. goes, some are eliminating the programs entirely and some are implementing more vigorous activities and more educational aspects to it. Elimination is the wrong thing to do but old fashioned methods of P.E. seem to have met their match. Hopefully it will be a success story across the country because otherwise the nation will have to pay for it later with increasing obesity rates and morbidity rates.
Palestinian women have been trying to fight for equality for women since the early 1920s; however, still after almost ninety years, “women are often considered secondary and their work without economic value” (el-Raifi). Since there are constant political problems with neighboring country, Israel, finding equality for women in Palestine seems like one of their last problems. Sexism in this extremely male dominated society is practically normal. Women are frustrated with these circumstances.
However, yesterday, Palestinian women definitely caught the world’s attention. For the first time ever, Palestinian women played an international soccer game, outside against Jordanian women. In the west bank, there were 10,000 screaming fans, men and women alike, cheering for a women’s soccer team. Women ran around the soccer field and ended up tying the game 2-2. Their coach, Rukayya Takrori said, “in our culture, Palestinian women work side by side with men in the fields and factories. They fight together, demonstrate together.” She then exclaimed, “Palestinian women can do everything--even football” (Kershner).
After I read this inspirational article, I started thinking that if a predominately, male-oriented society would allow and support women’s soccer, then how is it possible that still today in America, women are not treated completely as equals to men.American women play sports, vote, have successful jobs, take care of their children, and can even support themselves; yet, there are still subtle inequalities in our society. America too is still a highly patriarchal society.
For example, many people still believe that women should not study math or science. In schools, little girls are usually discouraged to study math and science, and are encouraged to study language arts. Although there are many female doctors in America, these women had to go against the norm throughout their schooling to get where they are today.
Sexism is also extremely common in the workplace. Women are still paid less than men in our society: “white females earn 73 cents for every dollar earned by a white male, according to a study released last month by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research in Washington, D.C” (Lewis 1). Also, women often have to deal with hearing sexist comments from fellow coworkers.
Women also are expected today to partake in homemaker activities and raising the children as their main priority, while these tasks are only somewhat important to men. Women are innately given these maternal attributes, while men are only seen as the money providers in the family. Mothers and fathers should play an equal role in their child's life. It is their child.
America is a progressive country, however to have such inequalities in our country still is very shocking. Americans should look to this story of the Palestinian women’s soccer team as inspiration and believe in what their coach said, women can do anything. Yes, in America we say we believe in this; yet, women must overcome the social norms in order to achieve what ever they want to. If Palestinian women can stand up for themselves and end this hierarchy of gender, the women of America can as well.
Next week voters in Maine will vote whether or not they are in favor of the legislation signed by the current governor of Maine, John Baldacci, allowing same sex couples to get married. If this legislation is overturned, gay couples in Maine who as of now can get married and legally share the same rights as heterosexual couples will no longer be able to. Governor Baldacci states that this legislation “comes down to a fundamental understanding of equal protection and constitutional responsibility.” I agree with the governor and am in favor of same sex marriages. Without the recognition of a legal marriage, gay couples cannot enjoy the rights given to heterosexual married couples such as Social Security benefits, family insurance coverage, visiting rights to a spouse in the hospital, making medical decisions for their spouse, and many others. Why shouldn’t a gay couple deserve the same rights as any other couple? How will their marriage, and the concerns and problems that will arise in their marriage be any different from that of a heterosexual couple? What really irritates me is that voters have gone out of their way to create the option of overturning this legislation. “On September 2, opposition groups delivered the 55,087 signatures necessary to put the legislation to a vote on the November 3 ballot.” Were these 55,000 people personally attacked by gay couples and now want to take revenge? I don’t understand why any one would vote against this. How will they be affected? The only people who will either suffer or benefit from this are gay couples, not heterosexual couples. Allowing gay couples to get married will not take away from any special part or beauty of a wedding.
Another issue addressed in this article is the clarity of the question on the ballot. It will read, "Do you want to reject the new law that lets same-sex couples marry and allows individuals and religious groups to refuse to perform these marriages?" Because of the double question, voters may not realize what they are saying yes or no to. Both supporting and opposing groups are concerned about this. Hopefully however, this will work in favor of the current legislation, as it has been predicted, and same sex marriages will be permanently practiced in Maine. This way we will be one state and one step closer to getting rid of this disgusting discrimination.
Within our education system, racism is still very prevalent today and continues to have a huge impact on the educational achievement gap between white students and students of color. The article I read titled, “Racism in School: Unintentional But No Less Damaging” by Rob Kuznia, discusses this topic specifically speaking about the subtle racism that takes place within school and how this affects student of color. Teachers and other professionals within our society’s’ school systems need to be taught about unintentional racism so they can be aware of what may take place unconsciously, but is prominent to those being oppressed: students of color. Once these educators recognize this subtle racism, then elimination of the continuing achievement gap can begin to close. In addition, society as a whole, must address the discrimination that poor, urban schools with a majority of students of color, receive.With a lack of funding and opportunities, students of color are facing barriers that hinder their ability to achieve in the classroom.
Currently, unintentional racism is just contributing to widening the achievement gap between white students and students of color. Already certain policies and procedures perpetuate racial inequities within schools. According to the article, “minority students feel unintelligent, despised, or marginalized” within this oppression. Racism that is taking place is called unintentional because a lack of blatant, intense hate is recognized. Unconscious thoughts that take place by educators are directed through certain behavior towards students of color, due to deeply rooted stereotypes and prejudices.With in these subtle racist thoughts, educators have fewer expectations for students of color. They believe false ideas such as; students of color are not committed to achieving academically, when in fact students of color are just as motivated as Caucasian students. They believe ideas like students of color are more likely to misbehave in the classroom, not understand complex material, not go to a four-year college, and are not as smart as their white counterparts. Inadvertent thoughts like such follow through into the behavior and oppression towards students of color. Due to these thoughts, minority students are not placed or given the chance to be in honors or advanced placement classes even when they qualify. They are only called on for the easy questions in class. White teachers expect them to misbehave or be the distraction with in the classroom. They expect less academic achievement from these students. I’ve been subjected to unintentional racism myself, whether it was being continuously reminded that their was after school extra help if needed when I wasn’t struggling in the class, or when I was barely ever called on in the class when my hand was continuously up. With in the article, they give an example of a Mexican immigrant student who was “dissuaded by her school counselor to go to a four-year college” just because of her race, although she was more than qualified. Just a small incident like that of unintentional racism can have a huge impact on the student. She stated the experience filled her with self-doubt, so she ended up attending a community college. As a result of this discrimination, the achievement gap widens when systemic inequity is being practiced within school. Students of color are insulted, forced to expect less of themselves, and have a less of self-efficacy. Check this video out for more insight on the achievement gap: object width="425" height="344">
When this discrimination takes place, minority students who are neglected and undergo this subtle racism that is obvious to them, withdraw from their schoolwork, become frustrated, fall behind in achieving academically, and cut themselves short of opportunities.
Less on an individual basis, institutional racism is directed toward schools, with the majority population being students of color, that are usually located in poor, urban communities. This is essential in contributing to the achievement gap between white students and students of color. Schools filled with the majority of underrepresented students face an enormous amount of inequities in terms of opportunities available to them. First, they receive lack of funding. Lack of funding contributes to a lot of other problems like: lack of course offerings, poor quality of teachers, lack of resources, poor school discipline, adequate preparation for standardized tests, and higher education. In my opinion, it is hard to see how this institutional racism becomes unintentional or becomes unrecognized discrimination. If this has been a perpetuating problem with the education system, why are schools that have a majority of students of color, still undergoing these inequities? Why hasn’t there been much improvement? Why are predominantly white schools consistently funded? The article gives an example of a school in California that filed a lawsuit in 2000 due to complete neglect and lack of funding. “Textbooks were so scarce, students could not take them home” and “certain times during the school day their were no bathrooms” so students urinated on themselves. The state wasn’t providing “the basic necessities for a decent education,” which had a huge impact on the academic achievement of these students that their white counterparts in funded schools don’t have to face. When you have a multitude of schools that are challenged with this institutionalized racism and lack of funding, how can you then question why there is an educational achievement gap? These issues of racism were heavily prevalent back in history when schools were segregated, and people of color fought for equities with in school. This issue of institutional racism directed towards schools with the larger population being students of color, should not still presently be a huge problem in our education system.
As a solution to this problem of institutional racism, whether unintentional or not, whites must first take responsibility for recognizing the racism and discrimination that exist. They must step outside their comfort zone and discuss what’s not usually talked about.They must learn to be fully committed to equity within the classroom, so students of color do not have to experience discrimination that inhibits them to do well and feel positive about their abilities. Their quality of education should be just the same as their fellow white students, and the color of their skin should not be a reason they have to face oppression. The article discusses an organization called Just Communities that is “dedicated to teaching educators about unintentional racism, which is the key contributor to the persistent achievement gap.” The organization wants to work towards addressing the racism that unconsciously takes place within white educators so they understand the “architecture”, or framework of oppression and can battle to eliminate it. The organization has made progress by informing white educators who must be willing to believe and listen to the subtle discrimination that goes on, so they can address it. They monitored the students of color’s progress within the schools that educators had attended workshops, and results such as reading test scores of students of color went up 20%. When white educators are aware of this racism and states as a whole can work to put an end towards this institutional racism, then the “atmosphere of inequity” as the article states, will gradually diminish. When students of color are given the same opportunities and are not marginalized due to their skin color, they can achieve too without facing barriers to get there.
Larry Whitten, a hotel owner from Texas, recently made headlines by imposing some pretty strict demands on employees at his most recently acquired hotel in Taos, NM. The two demands that drew the most ire:
1. Employees are not allowed to speak Spanish in Whitten's presence.
2. Employees with Spanish names were ordered to Anglicize or change them while at work.
Click here to read the full text of an article that describes Whitten's rationale, the community reactions, and how former and current employees feel about his management edicts.
This story screams of Whiteness, specifically the supposition that White is right, context does not matter, and those viewed as the Other must always adapt to the dominant group - history, culture, and values be damned. Perhaps this small quote from Whitten sums it up best:
I came into this landmine of Anglos versus Spanish versus Mexicans versus Indians versus everybody up here. I'm just doing what I've always done.
This blog is maintined by Josh Diem and the students in his Fall 2009 section of TAL (Teaching & Learning) 101. The course serves as an introduction to the social and cultural foundations of education. The primary function of the course is to provide students with critical perspectives on education and schooling in the United States, analyzing issues through the lenses of history, philosophy, anthropology, sociology, cultural studies, and political theory. We examine how schools function as a social institution and are a reflection of the larger culture in which they operate, and how the larger culture reflects what occurs in the institution of school. We pay special attention to the impacts of issues related to racism, sexism, misogyny, classism, homophobia, heterosexism, xenophobia, language-based discrimination, and discrimination against those with a disability and how these issues play out in the daily lives of students, teachers, administrators, and staff in American schools.
