The world of education as we know it is a place built on a foundation that is surrounded by enigmas and empty promises. It is for this reason that America has yet to find an effective solution that works for schools nationwide that is “progressive” as well as “consistent” in the field of education. The articles and the book that we have read so far in class have left me a bittersweet taste in my mouth. I think about how far we have come and how many steps we continue taking backwards. The issues surrounding education seem to share the same common factors of race, high expectations, and hidden agendas.…
New Era, New Education In the excerpt “Project Classroom Makeover,” Cathy Davidson, a distinguished member of Duke University’s faculty, strongly advocates for the disposal of the “one-size-fits-all” education standards, despite her standing at an Ivy League school. Through Davidson’s more personalized approach, there could be a rise in greater individual success as traditional and out-of-date techniques of teaching are replaced by more interactive and modern ways. However, a complete eradication of traditional ways of learning as Davidson prefers has its limitations when compared to an education that incorporates the new with the old.…
Today’s students face great challenges as they prepare for college and their future careers. A major factor in this journey is the teachers and the knowledge they pass on. These teachers, however, aren’t always decent at what they do and fail to prepare these students for the future. Matthew Miller discusses this issue in “A New Deal for Teacher,” an article in The Atlantic Monthly. He has found that bad teachers are the cause of a large educational gap between poor school districts and other school districts.…
1. Under the Texas state education system, public elementary schools and secondary schools are financed by both federal and local funds. The Establishment of the Texas Minimum Foundation School Program was made to guarantee a basic educational offering to each child in the state of Texas. In addition to this program, each school district was required to provide additional principal for education, based on an ad valorem tax on property within its jurisdiction. The State supplies about 80% of the funds, while the individual school districts are responsible for the other 20% through taxes.…
I thought the documentary “Waiting for Superman” was informative and also sad. Informative because we get a real idea about how schools are In the inner cities, and also how poor test scores are and how horribly we rank as a nation regarding school. Also, the method of “Tracking” which prior to this documentary I have never heard before, nor have I heard from the track being scores of obedience and appearance of neatness? What does that even mean? It also goes into how it’s nearly impossible to fire any teacher because of poor test scores from their students, which I think is really unfair.…
Waiting for superman The video titled waiting for superman triggered an immense emotion inside me. Like most individuals I have a fondness for innocent children which they all are until their environment alters them like the school institutions in this video. Evidently, such ill-functioning education system does not produce a better future generation.…
Lyndon B. Johnson once said that “Education is not a problem. Education is an opportunity.” Education has always been a way for children to expand their knowledge, and expand their minds as well. However, it has been brought to the attention of many, that education is now a way to force ideals down the throats of knowledge thirsty children. In trying to fit in standardized tests, teachers and schools have lost sight of the true purpose of education: to teach young people the rights and responsibilities of citizens.…
Teaching to the test- the act of teaching in which the main focus is getting students to pass a specific test. Teachers are no longer focused on students actually learning. Their focus is on ensuring that their students pass a given test. Since the No Child Left Behind law passed in 2001 standardized testing, and teaching to a test have become the new normal. The two are quickly robbing students of a true education.…
After we touched the topics of Race and Ethnicity and Social Inequalities in the education system in the United States in ED-160, I was curious about how those inequalities affect the lives of students today. As I began my research about the inequalities that students face, I found an article that stated that “the ultimate test of an educational system is whether it makes sure that every student, whatever their background, is exposed to the content they need to compete in today's society.” It was disturbing to read that “U.S. schools are failing this most basic test.” I also found an article where Gaston Caperton said “Tests are not the problem, students are not the problem. The problem we have is an unfair education system in America-an unequal…
First, owing to the problems which the purpose of our nation’s education is skewed to economic readiness and competitiveness, some people think that the key to solving these issues is to stop the overwhelming standardardized testing in schools. In my opinion, I completely disagree with that idea. To achieve academic success is not simple, it takes a combination of skills such as time management, concentration, and motivation. In order to have a better…
In conclusion, schools should get rid of standardized testing. They are a large waste of time, they do not improve students’ education, and they discriminate between “winners” and “losers”. Originally, these tests were supposed to measure your intelligence and predict how well your capacity to learn is. But now, standardized tests are just big problems that don’t help teachers nor students.…
American students around the country will at the third grade begin taking the standardized tests. From there, the tests get more complex and add more fields. As students, we are being forced to be in common core classes that supposedly help with these exams. However, they seem to be a waste of our time and the time of our teachers as test scores begin to decrease year after year. Although they claim that standardized testing is helping students, they in end waste time, cause stress and are useless to many potential jobs.…
In an article titled “What’s Holding Back American Teenagers?” by author Laurence Steinberg, the claim is made that, “Our high schools are a disaster.” Steinberg begins by mentioning education policies which had recently come to the attention of Obama during his term as president. This involved two issues, the first being early-childhood education and the second being college accessibility; however, Steinberg’s article preferred to focus on a third issue: American high schools. Throughout the article, he continually reflected on research from organizations such as OECD, The National Assessment of Educational Progress, and The National Center for Education Statistics.…
Standardized testing causes many teachers to only teach to the test. This practice can hinder a student 's overall learning potential" (University of Columbia, 2013). Teachers spend all their time trying to find ways to teach their lessons so students will understand but in the end they come up with…
In the book “Back to School: Why Everyone Deserves a Second Chance at Education”, by Mike rose; he discusses why going to school matters. He says that nearly 45 percent of postsecondary students to not attend college after high school. He say that people who once was in the wrong footsteps deserve a “Second- chance institution,” such as adult education program and community colleges. There are many people who deserved a second chance on becoming educated; single parents, those coming from jails or rehab programs, non-English speakers. He believes that these “second- chance institution” will help many develop skills and as well build knowledge.…