In my research, I found that the senior graduation rate at Tennyson High in Hayward last year was
relatively close to that of Du Sable High in Chicago over twenty years ago. Tennyson High’s
graduation rate was 34% while Du Sable High’s was 25%. I also discovered that Hayward Unified
School District was having student attendance problems, like schools in Chicago over twenty years
ago. Per pupil spending in California was $8,667 while per pupil spending during 1987 in New York
City was $5,500. Both were below the national norm in their respective times.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Poorly Funded Public Schools (3 Paragraphs)
Schools mentioned in the novel Savage Inequalities strike similarities with schools in the Hayward Unified School District. One of these similarities is student attendance. Du Sable High in Chicago is a school mentioned in the novel that had attendance issues. “Its student population is now less than 1,600. Of these students, according to data provided by the school, 646 are ‘chronic truants’” (68-69). While student attendance at the poorly funded schools in Chicago are far more extreme, schools in the Hayward Unified School District are having attendance problems as well. According to the website ebcitizen.com, “Average daily attendance for 2012 is 75 percent for 6th grade, 22 percent for 7th, 29 percent for 8th and 16 percent for 9th grade”. These statistics are similar in the sense that a considerable amount of students are cutting class. Unfortunately for the Hayward Unified School District, this is affecting their funds as well as their school rankings.
Another similarity between schools mentioned in the novel Savage Inequalities and schools in the Hayward Unified School District are graduation rates. According to ebcitizen.com, only 34% of seniors at Tennyson High School in Hayward, California graduated in 2012. The graduation rate for Hayward High on the other hand was much higher at 75%. Despite Hayward High’s higher graduation rate, a considerable 25% of seniors at the school did not graduate. Like Tennyson High, Du Sable High in Chicago had a very low graduation rate as well, although this occurred about twenty years ago. According to the novel Savage Inequalities, for Du Sable High “The graduation rate is 25 percent” (69). Du Sable about twenty years ago had similar graduation rates to Tennyson High today. This information is somewhat a shocker considering Tennyson High is a lot better off financially than Du Sable.
Schools in California today tend are spending less on their students. Like certain schools in Savage Inequalities, spending per pupil is considerably less than the norm. According to kqed.org, “The latestQuality Counts report from Education Week ranks California 47th overall in how much it spends per student – $8,667 when adjusted for regional cost differences, about $3,000 below the national average of $11,665”. California spending per student is $3,000 less than the national average. This shows how under funded students are. According to the novel Savage Inequalities, “Average expenditures per pupil in the city of New York in 1987 were some $5,500” (83). Schools in the city of New York draw similar statistics. Although schools in New York City spent only $5,500 per pupil, they spent that amount in 1987 as compared to California’s $8,667 spent per pupil today. These low numbers are affecting students in many ways. Spending less per pupil means less materials, less teachers (and potentially worse teachers), bigger classes, and other problems. With this problems arising it is no wonder why students struggle in school. Spending must be increased on education, and not only that, but it must be utilized and distributed properly to erase the problems in our educational system.
Another similarity between schools mentioned in the novel Savage Inequalities and schools in the Hayward Unified School District are graduation rates. According to ebcitizen.com, only 34% of seniors at Tennyson High School in Hayward, California graduated in 2012. The graduation rate for Hayward High on the other hand was much higher at 75%. Despite Hayward High’s higher graduation rate, a considerable 25% of seniors at the school did not graduate. Like Tennyson High, Du Sable High in Chicago had a very low graduation rate as well, although this occurred about twenty years ago. According to the novel Savage Inequalities, for Du Sable High “The graduation rate is 25 percent” (69). Du Sable about twenty years ago had similar graduation rates to Tennyson High today. This information is somewhat a shocker considering Tennyson High is a lot better off financially than Du Sable.
Schools in California today tend are spending less on their students. Like certain schools in Savage Inequalities, spending per pupil is considerably less than the norm. According to kqed.org, “The latestQuality Counts report from Education Week ranks California 47th overall in how much it spends per student – $8,667 when adjusted for regional cost differences, about $3,000 below the national average of $11,665”. California spending per student is $3,000 less than the national average. This shows how under funded students are. According to the novel Savage Inequalities, “Average expenditures per pupil in the city of New York in 1987 were some $5,500” (83). Schools in the city of New York draw similar statistics. Although schools in New York City spent only $5,500 per pupil, they spent that amount in 1987 as compared to California’s $8,667 spent per pupil today. These low numbers are affecting students in many ways. Spending less per pupil means less materials, less teachers (and potentially worse teachers), bigger classes, and other problems. With this problems arising it is no wonder why students struggle in school. Spending must be increased on education, and not only that, but it must be utilized and distributed properly to erase the problems in our educational system.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Due to lack of funding, public schools are unable to accommodate more students. There are
several factors that keep public schools from acquiring more students. One factor is overcrowding. In
New York City, Public School 261 in District 10 is grossly overpopulated. “The principle… tells me
that the school’s ‘capacity’ is 900 but there are 1,300 children here” (85). With too many students in
one school, other problems arise. Materials, as well as teachers, are needed in large supply. This costs
more money, and if the school is already struggling financially, these needs cannot be met unless
teachers are paid less and the materials are kept at a bare minimum. Offering a low salary makes
finding teachers difficult. “But even substitute teachers in Chicago are in short supply” (52). With a
shortage of teachers one can assume that there will also be a shortage of supplies at the school. “The
shortage of teachers finds its parallel in a shortage of supplies” (52). Supplies, after all, are a
complement of teachers. They go hand-in-hand. Teachers use supplies to teach their students. When
there aren’t teachers, there aren’t supplies. Poorly funded public schools cannot properly invest in
their students with these issues present. “Average expenditures per pupil in the city of New York in
1987 were some $5,500” (83). This is considerably low and demonstrates why poorly funded public
schools can’t accommodate for more students. They can barley afford the students they have, let
alone teachers. These factors undoubtedly affect the public school’s capacity to carry more kids.
They can’t simply expand the campus with all of these issues present.
several factors that keep public schools from acquiring more students. One factor is overcrowding. In
New York City, Public School 261 in District 10 is grossly overpopulated. “The principle… tells me
that the school’s ‘capacity’ is 900 but there are 1,300 children here” (85). With too many students in
one school, other problems arise. Materials, as well as teachers, are needed in large supply. This costs
more money, and if the school is already struggling financially, these needs cannot be met unless
teachers are paid less and the materials are kept at a bare minimum. Offering a low salary makes
finding teachers difficult. “But even substitute teachers in Chicago are in short supply” (52). With a
shortage of teachers one can assume that there will also be a shortage of supplies at the school. “The
shortage of teachers finds its parallel in a shortage of supplies” (52). Supplies, after all, are a
complement of teachers. They go hand-in-hand. Teachers use supplies to teach their students. When
there aren’t teachers, there aren’t supplies. Poorly funded public schools cannot properly invest in
their students with these issues present. “Average expenditures per pupil in the city of New York in
1987 were some $5,500” (83). This is considerably low and demonstrates why poorly funded public
schools can’t accommodate for more students. They can barley afford the students they have, let
alone teachers. These factors undoubtedly affect the public school’s capacity to carry more kids.
They can’t simply expand the campus with all of these issues present.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Rule of Three Part III
Students need to learn about their passion, identity and potential career opportunities with the help of their teachers. If there is a barrier between student and teacher relationships, students will miss out on critical information that will help them discover who they are. Most students enter college not knowing what they want to study because they don’t know about the careers out there that suit their talents and desires. Some students don’t even know what their talents are, along with their passions. The consequences of not knowing these things can result in students dropping out of school, getting angry, frustrated, and depressed. Students may resort to drugs, or may even commit crimes to make ends meet without the support of their educational facilities. Not knowing oneself can be detrimental to an individual. If students don’t value themselves, they won’t make an effort to take care of and maintain healthy habits. All of these negative consequences can be avoided through student-teacher relationships. If students and teachers can effectively communicate with each other throughout all levels of school, students will be better equipped to plan their futures. Applied knowledge in the classroom, along with important discussions on making good choices can aid students for life. Ultimately doing these things will lower student stress levels and keep them from harmful activities.
It is critical that students view the classroom as a place of exploration. By doing this students will be able to open up their minds to different views and perspectives, eventually allowing them to come up with a view of their own. This will encourage individuality and will allow the student to better understand the world around them. Failure to view the classroom as a place of exploration may result in the student being “bored” in class. The student may not bother to pay attention, and as a result, will suffer from poor grades. The student may also grow indifferent to the views of others, harming their social health. More specifically, the student may be so uninterested in school that they don’t bother to socialize with others and make friends, resulting in loneliness. Loneliness can lead to many other problems such as depression, sadness, and may even cause thoughts of suicide. These are obviously serious issues that must be avoided at all costs. While it isn’t possible to keep a student’s life problem-free, it is imperative that students keep an open mind in the classroom to minimize these consequences, otherwise they may fall prey to poor grades and can suffer from bad mental health.
Passion is a critical part of the educational experience. Students must learn what their passions are through the help of their teachers. By being encouraging and motivational in the classroom, teachers can enlighten their students to explore what it is they feel strongly about. Once a student uncovers what their passions are, many doors of opportunity open up for that student. If, however the student never discovers what their passions are, they will be left with a bunch of question marks in their life. The student won’t know what direction to take, what to study, and may have problems being determined for success. Without passion one cannot maintain a motivated life. It is almost impossible to do so, for who strives for success without a passion that carries them? Not having a passion is similar to following a map that leads to nowhere. A passion is like a road map for life, it tells a person where to turn and which direction to go in order to reach their final destination. At a critical time in their lives, students need that sense of direction. It is that sense of direction that will carry them through the obstacles and challenges they face. Without it, they will have a difficult time succeeding in life.
Friday, September 6, 2013
Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the Revolution Blog
Ken Robinson mentioned at the end of his speach treading softly, becasue you are treading are your children's dreams. I find this interesting and quite true. Children tend to express themselves and what they want. They aren't shy about saying what they enjoy to do. At this critical age they are confiding in adults, not just their parents. Childrent also confide in their teachers. As Robinson mentioned in his speach, a child shared with his teacher that he wanted to be a firefighter. The teacher, rather than encouraging the child, discouraged him by saying he ought to go to college and get a degree. He told the child he was wasting his time. This is not okay. Teachers need to encourage childrent to pursue their dreams. If a child gets discouraged they can end up losing motivation, which could greatly affect their life. It is ironic that later on in that child's life he ended up becoming a firefighter and saved his teacher's life, along with his wife. This just shows me that children are meant to pursue what they want to do. They need to follow their passion. Robinson also talked about passion, and how it affects one's view of time. People who work on things that relate to their passon tend to spend countless hours working fully motivated. People who work on things they dislike, on the other hand, can barely stand a few minutes of work. It is important that children get a career that is in line with what they are passionate about so they can work wholeheartedly. The bottom is that adults need to be cautious when dealing with children because how they treat their dreams will affect the child's life.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Reeling In Research Assignment
Many concepts and ideas were shared in the film Passion Project. One of the concepts on education stood out among the rest: teacher and student involvement in the classroom. Both the teacher and student, according to the film, need to carry their passion with them when learning. The classroom is a place of exploration, filled with people of various backgrounds and opinions on life. My paper focus, rebelling against the idea that learning is just about head knowledge, starts with this concept of student and teacher involvement. When a classroom is interactive, it increases the student’s capacity to learn not just about the course material, but about the views of others and most importantly, about their views on themselves. To further expand on that, “Students want and need work that permits them to express their autonomy and originality, enabling them to discover who they are and who they want to be” (Strong 11).
According to the article What Do Students Want? by Richard Strong, students have four goals when learning: success, curiosity, originality, and relationships. These goals form the acronym SCORE (the E stands for energy, but isn’t part of the four goals) and allows teachers to assess how they’re teaching. Richard Strong states in his article What Do Students Want? “The point of our SCORE model of engagement is first to help teachers discover what they are already doing right and then to encourage the cultivation of everyday classroom conditions that foster student motivation and success” (9). In order for the teachers to be successful, they need to not only create a learning environment beneficial for the students, but they need to constantly assess and recultivate that environment for them. This is how teachers give students what they want, and this is how students learn about the world around them, others, and themselves.
Works Cited
Richard Strong, Harvey F. Silver, and Amy Robinson. What Do Students Want? EBSCO Publishing, 2002.
Many concepts and ideas were shared in the film Passion Project. One of the concepts on education stood out among the rest: teacher and student involvement in the classroom. Both the teacher and student, according to the film, need to carry their passion with them when learning. The classroom is a place of exploration, filled with people of various backgrounds and opinions on life. My paper focus, rebelling against the idea that learning is just about head knowledge, starts with this concept of student and teacher involvement. When a classroom is interactive, it increases the student’s capacity to learn not just about the course material, but about the views of others and most importantly, about their views on themselves. To further expand on that, “Students want and need work that permits them to express their autonomy and originality, enabling them to discover who they are and who they want to be” (Strong 11).
According to the article What Do Students Want? by Richard Strong, students have four goals when learning: success, curiosity, originality, and relationships. These goals form the acronym SCORE (the E stands for energy, but isn’t part of the four goals) and allows teachers to assess how they’re teaching. Richard Strong states in his article What Do Students Want? “The point of our SCORE model of engagement is first to help teachers discover what they are already doing right and then to encourage the cultivation of everyday classroom conditions that foster student motivation and success” (9). In order for the teachers to be successful, they need to not only create a learning environment beneficial for the students, but they need to constantly assess and recultivate that environment for them. This is how teachers give students what they want, and this is how students learn about the world around them, others, and themselves.
Works Cited
Richard Strong, Harvey F. Silver, and Amy Robinson. What Do Students Want? EBSCO Publishing, 2002.
Sports, t.v. shows, and religion are all mentioned on my blog space. My general interests as well as my major interests are reflected on in this blog. What matters most to me, my relationship with God, has also been mentioned in my description of myself. What matters most to me has inspired me to want to help people. Specifically, to help people get freed from their internal problems. That is my passion. I am in school to major in either accounting or finance. I would like to have a well paying job so I can support a family and support others. There’s nothing I’d like more than to help others with the money I have. Whether it be helping people with their debt, or just taking them out to lunch for a talk, I enjoy aiding people with the problems they face in their lives. I hope to see what other people’s views are on various topics in this class; (I also hope to improve my reading and writing skills). I believe my college career will help me land a good job, which will in turn allow me to fulfill my passion, helping others.
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