Carolyn Lovely

English 101

Final Draft

Education Resolutions

Ideally, the education system should seek to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed for employment, as well as challenge and interest them. Unfortunately, the main goal of many administrators and teachers today is simply to keep students there and meeting the minimum requirement. School often feels more like a prison than a place of learning for many students. To remedy this problem, education officials look to parents to be more involved and increase the level of discipline in schools. This only worsens the problem, causing students to become less involved in their education. Schools would not have the need for such strict disciplinary codes if school was a place where students actually wanted to be. Across the nation many programs that are deemed “non-essential” are being cut in favor of basic classics. These include everything from arts and music to Advanced Placement courses. By cutting these programs, students’ interest in school decreases as well. If less focus was placed on discipline and more focus was placed on providing challenging and interesting programs, teachers would not have to place so much emphasis on discipline and put more effort into giving their students an enriching education.

Throughout elementary and middle school it is necessary to have moderate parent involvement, however, by the time students reach high school, they should be able to be responsible for their own education. This is especially true with students in their junior and senior year. By forcing such heavy parent involvement, it hinders students’ ability to be responsible for themselves. A student’s only reason for showing up to class should not be only because he/she does not want to get in trouble, but rather because he/she wants to be successful. Jerry Large, author for the seattle times, offers his opinion on students’ independence writing, “A big part of building character is overcoming failure. Too much adversity is bad, but so is too little, which doesn’t allow a child to build grit.” This means that a student needs to be allowed to learn from their own mistakes and failures, without a parent or teacher being responsible for their success. This is not to say that parents should not provide encouragement and necessary means for success in school, however, the student should have primary authority over their education.  Much of a teacher’s job is to discipline their students. This distracts from the actual purpose of the class, to learn. Teachers should be focusing on improving curriculum content and not on assigning detention. While a certain level of discipline is necessary in some instances, the most effective classroom environment is based on mutual respect between the students and teacher. A teacher should command authority on a basis of knowledge and not assigned authority. In Paolo Freire’s “Banking Concept of Education,” he states, “the teacher confuses the authority of knowledge with his own professional authority, which he sets in opposition to the freedom of the students.” While students should be respectful to their professors, those who do not command it will not receive it. A teacher can only obtain respect not by shoving a set of disciplinary rules down students throats, but rather from the merit of his/her own knowledge, ability to instruct and a display of mutual respect for his/her students.

Much of the obsession with discipline and having all students meet a minimum requirement is due to the way schools are funded in the United States. The higher a school's test scores are, the more funding they receive. It seems counterproductive to revoke funding from schools that are doing poorly, as much of the reason these schools are not successful is because they cannot afford the proper materials. The competence of a teacher is also almost entirely based on test scores as well. While the overall success of the students is partially a reflection on the teacher’s ability to instruct, it is not entirely up to the teacher to ensure success. There will always be students who will not put in the effort to be successful and it is not the teacher’s job to force that effort. Instead teachers should focus on providing the best education possible for students who are willing to take advantage of it. Mike Rose, author on education, states about how the competency of teachers is judged, “Imagine judging the competence of a cardiologist based on the results of her patients cardiograms.” Therefore, a teacher’s ability to instruct should be based not solely on test scores, but also on their proficiency in the subject they teach and effectiveness of his/her curriculum over all.

Due to declining enrollment and discipline problems, many schools have resorted to cutting programs deemed “non-essential.” This not only includes art and music programs, but also language and AP classes, along with other programs that go beyond a minimum level of education. In Arizona a Mexican-American studies program was eliminated, supposedly because it hindered assimilation of Hispanic students into western society. The program was highly successful and many strongly objected to it being cut. The students even held a silent protest. This is one of many cases where education officials at the state, county and district level are disconnected from the actual schools. Many of these officials have little to no background in education, which hinders their ability to make effective decisions. “It’s frustrating to see someone who doesn’t have a background in education setting policy,” states a teacher from the Arizona school.This is a frustration shared by teachers, students and parents in throughout the United States. Many of the officials have no idea what programs work most effectively in schools, which leads to a great focus on numbers. Specifically, the number of students enrolled and their test scores. By simply focusing on these facts, policy makers do not always take into account what is best for a certain school and its students. Bell hooks, author and social activist, states about the the thought process for education,"In a certain kind of patronizing way education just says, all these people need is tools for survival, basic survival tools, like their degree so they can get a job and not, in fact,that we enhance their lives in the same way we've enhanced our lives by engaging in a certain kind of critical process" This is evident in the American education system, in which “essential” programs such as fundamental math and english are valued and other, more challenging programs, are not. This allows for effective programs to be cut and poor ones to be nurtured.

While programs such as art, music, language and advanced placement may not seem essential, they often have the greatest effect on students. They allow for students to be challenged and enjoy coming to school. Being involved in these programs is often the only thing keeping a student in school. Orchard Gardens school in Roxbury Massachusetts was a dangerous place to be before Principal Andrew Bott arrived. The school had taken security measures to an extreme in order to ensure safety. When Bott arrived he nearly eliminated the security program and instead focused attention on arts and music programs. This may have seemed like a dangerous move, but it resulted in overwhelming success. Today the school is thriving, with a strong arts program and no more discipline problems than the average school. This exact program may not be applicable in all cases, however, it does show how simply supporting programs that interest students can benefit a school as a whole, and therefore, its surrounding community. As Keith Gilyard wrote in Children Arts and Du Bois, “One of the best ends to have in view is that of the humanities as a widely recognized and amply funded force for the common good.”  If school is made to be an enriching, challenging environment and not something more similar to a prison, students will want to be there. This leads to an increase in enrollment and fewer discipline problems, while also providing students with a more complete education.

There are many theories on how to improve the American education system, but few take into account the actual students in the system. By allowing greater student input and supporting programs they are interested in, schools can be allowed to thrive. By focusing less attention on disciplining students who do not want to be there and instead putting emphasis on making exceptional programs, schools can become a place where students are challenged and engaged. Decreasing the level of disciplinary actions and parent involvement teaches students to be responsible for themselves and become involved in their own education. Making these changes would not solve every problem faced in the school systems, however, it would be one step closer to ensuring the success of all students.

Works Cited

Aronson, Deb. "Arizona Bans Mexican American Studies Program." Web log post. Debaronson.com. N.p., 2012. Web. 4 Dec. 2013.

"Bell Hooks." Interview by Sut Jhally. Challenging Media. Media Education Foundation. MEF, Northampton, MA, 1997. Television. Transcript.

Freire, Paulo. "Chapter 2." Pedagogy of the Oppressed. [New York]: Herder and Herder, 1970. N. pag. Print.

Gilyard, Keith. "Children, Arts, and Du Bois." The Council Chronicle Sept. 2012: 19-20. Print.

"Principal Fires Security Guards, Hires Art Teachers to save His School." Principal Fires Security Guards, Hires Art Teachers to save His School. MSN News, 05 Feb. 2013. Web. 04 Dec. 2013.

Rose, Mike. "Resolutions Someone Should Make for 2011." Washingtonpost.com. The Answer Sheet, 01 May 2011. Web. 04 Dec. 2013.

Carolyn Lovely

English 101

Rough Draft

The Fault in Education

Ideally, the education system should seek to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed for employment, as well as challenge and interest them. Unfortunately, the main goal of many administrators and teaches today is simply to keep students there and meeting the minimum requirement. School often feels more like a prison than a place of learning for many students. To remedy this problem, education officials look to parents to be more involved and increase the level of discipline in schools. This only worsens the problem, causing students to become less involved in their education. Schools would not have the need for such strict disciplinary codes if school was a place where students actually wanted to be. Across the nation many programs that are deemed “non-essential” are being cut in favor of basic classics. These include everything from arts and music to Advanced Placement courses. By cutting these programs, students’ interest in school decreases as well. If less focus was placed on discipline and more focus was placed on providing challenging and interesting programs, teachers would not have to place so much emphasis on discipline and put more effort into giving their students an enriching education.

Throughout elementary and middle school, it is necessary to have moderate parent involvement. However, by the time students reach high school, they should be able to be responsible for their own education. This is especially true with students in their junior and senior year. By forcing such heavy parent involvement, it hinders students’ ability to be responsible for themselves. A student’s only reason for showing up to class should not be only because he/she does not want to get in trouble, but rather because he/she wants to be successful. Jerry Large, author for the seattle times, offers his opinion on students’ independence writing, “A big part of building character is overcoming failure. Too much adversity is bad, but so is too little, which doesn’t allow a child to build grit.” This means that a student needs to be allowed to learn from their own mistakes and failures, without a parent or teacher being responsible for their success.  Much of a teacher’s job is to discipline their students. This distracts from the actual purpose of the class, to learn. Teachers should be focusing on improving curriculum content and not on assigning detention. A teacher should command authority on a basis of knowledge and not assigned authority. In Paolo Freire’s “Banking Concept of Education,” he states, “the teacher confuses the authority of knowledge with his own professional authority, which he sets in opposition to the freedom of the students.” While students should be respectful to their professors, those who do not command it will not receive it. A teacher can only obtain respect not by shoving a set of disciplinary rules down students throats, but rather from the merit of his/her own knowledge, ability to instruct and a display of mutual respect for his/her students.

Much of the obsession with discipline and having all students meet a minimum requirement is due to the way schools are funded in the United States. The higher a school's test scores are, the more funding they receive. It seems counterproductive to revoke funding from schools that are doing poorly, as much of the reason these schools are not successful is because they cannot afford the proper materials. The competence of a teacher is also almost entirely based on test scores as well. While the overall success of the students is partially a reflection on the teacher’s ability to instruct, it is not entirely up to the teacher to ensure success. There will always be students who will not put in the effort to be successful and it is not the teacher’s job to force that effort. Instead teachers should focus on providing the best education possible for students who are willing to take advantage of it. Mike Rose states about how the competency of teachers is judged, “Imagine judging the competence of a cardiologist based on the results of her patients cardiograms.” Therefore, a teacher’s ability to instruct should be based not solely on test scores, but also on their proficiency in the subject they teach and effectiveness of his/her curriculum over all.

Due to declining enrollment and discipline problems, many schools have resort to cutting programs deemed “non-essential.” This not only includes art and music programs, but also language and AP classes, along with other programs that go beyond a minimum level of education. In Arizona a mexican-american studies program was eliminated, supposedly because it hindered assimilation of hispanic students into western society. The program was highly successful and many strongly objected to it being cut. The students even held a silent protest. This is one of many cases where education officials at the state, county and district level are disconnected from the actual schools. Many of these officials have little to no background in education, which hinders their ability to make effective decisions. “It’s frustrating to see someone who doesn’t have a background in education setting policy,” states a teacher from the Arizona school. Many of the officials have no idea what programs work most effectively in schools, which leads to a great focus on numbers. Specifically, the number of students enrolled and their test scores. By simply focusing on these facts, policy makers do not always take into account what is best for a certain school and its students. Bell hooks, author and social activist, states about the the thought process for education,"In a certain kind of patronizing way education just says, all these people need is tools for survival, basic survival tools, like their degree so they can get a job and not, in fact,that we enhance their lives in the same way we've enhanced our lives by engaging in a certain kind of critical process" This is evident in the american education system, in which “essential” programs such as fundamental math and english are valued and other, more challenging programs, are not. This allows for effective programs to be cut and poor ones to be nurtured.

While programs such as art, music, language and advanced placement may not seem essential, they often have the greatest effect on students. They allow for students to be challenged and enjoy coming to school. Being involved in these programs is often the only thing keeping a student in school. Orchard Gardens school in Roxbury Massachusetts was a dangerous place to be before Principal Andrew Bott arrived. The school had taken security measures to an extreme in order to ensure safety. When Bott arrived he nearly eliminated the security program and instead focused attention on arts and music programs. This may seem like a dangerous move, but it resulted in overwhelming success. Today the school is thriving, with a strong arts program and no more discipline problems than the average school. This exact program may not be applicable in all cases, however, it does show how simply supporting programs that interest students can benefit a school as a whole. If school is made to be an enriching, challenging environment and not something more similar to a prison, students will want to be there. This leads to an increase in enrollment and fewer discipline problems, while also providing students with a more complete education.

There are many theories on how to improve the american education system, but few take into account the actual students in the system. By allowing greater student input and supporting programs they are interested in, schools can be allowed to thrive. By focusing less attention on disciplining students who do not want to be there and instead putting emphasis on making exceptional programs, schools can become a place where students are challenged and engaged. Decreasing the level of disciplinary actions and parent involvement teaches students to be responsible for themselves and become involved in their own education. Making these changes would not solve every problem faced in the school systems, however, it would be one step closer to ensuring the success of all students.

Works Cited

Aronson, Deb. "Arizona Bans Mexican American Studies Program." Web log post. Debaronson.com. N.p., 2012. Web. 4 Dec. 2013.

"Bell Hooks." Interview by Sut Jhally. Challenging Media. Media Education Foundation. MEF, Northampton, MA, 1997. Television. Transcript.

Freire, Paulo. "Chapter 2." Pedagogy of the Oppressed. [New York]: Herder and Herder, 1970. N. pag. Print.

"Principal Fires Security Guards, Hires Art Teachers to save His School." Principal Fires Security Guards, Hires Art Teachers to save His School. MSN News, 05 Feb. 2013. Web. 04 Dec. 2013.

Rose, Mike. "Resolutions Someone Should Make for 2011." Washingtonpost.com. The Answer Sheet, 01 May 2011. Web. 04 Dec. 2013.

Quotes

"It's frustrating to see someone who doesn't have a background in education setting education policy.."
Sotelo, Deb Aronson: Arizona Bans Mexican American Study Program

"The teacher confuses the authority of knowledge with his own professional authority, which he sets in opposition to the freedom of the students;"
Paolo Freire, The Banking Concept of Education

"Imagine judging competence of a cardiologist by the average of her patients' cardiograms."
Mike Rose when speaking about how test scores are used to judge a teacher's competence, Resolutions on Education

"In a certain kind of patronizing way education just says, all these people need is tools
for survival, basic survival tools, like their degree so they can get a job and not, in fact,
that we enhance their lives in the same way we've enhanced our lives by engaging in a
certain kind of critical process"
bell hooks, Critical Thinking

"A big part of building charater is overcoming failure. Too much adversity is bad, but so is too little, which doesn't allow a child to build grit."
Jerry Large, Gift of Grit, Curiosity Helps Kids Succeed

"You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that our schools are broken.."
Lewis Black

Articles in Order of Importance

1) Aronson: I believe this article is most important because it touches on several issues which are commonly seen in the education system. These include censorship, the disconnect between educators and administrators and the ignorance of those education officials. I can relate to this article personally, as I have felt the same frustrations with the state administrators as the students and teachers in this article. They claim that the people in charge of making education policies have little to no experience in the education field. This makes them disconnected with the teachers, parents and most importantly the students, and often they are unwilling to mend this disconnect. It seems horribly corrupt to have education policies that show little regard for the interests of the students. Furthermore, as seen in this article, successful programs are often shut down on the whim of ignorant administrators. Programs are shut down simply because they do not agree with a certain ideology. If administrators focused more attention on supporting programs that actually work, instead of favoring ones that fit their philosophy on education, then perhaps our education system would be somewhat more successful.

2) hooks: I chose this article as second most important because although it does not focus on a specific problem, it does emphasize a more broad concept which can be applied in most cases. The importance of critical thinking is often ignored in schools in favor of obedience. Hook also points out the difference in the way schools of different social classes are taught. Students in wealthier schools are expected to be brilliant and therefore get a more complex education, however, they also have an immense load of pressure placed on them. Students who are not as affluent often are expected to due poorly and therefore not as much effort is put into their education. Both are ineffective methods of education. While it may not always work in practice, ideally students of all classes should be expected to do the best that they can and should have the opportunity for a complex education. 

3) Large: Similar to hooks in some ways, Large advocates for a balance in a student's education; however, Large focuses more on parental involvement than on the education system itself. While some of his claims apply (such as nurturing students, but also making sure to challenge them), most of it does not hold as much relevance in the education system as articles one and two.

4) Boyce: Boyce advocates mainly for a focus on student's mental health and well-being. While this is something that is often ignored in the education system, Boyce's article advocates more for religious philosophy, rather than a practical change in education policy. The well-being of students can much more effectively be achieved by a balanced curriculum, than by mandatory yoga classes. Boyce's solution treats the symptoms of a corrupt education system, rather than going to the root of the problem. 

Large, Boyce, hooks and Aronson

Large
In Jerry Large's review of Paul Tough's book, "How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character," he agrees with Tough's claim that children need a balance of nurturing and tough love in order to become successful. Both claim that building character in an individual with ultimately result in success. Tough compares and contrasts two different schools in his book. One which had a rigorous, challenging academic program and the other nurturing to the individual students, but not challenging. Ultimately the majority of students from each school ended up doing poorly once the moved on, supporting Tough's claim that children need balance in their lives in order to be successful.

Boyce
In this article Boyce advocates for a focus on the mental health and well-being of students and teachers. His main focus is on Dr. Greenberg, a professor at Penn State, who has done many studies on the subject. Boyce claims that by teaching students and parents to be mindful and emotional stable will ultimately lead to success. This involves everything from teaching classes on how to emotionally connect with one another, especially between parents and children, to yoga classes. Boyce attempts to increase his credibility by referencing several prestigious studies and by using research and quotes from Dr. Greenberg. Boyce also has a religious motivation, which is not surprising since the article is from a Buddhist magazine. Many of the programs he advocates for are highly supported by Buddhist philosophy. He even alludes to the "Eight-fold Path" at one point.

hooks
In this passages hooks claims that the most important thing for students to be taught, is critical thinking. She states that this is something all students are capable of, but it is not always encouraged. She uses personal experience from teaching at two different schools to support her claim. One of the school is highly prestigious and the other known for having many impoverished students. Hooks claims that students at each school were equally brilliant, but the ones from the more affluent school tended to have a bigger ego, which sometimes corrupted their learning. In the other school, the students did not have a great sense of self because they were not expected to do well. Their critical thinking skills were not encouraged, but instead they were often taught in a condescending manner. Hooks states that both ways are ineffective ways of educating students.

Aronson
In this article Aronson discusses the shut down of a Mexican Studies program and more broadly touches on the ignorance of education officials, discrimination and the dangers of censorship. Aronson begins by stating the success of the program and goes on to question the reasoning behind its shut down. Many claim that this particular issue was caused by a discriminatory ideology. Aronson claims that officials responsible for shutting down the program were unable to provide convincing evidence to support their reasoning for the shut down. This can be applied more broadly to many cases of unwarranted censorship. It is also not the first time a successful program has been shut down because it did not agree with the state officials philosophy on education. Aronson also points out the ignorance of the state education officials. She references several local educators who were frustrated with the lack of communication between themselves and those at the state level. Although this article focuses on one indecent, Aronson is able to make it relatable to the reader by stating that issues like this can happen anywhere and it is up to the citizen to advocate for the education programs they believe in.

Chalk in Comparison to Freire, Gatto and Rose

In Freire's "The Banking Concept on Education," he discusses the one-sided relationship between student and teacher. He claims that students are expected to simply listen to the teacher narrate and never question it or go beyond what is taught. In the film Chalk, Mr. Stroop asks his students to dumb themselves down because he believes it compromises his authority to have students who know more than him or use more refined language.

Gatto claims in his "Against School: How School Cripples our Kids," that students and teachers suffer from boredom. This can be seen in nearly every seen of Chalk. The students are portrayed as ignorant and equally uninterested in the curriculum. Many of the teachers also seem to have given up. Although Mr. Lowery turns things around before the end of the film, in the first scene he see to be uninterested with the subject he is teaching and therefore, so are the students.

Similar to Gatto, Rose claims that students need to be more engaged in their education. Mr. Stoop, in Chalk, is great at engaging students, but not in the subject he is teaching. Lowery seems to know a lot about the subject he is teaching, but is not very good at engaging his students. When Lowery begins to relax, the students begin to respect him more. Lowery stops trying to stick to a strict lesson plan and the students become more engaged and want to learn.

Lewis Black and Mike Rose

Black and Rose seem to agree that education system has become an arena for politics, rather than learning. Both mock cliche sayings from administrators and politicians, claiming that many people who hold top positions in education know very little about it. Both point out how the legality and politics of the education system often prevent students from receiving good teachers. Although, they have different views on what the focus of education should. While Rose argues that student's creativity and confidence should be encouraged, Black argues that not enough emphasis is placed on core subjects. Rose also warns against comparing education standards, while Black seems to agree with notion that it is something we should keep in mind. Rose and Black both seek to point out flaws in the education, however, Rose offers detailed solutions, while Black simply seeks to point out the problems through the use of humor and satire.