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.

Purpose of High School

The concept of public education, in theory, is a very positive one. It allows for people of all social classes to gain an education and benefits society as a whole by producing informed and intelligent citizens. Unfortunately, this often not the result of public education. Much of the ideals that public education was founded on have been lost. The administrators, teachers, and students have become obsessed with discipline and test scores. This is partially due to lack of funding. The amount of money that a school gets is dependent on their test scores, which is why administrators put so much emphasis on them. Tests do serve a purpose. Ideally they are intended to measure student's proficiency in a subject. However, in reality most tests primarily evaluate how well student's are able to take them. If less emphasis was placed on test scores, students may be more inclined to show interest in learning and teachers may be more motivated to instruct their students. Discipline has also become a large part of the public education system, often overshadowing actual education. High Schools often seem more like prisons than anything else. Students do not want to be there because they are forced to. If they were given the freedom to be in control of their own education, they may be more inclined to value it. Heavy parental involvement makes sense at the elementary and middle school levels, but by the time students reach high school, they should be able to be responsible for their own education. Students should not simply go to class because they do not want to get in trouble, they should go because they want to learn. Many would argue that without this level of discipline, students would not stay in school. This is partially true. Some would opt to not go, but this is the responsibility of the individual, not the school. If the school did not have to focus so much energy on keeping students contained, perhaps they could spend more energy on improving the quality of learning. This would allow for dedicated students to receive a better education and create a more conducive learning environment for those who have been struggling in the public education system.

Writing Simplified Reading

These sections describe different techniques in academic writing. The section on argumentative writing pertains most directly to are third paper, however, most other writing techniques are useful in creating a convincing argument. For example, by using the compare/contrast method one can easily point out flaws in one system and the benefits of another. Classification and explanation allow for the writer to more clearly define their argument and increase its effectiveness. Our paper calls for us to point out a problem in the education system and offer a solution. This cannot be done convincingly with first providing a cause for the problem, which can be done by using the cause and effect method.

Freire and and Gatto

Freire and Gatto both share a critical view of the education, claiming that the system and those who enforce it seek to oppress student's potential. They claim that the education system inhibits creativity and free thought by placing importance on memorization and obedience. While both use the problems in education as examples of a greater societal corruption, Gatto focuses most of his writing on criticizing society, while Freire places most of the blame on those who enforce it. Gatto views teachers as simply more victims of the education system, however, Freire states that they are a large part of the problem. This is most likely why Freire's solution is much more specific and directed at educators, why Gatto's is a more broad and abstract concept. Freire calls for a change in the way teachers think about educating their students, while Gatto calls for people as a whole to reevaluate the purpose of education in general. Although not as blatant as Gatto's, larger societal criticisms are evident in Freire's writting as well. Even the "banking concept" seems to imply criticism of capitalist society. Freire's writing, however, is much more optimistic than Gatto's. His criticisms seem to be serious concerns that he believes can be fixed, while Gatto seems to have given up hope on the education system all together and simply wants to rant about it. At one point Gatto asks, "Do we even need school?" Freire and Gatto both point out similar problems in the education system, though have somewhat different views on the causes and solutions for such problems.

Chalk

·         Both teachers and students seem unprepared

·         Some teachers enthusiastic (PE and Stroupe) and some not, a little anxious (Lowery)

·         Stroupe gets to know students, Lowery teacher goes straight into describing class

·         Some teachers assign homework  first day

·         All teachers discuss difficulty in math

·         Different levels of experience

·         Pokes fun at new teachers and arrogant  teachers (Stroupe)

·         Teacher “goals” and lesson plans not really taking seriously

·         New AP breaks up fight

·         Lowery’s class out of control

·         Stroupe tries to be friends with students, unprofessional

·         Pokes fun at PC lesson plans

·         AP overworked

·         Lowery: new, awkward, nervous, stressed

·         Webber overreacts to overly nice teacher

·         Students take Lowery’s  chalk, leaves room, student “leads” room

·         Stroupe tells smart students to stop undermining him

o   Stop using big words

o   You probably know more history than me, so tone it down

·         PE classes slightly ridiculous

·         Lowery takes humor very seriously

·         Lowery is very smart, but not the best teacher

·         Stroupe is engaging, but an idiot

·         Janitor drops piano

·         Stroupe lectures teachers on taking office items

·         Stroupe fakes calling parent about grade

·         Lowery frustrated with cell phones

o   Yells at student who won’t give up phone

o   Students laugh

·         Discipline seems to be a bigger priority than teaching

o   Partially due to unwilling students

o   Also due to unmotivated or overwhelmed teachers

·         Teachers all drink and tell student stories

·         Time measured in number of days until the next upcoming break

·         Stroupe’s main goal is to win teacher of the year

·         Lowery frustrated with lack of respect

o   Parent criticizes teaching mannerisms, offers advice and wine

·         Webber concerned about teachers not upholding tardy policy

o   Frustrated with administration

·         Teachers constantly complain about other teachers to AP

·         Stroupe has students helping with campaign

o   I’m pretty sure they never actually talk about history

·         Teacher of the year debates

o   Stroupe overdoing it trying to act like a politician, overdoing it

o   Didn’t win

o   Throws hissy fit in class

·         Webber and AP altercation

·         AP misses teaching and kids who care about school

·         Students coach Lowery for slang word spelling bee

o   Wins

·         Time measurement more specific as it gets closer to summer

·         Lowery made vast improvements over the school year

o   Students like him

o   Try to make him rap

o   Looks like he is enjoying his job

o   Not sure if going to sign 2 year contract

o   Questioning whether he enjoys it or not

·         Teacher say what they learned this year

High School Experience

My high school experience was very similar to Gatto's in many ways. I noticed the boredom among both the students and the teachers. Many did not want to be there for various reasons. Some thought their classes were too easy, others had difficulty learning in them; both resulted in overwhelming apathy. While some teachers still retained passion for what they taught, many were also bored. Their frustration was often taken out on the students. It was not all bad though. Many students still had the desire to learn and many teachers still enjoyed educating. What was most off putting was the atmosphere and the sense of forced instruction. More energy was focused on discipline, than on education. Gatto also mentioned that creativity is not valued in the public school system. My school was victim to this, as many creative programs I was involved were cut my senior year. I do not think this was the result of some sort of capitalist plot, however, as Gatto seems to suggest. Much of the problems are due to a disconnect between students and administrators. Schools often deal with heavy financial problems and therefore cannot offer all the programs they would like to. This often results in poor decisions by school administrators. Many are afraid of facing financial hardship and often cut programs deemed as "non-essential" because of it. These are often creative programs such as music, art and language. Most do not realize the importance of these programs to the students and the impact they have on education. Basic classes are important for fundamental education, but they should not be the only classes that are valued. While I do not agree with Gatto on his claim that public education is entirely useless, he does point out some serious flaws in the system that I have experience in my own life. 

Gatto

Gatto claims that the education system turns students into "addicts." By this he means that the school system creates a very competitive environment and encourages students to not do their personal best, but be better that everyone else. He precedes this by arguing that the education system does not value education, but obedience. Students are "addicted" to getting good grades and do not place a lot of value on actual learning. He criticizes the school system for not teaching students to become critical thinkers, but rather just mindless workers. Larger societal criticism are evident in Grotto's writing that lead up to his comment about students being "addicts." He implies that the school system is like this because it supports society as a whole and the greed of capitalist tycoons. He claims that the school system breeds workers needed to support this system. This causes the schools to only teach subjects that are crucial to efficiency, which in turn places little value on creativity. This ties back to his original statement of students and teachers being overwhelmingly bored.

Carolyn Lovely
Final Draft

On the Importance of Competent Educators

One of the most influential components of a student’s life is their educators. Having an exceptional or even competent teacher makes a great difference; as does having a poor teacher. Mrs. Umbridge and Mr. Smith both worked in the history field at the same high school. Both were expected to give the students a valuable educational experience and prepare them for Advanced Placement testing. Mr. Smith successfully filled this expectation, while Mrs. Umbridge created an environment of frustration and left her students feeling ignorant and unprepared. This was partially due to their personal styles and motivation for teaching, but the most important difference was simply that one knew the subject they were teaching and the other did not.

Mrs. Umbridge had been teaching United States history at this high school for over ten years and when the position for 10th grade AP World History teacher came up, the school felt like she would be capable; despite the fact that she had no experience teaching an AP class or even a world history class. From day one it was clear that she was unprepared for the position. While showing the students the textbook on the first day, she referred to the painting on front saying, “I think this was painted by an asian.” Already the students felt uneasy and had little confidence in her teaching. She continued to display the same level of ignorance throughout the year; most of the time not knowing anymore than the students did. Everyday she showed powerpoint slides, which she did not write herself, and read them word for word. When asked a question, she would either stumble through an unhelpful answer or tell the students to “google it.” As the year progressed, students became increasingly frustrated with the AP test growing ever closer. They did not respect her and had no confidence in her teaching. Often it would be the more knowledgeable students who did most of the teaching. It did not help that she spoke in a condescending manner to her students. A teacher has every right to expect respect from their students; however, many fail to realize that they will not receive it if they do not also respect the students. Mrs. Umbridge’s ill preparedness was not really her fault, having been pushed into the position. If one had not been trying to learn from her, they would have felt sympathy. A couple months into the year, any sympathy the students felt for her had been overwhelmed by frustration. Most had simply given up halfway through the year. Those still hoping to take the AP test did have some hope. A former teacher of AP World History, who now taught spanish at the same school, offered to instruct a study group outside of class. It started as a small group of 3-4 students and grew to include about half of all the students in AP World History. Mrs. Umbridge would often ask him questions concerning history and even try to sit in on study sessions. She did try to improve her knowledge, but it was not very successful. Her students were perhaps too hard on her, but the main problem was that she should not have accepted the position. When the AP test came, many opted not to take it and of those that did, very few passed. The students left the class feeling frustrated, ignorant and most of all incredibly grateful that it was over. After this year, she was sent to teach in the PAL program, which is half homeschooled learning. The former teacher who taught the study group is now teaching the AP World History classes.

After spending their sophomore year with Mrs. Umbridge, the students were wary about entering another AP history class their junior year; however, they had heard good things about Mr. Smith so many opted to take his AP United States history class. Mr. Smith was experienced with teaching US history in the AP format. He stood at the front of the class in calm manner that demanded respect. From the first day the students knew this would be an entirely different experience. Mr. Smith was incredibly knowledgeable on the subject he taught. There was rarely a question he could not answer and when there was he simply stated that he did not know instead of coming up with a jumbled, inconclusive answer. He also used the powerpoint format; however, he did not simply read off the slides. He wrote the slides himself, sometimes including a funny or interesting anecdote. He also elaborated on the information on the slides. They gave us something to write down and review later, but his words provided us with something to learn. He rarely had to tell students to be quiet or pay attention; they were all grateful to be there and valued the information he gave. Those who had also been in Mrs. Umbridge’s class were simply relieved to finally have a not only competent, but exceptional teacher. Some would find his lecture style format a little dull, but this method worked for Mr. Smith. He was generally very formal, but also had a great sense of humor for those who were clever enough to listen. His lectures often included sarcasm and perhaps a few bad puns; this made his lectures entertaining as well as interesting. Mrs. Umbridge would often attempt to be funny, but never really connected with the students. Mr. Smith expected his students to provide good work, as he provided them with the information to do so. He also invited students to come in after school if they had questions or wanted advice on a project. His students had a great amount of respect for him and in turn he respected his students. He usually called them by “Mr or Ms” and their last name. Mrs. Umbridge saw her students as a group of unruly teenagers, while Mr. Smith saw them as a group of academic minds who were there to learn. The result of this was that Mrs. Umbridge’s students acted like a group of unruly teenagers, while Mr. Smith’s actually acted like students. When it became time to take the AP test in May, most in Mr. Smith’s class felt prepared. Almost everyone took the test and the majority of them passed. Mr. Smith prepared his students well for the test and wanted them to succeed; however, he stated that his main priority was to give them knowledge of history. He loved teaching history and was incredibly good at it. Even those who found his class boring had to admit that they learned more in that class than they had most of their high school career. Mr. Smith continues to educate students on history to this day.

          Those who suffered through Mrs. Umbridge’s class and never went on to take Mr.Smith’s missed a great opportunity. For many Mrs. Umbridge destroy any interest they had in history, while Mr. Smith restored it. The most important factor was simply that Mr. Smith knew how to teach the class, while Mrs. Umbridge was unprepared and ignorant on the subject. It was also clear that Mr. Smith enjoyed teaching his class, while it seemed like Mrs. Umbridge was simply trying to get through the year. This was reflected in the mindset of the students as well. Although there are several components that make up a good teacher, the most important is simply that the teacher is knowledgeable on and interested in the subject they teach. This may seem a bit obvious, but there is an alarming amount of teachers who do not seem to know much about what they are teaching or have lost interest in it. Mr. Smith and Mrs. Umbridge differed in a number of areas, but knowledge on the subject was the key difference in the success of the students.

Compare Contrast Draft

On the Importance of Competent Educators

One of the most influential components of a student’s life is their educators. Having an exceptional or even competent teacher makes a great difference; as does having a poor teacher. Mrs. Umbridge and Mr. Smith both worked in the history field at the same high school. Both were expected to give the students a valuable educational experience and prepare them for Advanced Placement testing. Mr. Smith successfully filled this expectation, while Mrs. Umbridge created an environment of frustration and left her students feeling ignorant and unprepared. This was partially due to their personal styles and motivation for teaching, but the most important difference was simply that one knew the subject they were teaching and the other did not.

Mrs. Umbridge had been teaching United States history at this high school for over ten years and when the position for 10th grade AP World History teacher came up, the school felt like she would be capable; despite the fact that she had no experience teaching an AP class or even a world history class. From day one it was clear that she was unprepared for the position. While showing the students the textbook on the first day, she referred to the painting on front saying, “I think this was painted by an asian.” Already the students felt uneasy and had little confidence in her teaching. She continued to display the same level of ignorance throughout the year; most of the time not knowing anymore than the students did. Everyday she showed powerpoint slides, which she did not write herself, and read them word for word. When asked a question, she would either stumble through an unhelpful answer or tell the students to “google it.” As the year progressed, students became increasingly frustrated with the AP test growing ever closer. They did not respect her and had no confidence in her teaching. Often it would be the more knowledgeable students who did most of the teaching. It did not help that she spoke in a condescending manner to her students. A teacher has every right to expect respect from their students; however, many fail to realize that they will not receive it if they do not also respect the students. Mrs. Umbridge’s ill preparedness was not really her fault, having been pushed into the position. If one had not been trying to learn from her, they would have felt sympathy. A couple months into the year, any sympathy they felt for her had been overwhelmed by frustration. Most students had simply given up halfway through the year. Those still hoping to take the AP test did have some hope. A former teacher of AP World History, who now taught spanish at the same school, outside of class. It started as a small group of 3-4 students and grew to include about half of all the students in AP World History. Mrs. Umbridge would often ask him questions concerning history and even try to sit in on study session. She did try to improve her knowledge, but it was not very successful. Her students were also perhaps too hard on her, but the main problem was that she should not have accepted the position. When the AP test came, many opted not to take it and of those that did, very few passed. The students left the class feeling frustrated, ignorant and most of all incredibly grateful that it was over. After this year, she was sent to teach in the PAL program, which is half homeschooled learning, not even retaining her former position teaching United States history. The former teacher who taught the study group is now teaching the AP World History classes.

After spending their sophomore year with Mrs. Umbridge, they students were wary about entering another AP history class their junior year; however, they had heard good things about Mr. Smith so many opted to take his AP United States history class. Mr. Smith was experienced with teaching US history in the AP format. He stood at the front of the class in calm manner that demand respect. From the first day the students knew this would be an entirely different experience. Mr. Smith was incredibly knowledgeable on the subject he taught. There was rarely a question he could not answer and when there was he simply stated that he did not know instead of coming up with a jumbled inconclusive answer. He also used the powerpoint format; however, he did not simply read of the slides. He wrote the slides himself, sometimes including a funny or interesting anecdote. He also elaborated on the information on the slides. They gave us something to write down and review late, but his words provided us with something to learn. He rarely had to tell students to be quiet or pay attention; they were all grateful to be there and valued the information he gave. Those who had also been in Mrs. Umbridge’s class were just relieved to finally have a not only competent, but exceptional teacher. Some would find his lecture style format a little dull, but this method worked for Mr. Smith. He was generally very formal, but also had a great sense of humor for those who were clever enough to listen. His lectures often included sarcasm and perhaps a few bad puns; this made his lectures entertaining as well as interesting. Mrs. Almond would often attempt to be funny, but never really connected with the students.  He expected his students to provide good work, as he provided them with the information to do so. He also invited students to come in after school if they had questions or wanted advice on a project. The students had a great amount of respect for him and in turn he respected his students. He usually called them by “Mr or Ms” and their last name. Mrs. Umbridge saw her students as a group of unruly teenagers, while Mr. Smith saw them as a group of academic minds who were there to learn. The result of this was that Mrs. Umbridge’s students acted like a group of unruly teenagers, while Mr. Smith’s actually acted like students. When it became time to take the AP test in May, most in Mr. Smith’s class felt prepared. Almost everyone took the test and the majority of them passed. Mr. Smith prepared his students well for the test and wanted them to succeed; however, he stated that his main priority was to give them knowledge of history. He loved teaching history and was incredibly good at it. Even those who found his class boring had to admit that they learned more in that class than they had most of their high school career. Mr. Smith continues to educate students on history to this day.

              Those who suffered through Mrs. Umbridge’s and never went on to take Mr. Smith’s missed a great opportunity. For many Mrs. Umbridge destroy any interest they had in history, while Mr. Smith restored it. The most important factor was simply that Mr. Smith knew how to teach the class, while Mrs. Umbridge was unprepared and ignorant on the subject. It was also clear that Mr. Smith enjoyed teaching his class, while it seemed like Mrs. Umbridge was simply trying to get through the year. This was reflected in the mindset of the students as well. Although there are several components that make up a good teacher, the most important is simply that the teacher is knowledgeable on and interested in the subject they teach. This may seem a bit obvious, but there is an alarming amount of teacher who do not seem to know much about what they are teaching. While both experiences were influenced by personal style of the two teachers and other factors, knowledge on the subject was the key difference in the success of the students.