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Lauren Tripp

"For Poor, Leap to College Often Ends in a Hard Fall" - DeParle - 10 views

www.nytimes.com/...a-greater-role-in-success.html

April4assignment

shared by Lauren Tripp on 02 Apr 13 - No Cached
  • Lauren Tripp on 02 Apr 13
     
    Use this space to comment on any quote from this reading.
  • ...17 more comments...
  • Lisa Lee on 04 Apr 13
     
    I found this quote interesting: "The idea that education can be 'selfish' - a belief largely alien among the upper-middle class - is one poor students often confront, even if it remains unspoken." I think the quote generalizes a bit and, interpreted by a particularly sensitive person, could be seen as trying to induce guilt on the part of rich people (though their guilt MIGHT say something about their unacknowledged privilege). However, I can see that poor students would not want to burden their families by pursuing higher education and thus they get stuck in the cogs of poverty. To close the gap between high and low income students, I don't think we need the privileged to feel guilty for what they have or the underprivileged to feel guilty in asking for easier access to education. Maybe this is an obvious question, but why is college so expensive, anyway? What would really happen if colleges lowered tuition so higher education was actually attainable for a broader group of people? Money isn't the whole issue in why people aren't going to college, but the only argument I've heard in favor of high tuition have been to benefit the already-rich and educated.
  • nadia5sheikh on 04 Apr 13
     
    In response to Lisa: I definitely understand the meaning of the quote you chose and the inherent guilt that any student might feel because of the high cost of higher education. Building on your point about lowering college tuition, it seems that this would be an ideal goal in a society acknowledging, more and more, the growing need for a degree in the competitive global economy. If America wants to remain competitive, we must produce students capable of handling the issues of today. When more and more jobs require a college education, it seems logical that the necessary training would be more readily accessible, to all groups. Perhaps it is simply the static nature of conflicting politics that prevents change. Or, does the lack of change reflect an attempt to protect the already established class privileges, despite all of the discourse revolving around closing these gaps?
  • Adrian Miller on 04 Apr 13
     
    Lisa, I liked that quote when I read the article too. Its very interesting and makes you think. It is true that this remains unspoken and I never thought of education as selfish but when I think about it, it can definitely be seen as such.
  • Lisa Lee on 04 Apr 13
     
    Totally agree, Nadia. I don't think we're limited to 4-year liberal arts degrees, either... Vocational/trade schools prepare their students for jobs in the real world too, just in a different way. I'm thinking about that video we watched with the guy who got paid by his company to go to a trade school - that's seriously the best of both worlds! One of my professors says that more than half of the students at UF shouldn't be here because they don't want to be, they weren't wired to study liberal arts. Even though it sounds harsh, I can think of at least a few of my friends who are miserable because they think the only way they'll be happy is to be here and to get this part of their lives over with so they can start getting paid. I'm starting to go off on a tangent here, but I wonder if high school students receive more career counseling, maybe they would actually think about which jobs would give them life satisfaction and not just a 401K... Vocational college could be a great option, but we don't hear about them much! There may be some negative stigma attached to trade schools that make them seem blue collar in a white collar society, and that goes into what you mentioned about the politics of class privilege.
  • kmckay013 on 04 Apr 13
     
    Lisa Lee, In response to your last response, I'm not sure if I understand fully what your professor said. I understand that you're trying to say that students should not be here because they don't want to be, but I don't understand why being wired to study liberal arts would be a requirement for attending a college. I agree that high school students should receive more career counseling but for the most part ( I know my career counselor in high school) did not have that large of an impact on my current professional pursuits. By the time students come to college, they change their minds about what they want to do at least four or five times. Also, often what drives students to go for the 401K is because of their family situation. Whether we would like to be in a financially better position than our parents or our parents are pushing us into that desk job, they often have the largest influence on our initial thoughts of our careers. While vocational college has its merits, I think the main issue with that is that jobs that come from a vocational school are usually less respected and paid less than 4-year college jobs, as you said. Having poor students go into vocational colleges to get less well paid jobs just continues the cycle. I think we should lower tuition though. I honestly don't see why it costs so much.
  • Lisa Lee on 04 Apr 13
     
    Krystal, what I got from my professor was that there's a power structure in place that says you must go to a 4-year liberal arts college, you need that "well-rounded" education to be "qualified" for the job market (and thus achieve a certain status in society). But does an electrical engineer need to have 9 credit hours of humanities to be a good engineer? In that way, some professions shouldn't require students to be in a liberal arts program - thus, they "shouldn't be there." From a functionalist/conflict perspective (not saying it's the right perspective, just one way to look at it), those students in poverty are being denied access to higher paying, higher status jobs because they can't afford this type of liberal arts instruction. I don't know how salaries are determined, but I agree that jobs obtained through vocational schools shouldn't be stigmatized in addition to tuition being lowered at liberal arts colleges. About the career counseling, I was just wondering if high school students were more open to vocational schools, they'd take advantage of them. Sure, a student who wants a liberal arts education should be able to receive one and it's a problem that they can't. I'm not suggesting that vocational schools are the second rung, leftover alternatives where we can hide our inner city students, either. But for those students in poverty who give up altogether and don't pursue ANY higher education at all because of the cost, having guidance counselors who suggest this as an option might be helpful - assuming, of course, that they have guidance counselors in the first place.
  • Gabrilla Mustafa on 04 Apr 13
     
    "Neighborhoods have grown more segregated by class, leaving lower-income students increasingly concentrated in lower-quality schools. And even after accounting for financial aid, the costs of attending a public university have risen 60 percent in the past two decades" Schools get funded through property taxes and because of this low income communities get less money to distribute to local schools as compared to higher income communities with lots of home owners. More home owners leads to more property taxes which gets schools in high income communities more money to contribute to better qualified teachers, better technology, nicer school facilities, etc. The first step to closing the gap between high low income students is allowing schools to provide the same opportunities to all students. This can be done if all schools receive the same amount of money to contribute to student's education. Rather than funding money from property taxes directly to local schools, local governments should collect the money and distribute it evenly among schools in high and low income communities. This way all schools could afford to provide the same learning tools for all students.
  • ljohnson3 on 04 Apr 13
     
    In the article, I found the following quote to be very interesting: "With school success and earning prospects ever more entwined, the consequences carry far: education, a force meant to erode class barriers, appears to be fortifying them." I chose this quote because its saddening to see that education, typically a path that people choose to overcome low economic status, is not available for those students who are academically qualified. Low-income students already have to endure enough obstacles in order to reach a point where they are ready for college studies. By not being able to attend school or be successful in school, these students will be the ones taking the low income jobs. This is just a continuation of the widening of the gap between high and low income students. I believe that Emory's financial aid program is a beginning step to minimizing the income gap. If a student's family made less than $50K/ year, then Emory would turn some of the student's loans into grants. Also, there could be a highly recommended push for low-income students to apply for work-study programs. These programs are usually not too strenuous and are flexible to student's schedule. Overall, I do agree with the previous posts that college tuition needs to be decreased drastically. I was speaking with a friend of mine about this topic and he asked me why couldn't college be free like K-12 schooling. I didn't really know how to respond besides "Oh that's not going to happen." I did not know any legitimate reason as to why some college programs could not do this. It just seemed unrealistic for colleges to do this. Any thoughts on this question?
  • ariellelyn on 04 Apr 13
     
    Its hard to say if it was their low socioeconomic status that led them to not graduate or pass some courses in 4 years, or if it was their social group and the people that surrounded themselves. "schools may have also changed in ways that make parental income and education more important". Education could be reformed in public education by making public schools fair and even for all parents. Taking exams like SAT which determine admissions into colleges, it is important to get a good score. Those who can afford the tutors and prep classes will have a better chance of getting in. I think that there has to be other ways to do this and money should not have to be related to achievement.
  • Alexa Rose on 04 Apr 13
     
    "It's becoming increasingly unlikely that a low-income student, no matter how intrinsically bright, moves up the socioeconomic ladder," said Sean Reardon, a sociologist at Stanford. "What we're talking about is a threat to the American dream." This quote really stood out to me because it really shows the issues that we are seeing with higher education. These poor, first generation students are going to colleges that they can't afford, not knowing how the process works and how to deal with it. Without any sort of support system, they are setting themselves up for failure. In order to close the gap between high and low income students, schooling should start by being more affordable. Loans and grants should not be as difficult to obtain, and shouldn't be falsified like in this article. I also think that there should be more work-study programs for those students who have to pay their own way through college. There should also be more involvement at the high school level. Guidance counselor's need to be more helpful in preparing students for college. Especially if they are first generation college students, these kids have no idea how college works and that's not really something that you can learn without any help. In this article, one of the professors tried to reach out to the girl, which is awesome, but she wasn't very responsive and I'm concerned that would be the response of most kids who don't know what they're doing and end up failing. No one wants to admit that they failed so it's easier to just ignore it.
  • Keri Pappas on 04 Apr 13
     
    "Weekends and summers were devoted to a college-readiness program, where her best friends, Melissa O'Neal and Bianca Gonzalez, shared her drive to "get off the island" - escape the prospect of dead-end lives in luckless Galveston. Melissa, an eighth-grade valedictorian, seethed over her mother's boyfriends and drinking, and Bianca's bubbly innocence hid the trauma of her father's death. They stuck together so much that a tutor called them the "triplets." " This article brought up a lot of good points and had great example stories. This quote stuck out to me because of the influence peers and friend groups can have on an individual. Families have a huge influence on one's well being and their ability to excel in education. They also can be supportive or detrimental. Not that I am saying it is all the families fault if a student fails, but there is a strong influence. Families do the best they can and some circumstances are challenging ,like finances or trauma within a household. No matter what, a family's situations will effect someone, especially the children. But, there is an alternative when people thing in terms of support. Friend groups can be extremely influential. In my experience, this is what was where my sister and I found the most support, specifically in scholastic areas. I can relate to the "triplets' mentioned in this article. I had friends like that. Through all the chaos of one's home front, there can be outside support that can undesirably beneficial. Although the girls did not excel the way I hope hoped they would, this still brings up a good point. Another good point was the pressure of needed finances as adults and outside influences. Now as far as education reform. I see a lot of hope and promise in after school programs. An example of this working in a beneficial way is when a student is suppose to go home alone when the parent or parent is still at work. An option of just staying at school and working on homework would be
  • irivera2144 on 07 Apr 13
     
    Alexa- That quote stood out to me as well. It is an unfortunate aspect of our economic system, since cost is calculated in relation to the economic condition of the society as a whole, while the individuals are expected to satisfy this generalized goal independently. In other words, what a person must pay is dictated by the wealth of people that have nothing to do with that person, while the individual is left to rely only on his/her resources to pay that cost. It is contradictory to say that an individual has no right to another one's resources, while the resources of all others creates what is demanded of that specific individual.
  • irivera2144 on 07 Apr 13
     
    Lisa- That quote stood out to me because some of the friends I graduated high school with didn't attend college because they felt it would be inconsiderate to do so. When I asked a particular friend why he wasn't applying to colleges, he simply said "I couldn't do that to my dad". It was a response that really expanded my view of education, because I hadn't ever thought of the decision to educate oneself as one which negatively affects the family of the individual.
  • Gabrilla Mustafa on 07 Apr 13
     
    Keri- This quote stood out to me because it was shocking. I think people underestimate privilege all the time. We can't influence the family we are born into, the environment we live in, or the financial situation our caregivers are in. It would be easier if we were all dealt the same hand of cards but it's more complicated than that. These girls were not born into privileged families and the fact that these girls needed to travel out of their town because of its suppressing environment shows this lack or privilege. Future educators should work on ways to level the playing field so all students have an equal opportunity to exceed in their education.
  • Gabrilla Mustafa on 07 Apr 13
     
    Lisa-- I like this quote. I remember speaking about this during class discussion one day. Basically, it's the idea that for the wealthy or privileged there is no reason to question the education system as it today. Why would they question something that has worked for them so far?
  • Keri Pappas on 07 Apr 13
     
    Yes, I agree Lisa. I do not think there is anything positive that can come from the two extreme classes feeling any sense of guilt for their class. The solution has to come out of accepting the facts and moving on. I also agree that college is expensive! Some more than others, of course. Some areas do have no cost tuition colleges. I had a friend that was from Germany and just here for the summer. She did not pay for college. It was free where she lived. She could not understand why we were actually paying for college. Also, why pay for college and not other schooling? This is something we could work on. This system works in some areas. This change could benefit our goal for equality in education.
  • Keri Pappas on 07 Apr 13
     
    Gabrilla-Exactly! "Future educators should work on ways to level the playing field so all students have an equal opportunity to exceed in their education." I loved this thought. This is so true. Making the students feel as if they are all equal is essential. The fact is if a student "leaves his baggage at the door" in some way, they open themselves up to an entire new world. The world outside of the classroom could slip away during the day. Equality in the classroom could help everyone do well regardless of their SES. This would also promote a solid foundation and a feeling of community. This would encourage a "we are in this together" mentality, as well. There are several different ways we could change the educational structure so that the SES could matter less in terms of individuals being educated. I think the small differences we could start with could change the bigger picture more than we initially think.
  • Angel Hernandez on 08 Apr 13
     
    I can relate to this quote, coming from a working class household where both parents did not have the opportunity to be formally educated, I completely understand it. At times, when students go home and are surrounded by their peers that did not go to a 4 year university, they often feel like an outlier. Some may judge you and think that "you are all that" because you went to college while everybody else stayed here. A lot of families face hardships, and it is a custom to work as a unit to solve them for poor families. Poor families are often very connected, generations and generations can live in a household helping each other out. The guilt comes into play when the student sees that their family is struggling and they are not their to help. This is when they consider themselves selfish, they are thinking about the individual instead of the unit. Middle-class students may not face this dilemma because they are taught to be individuals, competitive, sometimes losing sight of the group. You can even say that they feel entitled to their education, that they have the right to be educated--when it is a privilege.
  • Angel Hernandez on 08 Apr 13
     
    In response to Nadia: It just doesnt make sense to me, while tuition is being raised every semester funding is also being cut. The system is not making an education affordable, and an education is necessary to be competitive. Usually when competition exists, prices decrease but that is not the case. After all, competition is what our system preaches. I've come to learn that a University is a business, and loan companies are enjoying every bit of it. It has come to a point where the costs may outweigh the benefits, students decide not to attend a university because they dont want to deal with crazy amounts of debt. The government always preaches how education is so important, but their actions dont back up their claims. This makes it so much harder for poor kids to move up the latter, just increasing the gap!
Hope Kim Doit

How the U.S. compares to the rest of the world... - 35 views

It seems like Finish school system has an equal balance between students and teachers performances. Although they seek to help their students and assist them with their educational needs, they also...

curriculum FInland The Common School

started by Aldreka Everett on 16 Feb 12 15 follow-ups, last by Hope Kim Doit on 02 Mar 12
Lindsey Wilkinson

Children in Room E4: Educational Inequality - 10 views

www.nytimes.com/...ich-and-poor-studies-show.html

shared by Lindsey Wilkinson on 16 Feb 12 - No Cached
  • Lindsey Wilkinson on 16 Feb 12
     
    Page 35-36 "The families claimed that extreme racial and classic segregation in schools enabled and sustained by state-enforced school district boundary lines, denied them the equal educational opportunity guaranteed by Connecticut's Constitution." We feel that this article underlines the book's main focus as it parallels the inequality between economic classes. This book's theme is focused on the inequality between economic and racial education in Connecticut.
  • ...18 more comments...
  • Amanda Rose on 24 Feb 12
     
    It is an unfortunate, yet undeniable fact that money opens doors to opportunities. Because of the way schools are funded through property taxes, schools in higher income areas are automatically going to be embellished more so than schools receiving less funds. This fact is obvious in the Oprah video presented in the beginning of the course. However, money isn't the sole factor in a student's success. This is evident in the following excerpt: "'Early life conditions and how children are stimulated play a very important role,' he said. 'The danger is we will revert back to the mindset of the war on poverty, when poverty was just a matter of income, and giving families more would improve the prospects of their children. If people conclude that, it's a mistake.'" It is imperative for parents to positively influence their students from early on in their school careers so that they may overcome obstacles such as little funding.
  • mnconnin on 25 Feb 12
     
    I was so glad to hear that, "the achievement gap between white and black students has narrowed significantly over the past few decades," but at the same time it is unfortunate to hear that, "the gap between rich and poor students has grown substantially during the same period." Race is merely a construct; therefore I hope Americans begin to realize that success does not lie in which race you come from. Now it seems that, "we have moved from a society in the 1950s and 1960s, in which race was more consequential than family income, to one today in which family income appears more determinative of educational success than race." The question is what can we do about this? I think we need to regain our middle class. Nowadays it seems that people are either upper or lower class. We see, "that wealthy parents invest more time and money than ever before in their children (in weekend sports, ballet, music lessons, math tutors, and in overall involvement in their children's schools), while lower-income families, which are now more likely than ever to be headed by a single parent, are increasingly stretched for time and resources." There needs to be a middle ground in which all students are able to have access to these additional resources. It is quite alarming to know that, "by the time high-income children start school, they have spent about 400 hours more than poor children in literacy activities." More focus needs to be put on this issue because if not the gap between the rich and poor will continue to grow, making it more and more difficult to ever resolve.
  • Elise Costa on 25 Feb 12
     
    Sean Reardon was quoted in the article saying, "We have moved from a society in the 1950s and 1960s, in which race was more consequential than family income, to one today in which family income appears more determinative of educational success than race." Although this has truth to it, I think money has always been a motivation, even if it was overshadowed by race at one point. However, the statistic that it has grown 40% since the 60s is shocking. Money drives the American economy. It is a sad unfortunate truth. The American dream to come here from nothing and make something of yourself is extremely difficult in today's American society. "One reason for the growing gap in achievement, researchers say, could be that wealthy parents invest more time and money than ever before in their children." I agree with this. Wealthy parents have more time and effort to put into their children. This does not make lower SES parents bad parents by any stretch. However, the lower SES parents are probably single-parent homes. These parents might have to work more than one job in order to cloth and feed their child. The parent is doing the best they can but they do not have the monetary means to provide above and beyond for their child.
  • Caitlyn Cozart on 27 Feb 12
     
    In this article, the New York Times is quoted saying "One reason for the growing gap in achievement, researchers say, could be that wealthy parents invest more time and money than ever before in their children (in weekend sports, ballet, music lessons, math tutors, and in overall involvement in their children's schools), while lower-income families, which are now more likely than ever to be headed by a single parent, are increasingly stretched for time and resources." I think this is very true in our society today. I think this article is a perfect description. At my high school, this was truly the case. The higher end families children received the best grades and always seem to do the best in school. I agree with this quote that it comes from how the wealthy parents spend more time with their children, helping them become who they want to become. Wealthier parents seem to push their children more than low-income parents do. In my personal experience, the low-income parents don't always know how to push their children and help them through school because they were never taught themselves.
  • Ashley Jacobs on 28 Feb 12
     
    The fact that, "the gap between rich and poor students has grown substantially during the same period" only surprised me when it was being compared to race. I have personally heard many times that there is an achievement gap between races, yet never read about so much evidence supporting a larger gap between SES. I agree with the section of the article that talks about parents that have excess money investing in their children with extracurricular activities and services. It makes sense that a child with access to tutors, supplemental stimulation of the brain, and a well rounded up-bringing would have an advantage academically. This relates to the point that the main concern for many of these adolescent students is doing well in school to please their parents, rather than making money to help their parents pay bills. A personal example of this came to my mind while reading this article. When I was younger, my mom used to make my siblings and I help with chores on the weekends, but if we had a lot of homework, projects, or extracurricular activities during the week days my mom wouldn't make us do our chores so we would have time to finish everything else. My mom was fortunate to be able to stay home during that period of time while my dad made enough for both of them. Because she had the time and energy to do the housework, she was able to let us concentrate on schoolwork and activities instead of helping her. This lead to me being able to use my time to take on classes with a larger work load and spend extra time making sure I was successful in school since my mom would continually say, "right now, doing well in school is your job". Yes, the statistics from the article were shocking when I first read them; however, I can see reasons for them that aren't as unexpected. The data has been presented; what we need to focus on now is how to fix this.
  • Jordan Bender on 29 Feb 12
     
    I found this quote interesting because I never really noticed that more affluent children do better in school. At first, I thought that intelligence is not connected to wealth but then realized that if a student is not necessarily the smartest student in the classroom, more affluent families have the money and resources to push their child academically. More affluent families have the money for tutors, SAT prep courses, and programs that can help their child's development. I think that there should be more programs that are free to all students that can help all students succeed. A child's success should not depend on how much money his/her family has.
  • Chelsea Townsend on 29 Feb 12
     
    Education was once thought to equalize opportunities between rich and poor students. Public education was designed to increase the chances for success among the less fortunate. However, recently researchers have found that the gap between rich and poor has grown substantially. The recession may be responsible for the widened gap. Also, it is predicted that wealthy parents invest more time and money into their children. Excessive money may be spent on tutors, music lessons, sports, and overall involvement in school. According to a study by Sabino Kornrich and Frank F. Furstenberg, "Americans at the upper end of the income spectrum were spending five times as much per child as low-income families. By 2007 that gap had grown to nine to one; spending by upper-income families more than doubles, while spending by low-income families grew by 20 percent." Another reason for this gap may be due to the amount of time spent exposed to literacy activities. According to Meredith Phillips, "Affluent children spend 1,300 more hours than low-income children before age 6 in places other than their homes, their day care centers, or schools." It is unfortunate that money opens the doors to opportunities. Because schools are funded by property taxes, schools in higher income areas are going to have better programs and more opportunities for their students. Although money does not solely determine a student's future success it does make it easier to pursue goals because of exposure to academic opportunities.
  • Alee Douglass on 29 Feb 12
     
    While reading the article the fact that "by the time high-income children start school, they have spent about 400 hours more than poor children in literacy activities" really surprised and upset me. That time spent with reading is 400 hours of extra practice that low income students don't get, which leads me to believe now more than ever schools should offer more reading practices before and after school, which would bring the community together and help out to bridge the gap between rich and poor. That was why I was glad to read that "The connection between income inequality among parents and the social mobility of their children has been a focus of President Obama as well as some of the Republican presidential candidates." The fact that political figures are taking action with this problem leaves me with hope that it become a known problem, which can be fixed.
  • anonymous on 29 Feb 12
     
    This article discuss the achievement gap in affluent and poor students. That students are being treated differently based on their parent's income. This is harmful because it can cause problems for all students. One of the quotes from our class readings remind me of this article, "even worse, the new black classes provided white school officials with a handy excuse for "doing little or nothing" to alter the so-called regular curriculum, as another scholar warned" from Black Activism, White Resistance, and Multiculturalism by Jonathan Zimmerman (page 109). Even though the quote and the article are quite different since predominately the affluent families are Caucasian and the poor families are mostly African-American this quote can relate to the fact that this type of division of classes can be destructive.
  • anonymous on 01 Mar 12
     
    I was delighted to read in the article that the racial achievement gap is lower than ever before. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said in terms of family income. While reading, the first reason that popped into my head that could explain this was families of higher income being able to afford the best educational opportunities for their children. As stated in the  article, "One reason for the growing gap in achievement, researchers say, could be that wealthy parents and that's more time and money than ever before in their children… " Because these parents can afford to make these types of investments, their child is more likely to have a more well-rounded educational experience and more opportunity to engage in extracurricular activities. 
  • Tiffany Morgan on 01 Mar 12
     
    "One reason for the growing gap in achievement, researchers say, could be that wealthy parents invest more time and money than ever before in their children (in weekend sports, ballet, music lessons, math tutors, and in overall involvement in their children's schools), while lower-income families, which are now more likely than ever to be headed by a single parent, are increasingly stretched for time and resources." This definitely is a big factor contributing between the achievement of kids from poorer and richer backgrounds. Another factor is that property taxes determine how much money schools get. If a child lives in a poor neighborhood and goes to the local school they are at a diadvantage. Children in richers areas that have better schools hire more teachers with masters and doctorate degrees and have better libraries, more computers, and after school activities. If property taxes were not a factor in a school funding, poor students would have the same resources as richer students.
  • Aldreka Everett on 01 Mar 12
     
    "When the economy recovers, you'll still see all these problems persisting for reasons that have nothing to do with money and everything to do with culture," In my opinion it is also the subject of parenting. Yes, higher income families can provide their children with better resources and extra curricular activities, but that does not stop certain "poor" students from excelling, especially if the parents push them. Unfortunately, lower income families don't always support education due to the financial situation. These students may have to work and don't have the time to do extra things outside of the home.
  • Cassandra Hayne on 01 Mar 12
     
    I have been thinking a lot lately on ways to change the school system for the better. Out teacher suggested the idea of finding a different way to pay for public schools than property tax. This would give students a more equal opportunity than social class creates. Our current system places the students in a specific environment to fail and tell them hard work will get them out when in all reality the class you are in seems to be a determining factor in America life within the last few years. I believe focusing on the allocation of resources with help bridge the gap between class and education.
  • Chardae Jinks on 01 Mar 12
     
    "Researchers are finding that while the achievement gap between white and black students has narrowed significantly over the past few decades, the gap between rich and poor students has grown substantially during the same period." The quote from this article points out a good fact that the gap is shying away from it being a racial issue to a financial issue. However, with that still comes the idea of which races fit into those categories of who is rich and who is poor. It is still evident that even though society doesn't want to shine light on the idea that racism still exists in today's society. Racism doesn't necessarily have to be about color even though it has a factor in the achievement gap. For instance, the schools in inner-city neighborhoods are over-crowded and the resources for adequate achievement don't exist. However, the same cannot be said for students in suburban neighborhoods, where classes don't exceed more than 25 students and books are available for every student. Another quote that rings true for me from the articles says, "when the economy recovers, you'll still see all these problems persisting for reasons that have nothing to do with money and everything to do with culture." Every season has its reason (in my opinion an excuse) as to why achievement gaps exist.
  • Amanda Stafford on 01 Mar 12
     
    From the article, "the gap between rich and poor students has grown substantially during the same period". When taking that into consideration, I think that there are certain factors that are contributing to the gap between success and income level, not just the mere fact that some parents cannot afford to send their children to private school. Parents who are at the lower income levels cannot afford to provide supplemental materials for their children, so what they learn in public school could be the only type of education they receive. However, it can also be up to the child to want to be in a better position than their parents because they have seen what they go through firsthand, which could potentially spur their desire for a higher level of success. Although this theory is possible, it is not likely that the children of parents in lower income levels will move up. In fact, only about 10% of children will move up in a social class higher than what their parents are.
  • Aline Dahruj on 01 Mar 12
     
    "Now, in analyses of long-term data published in recent months, researchers are finding that while the achievement gap between white and black students has narrowed significantly over the past few decades, the gap between rich and poor students has grown substantially during the same period." Americans say they believe in children getting equal opportunities for education, but not enough is being done about it. In Florida, the public school funding system just isn't working, and this quotes explains why. Children of the same or similar academic achievement should be receiving the same quality of education. If that is not the case, which it isn't, then a new method of funding should be made. We should be working to narrow the gap between rich and poor students, not merely watching it grow.
  • Aline Dahruj on 01 Mar 12
     
    "Now, in analyses of long-term data published in recent months, researchers are finding that while the achievement gap between white and black students has narrowed significantly over the past few decades, the gap between rich and poor students has grown substantially during the same period." Americans say they believe in children getting equal opportunities for education, but not enough is being done about it. In Florida, the public school funding system just isn't working, and this quotes explains why. Children of the same or similar academic achievement should be receiving the same quality of education. If that is not the case, which it isn't, then a new method of funding should be made. We should be working to narrow the gap between rich and poor students, not merely watching it grow.
  • Lindsey Wilkinson on 02 Mar 12
     
    This is an issue that I am very concerned with, and I have gone as far as considering participating in Teach For America to help solve this problem and eliminate the education gap. What I do like about this article is something that is buried in the middle of it and could be easily overlooked. It says "now catching the attention of a broader audience, in part because income inequality has been a central theme this election season." It then goes on to say "focus of President Obama as well as some of the Republican presidential candidates." Although so far this is all talk and no action, I feel like the first step in changing this movement is spreading awareness of the problem and generating interest in a solution. I am glad that this is an issue that is being talked about and openly discusses, because that means we are at least one step closer on the road to solving the problem. I have high hopes that if Americans make it an important issue and make that fact known to our law makers, then we will eventually see change and progress in the system to help solve this problem.
  • daniela_a on 02 Mar 12
     
    "the equivalent of around $160,000 in 2008, when the study was conducted - and children from the 10th percentile, $17,500 in 2008. By the end of that period, the achievement gap by income had grown by 40 percent, he said, while the gap between white and black students, regardless of income, had shrunk substantially". It is clear that race isnt really an issue for our society but economy is. I think it is so sad that the money your parents make can affect a student so drastically. Just how the article mentions that parents are now more than ever spending money of their kids for extra curricular activities and lower income parents which are mostly represented by single parent households are barely making ends meet. Every child should have an equal opportunity regardless of their parents income.
  • Hope Kim Doit on 02 Mar 12
     
    The article stated that "It is a well-known fact that children from affluent families tend to do better in school." Rich people can provide better education to their kids. They can pay for private tutors and schools that will have their children's best interest while the unfortunate people must suffer to what the government can offer due to their financial struggle. It's sad to know that there seems to be a cycle of education in poverty level. I think this cycle can be broken if the students who are financially incapable can be provided with resources that are open to public. For instance, libraries are available but if they could be more updated and not being cut off financially, students will get the help that they needed and excel in school.
Alexa Rose

"Shadowy Lines that Still Divide" - Scott & Leonhardt - 25 views

I agree with Nadia's comment on that quote, that being stuck can be blamed on class. Class is tied into resources and income, and if you don't have the resources or income, there's really no way to...

April4assignment

started by Lauren Tripp on 02 Apr 13 12 follow-ups, last by Alexa Rose on 07 Apr 13
Alexis Freeman

Unequal Opportunity in Education (PROBE) - 1 views

Here are some resources that helped me through my paper. They gave me good speaking points to my paper because they left open ended questions that I could talk about further. New York Times articl...

started by Alexis Freeman on 29 Mar 12 no follow-up yet
April Penland

Students Still Have Unequal Access To Educational Opportunities - 10 views

I do agree that students still have unequal access to educational opportunities. Depending on where you live, the "majority" and your intellectual abilities are main concerns as to how "educational...

http:__www.huffingtonpost.com_2011_06_30_unequal-education-access-report_n_887771.html

started by Jasmine Wright on 07 Nov 12 4 follow-ups, last by April Penland on 08 Nov 12
Alyssa Gantt

Economic Inequality=Educational Inequity - 1 views

blogs.edweek.org/...ty_educational_inequality.html

shared by Alyssa Gantt on 28 Mar 11 - No Cached
  • Alyssa Gantt on 28 Mar 11
     
    "What is not widely known is that even before the Great Recession, the U.S. had the highest rate of childhood poverty in the industrialized world, according to UNICEF. This rate has not budged significantly over a decade. The U.S. also has the highest rate of the permanently poor of all other industrialized nations. These appalling conditions are tolerated by no other advanced democracy. Yet with the exception of sporadic populist outrage, business goes on as usual. In fact, when it comes to education, pressure is building to deregulate and privatize schools, as if doing so will somehow mitigate inequities"
  • ...1 more comment...
  • Jamel Langley on 28 Mar 11
     
    "At the same time, black and Latino students (except from elite families)) are more segregated from whites than at any time since the 1960s. According to a report issued by the Civil Rights Project of the University of California, about 40 percent of black and Latino students attend schools that are almost totally composed of their own races. The segregation is not limited to schools. It is also seen in neighborhoods, churches, clubs and other associations. As a result, whatever harm takes place in school by segregation is exacerbated by what takes place outside of school." This is absolutely alarming. But at the same token its the same argument that has been going on for years.
  • kwalley on 30 Mar 11
     
    "The only way to achieve equality in society is to achieve it in the classroom." This article sheds light on the real problem facing students and their families who come from impoverished neighborhoods; however, it must be understood that while there are strong correlations between the inequality in society and in schools, fixing one will not inevitably fix the other. If America wants a fair and equal education system than we must work toward equalizing both society and the classroom whether that disparity comes from income, neighborhood, or race.
  • brookechancey on 30 Mar 11
     
    "Those advocating this strategy are the same people who argue for fewer controls on corporations. The rationale in both cases is that an unencumbered marketplace is the solution to both the economic and educational ills of the country. We know by now where this approach led in the case of the former. Why would the outcome be different in the case of the latter? But by the time America wakes up to reality, it will be too late to undo the damage done by this warped thinking." - Good article, I am going to use this source for my paper, as well.
Lisa Lee

Differences in learning for high and low levels of SES students - 14 views

Very cool. There's a study that found the greatest in-school predictor of academic success/learning gains is teacher quality, which seems to be backed up by the study you found. Some reformers take...

started by urvashisingh on 24 Mar 13 5 follow-ups, last by Lisa Lee on 25 Mar 13
Hope Kim Doit

Special-needs education: Does mainstream inclusion work? - 43 views

I don't think including special needs in class is that debatable as it was before. Schools now offer accommodations for disabled students. They also have special programs that meet their needs. Th...

Education

started by Aline Dahruj on 16 Feb 12 17 follow-ups, last by Hope Kim Doit on 02 Mar 12
Angel Hernandez

For Poor, Leap to college often ends in a hard fall - 0 views

"Education- a force meant to erode class barriers appears to be fortifying them." I believe that education is the great equalizer, yet I agree with the quote above. Today's education system appea...

started by Angel Hernandez on 08 Apr 13 no follow-up yet
Caitlyn Cozart

CNN Pennsylvania school experiments with 'segregation' - 9 views

articles.cnn.com/...orhood-schools-system-students

shared by Caitlyn Cozart on 16 Feb 12 - No Cached
  • Caitlyn Cozart on 16 Feb 12
     
    "In the 1960s and 1970s, noted The Times, the boundaries of school attendance zones had sometimes been redrawn "to promote racial integration," but the schools where this had taken place, the paper said, had "lost their distinct neighborhood character" and many "produced lackluster academic results"- which, if this seemingly direct connection was correct, appeared to indicate that school desegregation had not been in the best interests of the children of New York." - This is a quote from Shame of the Nation by Jonathan Kozol. Our group feels that this article successfully links this book to our education systems today. This article is about a Pennsylvania high school experimenting with segregation and the outcomes of it. Shame of the Nation focuses on the ongoing segregation in our school systems.
  • ...15 more comments...
  • Amanda Rose on 24 Feb 12
     
    Shame of the Nation presents many examples of the sad fact that many New York schools are segregated by race and class, and how students are negatively affected by this. While this Pennsylvania study is ridiculous, it might be interesting to spotlight student achievement if emphasis was placed on segregating genders, rather than focusing on racial differences. The following quote presents an interesting idea about single-gender classrooms: "A national study from UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies claims to show that girls from single-sex schools have an edge over their co-ed peers. 'Single-sex education appears to produce favorable outcomes for female students, especially in terms of their confidence, engagement and aspirations, most notably in areas related to math and science,' the 2008 study said." However, segregating seems ineffective all together, because society is not segregated by gender once students reach the real world in adulthood. Moreover, it is important for the development of males to grow and mature with the presence of female peers.
  • mnconnin on 25 Feb 12
     
    This article was extremely interesting and I could see how segregation could really benefit the students, as long as it is done in a minimal way. A huge issue in the education system is the clash of cultures between teachers and students. Many teachers are white; middle-class women while the students come from all sorts of backgrounds. Therefore, I can see how, "Educators immediately noticed strong bonds being formed between all students and mentor teachers." It is much easier for students to relate to a teacher/mentor that is a lot like them. Our schools today center around a very white, "Christian" curriculum and this may not be the best learning style for minority students. With this said, I think "rolling the clock back to the time before Brown vs. the Board of Education," is not the answer. Segregating students for, "six minutes each day and 20 minutes twice a month," though could help solve the clash of cultures crisis. It is interesting to note the national study from the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information studies, which claims that, "girls from single-sex schools have an edge over their co-ed peers." It is especially interesting that the girls became more confident in areas related to math and science. In a typical co-ed classroom girls may get discouraged since boys usually pick up math and science with more ease. The same could be true with minority groups; sometimes they might be discouraged with the "whiteness" of the curriculum. I think this idea of "segregation" as long as it is minimal could produce results.
  • Elise Costa on 25 Feb 12
     
    I found the idea behind the article quite surprising. At the end of the article it states that this school might be on the right track because of the single-sex research that is mentioned in the two previous posts. I do not think this is a remotely similar comparison. Single sex schools actually exist. Multiple races can be in the same sex school. The idea of segregating by race is not acceptable. This can have so many negative repercussions that it is not worth the risk. There are many things I think the article should have elaborated on because the program was not described that well. This was one of them: "They plan to replace the policy with a 'neighborhood schools system' that critics say will establish real segregation." I wanted to see more information on this because it was wondering how it would be done. Separating by zones (which are primarily determined by SES) would be interesting and not necessarily race discrimination. Poor white people and poor black people would live in the same area so it would not be completely separated by race. However, even this form of separation may make poor students feel inferior and like they will never go anywhere in life because of their SES. I do not think that separation is a good idea; however, I am interested to know the outcome of this experiment.
  • Ashley Jacobs on 28 Feb 12
     
    The article states that, "Educators immediately noticed strong bonds being formed between all students and mentor teachers." This initially sounds positive, however, it also sounds that as the individual groups grow closer, the bonds of the class as a whole may grow weaker as their differences are focused on, instead of their similarities. I understand that the administrators of the school are experimenting with the implementation of recently supported research, but as briefly mentioned in the article, I think they are playing with the fine line that separates individuals who can handle segregation for academic purposes and individuals who will take this application of segregating students to an inappropriate level.
  • Jordan Bender on 29 Feb 12
     
    This article was shocking to me. I think it's always good to look for ways to help students achieve more in school but I don't think it should be separated by race. It might be a good idea to separate students according to gender, or interests, but separating children by race is taking a step in the wrong direction. I think that education should be color blind, I don't think race should be considered in any decisions and I think everyone should have the same opportunities. I know that the intentions behind this experiment are good, but I don't think this will help the students in the long run. I think that this might encourage unconscious prejudice.
  • Chelsea Townsend on 29 Feb 12
     
    This article experiments with segregating high school students by gender, race, and language to see if this separation improves academic success. I feel that this article is absurd and experiments like this should not even be considered for they are unconstitutional. I agree that studies comparing the academic success of single-sex education verses co-ed education can be conducted, for single-sex schools exist. However, separating students based on race is wrong. In the real world, a person will always be exposed to others of differing races, so they need to learn to coexist and work together.
  • Alee Douglass on 29 Feb 12
     
    While reading this article I could definitely see how separation could be beneficial to students, for it could create a comfort in schools that previously was not there. The quote "single-sex education appears to produce favorable outcomes for female students, especially in terms of their confidence, engagement and aspirations, most notably in areas related to math and science" made me think about how race could also be like that. If certain races are feeling inferior to another, separation could allow the students to work better. However, the problem I see with it is that if races are separated into another school, then most likely problems of achievement will still occur and there will be a gap of achievement in the school whether it is all black or white or gender specific. I do not really think that this should be done formally, a lot of times cliques are formed in schools, and I think that is quite enough separation. I think that if the gaps were filled, not dwelt upon, and there was no emphasis on race or gender mattering in school, there would be no one even talking about how one race is different, let alone how they can achieve better.
  • anonymous on 29 Feb 12
     
    This article describes a school in Pennsylvania that tried to decrease the separation of students by race, gender, and language, so the administrators decided to create a purpose and goal in the classroom to target only African-American students. This experiment started problems with parents, NAACP members, and educators. I believe this is completely biased to the entire school because if the administrators wanted to truly close the separation of race, gender, and language at the school, the administrators should had focus on all races and cultures. I chose a quote from our readings that correlates with this article "Educators often failed to see that many problems children faced in school were sociological and economic in character and were, in C. Wright Mills's term, "public issues" rather than "personal troubles." from The One Best System: A History of American Urban Education by David B. Tyack (page 181).
  • anonymous on 01 Mar 12
     
    After reading this article, I can see how segregation could improve student performance. The article stated that students were place in the classroom with a strong academic role model. I believe that this can improve student performance because students may find this academic role model more relatable or someone who's level of success they would like to reach. Students me also so that the role model understands them better than their teachers and can give them guidance for educational success. A quote in the article that supports this is, "Single-sex education appears to produce favorable outcomes for female students, especially in terms of their confidence, engagement and aspirations, most notably in areas related to math and science."
  • Tiffany Morgan on 01 Mar 12
     
    The junior class at McCaskey East is voluntarily segregated by the students, who organize themselves "by gender, race and/or language," said school spokeswoman Kelly Burkholder. Segregating students will not solve problems with low test scores. Research shows that students from different races, ethnicities, and genders actually score better on tests when they are integrated in the same classroom. Regardless of what level students are on it is best for them to learn in the same classroom as their peers. Research says that if you pair a student who makes good grades with one that makes poor grades both students will do well. The student with higher grades will have practice recalling information and the student with lower grades will have the benefit of working with someone who is doing well in class.
  • Aldreka Everett on 01 Mar 12
     
    As great as this article likes to make this "segregation" sound, there is NO ethical way of practicing this separation. I do believe that all races need to see someone that looks like them doing well in life, but this may be a bit overboard. If they can find a way to make this work then kudos, but this is a touchy subject. There needs to be more proof that it is effective, if not then these studies should stop before it gets carried away.
  • Cassandra Hayne on 01 Mar 12
     
    This idea of modern segregation is appalling. Schools need to focus of the fact that race is a social construct in which we created and can diminish. The article talks about statistics and outcomes but forget that our social lens that is creating these outcomes. Maybe we should be looking at ways to improve testing and teaching methods that will help bridge the gap between races and gender instead of ways to reinforce them. I wonder if any civil right groups have jumped on this since last year.
  • Caitlyn Cozart on 01 Mar 12
     
    I really thought this article was powerful in the face that many people would not believe in this. I thought it was interesting when they stated that they believe "that shows grouping black students by gender with a strong role model can help boost their academic achievement and self esteem." I agree with Cassandra in the fact that they are not focusing on what is really important. I personally do not agree with this article or this idea.
  • Amanda Stafford on 01 Mar 12
     
    When reading this article, I honestly felt like I was going back in time. The fact that the high school was going to be segregated shocked me. I think that the means of this experiment originally meant well, but not everyone saw it that way. When it stated that "the principal defended it", I felt like the school would continue to conduct their experiment as long as possible.
  • Chardae Jinks on 01 Mar 12
     
    "A national study from UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies claims to show that girls from single-sex schools have an edge over their co-ed peers. Single-sex education appears to produce favorable outcomes for female students, especially in terms of their confidence, engagement and aspirations, most notably in areas related to math and science," the 2008 study said. I believe this statement can possibly be truer as it relates to college level education. Just based on my experiences in public school there were always boys that were smarter than girls but felt as though they couldn't perform to their highest achievement because they were concerned with how they might be perceived by their peers. Also in inner city schools it is evident that the drop-out rates of males are extremely high, leaving room for more female competitiveness.
  • Lindsey Wilkinson on 02 Mar 12
     
    I firmly disagree that schools should be segregated or even temporarily segregated on basis of race. I feel that there is absolutely no difference between races at our core, and that it is our environment that makes us different. Thus, an integrated school will allow students to share an environment and have the same beneficial upbringing. I do agree that schools can segregate based on gender. Although I can learn a lot from men, I agree that there are enough genetic differences in the sexes and the way each gender learns to precipitate some segregation. Sexual tension can take away from education, and girls and boys may both learn better in an uninhibited environment. Girls have proven to do well in similar subjects and on similar exams (such as the ACT) showing that there is some commonality within genders. Therefore I feel that segregating on gender is an okay idea, although it should be voluntary and not mandatory.
  • Hope Kim Doit on 02 Mar 12
     
    This may sound really oblivious of me but I never thought something like this still existed in the U.S. since we've all been so liberal about equality rights and such. I do understand how they could argue a research "that shows grouping black students by gender with a strong role model can help boost their academic achievement and self esteem." I think it unleashes social hindrance that won't stop them from expressing who they really are. Even though we've tried hard become united in the society, we cannot neglect the way students are brought up in the society.
Lindsey Wilkinson

Children in Room E4: Are Today's Youth Less Creative & Imaginative? - 6 views

www.msnbc.msn.com/...outh-less-creative-imaginative

shared by Lindsey Wilkinson on 15 Mar 12 - No Cached
  • Lindsey Wilkinson on 15 Mar 12
     
    In this section of the book, a central theme is how the curriculum being taught is limited by standardized testing in schools. In several instances, the teacher is limited in her lessons and the students answers are limited in their creativity because of the need to focus on standardized testing. The article we chose discusses creativity and imagination in current students and explores the idea that creativity is dwindling. Page 197: "But butterflies had been off the official schedule in the past few years. Each fall, Ms. Luddy imagined suburban elementary school students rambling around apple orchards on field trips, picking fruit, creaking about on hayrides. Her kids couldn't do that, not with all the mandatory test practice." ^Reflects limits in curriculum due to standardized testing Page 235: "Now can anyone tell me what a journey is, in your own words. Is a journey just a trip? Or is it something more? Can you think of examples of journeys?" "The CMT!" Jeremy yelled. "That's like something we work at a little at a time ^Reflects limits in student response due to standardized testing
  • ...8 more comments...
  • Alee Douglass on 16 Mar 12
     
    I think that the article supports the quotes chosen from the text. I found the quote "Teachers don't spend a lot of time exploring unexpected ideas because they might not be sure where it will lead, Beghetto said. As a result, "out-of-the-box" thinking gets discouraged. Beghetto is not blaming teachers, who may even feel as though they cannot teach creativity. But teaching to prepare for tests and teaching to develop creativity are not mutually exclusive, Beghetto said. Teachers should recognize that unexpected answers may still lead to meaningful conversation and learning in a classroom." I believe that this quote expressly depicts the problem with standardized testing. The article states that there is less play in classrooms, and I find this to be too true. When I go into classrooms, I think one of the main reasons teachers have to get kids on task and stop them from side conversations, is because they do not get enough time to really interact with one another. Even in the form of group art projects, the children could explore new creative activities. However, the strict curriculum that teachers must stick to humbles all attempts at this. The quote from the text about butterflies shows this problem. I am not sure, but I feel as though if standardized testing is so important, it should continue, but perhaps the 180 days that kids are in school should be extended. That way, there will be time to learn what is needed for the test, but also time for other important lessons.
  • Amanda Rose on 17 Mar 12
     
    Although the recurrent discussion about the effects of standardized testing continually progress with negative opinions from educators, officials increasingly stress the importance of such examinations. Consequently, today's youth are losing factors of creativity and imagination. "The current focus on testing in schools, and the idea that there is only one right answer to a question, may be hampering development of creativity among kids, Beghetto said. "There's not much room for unexpected, novel, divergent thought," he said. In fact, it is such unexpected, novel, divergent thought that leads to new discoveries. Just as students need an active outlet such as recess to channel energy, children need the opportunity to be creative and foster imaginative play. Not only is standardized testing putting a damper on the ability of teachers to allow students creative freedom, funding decreases have forced officials to cut back on structured creative outlets such as music and art, in order to allot more money for the expenses that accompany testing. At this point, it might be up to parents to support their children's creativity, including swapping creative play for some of the hours spent on electronics.
  • Elise Costa on 19 Mar 12
     
    Pointing fingers is always easy for any issue that arises. In regards to lack of creativity, teaching to the test seems like an easy culprit. This is not a reflection of the teachers ability to teach or ability to help the children explore their creativity (or lack thereof). Mandating yearly exams has consequences. Teachers have been threatened with their salaries being determined based on how their students perform on standardized tests; therefore, the teachers feel it necessary to teach to the test. When creating these policies, the policy-makers do not realize what they are actually talking away from the child. Children want to please their teacher. This is best described when Beghetto says "the interaction between students and teachers has become one of 'intellectual hide and seek.' The students try to match what they think the teacher wants to hear." I do not think the students are becoming any lazier or that we are breeding less creative children. Games like dress up, mom/daughter, doctor/nurse, pretending to be your favorite pop band, are all necessary for the children to build creativity and get out all their energy.
  • mnconnin on 19 Mar 12
     
    "The current focus on testing in schools, and the idea that there is only one right answer to a question, may be hampering development of creativity among kids" It is upsetting to hear that due to the No Child Left Behind Act we are actually taking a lot away from our children. These tests were initally used to measure the mastery of skills to make sure all students receive an equal education. I personally believe the idea of standardized testing has gone too far, especially when it begins to take a toll on our students' creative ability. Furthermore, I was not entirely stunned by this article. Outside of standardized testing I feel there are many other factors affecting creative ability. Video games, TV shows and busy schedules have begun to consume all Americans, even the youngest ones. I think children really need to spend more time outside, more time with other children and have a less intense schedule to really get their creative juices flowing. With that said, the education system even wants to take away recess during the school day. This will be yet another factor contributing to less creative minds amongst our future leaders.
  • Caitlyn Cozart on 21 Mar 12
     
    I agree with most of this article. This is an article that has many interesting comments and assumtions. For example, in the article, Beghetto states, "I think there should be a variety of ways to assess what students know and how they know it." I agree with this statement. I feel that testing today is not a correct way of determining children's "intelligence". I agree that children today need to work on their creativity. They need to be allowed to find their creativity that helps them build character. I think that taking away recess is one of the worst things you could do for children. They need that time to be themselves and not have to be who they are in the classroom. This will increase the lack of creativity children have today.
  • Lindsey Wilkinson on 21 Mar 12
     
    Although I find the article and interesting one and a great read, I do wonder if the way we find and measure creativity is entirely effective. It seems that testing for creativity is a very difficult and subjective test and I question its validity. I also wonder if the standard of creativity or the perceptions of creativity has changed over the past few decades. This would mean that our creativity styles would be different than those of generations before. I am always skeptical to think my generation is better than the ones that follows, and in the same way, that older generations have abilities that I can't or don't have. However, this is coming from a girl who is a naturally excellent test taker. I am good at information recall and application, but I am one of the most uncreative people I know. So I could be wrong. Either way, the author cites TV watching and standardized testing as two reasons for our less creative society. I see TV watching as the greater of the two evils as I feel it has more of an impact and that it is wasted time, unlike testing which, to me, is necessary.
  • Chelsea Townsend on 22 Mar 12
     
    Recent findings have found that creativity has decreased among American children. "Since 1990, children have become less able to produce unique and unusual ideas. They are also less humorous, less imaginative and less able to elaborate on ideas." The current focus on standardized testing in schools is the cause of this decrease in creativity. Teachers spend so much time trying to meet test standards that students do not have time to express themselves; for example, through imaginative play. Children need time to exert energy and show creativity. With so much time spent on standardized test practice children become narrow-minded.
  • anonymous on 22 Mar 12
     
    I agree that the article and your assigned book have many correlations because both the article and book discuss today's American children levels of creativity, a decrease of thinking outside the box, and lack of imaginative skills. I believe that standardize tests are becoming more and more normative in our schools. For example, in a recent survey there are some states lobbying for standardized tests to start training preschoolers to hopefully result in better test scores before the students graduate high school. In the article, "Kim said No Child Left Behind, an act of Congress passed in 2001 that requires schools to administer annual standardized tests as a way to assess whether they are meeting state education standards, may be partly responsible for the drop in creativity scores ( Rettner, 2011)." I believe that US states officials are focusing too much on high performance test scores and not the welfare of the child. Overall, I think creativity and individuality sets a person apart from the social norm.
  • Hope Kim Doit on 22 Mar 12
     
    Our social perception at present definitely has a lot to contribute as to why students are becoming less creative and imaginative nowadays. Our nation is becoming more career focused. On top of that, everything is becoming very competitive and fast-paced. The article mentioned how children does not even have time to check out the yard or run around the orchard because they have to stay at home and focus on studying standardized exams. I also heard recently that some schools are discontinuing recess because they do not have enough time to teach what they need to know for the exams. I personally believe that creativity and imagination ideas mostly come from experience and if those children lack experience, they would not have a broad spectrum of imagination.
  • Tiffany Morgan on 22 Mar 12
     
    "But researchers say they are finding exactly that. In a 2010 study of about 300,000 creativity tests going back to the 1970s, Kyung Hee Kim, a creativity researcher at the College of William and Mary, found creativity has decreased among American children in recent years. Since 1990, children have become less able to produce unique and unusual ideas. They are also less humorous, less imaginative and less able to elaborate on ideas, Kim said." I am not at all suprised. Today, kids spend all of their time texting or surfing the internet. Less time is spent playing outdoors. Kids don't need to be creative to have fun, all they have to do is turn on their XBOX 360. There will always be the creative students but there just might be less of them in the future.
Elise Costa

Lies My Teacher Told Me: Racial divide runs deep in U.S. schools, study finds - 23 views

I had a similar reaction to Lindsay's reaction. You do hear about racial disparities in the CJ system but not so much schools. I figured there would be a slightly higher rate for getting suspended ...

http:__www.reuters.com_assets_print?aid=USTRE82507620120306

started by anonymous on 22 Mar 12 7 follow-ups, last by Elise Costa on 26 Mar 12
Elise Costa

References - 4 views

I wrote my paper on women's education and why it is important. Below is all the sources I used! Hope it is helpful :) Coontz, S. (2012, February 11). The M.R.S. and the Ph.D. Retrieved from http:...

started by Elise Costa on 26 Mar 12 no follow-up yet
Lauren Tripp

Why America's Education System Is Like Apartheid - 0 views

www.good.is/...ation-system-is-like-apartheid

socialjustice race

shared by Lauren Tripp on 16 Jun 12 - No Cached
  • Lauren Tripp on 16 Jun 12
     
    We like to believe all students have an equal opportunity to learn regardless of the color of their skin or the amount of money their families have. However, a new report by the Schott Foundation for Public Education details just how far from that ideal the education available to students from differing backgrounds in New York City actually is.
kwalley

Ohio Case: The 'Rosa Parks Moment' For Education? - 0 views

www.npr.org/...osa-parks-moment-for-education

shared by kwalley on 30 Mar 11 - No Cached
  • kwalley on 30 Mar 11
     
    The correlation between student achievement and zip code is 100 percent," he says. "The quality of education you receive is entirely predictable based on where you live." This statement alone discredits the entirety of what the American public school is supposed to be: an unbiased, entirely equal education for any student regardless of wealth, race, or where they live. The question becomes what can America do to remedy this dismal situation?
Lauren Tripp

How Learners Can Be On Top of Their Game: An Interview with James Paul Gee (Part Four) - 2 views

henryjenkins.org/...arners_can_be_on_top_of_3.html

curriculum

shared by Lauren Tripp on 29 Mar 11 - No Cached
  • No one needs a Halo test after finishing Halo on hard and no one should need an algebra test after finishing an equally well-designed algebra curriculum.
  • Lauren Tripp on 29 Mar 11
     
    Can we use video games as an example for improving education?
  • Jessica Ross on 29 Mar 11
     
    I particularly enjoyed this quote: "We define accountability around teachers failing to teach children." A lot has been said in class about the failure of standardized testing to really hold teachers accountable to giving a well-rounded education, but that quote says it succinctly. In terms of video games and the education system, I think the author has come up with a really amazing (although not totally new) concept. If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone complain about how utterly unnecessary tests are, I'd be a very wealthy person. But comparing it to a video game gives this idea a lot of legitimacy. I've played video games. I may not have every level memorized, but I have the basic skills needed to play the game. This is (sadly) not true of many of the things I've learned in school. I have the BASIC skills needed for mathematics, but once calculus is in conversation, I'm done. I've taken the course, but because I had no vested interest in the class, I did what most students end up doing--master the information for a short amount of time, regurgitate it, then forget it in order to clear my mind for memorizing the next lot of (to me) useless information. If schools could take a more fundamentally hands-on approach to education (like video games), I think we'd see a lot more genuine mastery of material for long-term use. Plus... I bet we'd also combat the problem of truancy!
Rachel Manko

The Colbert Report with Wendy Kopp - 1 views

www.colbertnation.com/...wendy-kopp

equality teach for america poverty

shared by Rachel Manko on 30 Mar 11 - Cached
  • Rachel Manko on 30 Mar 11
     
    This isn't a source for my paper, obviously. I just thought it was really funny. P.S. Wendy Kopp is the founder of Teach for America.
  • ...1 more comment...
  • Lauren Tripp on 30 Mar 11
     
    Stephen Colbert, please marry me. ;)
  • Rachel Manko on 30 Mar 11
     
    For real. He's hilarious. If he says yes, can I please be invited to the wedding?
  • Lauren Tripp on 30 Mar 11
     
    Duh. Of course.
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