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Adam Fletcher
Joined: Sep 13, 2001
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Analyzing Schools
February 10, 2005 - 12:05 PM
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So what are the issues that affect your school the most? Not in a superficial, "school sucks" kind-of-way, but in-depth. Instead of just ranting about the color of the bathrooms or the condition of the textbooks, talk about what the problems are behind those issues, like school funding or the lack of diversity in courses.
Do you have any abilty to change, challenge, or improve schools? Do you have a responsibility to do that?
What is really wrong with schools today, and what can students DO about it?
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David Martin
Joined: Dec 21, 2004
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Re: Analyzing Schools
February 11, 2005 - 03:02 AM
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I am no longer in school but I am not that far removed that I cannot remember what was wrong.
Teachers! Thats whats wrong with school. It seems to me that there is a very small percentage of teachers out there that have a genuine interest in educating youth. I can recall many moments during high school in which a teacher had no idea what they were talking about. Especially in the science courses. But it's not really their faults.
The problem is that a teaching degree isn't exactly hard to come by. Thus teachers cannot demand the same salary as someone who has a degree that was harder to come by, Organic Chemistry for example. As a college graduate (B.S. Biology) I couldn't help but notice the best and brightest individuals don't get teaching degrees. They pursue degrees in career fields that greatly improve their chances of obtaining high paying jobs. These degrees require much more rigorous coursework than the hardest education curriculum. That doesn't leave a lot of talent for the future educators of the world.
Where I am from there is a saying, "Those who can, do! Those who can't, teach!"
Granted this is a stereotype but it does cast light on the issue at hand. My point is, if a teaching degree were more challenging and required greater ability to obtain than rivaling degrees, it would attract more of the brightest and best individuals. This would also eventually lead to an increase in teacher salaries, which would also attract more upper echelon individuals.
**** All that said, I do believe that there are many, many teachers out there that truly care about the education and wellbeing of their students. I feel I have had teachers that felt this way, and I benefitted from their care.
I know this isn't something that can just suddenly be fixed and I doubt that it ever will.
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David Martin
Joined: Dec 21, 2004
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Re: Analyzing Schools
February 11, 2005 - 03:07 AM
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Here is another issue with schools today, that is entirely out of their own hands.
I live in a community in which the majority of the population is at or reaching retirement age and have no kids left in the school district.
Our schools are literally falling to pieces. Our junior high has several floors that are actually condemned. They have temporary outbuildings (little more than double wide trailors) that serve as classrooms. Before long the same will be occurring in our other schools. The problem is every year a bond issue makes its way onto local ballots and the community votes against building a new school for the children of this community.
Why? Because of the demographics of our population. The majority are retirement age. They have raised their kids, put them through school, and feel as though they shouldn't have to pay extra taxes to build a new school for the children of today.
This has occurred in many communities across the midwest Unites States and it doesn't look like its going to change anytime soon.
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Malowa
Joined: Oct 16, 2004
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Province/State: Nairobi Area
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Re: Analyzing Schools
February 17, 2005 - 02:23 AM
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Here lack of resources from books to basic facilites such washrooms, water and even desks. We also have very few teachers especially in the rural areas and public schools. There is a school with only one teasher for 400 students. There is so much contrast in the education system.The goventment recenly introduced free education in Primary schools and this has just made classes too large for teachers to handle.Most of these schools don't even have labs yet they have to compete for spaces in University with kids in the top schools.
Some kids go to the really good private schools because they can pay(they are rarely the clever ones) These kids face problmes such as drugs, alcohol and loss of identity but they have good facilties nad the best teachers.
The good students rarely want to take up teaching so that is another major problem. Existing teachers are among the lowest paid and therfore have low morale.
What im trying to do is to get kids in these difernt schools to understand and help each other by corresponding through mail and donating books they don't need instead of burnig them(which some do after sitting for their O levels)My friends and I also give talks. it's small yet it's am effort.
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Moses 2005
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We must accept that there is a problem,but are you part of the problem or a solution?
February 17, 2005 - 06:12 AM
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When we talk about analyzing schools we must face the facts and get to the core issues that are making schooling extremely difficult.I must accept that Brenda has reaised a very criticall issue that needs to be addressed by not only us,but even experts.I come fro a counry that is doing its level best and i must praise them after coming up and making education free.I give them an exellent!All over sudden in the middle or rather along the way they say that parents have to pay something for the education i mean when you talk about free what are you really saying?Secondly parents come up and start bashing the government and they say so much ,who really is the Government?Students on the other hand have so so so much to do and their studies are so overwhelming.I was recently reading my sisters notes and shes got to learn something about 'locolith' at grade 7,i was suprised i learnt this at form two.On the other hand a teacher has to teach a class of 400 students ,shes paid peanuts and Good God she has to run home to become a mother to a husband and five children.There is a problem that needs very concrete and solid solutions but for starters we could start by teaching voluntary or giving some kind of help.Address parents and teachers associations,talk to the government, and most importantly involve the pupils and student.I believe if the little we have is hanled well it will go a long way to good and better results,so are you a solution or part of the problem?That is fro you to decide!
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shreekingtree
Joined: Feb 13, 2005
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Re: Analyzing Schools
February 17, 2005 - 12:22 PM
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Yea, that whole "I don't have kids going to that school so why should I care if they have enough funding for music courses?" attitude is really hitting schools hard. So many communities are having a hard time passing referendums that would up taxes a bit in order to pay for after school programs and advanced courses. This is partially caused by No Child Left Behind. OH! Just the mention of it boils my blood, lol. Basically it's like this. NCLB raises standards for all schools to reach. I go to a suburban public school. We have tons of diversity in ethnicities and ability. We have a large disability program for students with various handicaps. Well, this year, some minority groups and our student's with disabilities didn't reach state standards that are now in place due to NCLB. When a school doesn't meet those standards, Bush's administration has it in place that the school becomes a "choice" school and loses funding. Thus, schools desperately try to find funding through the community and the only way is to up taxes, something most people don't like. Hmm, loses funding due to not meeting standards. Doesn't it seem like a better solution would be to investigate as to why the school didn't meet the standards and then try to help them fix that? And then we come to private schools. More like the prestigious prep schools. They don't have problems like this because all of their kids are there because they are the "best and the brightest." This means they continue to get sufficient funding and even increased funding while the public schools and inner-city schools with the students that need the most help lose funding. No Child Left Behind was implemented to keep kids from being "left behind" or falling through the cracks. It seems like it's doing the opposite and only furthering the already privileged children of America. So, that's my schools biggest problem. It's the same for a lot of schools. We actually have a great falculty, actually, we have a great school. But, NCLB has forced us to turn to some things that are making our school seem less good. Too bad.
Anyways...For what students can do about it. We can do stuff, it doesn't mean anything will change, but we can act. Just go back to the basic activist route: Write letters to government officials, petition, stuff like that. Can we change it? Maybe when Bush is out of term. I'm counting down the days till then. Woot!
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cockcockcock
Joined: Jun 16, 2005
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Principlal = dictator
June 16, 2005 - 02:34 AM
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I think the main problem with school today is the attitude. we are afraid to let kids go free. we are desperately afraid of what they might become. as in my other threads to do with hugging and overprotectionism in school. adimin. and teacher tightly regiment kids. they line them up like soldiers. they want students, not humans. i see this everyday. i am in the gifted program in my school therefore i get much more leeways and breathing room. your thoughts on the subject please
Eistoor
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Martin Tairo
Joined: Aug 18, 2004
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The Kenya Problem
October 11, 2005 - 05:38 AM
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There was a recent introduction of free primary education which saw the number of children attending school in Kenya go up by more than 200%.
THe government however did not increase the resources by the same margin. This therefore saw the limited resources in form of teachers, classrooms and materials being overstretched.
The above has reduced the quality of education in public schools by a very great extent. Children in public schools therefore do not perfom well in their exams and hence miss the opportunity to further their studies.
However, the rich, who can afford to take their children to private schools are reaping all the benefits since their children get the best grades and go to the best public institutions of higher learning.
Therefore, the government in its bid to solve one problem, it has created another problem. How can we solve problems conclusively?
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