This semester hasn't been as intense as I thought. Maybe because I didn't have to really write a thesis (which I will later regret). I think this class in particular has pushed me to examine my writing vs. the writing I'll be expecting from my students. I was a strong writer in high school and then I came to college where it all turned to mush. I hope that some of the strategies I learned in this class, I will apply with my future students.
Blogging has been common this semester with this class and another. I have to say, I really enjoy it because it's convenient, I can write what I want, and people actually read it. I would definitely apply this to my future class because I think a common thing with high school students is that they always have something to say and blogging is a great place for them to say it!
Friday, December 16, 2011
Monday, December 5, 2011
Argument Paper
The American educational system is about competition and success of the individual. Majority of the content students learn in school is geared towards an exam that represents each student as a numerical value, which in turn creates competition. Another reason why the American educational system is about competition and success of the individual is because learning is individual based and not group based. Lastly, because the system focuses on individual success, it has caused more students to fall through the cracks while a few succeed.
If the American educational system must have students learn one thing, it is that they must be the best. Relatively, they must learn to compete with their neighbor, their friend, and with China, Japan, and Finland. President Obama and U.S. Secretary of Education Duncan passed a bill in 2009 entitled, “Race to the Top.” By examining the title of the bill alone, one can see that the words “race” and “top” have a direct correlation to the idea of competition. In fact, the bill is described as a competition, “… states that outperform the rest will be rewarded with a grant”, said President Obama (www.ed.gov/pressrelease). What does this mean for students? They are trained to “outperform” their peers that will in term “outperform” schools; schools will “outperform” districts, and so on, leading to “outperforming” states. The quality of learning is not mentioned anywhere in this bill unless one counts setting benchmarks for standards and assessments. The educational system is teaching students that in order to be successful, you must out-beat the rest. Meaningful learning is negated when administration and teachers are pressured to educate students through the idea that they must receive a grade. If children are raised to believe that being unique is just as important as being number one, than we might as well raise them all to be the same.
Diverging from the fact that the educational system is about competition rather than quality learning, competition can be likened to an innate instinct, which in turn makes it an uncontrollable part of human nature. Take “Darwinism” for example, survival of the fittest. People will always do better than others in a various things in life. Competition creates people who can achieve what they want and hence help a society foster the things they need in order to survive. Therefore, education must be competitive because it weeds out those who are inept to performing certain tasks for society’s needs and wants. Success of the individual to “outperform” will create many successful individuals who can then group together to attain a common goal.
Jobs are now seeking for future employees that can work collaboratively, think critically and creatively. How are we preparing students to attain these jobs? Individualized learning is about individual success. Yes, it is important for each person in society to be as successful as they hoped to be, but if success means only caring about the wellbeing of the self, then we cannot see that we need to support the wellbeing of others. In the book, Waiting for Superman, Lesley Chilcott explains her observations of a group of kindergarteners. Each student had to draw a picture of what their father looked like. She compares this activity with a similar one in Japan. Contrastingly, in Japan, the teacher would have students create one image together of how a father would look. There are many reactions that people had about both approaches. The American classroom may be emphasizing difference and uniqueness but the Japanese classroom is emphasizing the fact that “all the kids in the class are learning together, with no one left out” (Chilcott pg. 49). Japan bases most of their facets on collaborative learning and it shows in their ranking world-wide. Ranking seems to be the most important aspect of education not only in America but around the world. With all this ranking and competition to get to the top, what do people or countries receive when they get there? Prestige, honor, and gloating rights may feel like success has been achieved but students are not influenced that learning is a lifelong process or that they must share what they learn with others.
With those students who do reach to the top, there are many who are left behind to fall through the cracks. The educational system promotes that every child can and will be successful but we made this idea an empty promise. A perfect example of this is “No Child Left Behind Act” (NCLB). Raising standards does not necessarily mean that every student can reach it. Standards were not met before with the same approach of learning, therefore raising standards while keeping the same approach will only result in more student failure. The ideas “NCLB” and “Race to the Top” are completely the same; both strive on competition and individual student- state success. Students are unable to process the benefits of working together towards one goal if even those who create laws seem to want to out rank one another. The educational system is forgetting the ideals that it was based on and the ideals it teaches its students every day in history class. America’s revolutions were formed on the idea that many people got together in a group and decided to produce change. Yet, students today are growing up in a world that is more importantly about themselves than the affect they have on the world.
http://ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2009/07/07242009.html
If the American educational system must have students learn one thing, it is that they must be the best. Relatively, they must learn to compete with their neighbor, their friend, and with China, Japan, and Finland. President Obama and U.S. Secretary of Education Duncan passed a bill in 2009 entitled, “Race to the Top.” By examining the title of the bill alone, one can see that the words “race” and “top” have a direct correlation to the idea of competition. In fact, the bill is described as a competition, “… states that outperform the rest will be rewarded with a grant”, said President Obama (www.ed.gov/pressrelease). What does this mean for students? They are trained to “outperform” their peers that will in term “outperform” schools; schools will “outperform” districts, and so on, leading to “outperforming” states. The quality of learning is not mentioned anywhere in this bill unless one counts setting benchmarks for standards and assessments. The educational system is teaching students that in order to be successful, you must out-beat the rest. Meaningful learning is negated when administration and teachers are pressured to educate students through the idea that they must receive a grade. If children are raised to believe that being unique is just as important as being number one, than we might as well raise them all to be the same.
Diverging from the fact that the educational system is about competition rather than quality learning, competition can be likened to an innate instinct, which in turn makes it an uncontrollable part of human nature. Take “Darwinism” for example, survival of the fittest. People will always do better than others in a various things in life. Competition creates people who can achieve what they want and hence help a society foster the things they need in order to survive. Therefore, education must be competitive because it weeds out those who are inept to performing certain tasks for society’s needs and wants. Success of the individual to “outperform” will create many successful individuals who can then group together to attain a common goal.
Jobs are now seeking for future employees that can work collaboratively, think critically and creatively. How are we preparing students to attain these jobs? Individualized learning is about individual success. Yes, it is important for each person in society to be as successful as they hoped to be, but if success means only caring about the wellbeing of the self, then we cannot see that we need to support the wellbeing of others. In the book, Waiting for Superman, Lesley Chilcott explains her observations of a group of kindergarteners. Each student had to draw a picture of what their father looked like. She compares this activity with a similar one in Japan. Contrastingly, in Japan, the teacher would have students create one image together of how a father would look. There are many reactions that people had about both approaches. The American classroom may be emphasizing difference and uniqueness but the Japanese classroom is emphasizing the fact that “all the kids in the class are learning together, with no one left out” (Chilcott pg. 49). Japan bases most of their facets on collaborative learning and it shows in their ranking world-wide. Ranking seems to be the most important aspect of education not only in America but around the world. With all this ranking and competition to get to the top, what do people or countries receive when they get there? Prestige, honor, and gloating rights may feel like success has been achieved but students are not influenced that learning is a lifelong process or that they must share what they learn with others.
With those students who do reach to the top, there are many who are left behind to fall through the cracks. The educational system promotes that every child can and will be successful but we made this idea an empty promise. A perfect example of this is “No Child Left Behind Act” (NCLB). Raising standards does not necessarily mean that every student can reach it. Standards were not met before with the same approach of learning, therefore raising standards while keeping the same approach will only result in more student failure. The ideas “NCLB” and “Race to the Top” are completely the same; both strive on competition and individual student- state success. Students are unable to process the benefits of working together towards one goal if even those who create laws seem to want to out rank one another. The educational system is forgetting the ideals that it was based on and the ideals it teaches its students every day in history class. America’s revolutions were formed on the idea that many people got together in a group and decided to produce change. Yet, students today are growing up in a world that is more importantly about themselves than the affect they have on the world.
http://ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2009/07/07242009.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)