State to Adjust Test Immigrants Must Take -NCLB

Apparently, Illinois achievement tests in their high schools and middle schools were found to be inefficient by the No Child Left Behind Act.  The School Boards agreed to "tweak" their tests, but this is coming too late.  In a few weeks, junior students who attend public school will be forced to take the two day Prairie State Achievement Exam.  Along with the other students, immigrants who have only been in the country for only a year will be forced to take this same exam.  It is mentioned that this exam will test student skills in Trigonometry, Grammar, as well as vocabulary that would intimidate a native speaker.  A measure to balance this disproportionate injustice, is that the immigrant students can take the test in smaller groups; will be allowed more time to finish; and may listen to cassette tapes that repeat the questions on the written exam.  

I think that it should be optional for a one year immigrant student to take the Prairie State Achievement Exam.  If they do well, it could, as Illinois state Superintendent stated, "Open a door", to colleges they wouldn't have attended.  By next year, Illinois will have their exams in Spanish as well as English. But this doesn't cover the 54 other languages that need to be covered as mentioned by the assistant Superintendent, Ken Wallace.  

If the test is deemed unacceptable by the No Child Left Behind Act, then it must seem even more pointless to force immigrant students to take the test -Why administer this test at all?State Officials state that their hands are tied, and they will be forced to administer the test to every student without exception.  

Class Size Makes a Difference

I read the article "Size alone makes small classes better for kids." This article caught my eye because my graduating class in high school had over 600 students. Sometimes our classrooms did not have enough desks for the students enrolled, it was frustrating. In classrooms with less students, the class is more willing to engage and interact. The students are able to get more attention from the teachers and help when needed.
In the study done by the American Educational Research Association, studies were done in the USA, Hong Kong, England and Switzerland in which classroom students were closely observed in both small and large class sizes. Adam Gamoran from the University of Wisconsin collected and analyzed the findings. He said, "Small classes are more engaging places for students because they're able to have a more personal connection with teachers, simply by virtue of the fact that there are fewer kids in the classroom competing for that teacher's attention." The students were more attentive and engaged in the smaller classrooms, understandably so. With less students, the teachers are able to control and watch over the class activities.
Gamoran said that the teachers did not always take advantage of their small classrooms. Instead of creating smaller group activities or more motivational lessons, the teachers acted as if they were still teaching a large group. If a school decides to go through efforts to split classes, like happened in California, the teachers should work on adapting as well. They should re-formulate lessons, or create more interesting activities that can only be done with an oppurtunity such as a smaller class.

Comics Are The New Graphic Novels

A generation raised in a visual environment dominated by television, the internet and electronic games now have comics infiltrating in many schools as the new 'graphic novels'. In the article, "Picture this: Teachers are using comics, now called 'graphic novels,' to captivate reluctant readers," by Sue Corbett is an attempt to show that comics are reaching reluctant readers. Rather than having a student to take home a book that both you and the student possibly know will not be read, schools are now introducing comics as an alternative option. "Before anybody explodes about kids reading comic books when they're supposed to be doing quadratic equations or studying Shakespeare, know that comic books have changed, and so has reading," explains Roberta Kaiser, a media specialist at Nautilus Middle School on Miami Beach. She not only stocks her shelves with comics, but also demands outstrips supply by a wide margin. The combination between pictures and text holds a child's attention longer than blocks of print, therefore making comics a good choice. Though some feel that this is not the best decision, the bound books feature every stripe of hero and story with genres ranging from science to biography to memoirs, making them more appealing to young and even older readers.

Smaller Class Sizes

In the article “Size Alone Makes Small Classes Better for Kids, by Greg Toppo, we learn that breaking up larger classes into smaller classes can have a positive effect on students. Students find it more beneficial when they get more face time with their teachers. Adam Gamoran of the University of Wisconsin says: "Small classes are more engaging places for students because they're able to have a more personal connection with teachers, simply by virtue of the fact that there are fewer kids in the classroom competing for that teacher's attention.” I agree with his statement because I feel as though some classroom sizes are becoming far too big today in more rural areas, however, there may not be much that we can do about this problem. Things such as budget, school size, and teaching staff may hold some schools back from being able to decrease the size of their classrooms.
Studies were done to see if smaller classroom sizes truly had an effect on the students. These studies were done in an Elementary School and a High School and found that students in smaller classroom sizes not only stayed more focused, but they misbehaved a lot less. The students also had more direct interactions and worked in small groups, rather than alone. For more than two decades classroom size (decreasing) has been an improvement strategy in many states.
Personally, I think breaking up larger classes into smaller classes is a brilliant idea. Although, this may not be possible everywhere, but the idea is a great start. From experience, it is nice to be known by name and not by a number in a classroom. I think this has been a controversy for a while now, but I’m happy to see that schools are actually taking it into account. I attended a Catholic School from grades Kindergarten through fifth and the classroom sizes were quite small (10-15 students). I always felt comfortable and new all my classmates by name. However, when I moved onto Public School the classroom sizes greatly increased (30). I did not know all my classmates by name, and I know that we did not have nearly enough time to become “comfortable or “close” with our teachers. I think smaller classrooms really allow students to become closer to their teachers, and even their classmates (which is also important). I am aware that this cannot be done everywhere, but I am excited that it is being approached in more school districts.

A Possible Ban on Home Schooling

In the article, "No Ban on Home Schooling", the state of California addresses possibly putting a ban on parents home schooling their children without proper credentials. The Superintendent of California, Jack O'Connell is an advocate of home schooling and states, "Parents still have the right to home school in our state."

The issue is headed to the Supreme Court, however the teaching credentials that parents are expected to meet will be enforced by the student's local school district. Therefore, it is each school's responsibility to enforce these rules to the degree in which they choose. The state of California does not seem too nervous about the possible change in rules for home schooling. Governor Schwarzenegger stated he would overturn the new act if it was approved.

The option of home schooling should still be an alternative in education. Parents should have the right to educate their own children if they desire to do so. New standards in the system seems like a possible effort to discourage home schooling. Furthermore, it seems like administration is making it more difficult for parents. Perhaps this is because many feel home schooled students do not get as good as an education as students that attend school.

If home schooling is done correctly and the parents are diligent, home schooling is proven effective. Home schooled children, if properly socialized, are just like students that attend school. Some even argue that they are higher achievers because they recieve one-on-one attention when they are learning. Therfore, it would be unfortunate if home schooling was made a more difficult process.

An actual plan to get rid of poor teachers.

The NCTE inbox article: "Group has severance plan for 'worst unionized teachers'", proposes an unprecedented approach to ridding classrooms of it's most unwanted teachers.  The plan, proposed by "The Center for Union Facts", is to bribe ten selected teachers with $10,000 to retire from the classroom.  According to the article, "The Center for Union Facts" is asking students, parents, and teachers to nominate who they feel the worst teachers are.  As of last Tuesday, elections had begun.

The main proponent of this plan is Rick Berman, who states that his intent is not to humiliate teachers.  Berman states, "We're trying to jump-start a conversation that maybe people need severance packages to find themselves another line of work." By getting teachers to voluntarily quit, school's need not worry themselves with confronting teachers who are performing poorly.  The funny thing is, I have a hard time imagining any teacher who would gladly take the money as it is such an insulting prize, also, $10,000 is a pittance on which to build a new career.  

I personally think that school boards should not be so afraid of such confrontations.  If a teacher is clearly not meeting the expectations of parents or school boards, they should be retrained.  If they do not improve after retraining, they should then be released.  The article notes that two-thirds of United States schools have the ability to let go of their teachers. Keeping on ineffective teachers, or teachers who act inappropriately in the classroom is detrimental to the students.  

A major concern I have with this plan, is how certain teachers will become singled out and brought under the public eye.  The criteria for assessing poor teachers on teachersunionexposed.com, asks people to send in copies of police reports filed against the teacher, and to send documentation about teachers actions in the classroom.  I'm sure that many teachers may have been falsely accused of criminal activities, and trumped up charges now going to hurt their honestly good careers.  Also, the children, parents, and other teachers who will write into this website, may have a skewed vision of who they are knocking.

Though Berman's plan is uber media friendly, due to it's seeming absurdity, it could prove to be good in the long run if schools start implementing reasonable severance plans to their bottom rung teachers.  The severance plans will, as the article states, help these professors redirect their career, since they are not wanted in the teaching community.

Teach for America.

Wendy Leonard's article, "Making a difference — Program puts new college grads in tough classrooms", informs readers of education majors who spend their first few years after graduating from college teaching in inner-city, low-income schools. The concept is part of a program called "Teach for America" and places new teachers in extreme classroom situations, with students at all levels of learning. Most teachers come out of the program impressed with students' progress and the program in general.

Personally, I feel that the "Teach for America" program is an excellent idea on many levels. New and inexperienced teachers are often more idealistic and eager to please, so presenting them with a challenging classroom immediately can have positive effects on both students and the new teachers. Also, inexperienced teachers who begin in a challenging situation can better shape their techniques for future students. I feel as though having teachers right out of college participate in the program is more beneficial than using experienced teachers who can often be stubborn and set in their ways.

There are some flaws in the "Teach for America" program. Teachers often don't stay in the low-income districts and move on to "easier" positions. Students in the district may get attached to the teachers and then they move on.

However, I see mostly positive benefits from the program and think it will definitely change lives of students in inner city districts, as well as the teachers involved.

High School Dropouts Cost State Billions

This article was in the February 28th issue of the San Francisco Chronicle. It describes how California dropout rates are increasing and cost the state a large amount of money because over the course of their lives high school dropouts don't pay as much in taxes, need state funded health care, and turn to crime. Two of the methods California plans to execute to reduce dropout rates are requiring school for students age 6-18 and increasing state funding to each student.
I personally don't agree with the first of these methods. I feel 16 is the right age for students to have the right to dropout. As someone going into teaching, of course I feel education is important. However, I feel students should have the freedom to be able to dropout. When I went to public school, I knew many people who just had no desire to be in school and were destined to dropout. I also knew people who did try but just weren't good students. While graduating high school is important, I don't feel it's vital. It's very possible for people to be successful without a high school diploma. I also have my doubts about increasing funding. In my participation in government class, I learned that NYC spends 7 thousand dollars per student per year, but the NY Board of Education is very much flawed. The money has to be spent wisely. Overall, I feel California should do all in it's power to help students graduate high school, but it must also be accepted that dropout rates may still remain high and it's not necessarily a bad thing.

Teaching Boys and Girls Seperately

An article written in The New York Times titled "Teaching Boys and Girls Seperately," explains why both genders benefit by being taught in the same school but isolated from one another while learning in a classroom. "Foley Intermediate School began offering separate classes for boys and girls a few years ago, after the school’s principal, Lee Mansell, read a book by Michael Gurian called “Boys and Girls Learn Differently!”" The principal felt that the insight he gained from this book should be applied to his school so test score could be improved. Parents and Teachers were also incouraged to read this book and attend a seminar by Sax, someone advocating for separation of the sexes in classsroom settings. Boys had classrooms with dark painted walls, class pets, and low heat temperature. While on the other hand girls had classrooms with bright colors, higher temperature heat then the boys, and felt more comfortable without the boys because they were messy and liked animals. Both genders were given an artwork assignment in which they needed to paint whatever they wanted. Girls were praised for their drawing while boys were discourage because of the lack of compliments they recieved on their artwork. The reason for separating students into gender classrooms is because boys are falling behind academically while girls continue to advance rapidly.
I disagree with having children be separated in classroom settings by gender because the classroom is a place where ideas and opinions are shared amongst everyone. The world isn't separated by gender, children need to learn early how to interact with the opposite sex and understand that the world is diverse and everyone has their own opinions and ideas needed to be heard. By sheltering these children I feel it will not prepare them for what the real world is truly like and they will be in a state of confusion when faced with real-life gender situations and maybe identity issuses within themselves.

Finland Education- Students Are Smartest

I read an article from The Wall Street Journal entitled "What Makes Finnish Kids So Smart?" There were tests done sponsered by Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development in which students from 30 different countries tested their knowledge in various subjects. The unofficial count put Finland at first while the United States ranked in the middle somewhere. I was suprised to find that students in Finland are not seperated into honor societies or classes for gifted students. Students in Finland do not start school until the age of 7 and even then, they spend most of their time working independently. The lessons ,made by well-trained teachers, branch out to every student making sure that the plan fits for everyone. Students who are quicker learners are kept in the same classrooms as those who needs assistance. In Finland, it is believed that these students will help their peers in the work. Teachers and students are on a first name basis and 15 year olds are allowed to leave campus during lunch time.
Through all these differences, the article points out that Finnish teenagers also rebel. They dye their hair and like Desperate Housewives but for some reason they are statistically smarter than Americans. I believe that the difference is not as much in the students but in the teaching. It is a generality to say that Americans are not as responsible or concentrated as Finnish students but the tests show a large difference in learning. In the article, Finnish teachers are compares to entrepreneurs in contrast the countries where education is merely an assembly line.
Also, the Finnish love reading. This is one of the building blocks of knowledge. Every year the peoplein Finland recieve a gift pack from the government that includes a book. Also, libraries are attached to malls and they have book buses that travel around selling books. I think that this literacy and vocabulary directly helps Finnish learning. With this and the breed of teachers it is easy to see why generally Finnish students are smarter than any other country.

Online Pranks by Students About Teachers

In the article, "Teachers strike back at Students' Online Pranks" the issue of freedom of speech is brought up. Students are now increasingly writing negative things about their teachers on the web, and teachers in some cases are pressing charges. However, the spectrum of what students say ranges from bullying to false accusations that could cost teachers their job.

I believe that the first amendment should be observed, but I think that if something is said about a teacher that could threaten their job, the student should be punished for it. Teachers also need to realize that we live in an age of technology, and that pranks come with the territory of being a teacher. They need to also be aware that they are dealing with (in many cases) immature children. Depending on the context, some things teachers should let roll off their backs.

Embarrassment is something I feel is not substantial enough to press charges. However, online pranks toward an administrator did go too far when students made racial slurs and threats towards a principal in the article. There is a fine line between freedom of speech and harassment. I absolutely believe that in cases of harassment students should be prosecuted. Students have always had the ability to make harassing threats towards a teacher in the classroom instead of behind a computer. However, the Internet allows for a broader number of people to read any negative threats about the teacher. Inside the school at least threats can be put to a stop more quickly, and less people are likely to hear about them.

For Tots, Spanish as a Second Language

In the article from the Boston Globe, it speaks about how it could benefit children by knowing English and Spanish. One particular family is teaching their children Spanish and the father only speaks Spanish to them, while his wife does not speak any Spanish. They are determined that their children be bilingual. Honestly, I wish I knew two languages fluently. I have taken many language courses in school, but I do not know either of them fluently.
I think this is a very good idea for a number or reasons. For one, Spanish is spoken in a lot of different areas and it would be very useful to them. Another reason I think it is a very good idea is that it brings people together and closer through culture and language. I agree with the article when it says ""For me, the reward comes in seeing the children connect with the language. So many words in English come from Spanish."
I think knowing more than one language is very rewarding and beneficial for anyone really. Learning as young as possible seems like the best road though.