Also, I'm reading essays & big quizzes, celebrating G4's Ninja Fest with a barbeque, dusting off a guitar or 2, hanging w/ the family & friends.
Now, I wonder if anyone is reading this, so I will offer up some bonus points for those who are.
In the comments section below, write a minimum 100-word mini-manifesto about your take on public education. We discussed this briefly, inspired by Erica Goldson's valedictory speech.
I would like to read what you have to say, so the 1st 10 who state and support their opinion will earn 10 bonus points each.
(I also reserve the right to assign bonus points to anyone who writes a good response after those 1st 10.)
Think at the "macro"about the goal of public education, what we do with it, why our country has a 12-year mandate for all of us.
Think at the "micro" level about that which you hope to get out of this experience over the next 2 or 3 years.
BONUS OFFER EXPIRES AT 12:00 AM MONDAY 16 AUGUST.
(That means, "submit before the end of the day Sunday 15 August")
Unfortunately public education is used as a glorified babysitting service. This is evident through the lack of parental support and students attitudes as they sit in the classroom. Sadly many students think of schools simply as a social club. The whole purpose of education is to obtain knowledge and a foundation for future careers. It is through this foundation that America can produce future intelligent workers that can compete in the global economy. Education is essential to a country’s survival. For example countries that lack education, like Haiti, are illiterate and therefore have no power or say to stand up for or against their government. Moreover, public schools seem to be determined that all students be prepared for college. This is not realistic. Schools should also be training many students for the trades i.e. auto mechanics, electricians, welders, ect. Due to the law the youth of America are required to partake in school, it is for this reason you have the "slackers" that come because they have to. This premise is further supported by the drop out rate in California which has reached approximately a 20%. I have no problem with public school in general, except for one predicament I have always had is the honors and G.A.T.E teachers that feel that because I am an "honors" student I can handle a larger work load. I can and have dealt with the work load, but I thought the whole point of this program was to challenge my thinking, not work me to death. Furthermore, I feel like the government, through all the testing, places so much pressure on us because they want us to be the best and we are competing against countries like China and India. It seems as though countries supremacy is based on its educational superiority. In the end I hope I am prepared enough because of the economy and the difficulty of getting into college. I would be very disappointed and upset if all this time and effort I have invested is not enough to get into the college of my choice.
ReplyDelete~ Ashley Romero (period 5) ~
In Erica's speech, I completely agree with what she said about how school teaches us all to be the same. We have classes that we are forced to take if we want to graduate and go on to college. Of course we need some general eduacation, but we should also get more than one class (our electives), to take a class we are actually intrested in. In college, we will get to take whatever we want....so how are the classes we are forced to take called college prep, when we might never take a class in that subject in college? Also, after school and everything, we are supposed to become an individual with our own thoughts and opinions, but how can we be an individual if we've all taken the same classes and have the same knowledge? Another thing that is annoying at school is how they are always telling us to try harder, and putting pressure on us to beat out other schools in things such as star tests. but in my opinion, as long as were trying and doing what we know is our best, we should be congradulated on, even if its not as good as other schools. so, in reality, the school system is not doing a very good job at preparing us for whats next in life.
ReplyDelete-Brittany Martin, period 3
Sadly, schools nowadays focus far too much on test taking and test scores than is reasonably necessary. As opposed to being able to take classes that students wish to take, most are either required or encouraged to take what will fulfill college requirements; while this makes sense, as most should aspire to reach college, but students should have the choice to take woodshop if they choose, or not be practically coerced into four years of math. McBride brought up a good point when we read this speech: (paraphrased of course) What if someone WANTS to be a mechanic or work on cars or drive/transport for a living? Should the school still try to force him/her to take Calculus if it will not help them at all? Of course I understand that the school and the State for that matter would want kids to be as "intelligent" as possible; it reflects how they did teaching us. The problem with this is that in some classes, -AP particularly- there is a larger emphasis on test taking and strategies thereof than there is on LEARNING the material. Take two of my classes as examples of a class teaching the material, and a class teaching test-taking: AP chemistry, Mr. Green told us that it is NOT his job to teach us how to get a 4 or 5 on the AP exam, it is his job to teach those who want to learn about college level inorganic chemistry, should you do well on this test in the process, good for you. The other class was my Honor's pre-calculus class, which bases NINETY PER CENT of your final grade on tests, and 10% on everything else! This horrified me, and I got a transfer as quickly as I could, I cannot stand test-based corses and I know, that is how college will be, but does that make it right? It is like Goldson said, "I cannot say that I am any more intelligent than my peers[;] I can attest that I am only the best at doing what I am told and working the system". She was valedictorian and she admits that she is less intelligent than others at the school. Essentially she is saying that she is by no means the smartest person in her class, she just learned how to work the system better than others; whilst they enjoyed the highschool experience, she spent her time learning to take tests. I am sad to say that I have seen this attitude in a few of my classes, current or past, and I was afraid I would end up like this; great at taking tests and ignorant as to what I REALLY learned, but thanks to this speech, and even more this somewhat-longer-than-mini-manifesto, I think I will be able to get much more out of my highschool experience, my grades and test scores may suffer a bit, but my knowledge of the subject and its relevance TO ME will increase.
ReplyDelete~Noah Angel, Period 5~
Goldson's speech did surprise me as being completly accurate on public education. Rather than blabbering on about her high school memories and college plans like every other Valid-victorian she spoke freely on what her high school expierence was really like and why she got as sucessful as she became. I loved how Goldson figurativly describes herself and her classmates as players on a chess board and that it's not necessarly whose the smartest, it's who plays the game the smartest. However I did not agree completly with Goldson's quote by Gatto that we should relax on the public education system. In History class a couple days ago we were given a blank map on the United States to study and label and nearly no one (myself sadly included) could name all 50 states and find the correct location of them. The quality of public Education has significantly disinigrated and with it the motivation and self-detirmination of the students as well. Goldson's address has caused me to think of the quality of work I've been turning in to my previous teachers and to vow to pay attention to the lectures my teachers daily give me and to not only become better at playing the game but knowing the information in the game better as well. Have a great weekend.-Becky McKinley period 1
ReplyDeleteGoldson's speech was everything that everyone needed to hear. School has become so focused on test taking, and having the highest scores that schools are no longer to learn only to memorize what you need to memorize so that the school can have a high API score. Students are forced to take classes to reach college requirements, and this is a reasonable idea. Although, students should have the option to take classes that are enjoyable to them. Well-rounded individuals are important, but not all students are going to be doctors and lawyers; some have other aspirations. I just think that the public education system does not allow for other ventures, and they want every student to know the same thing. The system is truly a beautiful disaster, because school allows for some many opportunities later on, yet confines students to taking these ridiculous tests. I feel as though I go to school to "learn" just enough to get a good score on the test. I wish to gain more knowledge than is expected in my last 2 years of high school, because I have aspirations that are different from what the country wants from students. I honestly hope that the public education changes, and this may take years past my schooling, but is not an unrealistic goal. –Nicholas Ram (Period 1)
ReplyDeletenice stuff so far--keep it coming
ReplyDeletealso, thank you for stating your names in the posts
Public education suppresses the ability of students to be able to have some other type of interest outside of the standard academic core classes. With the wide variety of jobs available out there, why should a student have to wait until college to be able to discover all these opportunities? The injustice really comes from the fact that public education requires a student to take the core classes with only one or two electives, usually filled with other academic classes desired by college, and then the student is supposed to decide from that limited knowledge in those specific areas about what they want to do with their life. The truth is that half of college students change their mind about what they want to pursue as a career. Is this a coincidence that now that they have the freedom to choose what they want to learn that they are then capable of making a sure decision? I’m not convinced. -Diana Garnica (Period 5)
ReplyDeletePublic Education, although criticized, is a fundamental necessity in the age we live in. I agree with Erica Goldson in various aspects. I agree that the test-taking value in public education is extremely high even though it is ineffective in learning for many students. I understand and empathize with Goldson because I know what it feels like to play the game of school without learning a single thing. I can study all night and pass a test with an "A" without having learned anything or even remember what I learned by the next day. However, public education is very important in the world we live in today. Without the school administration badgering us with phone calls about our absences, or even the standardized test that does our knowledge no justice, we would live in an uneducated society. Public Education gives us the opportunity to learn for free. The key word is opportunity. Erica Goldson and every other student in the US has a chance to take these standardized tests and classes and learn from them. However, it is up to each and every student to decide if they want to. Yeah, Goldson is right that you can become valedictorian by simply playing the game right...OR you can actually play the game by LEARNING. Its a choice...public education is an open door. We can criticize it for all its faults, but it is free, so should we really be complaining?
ReplyDeleteSandra Kang, PER 5.
After reading an excerpt of Goldson's speech in class I watched a video of her giving the speech on youtube. While her execution lacked conviction I agree with many of her theories of the schooling system. I agree that the public schooling system oppresses the individual, and aims to produce a generation of "capable" humans. However, they measure a person's capability on their ability to memorize what they deem as essential knowledge. The public schooling system does not concern themselves with giving students the opportunity to obtain specific knowledge that appeals or is necessary for a specific student to survive if they do not go to college. The system's highest priority is to ensure that their name isn't soiled by their subtitle that is their standardized test scores. This is apparent by how schools advertise an ideal goal that adds pressure on students to "excel" based of the schools standards and not the students. Yet the system still finds the drop out rate unfathomable when their standards and pressure practically threw them out of their school.
ReplyDelete- Albert Argueta (period 3)
You all have really good thoughts about this, something about which we often think too little, just do what we're told.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that, & I will mention these in class . . . & I always credit my sources, so if you don't want me using your name there (though you certainly aren't anonymous anyway), please shoot an e-mail.
Let's hear some more!
Public education in California has spiraled down to the point where teachers are no longer able to teach to the individual's needs. With class size increases teachers have become mere crowd control managers and students are graduating with little to no basic knowledge although there is an exit exam. Students have also learned that all that is expected of them is to pass a test. Cheating has become an art and completely acceptable to students. On most situations emphasis is only placed on A.P. and Honors classes yet not every student fits these standards. Trade classes have become almost non existent due to budget cuts yet are greatly needed in society. Hopefully with new administration in Sacramento we can come together and as a society force law makers to invest finically in students that are our future. -Olivia Painter Period 1
ReplyDeleteIncluding one sent via e-mail, that makes TEN . . .
ReplyDeleteIf you want to add a comment, make it really, REALLY good.
(Or I will continue to type in ALL CAPS.)
also . . .
ReplyDeleteThe LA Times has done an interesting investigation into the LAUSD teacher' students' test scores.
Link:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-teachers-value-20100815,0,2695044.story
Anyone who did not make the "1st 10" &/or is interested in this idea may post a response below.
Some food for thought, as they name names of the teachers who provide some of the most & least "value added."
Now, let's get ready to add some value in the new week.
Everyone always says, Oh the education being taught in our public schools are so low, we must improve them. Please government, help us improve our children's education. What these people don't understand is that the system is working EXACTLY as they intend. Once people realize that governments want to keep the children dumb and subservient (they don't want children who can think for themselves), the more power they will have to change their child and empower them with "real" knowledge, "real" perspectives, "real" critical thinking and "real" dreams. This shows how young minds can see things as they truly are much more clearly than those who have been submerged in the system for so long. She has what no educational system can teach: integrity, honesty, and the courage to express it!!
ReplyDeleteAnuja Shukla ~Period One
Chloe
ReplyDeletetwilight is a waste of everyone's time. we need to get over that. lmao
6:30pmLizzy
haha iknow. i think mcb secretly likes it.
6:31pmChloe
HE LOVES IT. you can tell.
6:31pmLizzy
hahaha i knoooowww. he's crazy.
6:32pmChloe
He totally sleeps with that book.
when he's sure his wife's asleep he pulls it out and snuggles with it
-----------------------------
THIS IS EXTA CREDIT WORTHY. <3CHLOE KEEDY PERIOD 5
As I have said multiple times, there are good parts to it--she's a decent storyteller, but a bad writer.
ReplyDeleteThe 4th book is almost inexplicably bad, but I read it.
I have no "guilt" about my pleasure, &it's not a secret, as I have told every class since I read the books that I read them, & I have recommended them to many students.
"Vampire Academy" is a better series.
I am neither Team Edward nor Team Jacob, because I find them both a tad whiny & indulgent, but I'd have to lean toward the vampire.
I am not "crazy" except when I am.
& that was not close to "extra-credit worthy."
But, fun.