Did you know that a third of the kids that enter high school today fail to walk across the stage on graduation day? I found this hard to believe, because when I was in high school in the early nineties dropping out of high school was something that was almost unheard of in those times. However, I did consider dropping out when I was in the eleventh grade to help support my mom, who was a single parent raising four kids, but that thought quickly faded from my mind. In my time it was always instilled in me if you didn’t receive a high school diploma there was no way you could land a decent job yet earn a decent salary. In such a short time things have really changed. Statistics show across the country children of all races and gender are dropping out, but Blacks and Hispanics are dropping out at an alarming rate over Whites and Asians.
A couple of days ago I was talking to a sixteen year old kid who stated that he drop out a few weeks ago, because he just doesn’t like going to school. If he was related to me I probably would have suckered punch him for dropping out for such a dumb reason. He went on to say that “I’m from DC and the school I was attending wasn’t teaching me anything anyway that‘s why I stopped going”. Where are we going wrong as a society, if we allow a sixteen year old child to drop out of school simply because he or she doesn’t like school? Do we stand by and let them throw their entire future away? “A report, issued by America's Promise Alliance, found that only about half of the students served by public school systems in the nation's largest cities receive diplomas”(cbsnew.com para 2). There has to be more research done, more questions answered, and major changes conducted to change this trend.
I also talked to a twenty six year old that stated “he drop out at the age of sixteen, because he was extremely bored with school”. It was so boring to him that he would go only twice a week and when he did attend he would just go to sleep in class. He failed so far behind on his assignments he just decided it was in his best interest not to go back, because he wasn’t able and willing to catch up the work. He now looks back on his decision to drop out and has realized that it was the worst decision he has ever made in his life. As a young teenager he had always wanted to be an accountant, that horrible decision has only landed him jobs in construction and in the restaurant business. He recently went back to school to receive his GED and will attend college in the spring; however, he is was still visibly upset for wasting so many years of obtaining the occupation he wanted to be at a younger age.
We as parents and educators have to change the mindset of these children at a very young age. We can’t wait until their teenagers to tell them the importance of a high school education. It has to start practically before they start their first day of school in other words it should be stressed diligently by the parents at home. However, it is also the early childhood teacher’s responsibility to be able to recognize if there is a child that need a little more attention in this aspect—and that teacher should assist in fixing the problem before the child gets the desire to quit or before the child gets bored. These are the things that were instilled in me at a young age and I believe it was one of the reasons why I didn’t drop out when the desire was there.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Prayer Should be Allowed in the Classroom
As a nation we should strongly consider allowing prayer back into the public school system classroom. Why not in the classroom? Students are already allowed to pray on the bus, flag pole, cafeteria, etc. Therefore, prayer should be allowed in the classroom also because prayer helps to prevent illegal and immoral acts, and prayer also helps to produce a stable learning environment. Not to forget that this nation was built on the principles of God.
In 1962 the Supreme Court handed down a historic decision in regards to prayer in the classroom. The court ruled seven to one that it was unconstitutional for school officials to mandate an official school prayer, and to make the recital of that prayer mandatory. This decision was obtained in the Engel vs. Vitale case. I wasn’t around at that time but after a considerable amount of research it looks as if this one decision put this country in a free fall toward moral decline. “Since prayer was removed from public school classrooms in 1962, we have had a six-fold increase in violent crime, our divorce rate has tripled, births to single mothers have increased five-fold, the teenage suicide rate has tripled, and SAT scores (standardized college entrance test) have dropped 80 points (approximately 10%)” (Creation Science Evangelism para 4). These statics alone have convinced me that we need to allow prayer back into our classrooms.
Looking at the numerous amounts of changes that have taken place since prayer was removed from the classroom; I have come to the conclusion that our schools are far worse off than they were in the past. Our children have become less obedient and more self absorbed. The principles that our schools were built on are totally declining—prayer, discipline, and obedience. We must understand that morals are generally taught by the parent and teachers. Without religion and prayer how can morals possibly be taught properly? Personally I think our allowance of the secular viewpoint and the disregard of prayer is the primary cause for the failing of our school system and our children.
I fully understand that the removal of prayer form the classroom is not solely responsible for all the problems in our school. Some might argue and I agree that a part of the problem is the failure of the parents to turn the television off and ensuring that their children are completing their homework assignments. But, statics show that "the year after prayer was removed from schools the pregnancy rate for girls under fifteen rose from five thousand to twenty-seven thousand" (popular issues para 5). Shortly after that SAT scores dropped, drug use increased, and violence rose to an all time high. The importance of prayer has been documented and identified since the establishment of this county. There have been many forward steps that we have taken for the advancement of our school system since the beginning of time; but when prayer was removed from the classroom that was a huge step backward. I believe as John Adams once quoted “that school prayer will always promote good citizenship”.
In 1962 the Supreme Court handed down a historic decision in regards to prayer in the classroom. The court ruled seven to one that it was unconstitutional for school officials to mandate an official school prayer, and to make the recital of that prayer mandatory. This decision was obtained in the Engel vs. Vitale case. I wasn’t around at that time but after a considerable amount of research it looks as if this one decision put this country in a free fall toward moral decline. “Since prayer was removed from public school classrooms in 1962, we have had a six-fold increase in violent crime, our divorce rate has tripled, births to single mothers have increased five-fold, the teenage suicide rate has tripled, and SAT scores (standardized college entrance test) have dropped 80 points (approximately 10%)” (Creation Science Evangelism para 4). These statics alone have convinced me that we need to allow prayer back into our classrooms.
Looking at the numerous amounts of changes that have taken place since prayer was removed from the classroom; I have come to the conclusion that our schools are far worse off than they were in the past. Our children have become less obedient and more self absorbed. The principles that our schools were built on are totally declining—prayer, discipline, and obedience. We must understand that morals are generally taught by the parent and teachers. Without religion and prayer how can morals possibly be taught properly? Personally I think our allowance of the secular viewpoint and the disregard of prayer is the primary cause for the failing of our school system and our children.
I fully understand that the removal of prayer form the classroom is not solely responsible for all the problems in our school. Some might argue and I agree that a part of the problem is the failure of the parents to turn the television off and ensuring that their children are completing their homework assignments. But, statics show that "the year after prayer was removed from schools the pregnancy rate for girls under fifteen rose from five thousand to twenty-seven thousand" (popular issues para 5). Shortly after that SAT scores dropped, drug use increased, and violence rose to an all time high. The importance of prayer has been documented and identified since the establishment of this county. There have been many forward steps that we have taken for the advancement of our school system since the beginning of time; but when prayer was removed from the classroom that was a huge step backward. I believe as John Adams once quoted “that school prayer will always promote good citizenship”.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Sex Education---Should be Taught in Middle School
Two years ago my best friend daughter, who was sixteen at the time, told him that she was three months pregnant. He was so disappointed when she informed him of the bad news, that he walked away from her in order not to physically abuse her. The thought of sex education being taught in school had never crossed his mind until this incident was tossed into his lap. Kimberly just like most American teenagers had been having sex since she was fourteen years old. Her parents never fathomed that she would start having sex at such a young age. They had talked about sex many times before as a family, but she always had this look on her face as if having sexual intercourse was the worst thing that she could ever imagine. Now they see that Kim, like many other children her age, don’t feel comfortable talking about sexual intercourse with their parents.
It is time for these School Boards to wake up and smell the coffee. Sex Education need to be implemented in our Middle School curriculum immediately. We can introduce sex education into the classroom as a co-ed option, but it would probably benefit the teenagers better if the classes were gender exclusive. Middle School is the ideal time to implement sex education classes, because this is when puberty starts; it's when the hormones level start to rise; and when the bad behavior begin. If sex education becomes mandatory we could most importantly-- educate these teenagers about the importance of safe sex. There are so many benefits of teaching children about abstinence, pregnancy prevention, the use of contraceptives, and how to protect themselves from contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Sex education in the classroom can stress the fact that condoms have an unbelievably high failure rate and what the consequences are, if that were to happen while participating in sexual intercourse. Instead of the child hearing from their buddy that yeah dude condoms do break from time to time. Many of these children don’t believe it only takes one time to have intercourse to become pregnant. In the classroom we can let pregnant girls tell their story since they are the subject matter expert. This practice in itself should open a few teens’ eyes to not want to be in that same predicament. That would then allow the teacher to bring abstinence to the table, being that this will be the most difficult option for teenagers to consider. Education and dialogue in the classroom could drastically minimize the spread of sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea and HIV.
With so much of the population on the affirmative side there must be some pros to this curriculum. Such advantages might be:
There are many individuals in society that are totally against placing sexual education into middle school curriculum. They feel it is the parent’s responsibility to teach their child about sex, but as I stated earlier most teenagers don’t feel comfortable talking about this subject with their parents. They would rather discuss that kind of information with their peers, so it seems right to have a teacher facilitate that information during school hours. Others might say teaching teenagers about sex promotes intercourse and therefore the teachings would encourage teenagers to engage in sexual activity. That is one of the most ignorant statement I’ve ever heard. We have now entered the twenty first century. Whether you believe or not our kids are engaging in sexual activity at a staggering rate. It is the parent’s job along with the education system to educate these teenagers on the consequences of having sex at such a young age. If it were perfect world abstinence would be great some might abstain but the majoritiyof teens are not. For this to work, sexual education has to be added to the curriculum; we need to identify the right teachers to properly teach the subject; and the teenagers must receive a GRADE from the course.
Essortment.Pros and Cons of Sex Education in School. 2002. 10 November 2009.
http://www.essortment.com/family/sexeducationch_saqs.htm
It is time for these School Boards to wake up and smell the coffee. Sex Education need to be implemented in our Middle School curriculum immediately. We can introduce sex education into the classroom as a co-ed option, but it would probably benefit the teenagers better if the classes were gender exclusive. Middle School is the ideal time to implement sex education classes, because this is when puberty starts; it's when the hormones level start to rise; and when the bad behavior begin. If sex education becomes mandatory we could most importantly-- educate these teenagers about the importance of safe sex. There are so many benefits of teaching children about abstinence, pregnancy prevention, the use of contraceptives, and how to protect themselves from contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Sex education in the classroom can stress the fact that condoms have an unbelievably high failure rate and what the consequences are, if that were to happen while participating in sexual intercourse. Instead of the child hearing from their buddy that yeah dude condoms do break from time to time. Many of these children don’t believe it only takes one time to have intercourse to become pregnant. In the classroom we can let pregnant girls tell their story since they are the subject matter expert. This practice in itself should open a few teens’ eyes to not want to be in that same predicament. That would then allow the teacher to bring abstinence to the table, being that this will be the most difficult option for teenagers to consider. Education and dialogue in the classroom could drastically minimize the spread of sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea and HIV.
With so much of the population on the affirmative side there must be some pros to this curriculum. Such advantages might be:
• Classes are gender exclusive. This saves embarrassment amongst students and teaches them only what is necessary to know based on their gender.
• Taught properly, sexual education could become a regular course such as Human Anatomy or Biological Science complete with tests and grading that goes towards their graduating credits.
• Student’s can be taught the correct terms of the reproductive system, sexually transmitted diseases and birth contraceptives rather than the “street lingo.”
• Myths surrounding intercourse can be dispelled (such as not being able to get pregnant the first time).
• Studies show that many teenagers become sexually active before the inclusion of the educational classes. Early inclusion of classes has proven to help students remain either abstinent or to at least be responsible if they are active.
• Appropriate sexual education can have an impact on preventing sexual problems in adulthood.("Essortment.Pros and Cons" par 3)
There are many individuals in society that are totally against placing sexual education into middle school curriculum. They feel it is the parent’s responsibility to teach their child about sex, but as I stated earlier most teenagers don’t feel comfortable talking about this subject with their parents. They would rather discuss that kind of information with their peers, so it seems right to have a teacher facilitate that information during school hours. Others might say teaching teenagers about sex promotes intercourse and therefore the teachings would encourage teenagers to engage in sexual activity. That is one of the most ignorant statement I’ve ever heard. We have now entered the twenty first century. Whether you believe or not our kids are engaging in sexual activity at a staggering rate. It is the parent’s job along with the education system to educate these teenagers on the consequences of having sex at such a young age. If it were perfect world abstinence would be great some might abstain but the majoritiyof teens are not. For this to work, sexual education has to be added to the curriculum; we need to identify the right teachers to properly teach the subject; and the teenagers must receive a GRADE from the course.
Essortment.Pros and Cons of Sex Education in School. 2002. 10 November 2009.
http://www.essortment.com/family/sexeducationch_saqs.htm
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Special Needs Children
It seems that there are many more children in today's society than in the past that are labeled as special needs kids. Instead of placing these kids in a general classroom (full inclusion)with normal children--- special needs children would be better off, if placed in a special education classroom. Whoever thought it would be a good idea to place kids with disabilities in a general classroom wasn't thinking about the effect that it would have on them or the affect that it would have on the so called normal children.
I have been removed from school for many years, but if my memory serves me well I remember that school age children can be very cruel at times. Especially, if you don't look like them or act a certain way. My nephew is in the fourth grade and he has three special need kids in his classroom and he stated to me that “no one in the class talk or play with them other than the teacher.” The majority of children that I know usually socialize with kids that they have things in common with. Just as well, kids with certain disabilities are more likely to gravitate towards kids in which they have things in common with. Therefore by thrusting these kids in a class with normal kids is like taking a sheep out of its natural habitat and placing it with a pack of wolves.
At first I thought it was a good idea for inclusion, but after talking to a parent that sat in a classroom to observe this practice she made me realizes that it is not such a good idea after all. She stated “the class that she sat in had an autistic child in the room.” She went on to say that “the child must have disrupted the class two or three times while she was there.”
Teachers already have enough obstacles to hurdle in the classroom while trying to teach twenty–five to thirty kids at a time. Teachers in the general classrooms just don’t have time to concentrate on a modified curriculum for a child with special needs. I know many people will think that this is segregation all over again, but I truly believe it is in the best interest of the child to place them in an environment where they are able to become as socially productive as possible instead of placing them in social isolation with children that never communicate with them anyway. NO one should be denied the right to the best education as possible; it’s just my belief that a special education class is the best option to educate an individual with special needs.
I have been removed from school for many years, but if my memory serves me well I remember that school age children can be very cruel at times. Especially, if you don't look like them or act a certain way. My nephew is in the fourth grade and he has three special need kids in his classroom and he stated to me that “no one in the class talk or play with them other than the teacher.” The majority of children that I know usually socialize with kids that they have things in common with. Just as well, kids with certain disabilities are more likely to gravitate towards kids in which they have things in common with. Therefore by thrusting these kids in a class with normal kids is like taking a sheep out of its natural habitat and placing it with a pack of wolves.
At first I thought it was a good idea for inclusion, but after talking to a parent that sat in a classroom to observe this practice she made me realizes that it is not such a good idea after all. She stated “the class that she sat in had an autistic child in the room.” She went on to say that “the child must have disrupted the class two or three times while she was there.”
Teachers already have enough obstacles to hurdle in the classroom while trying to teach twenty–five to thirty kids at a time. Teachers in the general classrooms just don’t have time to concentrate on a modified curriculum for a child with special needs. I know many people will think that this is segregation all over again, but I truly believe it is in the best interest of the child to place them in an environment where they are able to become as socially productive as possible instead of placing them in social isolation with children that never communicate with them anyway. NO one should be denied the right to the best education as possible; it’s just my belief that a special education class is the best option to educate an individual with special needs.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Private vs. Public School
One of the most important decisions that I and my spouse had to make five years ago was what type of school we wanted to send our son to. Generally every parent in America wants their child to get the best education as possible. So we both put on the gloves, sat at the dinner table, and began our debate. Due to our different upbringing and conflicting views it was a civil but sometimes heated discussion. Private vs. Public School was the debate that we had and one that many families are debating throughout America today. Public school was the best option in my view because that is the type of school that I and my siblings attended when we were children. In my eyes we turned out to be successful members of society. She then countered and stated that “because she attended a private school she was better prepared for college after high school. I couldn’t disagree because after high school-- college was the last thing I was thinking about. My thought process was if I join the military, that I wouldn’t need a form of higher education (man was I wrong). It just so happen during this time she was taking time off, due to a career change. So, I said private school is just not in our budget at this time and public education is totally free. I explained to her that at a median private school the cost would be about 17,000 dollars a year. Then I came back to her last point to let her know that I was in the minority. The majority of the kids that graduated with me were well prepared as well as eager to go attend college after high school. There is no evidence that a private school better prepares children for college or the workforce after high school. She then began to explain that private school are far more superior despite the cost, because classrooms are smaller; there is more funding for newer text and supplies; and there is little or no violence on private school campuses. Even though I truly believe that I had the more valid points and cost was of concern needless to say I lost the battle. My son is still attending private school five years later.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Equal Resources for all Schools
I have noticed a steady trend while taken a glance at the American education system all across the United States. The school system are once again taking care of the haves, while turning their backs on the have not’s. If you take a good look you will see that there is a strong movement of school location inequality in the education system of today. In many of these inner city schools the children are using outdated textbooks, classrooms are overcrowded, and teachers are walking out before the class bell ring. On the other hand, if you venture out of the city into the schools in the suburbs don't get me wrong there are problems but not nearly to the extent of the inner city school. Some might think that this socialistic view but I truly believe, it is the responsibility of the government to step in and ensure that all schools have the same amount of resources to function properly no matter where that school is located. If the funds aren't distributed evenly many of the children in these schools will continue to fail. When these children fail it turns into a domino effect --illiteracy goes up, poverty rises, and the rate of crime skyrocket for the poor. If the government continues to sit back with the legs and arms crossed the rich will continue to get rich and the poor will continue to stay poor; therefore, the gap between the upper class and lower class will never shrink. There are new alternative schools now in play such as private and magnet schools. But there are few minorities especially those that live in the inner city that are able to attend these institutions. Most underprivileged inner city families just don't have the monies to attend private schools. Magnet schools are more diverse, but their normally located in suburban parts of America. If this trend that I see continue to exist these children along with our nation is going to fail.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
