What Do You Think Schools and Students are Like Today?

Schools have seen much change in recent years, but it cannot be said with confidence that all aspects of this change have been for the better. 

I somewhat agree that competition is key to improving school performance. While competition may help push certain schools to become better, schools that do not have the same level of resources might not be able to compete, and the quality of the education that students receive will suffer. 

I somewhat agree that schools continue to be academically weak, and stronger academic standards are needed. While standardized test scores might indicate that a school is falling behind or the students are not learning everything they need to, they do not tell the entire story, and therefore, alternative means of assessment that more accurately measure student progress should also be taken into account.

I disagree that schools do a great job in preparing students for vocational careers. In most schools, and emphasis is placed on learning and understanding five or six subject areas, and if a student does not excel in any of these academic areas, they are essentially out of luck. There are very little opportunities for students to show their skills in areas such as cooking, mechanics, or music anymore, as these areas are seen as unnecessary and are often the first to be cut from a school budget.

I disagree that schools and teachers are very involved with the personal values and beliefs of students. While students' beliefs might come up often in classes such as social studies or English, I think that overall, teachers feel so overwhelmed by the amount of material they are required to cover to prepare their students for standardized tests at the end of the year that they try to stick to the information and don't feel like they have time to discuss the beliefs and values of their students.

I entirely agree that schools emphasize test scores at the expense of other kinds of evaluation. This is exemplified by the high level of importance placed on standardized tests and college entrance exams. There is little to no opportunity for students to demonstrate the skills they've learned, whether that be in performing lab experiments or public speaking, in these kinds of assessment on which so much emphasis is placed as an indicator of student progress and learning.

I disagree that school's do an admirable job of moving children out of poverty into middle class life. Even though students might be able to succeed academically, they often do not have the financial resources to continue that education beyond high school. Although schools can help students in poverty by providing amenities such as free or reduced lunches, it only temporary helps the problem but does not solve it.

I somewhat agree that home schooling is an effective alternative to the typical public school. It really depends on the individual child. Although academics is a large part of education, socializing also plays a key role. One of my good friends was home schooled but does not feel like she missed out on developing any key social schools because her parents made sure that she was able to regularly meet with other children her age in order to develop friendships just as she would have in an actual classroom.

I disagree that students care about the less fortunate, both here or overseas. In my personal experience, children are mostly concerned with themselves and do not yet really know the value of money until they begin working. For this reason, they are often preoccupied with worrying about what THEY don't have, despite having much more than those less fortunate than them.

I somewhat agree that competition is key to improving student performance. While some students excel under the pressure of competing with fellow students, other students succumb to this pressure and end up performing even worse than they normally would. This is especially true when taking standardized tests to determine entrance or scholarships, as some students are not able to concentrate when they know that so much is on the line, including myself.

I somewhat agree that schools are stronger academically today than they ever have been before, For example, technology has enabled teachers to present information in ways never previously thought possible, and it has enabled students to learn and be assessed in new and creative ways. However, at the same time, many of the educational staples such as art, music, and physical education are being cut from schools across the country, depriving students of the enjoyment and knowledge their parents were able to experience only one generation ago.

Overall, I believe that change is a necessary part of life, and I look forward to seeing the changes that come to our country's educational system and how they affect me and how I teach my students.