Great Educator

Dewey’s argument that social influences are the “great educator” and that schools are only a secondary agency is valid.  Today’s schools are overwhelmed with additional social influences and concerns that are dampening student learning.  In Jamie Vollmer’s video, The Ever Increasing Burden on America’s Public School, he discusses how so many social burdens have filtered in the public school system.  It is somehow the educator’s responsibility to help solve this problem. 

These social influences can be problems and possibilities to educators.  First of all, one of the most popular social influence is technology.  Facebook, cell phones, ipods, and ipads are the latest phenomena.  Educators cannot keep up with the latest technology gadget that students use. However, one of the problems that affect education is the use of texting.  Students do not write proper grammar due to the fact that texting only requires abbreviations, slang, and incorrect spelling to communicate with others.  This type of communication is making it worse for students to write proper English correctly.  Facebook is another example, where students use this to bully other students by posting gossip, rumors, or downright put downs to others.  Second, the media plays a negative role in social influence.  Popular reality shows only encourage disrespect and bullying and the media emphasizes the negativity to increase television ratings.  Students then mimic these negative actions to their teachers and classmates.

These social influences are impacting our students therefore, as educators, we need to take action.  There are educational possibilities out of these social influences that educators can use to increase student engagement and student learning.  The use of technology can be used for instructional purposes that can assist the student.  There are software reading and math programs that cater to individualized instruction and mastery. According to the Hechinger Report, “At Carpe Diem, an Arizona charter school earning national attention for its use of technology, students split their time between electronic curricula and workshops. In 2012, Carpe Diem was ranked among Arizona’s top ten highest-performing charter schools.”

 Also, the use of email as a form of communication can serve the student, parent, and teacher.  Many parents find it difficult to meet with the teacher during school hours.  The use of email can alleviate this problem and assure the constant communication between the parent and teacher.  The student can also benefit from email communication between the student and teacher for homework assignments and research.  The media can focus on the awareness of service and positive role models to our future.  Educational programs/networks such as Sesame Street and Discovery Channel to name a few can inform young viewers.   

 How can teachers help students that come with these social influences?  Students are with their teachers more than with their actual parents.  Teachers can encourage students by using the educational possibilities mentioned above.   Teachers make a difference based on their beliefs and attitudes.  Teachers should seek to make the difference in order to educate and prepare the future. The goal is to educate and prepare student in becoming a productive citizen of society. Tozer (2009) states, “Teachers are more likely to teach effectively if they understand their students well.”  (p. 450). 

Hidden Curriculum

The relationship between the meaning of hidden curriculum and the role of schools in cultural hegemony is dishearteningly similar.  The hidden curriculum described by Walter Karp’s article, Why Johnny Can’t Think, “succeeds at their historical task of socializing people to be compliant, poorly informed about democratic ideals and practices, and ill prepared to think critically.” (Tozer,p. 292). 

Tozer explains, “Cultural literacy appears to value traditional knowledge that has historically minimized attention to African Americans, Hispanics, women, and working-class people. “ (p.288).   Most public school’s demographics are changing to a more diverse group of students.   According to the National Center for Education Statistics (2012), “Between 1990 and 2010, the percentage of public school students who were White decreased from 67 to 54 percent, and the percentage of those who were Hispanic increased from 12 percent (5.1 million students) to 23 percent (12.1 million students).”  With the public school population changing, why has the curriculum not changed?  How can African American, Hispanics, and females comprehend traditional knowledge if there is no connection or motivation to learn this material?  Why is today’s curriculum a “one size fits all”? 

In addition to the lack of cultural connection, there are also the social issues that impact the education of marginalized groups.   For example, William J. Wilson’s interview of what causes poverty in the African American community include  the lack of a good education, economic obstacles, and another factor called structural forces.  The structural forces consist of racial discrimination and segregation.  It is difficult for marginalized groups to feel and experience success.  These inequalities are being played out in today’s educational environment.  As John Goodlad states, “There is in the gap between our highly idealistic goals for schooling in our society and the differentiated opportunities condoned and supported in schools a monstrous hypocrisy.” (Tozer, 295).

Today’s schools are struggling to meet academic standards and find it difficult to close the achievement gap between Whites and Minorities (African American and Hispanic students).  Is it the curriculum?  Is it the standardized test that is known to be geared toward the White student?  Do we as educators have the resources to use for best practices in the classroom?  Do we utilize every staff person effectively in order to reduce overcrowding in the classrooms?  If there is indeed a fiscal cliff, how are we going to provide a quality and equality education for all students with more budget cuts and a reduction in staff? 

How can we encourage our students to be risk takers when they fail to meet performance expectations based on standardized test scores?  Tozer states, "The favorless many, who have majored in failure for years, are taught to think ill of themselves.  Youthful spirits are broken to the world and every impulse of citizenship is effectively stifled." (p. 295). The hidden curriculum is apparent in today’s public schools.   

School Reform

The process of school reform should include all stakeholders’ voices but most importantly, student voices.  Educators are looking for best practices to engage students to learn curriculum.  Students are entering school with academic gaps along with social dilemmas.  Students are not meeting standards on state standardized tests and are not meeting annual adequate progress.  Who should we ask for answers? 

 Many schools struggle with this question, but few have decided to go straight to the source and ask students. Through increasing "student voice" in schools, students have the potential for contributing their opinions on a variety of levels, including sharing their views on problems and potential solutions in their schools.  (Mitra, 2003).    In addition, school districts are providing opportunities for students to meet with school board members for questions and reflections. The National School Board Association (NSBA) emphasizes: “Students cannot learn in chaos, fear, or embarrassment.” It also says, “If you really want to know what people feel about their schools, ask them.”

 The teachers’ voice is also important to hear because of the fact that they see firsthand what the current academic challenges schools face.  School Reform should take into account the opinions and concerns teachers have expressed throughout the years.  Teachers are faced with limited time, limited resources and support, and an increase number of students in the classroom.  These challenges are very difficult for teachers to effectively reach every student.  For the most part, teachers provide differentiated instruction to best meet individualized student needs.  Ignacio Estrada’s quote, “If a child can’t learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn”, can be seen in today’s classrooms as a reminder of what needs to be done to reach every student. 

State and Federal Politicians need to hear teacher and student voices when making educational decisions.  Unfortunately, this is not happening.  But the tone, language, and proposals for change currently articulated by the most prominent "reformers" at the national level reveal both a lack of knowledge and experience of the daily realities of even the most successful public schools and a total lack of respect for the professionals now working in public education.  (Education Week, 2012).

To add to the lack of awareness of today’s school realities, politicians are tackling a fiscal cliff that consists of increasing budget cuts to education that will negatively impact the public school system.  According to Education Week, The American Association of School Administrators has been gathering information about the impact of sequestration on districts for months. In a survey released in July, AASA asked districts if they were starting to plan for the cuts. More than half said had built the cuts into their budget, although they were still very worried about the long-term impact of sequestration. Superintendents expected that they will have to cut back on professional development, reduce personnel, and boost class size.   

At the David School, the student voices are heard.  Throughout the documentary, it is evident that the David School is the last option before dropping out of school altogether.  Administration constantly meets and encourages at risk students such as Chris Johnson.  They were aware of the challenges of his financial dilemmas and the obstacles, primarily his parents, which often distracted him from his focus of graduating.  The David School did whatever it took for Chris to finish school.  The school gave him ample opportunities to turn in late work, was willing to decrease the number of credits required to graduate, registered him to take the GED, and provided him with an apartment so he could concentrate on his studies. 

Chris Johnson is an example of many at risk students who need a support staff to get them through economic and social factors to reach their ultimate goal-an education.  "Education is for all, and there can be no compromise with the proposition."  Mark Van Doren

Gender Equity

Gender bias continues to be a problem in the education system.  Boys are more aggressive and tend to have a difficult time concentrating with their studies. In the Myth that Schools Shortchanged Girls, males are also more apt than females to believe that the school climate is hostile to them, that teachers do not expect as much from them and give them less encouragement to do their best. Teachers do not know how to reach the boys academically.  Boys are more likely to drop out of school, obtain lower grades and lower class ranks than girls, and are more likely to suffer from learning disabilities. (Education Week, 1999).  I believe that boys are the victims of gender inequality. 

In the David School video, it is evident that there is gender bias.  Both Chris and Cody are expected to work to provide for their immediate family or future family in Cody’s case.  In Part Two of the video, Chris begins to work at Taco Bell.  His hours increase because he pays all the bills.  His mother moves out and his father does not work.  He is somehow in charge of providing for the household.  Cody does not take an interest in enrolling in college with his girlfriend.  Cody’s girlfriend can be seen looking at college courses and her parents are seen having conversations about college with her. 

Rita and the David School

How would the David School be different if Rita was the principal?

If Rita was the principal at the David School, Chris Johnson and Cody Perkins would have positive

opportunities as a student. Rita would provide positive relationships with her staff and students. She

has worked with low income students as well as defiant teachers who have low expectations for their

students. Rita also has experience working with secondary students that have personal problems

outside of school.

Rita would provide opportunities for Cody to perform at the school, strengthening his bass and

singing skills while giving him a sense of purpose. The video does not show Cody performing at

school. He practices with his band outside of the school environment and spending a great deal of

time with his girlfriend. The David School does not appear to have any extra curricular activities

that Cody would be interested in participating.

Chris Johnson would greatly benefit from Rita as the principal. Rita would definitely make it a point

to have frequent visits to his house, require staff to take a training class on teaching students with

poverty, and how to de-escalate a frustrated student. Even though the David School attempts to

provide Chris with the newspaper project to engage him with his class, there is no follow through or

consequences with his actions. How could he have missed 15 days of school without anyone checking into that? It wasn't until he returned to school that the staff had serious conversations about

whether he would get his driver's license or pass the grade. This frustrated Chris even more, pushing

him away from completing anything.