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).