Investigating Critical

8/2/2019 Investigating Critical

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InvestigatingCritical &

Contemporary Issues in

Education

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Education has long been a topic of debate. The world's greatest thinkers continue torevolutionize methods to create a better generation. But every time a seemingly flawless

method is devised, a later and greater thinker proves it to be complete nonsense. Thephilosopher Freidrich William Neitzche comments that, "Philosophical systems are whollytrue only for their founders. For all subsequent philosophers they usually seem one greatmistake..."

[edit] Author

Timothy Goodale Ph.D
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[edit] Unit 1: Current Student Related Challenges

Chapter 1: Student Academic PerformanceChapter 2: Racial ImbalancesChapter 3: Challenges of Poverty

Chapter 4: Gender BiasChapter 5: Parental InvolvementChapter 6: MobilityChapter 7: Drugs & Violence

[edit] Unit 2: Current Teacher Related Challenges

Chapter 8: Attrition & StatusChapter 9: High Stakes AssessmentChapter 10: Diverse Learning Needs

Chapter 11: Quality/Expectations

Chapter 1: Student Academic Performance

The United States must address the challenges in its educational system, if it wants tomaintain a competitive edge.

Academic performance refers to how students deal with their studies and how they copewith or accomplish different tasks given to them by their teachers. This article will shedlight on the current issues facing the students today. Of course we have heard it time and

time before that receiving an education is the most important thing. But students today arefacing the dropout epidemic, which occurs often during the ninth grade year, low scores inmath, science and reading. And if that is not enough, the workplace continues to changeand the demands continue to rise on those making the transition from the classroom to theworkplace. Americans no longer compete with each other for jobs; its now theinternational students getting jobs (www.all4ed.org).

Internationally there are two surveys that compare the U.S. with other countries. TheTrends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the Program forInternational Student Assessment (PISA) are the two main assessments of comparing theU.S. with other countries. Both assessments reflect the performance of students several

years before they complete high school. PISA targets fifteen-year old students ability toapply what they have learned in school to real-world problems. By contrast, TIMSS testsfourth and eighth grades. TIMSS follows the school curriculum closely (Koretz, 2009).How does the United States rank among other countries academically? The U.S. ranks 21stof 30 O.E.C.D. countries in scientific literacy, and the U.S. score of 489 fell below theO.E.C.D. average of 500. One quarter (24.4%) of U.S. fifteen-year olds do not reach thebaseline level of science achievement. This is the level at which students begin to
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demonstrate the science competencies that will enable them to use science and technologyin life situations (U.S. Department of Education).

The math literacy in the United States ranks 25th of 30 in O.E.C.D. countries, the averagescore of 474 fell well below the O.E.C.D. average of 498. Scores have not measurably

changed since 2003, when the United States ranked 24th of 29 countries. Over one quarter(28.1 percent) of American fifteen-year olds performed below the baseline level ofmathematics proficiency at which students begin to demonstrate skills that enable them touse mathematics actively in daily life (U.S. Department of Education). Moreover, there areother problems facing the U.S. along with the low science and math scores. In 2003, theU.S. ranked 15th of 29 O.E.C.D. (Organization for Economic Co-operation andDevelopment) countries in reading literacy, with a score of 495, the score came near theO.E.C.D. average of 500 (U.S. Department of Education). It is a well known fact that alarge majority of our nations students are not reading on grade level and this will havedevastating effects on a students ability to learn. Boling and Evans (2008) report that morethan eight million American students cannot read or comprehend what they read even at a

basic level. The reading epidemic is leading so many dropouts, and the numbers aredisturbing (www.nationalforum.com).

The dropout epidemic is continually on the rise and many more students will not make it ifthis trend continues.Over a million of the students who enter ninth grade fall fail tograduate (www.all4ed.org). Among them blacks and Latinos fare worse in the epidemic.For every student who dons a cap and gown and marches across the stage in auditoriumsand halls across the country, there is a student who will not finish high school. The drop-out rate among Black and Latino high school students is nearly 50%. In some major urbanareas, such as Cleveland and Indianapolis, more than 60% of students fail to graduate fromhigh school each year. According to Americas Promise Alliance

(www.AmericasPromise.org), an organization pledging support to young Americansfounded by retired Gen. Colin Powell and his wife Alma Powell, about 1.2 millionstudents-7,000 kids everyday-dropout of high school each year (The Dropout Epidemic: ACrisis of Human Capital). Dropouts significantly diminish a students chance to secure agood job and a promising future. Moreover, not only do the individuals themselves suffer,but each class of dropouts is responsible for substantial financial and social costs to thecommunities, states, and country in which they live (www.all4ed.org).

When a student decides to dropout of school it not only costs them a education it also putsstrain on the U.S. Dropouts suffer from reduced earnings and lost opportunities; there isalso a significant social and economic cost to the rest of the nation. Over the course of hisor her lifetime, a high school dropout earns, on average about $260,000 less than a highschool graduate (www.all4ed.org). Dropouts from the class of 2008 alone will cost thenation more than $319 billion in lost wages over the course of their lifetimes (Alliance forExcellent Education, 2008).

Who is dropping out? Overall majority of the students not graduating on time with aregular diploma are low income and minority students fare the worst in the dropoutepidemic (www.all4ed.org). Each year, approximately 1.2 million students fail to graduate


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from high school, more than half of whom are from minority groups. Nationally, about 71percent of all students graduate from high school on time with a regular diploma, but barelyhalf of African-American and Hispanics students earn diplomas with their peers. In manystates the difference between white and minority graduation rates is stunning; in severalcases there is a gap of as many as 40 or 50 percentage points.

Where are the students dropping out? A relatively small number of chronicallyunderperforming high schools are responsible for more than half of the nations dropouts.Approximately two thousand high schools (about 12 percent of American high schools)produce more than half of the nations dropouts. The number of seniors enrolled isroutinely sixty percent or less than the number of freshmen three years earlier. Why are thestudents dropping out? While there is no single reason for students dropping out, researchindicates that difficult transitions to high schools, deficient basic skills, and lack ofengagement serve as prominent barriers to graduation (www.all4ed.org).

Most dropouts are already on the path to failure in the middle grades and engage in

behaviors that strongly correlate to dropping out in high school. Researchers haveidentified specific risk factors, such as low attendance or a failing grade, which can identifyfuture dropouts-in some cases. Ninth grade tends to serve as a bottleneck for many studentswho begin their freshman year only to find that their academic skills are sufficient for highschool-level work. Up to 40% of ninth grade students in cities with the highest dropoutrates repeat ninth grade; only 10 to 15 present of those repeaters go on to graduate( Balfanz and Legters, 2006). Those who drop-out are more likely to be incarcerated, relyon public programs and social services

Many students are not given the extra support they need to successfully make the transitionto high school. As a result, over one third of all dropouts are lost in ninth grade. The six

million secondary students who comprise the lowest 25% of achievement are twenty timesmore likely to drop out of high school than students in top-performing groups. Bothacademic and social engagements are integral components of successfully navigating theeducation pipeline. Research shows that a lack of student engagement is predictive ofdropping out, even after controlling for academic achievement and student background(www.all4ed.org).

Chapter 2: Racial Imbalances

Throughout the United States today there is a continuously growing population of minoritygroups. The U.S is experiencing a huge growth in multicultural education. The white raceis shrinking as other races are drastically increasing. In 2005, minorities accounted forabout 33% of the nations population. The population also increased in the educationsystems. The Hispanic race contributed to most of the growth in minority groups (Gollnick,Chinn, 2009). From 1999 to 2005, the number of students taking Advanced PlacementExams increased by a larger percentage among minority students than among whitestudents (National center for education statistics). Student behavior plays an importantrole in the performance of children in and out of school, as do the roles of the parents. The


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No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, displays a good example of how children no mattertheir ethnicity, gender, stature or capability to succeed, are to be treated equally. These areall factors that greatly influence the racial imbalance in the school systems (National centerfor education statistic).

The growth among minorities in the U.S has vastly increased since the 1990s. TheHispanic division has outnumbered the African American division and has growntremendously over the past decades. A group called the Asian/Pacific Islanders is anothergroup discovered growing rapidly in the states. From 1990 to 2005 this group grew from3.2 million to 12.8 million. Minorities are going to continue to grow rapidly in theupcoming years and may some day outnumber the white Americans. It is said that by theyear 2020 the minority population will grow about 32% (National center for educationstatistics).

Student conduct and parent involvement both play an important role in the lives ofsucceeding students. If a child is struggling in the classroom there is a slightly higher

chance that he/she may end up rebelling, quitting school or making bad choices in life.Some minority children may feel out of place and distant from other children. They mayfeel as though they are being ignored or forgotten because of their racial identity,subsequently, causing them to fail in school. Parent involvement is an added bonus tosucceeding and continuing education. The more parents interact with their children,statistics show, the better they do in school. Most minority parents are not concerned aboutthe curriculum schools are teaching. They believe the schools know what they are doing, sothey do not get involved. This however, is not true and most children will greatly benefitfrom being taught in the classroom as well as out of the classroom (Vang, 2006).

The NCLB or No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 was produced in order to improve the

education for the disabled and underprivileged students. Former President George W. Bushsigned this act into law on January 8, 2002 (Research Center). However, many have arguedthat it has only made learning more difficult for children. One main goal of the NCLB wasto close the achievement gap between white students and poor or minority students.Throughout the nation achievement gaps exists among minorities and their whitecounterparts (Subnet, 2009). Research concludes that along with poor academicperformance, a main factor that contributes to school failure rates is mainly socialimbalances (Lagara-Riordan, Aguilar, 2009). There should be a drastic change in thesystem and the way things are being dealt with. By going through every piece ofinformation and data gathered from the faculty, students and parents and reassessing theissue may indeed help strengthen the system.

In Taunton, Massachusetts a man by the name of Author W. Steller has transformed a fewof the public schools into successful places of employment. He has exceeded in raising thedropout rate from 4.2% to 6.8%. One school finished first in English language arts andfinished second in math out of 22 other schools on the same district. One particular fourthgrade class had 80% of their children in the low-income division. Most of them were onfree or reduced lunches with little money to spare. The class finished third highest in mathamong the states 1,176 elementary schools. It seems Steller is on the right path. By


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instilling in parents how important education is to their children, he has successfully raisedthe attendance levels. By succeeding in raising attendance and the dropout rate, Stellerrewards his schools with new whiteboards or computers (Ullman, 2009). However, notevery school is able to buy new technology such as computers or whiteboards but there arealternate ways in which to give rewards such as, parties, removing homework for a week,

etc.

The role minorities play in society and in the school systems are changing due to vastgrowth throughout the U.S. The Hispanic race is the largest minority group in the UnitedStates today. While minority groups are growing both in percentage and numbers, they arewidely spread throughout the country. They represent the highest number in the regionalpopulation with 44%. The population in the south is about 37% and in the northeast about28% (National center for education statistics). With all the changes in race and culturecome changes in the school systems and how children are being taught. Schools are goingto have to adapt to the different cultures and languages, meaning, other sources of teachingwill have to be available in order for everyone to learn equally.

Chapter 3: Poverty

Camden Campus

Meeting the challenges of poverty and understanding how poverty relates to and impactsstudent academic achievement requires much more from teachers than just teaching butrather an understanding of social awareness as well as a level of empathy and genuineconcern for students and their families. What will help us achieve this level ofunderstanding further is to grasp where our achievement gaps are with lower income

students as well as how to effectively reach them and provide opportunities for their growthand progress.

In order to successfully and effectively begin to meet the challenges that poverty presentsto modern education, we must first understand and change our social knowledge and,perhaps more importantly, our social perception of what poverty is. The literal definition ofpoverty is being poor; need, scarcity or lack. With the overall unemployment rate of7.2%, a 15 year high according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, many families really arejust a paycheck away from poverty. This reality, I feel, has led to more acceptance andunderstanding in respect to our myth of the culture of poverty; however, there are stillmany misconceptions of low income learners. Some of those misconceptions include beinglazy, live on welfare, are wasteful, abuse drugs and alcohol, more prone to violence and donot value education (Surridge, 2008). These misconceptions have all been proven wrongand many times are perpetuated by parents, police and the media. Many individuals who docollect welfare do so for only a short time as the result of having lost their job. Despitepopular notions that so much of the US budget is spent on welfare, less than 1% goestoward welfare (Surridge, 2008).


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New measures for poverty that take into account the costs of housing, food, othernecessities, transportation for work and federal income/payroll taxes suggest that the rate ofpoverty is significantly higher than that suggested by the official measure (Hernandez,Denton & Macartney, 2009). Many school districts are seeing the number of low incomestudents doubling, as many as 1/10 students being homeless. It is not hard; therefore, to see

that homelessness and unemployment are enormous complexities facing public schools inour country (Thomas, 2009) and that teachers must learn to cross social boundaries tomake learning meaningful and relevant for all students.

Early intervention programs can minimize the negative impacts of poverty on studentsdevelopment and learning (Isikoglu & Ivrendi, 2007). Since the enactment of theElementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) in 1965, various federal programs havebeen created to support education improvement and target additional resources to meet theeducation needs of children who are economically and educationally disadvantaged(Chambers & et al, 2009). While schools rely on many of these programs to supplementtheir budgets, it would appear that much of the level of funding has become stagnant and

does not change fast enough in respect to cost of living expenses. For example, at theschool level, Title I funding per low-income student in the highest poverty schoolsremained unchanged from 1997-98 to 2004-05 (Chambers & et al, 2009).

How do we solve this? What do we do to narrow the achievement gap for low incomestudents? Perhaps our answer is closer to home than we think. While federal programs andbudgets are indeed critical in respect to providing the funding schools need, the singlemost important ingredient that has an effect on student achievement is the quality of theteacher in the classroom (Thomas, 2009). Appreciating this, it makes sense that ourmission as teacher professionals, our solution is in the teacher education program itself aswell as in the selection and retention of good teachers. How do we measure good teachers?

Perhaps we adopt the philosophy of unique talent and ability and recognize that teaching asa profession is much more than about teaching~~it requires the ability to create and fosterrelationships with people. Good teachers care about the well being of each individualstudent and they receive intrinsic satisfaction from watching students develop and reachtheir potential. No, its no longer just teaching a process but rather providing a level of carefor people that extends beyond the school walls and school hours and fosters anenvironment in each classroom of community and high expectations for all students so thatteachers may move students to higher levels of accomplishment without using poverty,race or gender as an excuse for students not to achieve (Surridge, 2008).

Within the teacher education program, we must look at ways to identify the talent andability of candidates applying to the teaching profession so that the selection process, andtherefore the retention of teachers, begins here rather than after graduation when so manytimes school in desperate need of teachers and just needing a position filled are perhaps notgiving their own selection process their highest priority in respect to the best person for thatposition. Factors that seem to contribute to teachers staying in high-poverty urban schools,besides a state scholarship program, include a high sense of mission which was reinforcedand developed by the teacher education program and a disposition for hard work andpersistence which was reinforced and developed by the teacher education programand


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ongoing support from members of the teacher cohort as well as other supportiveprofessional networks (Freedman & Appleman, 2009). 54.1% of participants in aDepartment of Teacher Education program were not satisfied with the program becausethey argued that the programs failed to meet practical demands in different everydaysituations of the classroom(Payne, 2008).

Molding the next greatest generation of Americans is exciting but also a hugeresponsibility. There are many demands of time and accountability placed on teachers andwe have to appreciate that and make them feel valued in the compensation they receive.This will not be achieved by enacting furloughs (time off without pay) which has been themost recent response by schools reacting to state and national budget cuts in education.This certainly is going to affect turnover in a profession where stability, especially forstudents where school may be their only stability in the day, is paramount.

Once inside the classroom, teachers can meet the needs of low income students by makingthem feel ok and by not lowering their expectations of what those students can achieve.

While there are many successful programs which include free meals, transportation, freeschool supplies as well as extensive support for parents, the consistent response that Ifound from teachers and what they

hapter 4: Gender Bias in the Classroom

While there are many issues regarding equal education that occur within the classroom,gender bias tends to be overlooked in many instances. Many teachers would not want toadmit that they are gender biased; the gender bias tends to be unintentional. Furthermore,Gender bias is difficult to detect because it affects girls and boys in different ways.(Sadker & Zittleman, 2005) There are many factors that lead to gender bias in the

classroom including biased texbooks and software. Other issues are the socialization ofgender, and a permissive attitude towards sexual harassment. (Chapman) Educators needto find ways in which they can overcome this issue. They need to develop strategies inwhich they can create a conducive learning environment for all students regardless ofgender.

One of the main reasons for the concern of gender bias in the classroom is the achievementgap between boys and girls. Many people are not convinced that gender equity is an issuein the 1990s. (Mewborn, 1999) Since then, attitudes have been changed due to reasearch.Recent research suggests that Girls receive higher report card grades throughout theirschooling career. Boys outscore girls on most high-stakes tests, including both the verbaland math sections of the SATs (Sadker & Zittleman, 2005) It is also the case that malesoutscore females on standardized tests for entrance to graduate school, law school andmedical school. (Mewborn, 1999) Given this evidence on gender performance shows thepossibilities that gender bias exists. According to Verkuyten & Thijs, gender difference hasbeen found in sex-based favoritism, whereby girls tend to be more gender biased than boyswhile there are several studies in which it appears that boys tend to be more biased in theethnic domain than girls. (Verkuyten & Thijs, 2001) In another study, researchers notedfour types of teacher responses to students: teacher praises, providing positive feedback for


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a response; teacher remediates, encouraging a student to correct or expand their answer;teacher criticizes, explicitly stating that the answer is incorrect; teacher accepts,acknowledging that a student has responded. They also found that boys were far morelikely to receive praise or remediation from a teacher than were girls. The girls were mostlikely to receive an acknowledgement response from their teacher. (Chapman)

One way to combat gender bias in the classroom is to be aware of the curriculum. Forexample computer software, there are several sources of gender bias in the use ofcomputers by young children. These sources include bias that exists in the media and insocietal role models, differential computer technology resources available for boys versusgirls, and biased attitudes of teachers and parents regarding computer use. (McNair,Kirova-Petrova, & Bhargava, 2001) Other curriculim to be aware of is textbooks, videos,and periodicals. Teachers need to ask themselves does it omit contributions of women,that tokenize the experiences of women, or that stereotype gender roles? (Chapman)According to Mewborn, the curriculim should be replaced because using biased materialsreinforces the idea that women are not valued contributors to a particular field of study.

(Mewborn, 1999) She did mention that it may be necessary to use biased materials, eitherbecause a particular text is mandated by your school or because the content of the materialis particularly good In those cases, explain to students that you recognize the materials arebiased, and explain why you are using them (Mewborn, 1999)

Teachers also needs to recognize behaviors that are socially gender limiting. They need toremember that Every time students are seated or lined up by gender, teachers areaffirming that girls and boys should be treated differently. When an administrator ignoresan act of sexual harassment, he or she is allowing the degradation of girls. When differentbehaviors are tolerated for boys than for girls because 'boys will be boys', schools areperpetuating the oppression of females. (Chapman) Since there is some controversy

surrounds the role of teachers in counteracting gender stereotypes. Some feel that genderstereotypes are a product of the early rearing practices in the home environment and thatschools should remain neutral, thus allowing students to develop their own genderidentities. (Frawley, 2005)

Teachers also need to come up with strategies to involve all students equally so as to ensurethat all children are partiticipating regardless of gender. A good example is to distribute acertain number of chips or slips of paper to students at the beginning of a class period.Students must turn in a chip when they wish to speak, and the goal is to use all of the chipsby the end of the class period. (Mewborn, 1999) The teacher also needs to make sure thatall of the students receive equal instruction and that the The purpose is not to marginalizeboys in order to elevate girls. (Mewborn, 1999) According to Mewborn teacher alsoshould perticipate in trainings and activities to help them become more aware of issuesregarding gender bias and develope strategies to improve the classroom environment.

A more controversal study has encorporated gender segregration. As a result of The NoChild Left Behind Act includes a problematic proposal to change Title IX, the federal lawprohibiting.sex discrimination in education, by encouraging the establishment of public


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single-sex schools and classes for girls and boys (Sadker & Zittleman, 2005) While thereare a few studies that have been performed in regards to gender segregation theseinconsistent findings arise mainly from analytical decisions on how best to control forvariance associated with group differences. For example three separate researchers usingdata from the same database. (Shapka & Keating, Winter 2003) Without more research, it

is nearly impossible to conclude that gender segregation is effective. It also goes back tothe issue of sexual discrimination. Some view this approach as part of an anti-malemovement, bolstering girls' achievement at the expense of boys and making schools moreequitable by eliminating masculine stereotypes, and "feminizing" boys (Frawley, 2005)Inreality, gender bias is very much an issue for boys and girls, an issue too many educatorsfail to see. For example, can you imagine a teacher organizing a spelling bee by matchingblack students against white students? Certainly not in today's society. But consider thesame teacher organizing the same activity by gender, boys against girls. That's a practice socommon that it has become an acceptable, unquestioned part of school life. But why? Wehave yet to come across a single study showing that gender segregation and competitionserve any positive educational, social, or psychological purpose. Still, we see some schools

separating girls and boys in lunchrooms, class lines, playgrounds, and school buses.(Sadker & Zittleman, 2005) It is quite scary to think that as far as our country has comethere are times when it still reverts back to stepping on individuals civil rights no matterhow unintentional it is.

Educators and administrators, have a responsibility to help establish a school climate inwhich all teachers, staff, students, parents and community members know that equity is ahigh priority. (Mewborn, 1999) There is an immense call for education reform to ensurethat all genders receive an equal and quality education. As educators teachers need to payclose attention to themselves and be more aware of their own bias so that they will make

every student that walks within those school doors succeed to the best of their abilities.

Bibliography

09 July 2011

Parental Involvement

Kyoikumama is a Japanese word that can only be translated as A mother who relentlesslypushes her children toward academic achievement. While some would argue that parentalinvolvement in the academic success of their child is becoming scarcer in the UnitedStates, multiple reports show that many schools have transitioned to a more communityoriented outlook. Often, parents are concerned with the education of their child, but are notsure how they can get involved. Unfortunately, political PTA meetings and School Boardsessions call for permanently shutting the open door policy schools have adopted; however,parent are increasingly proving their positive impact on the school system as a whole.Through active participation in school-decision making, extra-curricular activities, andtheir childs homework, children are not only experiencing increasing academic success,


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but learning to be better members of society as a whole. Their time and dedication to theirchilds success make parents the perfect go-to in giving children quality education.

Parents are passionate about their children, particularly their childrens education.Therefore, many parents find it easy to become involved in decision making at their childs

school. The National Household Education Survey found that seventy-nine percent ofparents reported attending a general meeting at their childs school, and seventy-threepercent said they have attended a scheduled meeting with teachers (National Institute forLiteracy). Also, the 1997 National Portrait Survey revealed that about ninety-eight percentof schools presented opportunities for parents to participate in making decisions within theschool (National Institute for Literacy). Obviously, parents have ample opportunity andwill to help their student education improve. A survey was conducted in 1991 Found thatthe single variable most positively connected to all literacy skills was formal involvementin parent-school activities such as PTA participation . . . (San Diego County Office ofEducation) In fact, many social scientists are arguing that when parents participate inmaking decisions at schools, children see the importance of the direction of the community

displayed through the passions of their parents. Parental involvement in this form isinstrumental to the success of students both in and out of the classroom and in society as awhole.

In 1999, a survey was taken by the National Institute for Literacy that revealed that ninety-nine percent of schools Kindergarten through Eighth grade offered volunteer opportunitiesto parents. These results show that schools are providing multiple opportunities for parentsto become more involved in the school system through coaching positions, assisting inclubs, chaperoning class trips, and occasionally assisting in the classroom. Ninety-ninepercent of schools appear to understand the advantages of having unique contributions thatonly parents are able to provide. The same survey found that ninety-two percent of parents

with children in grades Kindergarten through Twelfth have acted as a volunteer or servedon a committee at their childs school. Clearly, parents are excited by the chance toparticipate actively in their childs school system. Moms and Dads seem to be curiousabout the classroom and enjoy connecting with their child in educational environments andamongst their childs friends. Also, according to four separate studies, Studentachievement improves when parents become involved in their childrens education atschool and in the community (San Diego County Office of Education). LawrenceSteinberg performed a study of 12,000 students that produced the conclusion, Whenparents come to school regularly, it reinforces the view in the childs mind that school andhome are connected- and that school is an integral part of the whole familys life. Thesestatistics prove that parents taking an active role in the extra-curricular activities of schoolsystems teaches children the importance of school and of making a positive impact on thecommunity.

Probably the most effective role that a parent can take in their childs education is inhelping with homework and providing a constructive learning environment at home. Whenstudents see their parents make an effort to put things like homework first, they areencouraged to do what is necessary, even though it is not always fun. According to asurvey of Kindergartners conducted by the National Institute of Literacy in 1998, forty-six


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percent of parents read to their children every day, which increases the intellectualdevelopment of a child tremendously. Apparently, Students who talked about reading withfamily and friends, however frequently, had higher average scores than students who neveror hardly ever talked about reading (National Institute of Literacy). Therefore, theinvolvement of parents, even without the schools encouragement, is instrumental in

raising each childs potential. Also in addition to the voluntary help parents are providing,many schools are implementing new curriculum that include lesson plans and homeworkthat require the direct attention of parents. Margaret Morrissey, a member of Parents OutLoud, agrees with many skeptics of the new curriculum, saying, Every responsible parentalready does the things [suggested] and those that dont will never do them in a millionyears (Ross 1). While many school boards are meeting resistance, research is proving thatparental involvement at home is a productive way to reinforce the lessons that teacherstaught in the classroom. For example, the NAEP 2000 found that students who simplydiscussed their studies at home at least once a month scored at the proficiency level on theNational Reading Assessment in comparison to students who never or hardly everdiscussed them (National Institute of Literacy). If those are the results of students merely

discussing their studies, can one imagine the impact of homework that demands theinvolvement of both the child and the parent? In fact, many school systems are encouragingwhat Herbert Walberg called the curriculum of the home, which asks parents to create aroutine for their children with realistic goals, model behavior, and monitored activitiesoutside of school (San Diego County Office of Education). Unfortunately, most schools areentering a phase in which teachers only require the parents signature on homework;however, the increase in this seemingly minute act, improves grades dramatically.Hundreds of studies prove the correlation between a positive parent who is active in theirchilds homework and students who grow up to be productive members of society.

In the past, the extent of a parents involvement in their childs education has been a

simple, How was school? with the short, curt answer, Fine. Thankfully, school systemsare moving away from this hands-off position, and moving closer to schools in whichparental involvement is as important as the lesson plans. Statistics and studies are provingthat students turn into high-achieving, constructive citizens when their parents step to theplate and become active participants in their education both at home and at school. Schoolsare developing guidelines that are similar to the six steps that the Michigan Department ofEducation set forth: Parenting, Communicating, Volunteering, Learning at Home, DecisionMaking, and Collaborating with the community (Michigan Department of Education).Based on the research provided in this essay, it appears that all of these steps are not onlyeffective, but simply irreplaceable when it comes to building successful students

Chapter 6 Mobility

Devan Henley: Web/Camden

Students commonly change from one school to another when they are promoted from alower grade level to a higher one. Student mobility is the act of a student making a non-promotional change in schools. This act is one that has many effects on the student. Thischange in school setting can be a hindrance to a student for many reasons and educators


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should be aware to counter these effects. One possible negative result of student mobilitymay be educational consequences that arise from a students change of schools. Studentmobility can negatively affect a students relationships with their teachers. It may also be acause of behavioral problems in those students. Teachers should be aware and prepared forstudent-mobility related problems to better address similar situations with their own

students.

Student mobility can often be associated with below average success in the classroom.Many studies have shown a correlation in lower test scores and student mobility. As statedby Schafft and Killeen, Test score evidence generally, but not at each grade level,suggests a relationship between mobility and reduced state assessment test scores (Schafft& Killeen, 2007). This negative scholastic affect is measured from the earlier elementarylevels through to the high school level. Studies on early grade level student mobility showhow it can create an academic achievement problem early on in the school experience. Vailfound 41 percent of third graders who changed schools more than once during theacademic year performed below grade level in reading compared to 26 percent of students

who did not experience mobility (Vail 1996). Most studies show that student mobility inthe high school level has a direct correlation with drop-out rates. Rumberger says,Students who changed high schools even once were less than half as likely as stablestudents to graduate from high school (Rumberger 1999). There are numerous studies andclear evidence that come to similar conclusions. Schools could find themselves withstudents in a similar situation and should be aware of the information. Schools couldfamiliarize their teachers with research based ideas of how to counter act this effect. Theteachers and schools have to make an effort to be prepared for the students.

The relationship with teachers is important to students of all grade levels. Student mobilityhas been found to significantly interfere with these relationships. The teacher-student

relationship plays an important role in how students accept education. Research has shownthat children respond with improved attitudes and better behavior when they have closerrelationships with their teachers (Birch & Ladd, 1997). Another study in developmentalresearch shows that teacher relationships are critical in terms of childrens feelings aboutschool (Howes & Hamilton, 1993). For students to want to learn from an educator theyneed to have trust in that educator. Students that change schools are placed at adisadvantage because they will have less time to establish lasting relationships withteachers. Teachers can make an effort to gain the trust of new mobility students. Teachersshould be aware of where the mobility student is in terms of the schools curriculum.Mobility students may be behind if they came from a different school district. Teachers canhelp the student ease into their new setting.

Another trend found in student mobility is bad behavior. Disciplinary and attendancerecords are usually weaker for students that are more mobile. This trend has been seenthroughout student-mobility studies. Speaking of his findings on student mobility, Kainotes of students they often has behavioral problems in the classroom, and in a number ofways exhibits reduced school attachment (Schafft & Killeen, 2007). Students may feel asthough they are an outsider and begin acting out in classroom situations. They may feel thatthey dont belong and begin to miss classes and get into trouble outside the classroom.


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Lack of motivation in the classroom may push students away from education and result instudents not completing school. Schools and educators are needed to help prevent this fromcreating life-long consequences to mobile students. Proper motivation can be applied to thestudents through study sessions and more teacher-student time. By insuring the student isnot behind in their educational growth they may begin to fit into the new class room.

Creating ways for the student to fit into the new school may help prevent their lack ofmotivation and feelings of out sidedness.

In conclusion, one needs one begin to skim the surface of studies to find numerousproblematic effects from student mobility. The drop in educational success rates for moremobile students is one that is concerning for educators and parents. This is something thatmust be addressed and evaluated on an individual bases. Schools should allow thesestudents to get what they need to get back on an educational tract and no longer be fallingbehind. The relationships held between student and teacher is one that will need to beaddressed with new students that transfer into schools. This relationship may prove to bemeaningful to some students as it may motivate them to stay in school and finish through

the high school level. This may be a commonly overlooked consequence due to the factthat it cannot be measured in a traditional way. Finally behavioral problems should beunderstood for mobile students and should be addressed in a manner that may fix theinsecurities creating the problem. Student mobility is a common fact of life. The schoolsystems must be able to adapt and deal with student mobility in various ways, as no twostudents are going to react in the same way. Preparation on the part of the schools will bethe best possible way to keep student mobility problems to a minimum.

Chapter 7: Drugs and Violence

Brittany Chesser: Brunswick

One of the many problems the nation is facing in the school systems is the illicit use ofdrugs and violence. Illicit drug use and violence is becoming more and more of a mainheadline and is a serious situation that needs to be addressed in school systems.

School violence starts out with the bully on the playground, or the pushing and shoving inthe lunch line, but given the right set of circumstances, what may have been prevented withsome supervision instead turns into a violent state of affairs. However, school violencedoes not start in the school. Most behaviors are learned responses situations andcircumstances a child has seen in his or her on home (Bosworth, 1996). Studies haveproven that a child living in an abusive home or those children who have a lack ofsupervision will most likely become involved in some sort of violent behavior.

In most family settings, both parents work in order to provide for the needs of the family.The consequence of having both parents out of the home is the lack of guidance for thechildren. The child in essence becomes his or her own boss. Sibling violence can erupt,setting the ground layer for later violence in the school setting (Last, 2001). If a child is


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able to get away with bullying his or her own sibling, nothing is going to stop them fromattacking their peers at school.

The involvement of illicit drug abuse is commonly brought on by ones peers or seeing it inthe home. Methamphetamine, marijuana, and prescription pain relievers are among the

most abused by teens who act violently (Bosworth, 1996). The more drugs a teenageruses, the greater the tendency to engage in a violent behavior, both in a school setting andelsewhere.

Drug use impairs the judgment, reaction time, and inhibitions of a child. Faulty judgmentcan quickly lead to conflict or violence. The student may either initiate or escalate aconflict that he or she would have blown off under normal circumstances. Rob Lugomakes a statement, Even if the students have the skills to resolve conflict, as they useillicit drugs, it impairs their judgment. They become bolder, they do not think as much, andthe violence consumes them. (Lugo, 2007) Even if the disputing students in school are notusing drugs, a fight may erupt over a dispute that occurred outside school when a child was

under the influence.

According to a data base, from 2002 through 2004 youth aged 12 to 17 who use any illicitdrug in the past year were almost twice as likely to have engaged in violent behavior asthose who did not use any illicit drug (Gruber, 2002). The rate of violent behavior washigher among adolescents in families with incomes less 125 percent of the federal povertythreshold. Also, the rate was three times higher among males than females.

Another survey which was done over a twelve month period showed 7.8 % of high schoolstudents reported having been threatened or injured with a weapon on school property.During the twelve month survey, 12.4 % of students had been in a physical fight on school

property at least once. In thirty days of doing the twelve month survey, 5.5% of studentsreported that because they did not feel safe, they did not go to school on at least one day(Resnick,2004). The survey also showed that the rate of violent crimes and illicit drugabuse occurred during the after school hours between 3:00 - 7:00 p.m. The rate of violentacts committed during this period is nearly six times greater than the rate committed duringthe night hours of 10:00 p.m. - 6:00 a.m.

The solution to helping prevent illicit drug abuse and violence in children is to get theminvolved in after school activities. Structured activities and volunteering help keep teensaway from illicit drug abuse and committing violence (Tucker, 2006). By creating positiveopportunities for teens to participate in activities where they have choices, they can developconflict-resolution and critical-thinking skills, which protect teens from violence, andantisocial behavior. This should be done by the school and with the help of the community.The community should form a team with the school system and help in shaping the mindsof the younger generation.

Nonviolence should be taught as part of the school curriculum as well, such as creating anethics class so that students understand the right perceptions about life. We should beeducating todays youth about the affects of violence, how the police are there to help


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them, and how to manage conflict in a non-violent way. Teachers and counselors also needto be taught how to watch for unusual behaviors and to address the dilemma before itbecomes out of control. Such measures are essential in stopping drug use and senselessviolence in our school systems.

Chapter 8Introduction

The single most important factor in determining student performance is the quality of hisor her teachers (Alliance 2005). Teacher attrition is another way of describing the turnoverrate of teachers in the education profession. This phenomenon can have disastrous effectson students ability to learn, cause financial strains on our nation, and lower the standardsof our childrens education. Because of attrition, students lose the value of being taught byan experienced teacher, and schools and districts must recruit and train their replacements

(Alliance 2008). While there are several reasons for this abatement, its impact should bringa call to worry for any nations education system. By examining the reasons for attritionand suggesting possible actions to lower the turnover rate, we greatly increase our effortsof providing a better education by quality teachers.

Who is Leaving

The Alliance for Excellent Education, a national policy and advocacy organization, groupsthe teachers involved in the attrition rate as movers, who transfer from one school toanother within a district and those who leave the district or the profession entirely calledleavers (2008). Keep in mind that retirees and teachers who have died make up the

leavers category as well as teachers who have left the profession for other reasons(2008). Since there is a distinction, efforts made towards the solution of attrition are usuallydirected towards the other group of teachers left in this category. Why are TeachersLeaving

In his research report titled Is There Really a Teacher Shortage? Dr. Richard M. Ingersollpresents the following reasons teachers leave: poor teacher salaries, student disciplineproblems, and class sizes (2003). For example, Sylvia A. Allegretto, Sean P. Corcoran,and Lawrence Mishel, authors of How Do Teachers Salaries Compare, argue thatteachers earned $116 less per week in 2002 than people with comparable skills (2004).Moreover, as of January 1, 2008, Kathy Cox, Georgias State Superintendent, increased

class sizes by two children due to the state of our economy (Georgia Department ofEducation, 2008). Nevertheless, some have concluded that retirement may have the majorrole in attrition. However, Ingersol argues that retirement accounts for a relatively smallnumber of total departuresa large proportion indicate they depart for personal reasons,and a large proportion also report they depart either because they are dissatisfied with theirjobs or in order to seek better jobs or other career opportunities (2003).

Slowing Down Attrition


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Since attrition in total may be impossible to end in entirety, concentrations in making thetrend more sluggish seem to be the gathered approach. For example, some professionalsadvise schools to offer induction and mentoring programs for new teachers within theirfirst five years (Ingersol 2003). Others maintain that giving teachers the supportsnecessary to succeed is critical (Alliance 2008). In similarity, Richard Mihans, an

Assistant Professor of Education at Elon University, Elon, N.C., argues that teachers arethe answer in addressing teacher retention (2008). In other words, we should allowteachers to participate in teacher attrition research. Furthermore, studies have found that thetime it takes for new teachers to perform at the same level as an experienced teacheronaverage, from three to seven yearscan be shortened when the new teacher participatesin induction programs involving teacher mentoring (Alliance 2005).

The Costs of Attrition

Regardless of who is leaving the profession, experts agree that teacher attrition could costour nation $4.9 billion (NCTAF 2006). Although this cost seems outrageous, how can we

measure how much the students will lose? In addition, the National Commission onTeaching and Americas Future (NCTAF) assesses that schools in the urban area spend$70,000 a year and non-urban schools spend $33,000 a year on teacher turnovers (2006).With numbers like these, a non-urban school with considerably less financial backing couldspend over $330,000 in ten years. Of course, this is assuming that the rate stays the samewithin the decade.

Conclusion

In summary, the rate at which we lose teachers has increased as well as the demand forthem. Research from the National Center for Education Statistics shows that the rate of

attrition has increased in public schools by 3 percent and decreased in private schools by2.7 percent (2007). This research is based off of teacher follow up surveys taken from 1988to 2005. In addition, attrition is approximately 50 percent higher in poor schools than inwealthier ones and teachers new to the profession are far more likely to leave than are theirmore experienced counterparts (Alliance 2004). Therefore, actions such as teacherinductions and mentoring programs must be setup to stop this trend before our studentsbegin to suffer. Teacher salaries must correctly match the amount of education required forthem and competitively resemble other professions linked in skill. Moreover, teachers andfurther research are the keys to finding solutions to attrition. It is important to rememberthat when teachers are not supported, the lossto taxpayers, educators, schools,communities, and studentsis immense (Alliance 2008).

Chapter 9


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The educational system in the United States has been using standardized tests to evaluatethe performance of students. However, there has been an ongoing debate among manyscholars, parents, and teacher on the effectiveness of standardized tests. What exactly areStandardized tests? Standardized tests are objective measures given in the exact same wayto all students, primarily to evaluate their progress in elementary, middle, and high school.

The test content varies with each grade. Standardized tests are types of exams that assessthe students capability on the basis of multiple choice questions. Students are generallyprovided four or five options per question and they are expected to choose one correctanswer amongst the five options. The tests are predominantly multiple choice, but moreand more they incorporated written samples.

Standardized tests are intended to give parents information about their children, teacherinformation about their students, and school districts information about the effectiveness oftheir programs. Theyre developed so a students test scores can be compared with thescores of others in the same grade. They provide precise information about students basicacademic skills, telling us whether they are above, at, or below grade level.

School districts typically may use two kinds of standardized tests: aptitude andachievement. An aptitude test, such as an intelligence test, measures how much a student iscapable of learning; an achievement test measures how much she has already learned.School achievement tests always assess reading and math, but they may also evaluatespelling, language, science, social studies, and library skills. By comparing a studentsscores on an achievement and aptitude test, you can make a rough judgment as to whetherthe student is performing on their academic ability.

Some of the positive aspects of Standardized testing it that it gives teachers guidance tohelp them determine what to teach students and when to teach it. The result of this is less

wasted instructional time and a simplified way of timeline management. Standardizedtesting also allows students progress to be tracked over the years. When the same test istaking yearly, it is easy to see if a student is improving, staying the same, or losing groundacademically. Standardized test can give parents an idea of how their child is doing ascompared to students across the country and locally. This can measure how your local areais doing compared to a national landscape.

There are also some negative aspects to Standardized testing, which could accuse manyteachers of teaching to the test. Most do not do this, but some feel so much pressure fortheir students to achieve a specific score that they do end up teaching the test, whether theywant to or not. This is one way of teachers losing the enjoyment of teaching. Standardizedtesting puts some schools systems under a great deal of pressure to raise their scores sothey resort to decreasing or doing away with other things in which could result in anegative impact on childrens social, emotional, and academic well-being. Standardizedtesting can place a huge amount of stress on students and teachers alike. It has led toincreasing importance placed on testing and scores. The cost of this emphasis on scores iswhat leads to the stress factor in students. Students are no longer involved in the realprocess of learning but are being prepared for testing. No one is opposed to standards, but


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higher standards alone are not likely to offer help for the full range of school-basedproblems.

In conclusion, 2001 NCLB Act was passed to assure that all students are proficient in statestandards by 2014. This Act make sure that student benefits when states establish high,

appropriate, and reasonable curriculum content standards for all students, and hold schoolsaccountable for teaching the body of knowledge.

Work Cited

Nelson, Jack. Critical Issues in Education McGraw-Hill Humanities 7th Edition Feb. 26,2009 (pp. 125-146)

Educational Digest Scores Remain Stable 2009-03 /74:7/ Vol. 33(2)

Beardsley- Amrein, Audrey. Educational Digest This Is Jeopardy 2009-01 /74:5/ Vol.14(5)

Oswald, John. District Administration The Future of Testing2008-08 /44:9/ Vol. 58(2)

Popham, James W. Educational Leadership The Assessment-Savvy Student 2008-11 /66:3/ Vol. 80 (2)

Every year Americas public schools administer more than 100 million standardizedexams including IQ, achievement, screening and readiness tests. (Fairtest.org, 2007)Standardized exams originated as a component of outcome-based education (currentlyreferred to as standard-based education). Standard-based education is a philosophy thatfocuses on empirically measuring the level of student performance, or outcomes. The NoChild Left Behind Act (NCLB) reinforces these examinations by requiring each state toannually administer a standardized test. Schools are then required to produce an annualreport card stating their students proficiency levels. There are two views which exist whendiscussing standardized testing. Some believe that although teachers focus on teachingtesting skills, students will still achieve social and critical thinking skills in the classroomwhile others say that we should liberate, not control students. Both views are very different,

though one can see that the implementation of standardized testing certainly impactscurriculum standards, the utilization of data, and thorough assessment of the student.

Standardized testing imposes limits to the curriculum. Consequently, teaching to the testbecomes compulsory. Time constraints force educators to spend class time focused onpreparing students for the content of the test, and in doing so they have lost the ability toprovide students with skills in subjects such as art, music, and history. Teachers arepressured to teach to the test because there is a requirement which mandates that they


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improve test scores. The federal governments periodic national survey of teachersdemonstrates the curricular shifts. In 1991, teachers in grades 1 to 4 spent an average of33% of their classroom instructional time on reading. By 2004, reading was consuming36% of instructional time. For math, average weekly time went from 15% to 17%.Meanwhile, time for social studies and science decreased. Since 1991, instructional time

spent on social studies went from 9% to 8%, and time spent on science went from 8% to7%. (Rothstein & Jacobsen, 2006, p.264)

Drilling on test items, and using the format of the test as a basis for teaching...leadsprimarily to improved test taking skills. (FairTest.org, 2007) Unfortunately, with theinstructional focus directed towards developing the skills of memorization, students losecritical thinking skills and the ability to answer more complex questions. The reality is thatthe information needed to solve problems in daily life, may be nonexistent, hidden, orquestionable. (Posner, 2004, p. 750) What kinds of problems might we encounter in dailylife that would require critical thinking? On standardized tests, all of the information isincluded along with the problem, thus the student is not required to research or even

question where the data came from. Along with the data being immediately available, thepossible answers are listed under A), B), C), or D), in a limited multiple choice list. Theability to discover and analyze is lost; two essential skills in the growth and development ofstudents. It is unlikely that an accurate assessment could possibly be obtained based on theresults of a standardized test since it is commonly known that students learn in many variedways. Thus, an increase in test scores does not simply equate to academic performance. Ifthe test data is not being utilized to rank the nation in academic performance, then it mustaddress other issues in which it is meaningful.

Data retrieved from standardized testing should be used effectively to pursue futurescholastic goals. A mere compilation of data in itself is meaningless. To that end, schools

produce an annual report card (which generally goes well beyond a laundry list of testscores) including race, gender, socioeconomic status, first language, and other importantcategories, which indicate whether schools are adequately serving students from diversebackgrounds. (Peterson & Neill, 1999) The data should concern quality of teaching issuesand academic learning within the school; however it is often more about the income levelof the students families. The information gathered from the report card is used to guidedecisions about program selection, curriculum arrangement, professional development forteachers, and school resources that may be utilized for the betterment of the school. (TheU.S. Department of Education, 2009) Besides demonstrating improvement on annual reportcards, schools must participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress(NAEP) in order to continue receiving federal funding. The NAEP is the only nationalassessment which continues to evaluate American students knowledge and achievement inmajor academic subjects including history, geography, and art. A good system ofaccountability and assessment will let parents and the public know that these, too, are animportant part of a well rounded educational curriculum.

Standardized testing is fundamentally different in comparison to the classroom assessment.As teachers, we strive to challenge students to grow through the use of directed problemsolving activities; a sharp contrast to proctoring a test which has been created to ensure a


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strict level of fairness to every person who desires to take it. Considering the changes in theeducational process since the passage of the NCLB Act, do you think it would be possibleto go back to the way things used to be? Alternatives to standardized testing exist and maybe utilized to thoroughly assess students. Two alternative assessment methods areperformance assessment and portfolio assessment. Both methods focus on a students

process of learning, but portfolio assessment also looks at the g

Chapter 10

Bobbie Blevins: Brunswick

Inclusion has become more popular in our schools today, however there are a lot ofcontroversial issues surrounding this particular form of education. Classrooms are evolvingmore and more as technology and the world expands, but at what costs and who is it reallyeffecting? Children with special needs are often misunderstood and mistreated in the sensethat they are constantly labeled and treated like outcasts or like they do not belong. Onething that causes a stir in the topic of education is inclusion. There are a lot of argumentsinvolving inclusion and whether or not it is having a good impact on all involved or not.This article will further explain the definition of inclusion and explain the positive andnegative effects. This article will also explain labeling and the problems that arise with it.

Inclusion is the placement of a student, regardless of the level of his or her disability, intoan age appropriated general education classroom. Another popular definition of inclusion isdescribed as bringing children who are disabled out of their special education classes andplacing them into regular education classes and in the process reducing referrals and labelsand strengthing the regular school programs. Inclusion is split into two types: Full inclusion where all the childs needs are met within one classroom. Partial inclusion where thechild is in regular class for a period, and then placed in a special class for the remainder ofthe time. The goals of inclusion include socialization skills, stimulating experiences,enhanced self esteem, and the opportunity to be normal, along with regular education goals.Inclusion has become a well discussed topic, many argue on whether it has good or badeffects and ways to improve. The American Federation of Teachers in West Virginiaconducted a poll on how teachers felt about inclusion and whether or not anyone benefitedfrom it. They found that 78% believed students would not benefit from inclusion, and 87%felt that regular education students would not benefit either. The ATF also cited, Wheninclusion efforts fail, it is frequently due to a lack of appropriate training for teachers inmainstream classrooms, ignorance about inclusion among senior-level administrators, anda general lack of funding for resources and training. (Thompkins 1). It has also beenargued that, Research indicates that the needs of students who are gifted can be met in theinclusive classroom under certain prerequisite conditions: 1) the students are appropriatelygrouped, either in clusters or some homogenous arrangement. 2) The students receive anappropriately differentiated curriculum. (Freq...1). Inclusion can have positive effects onspecial needs children however it may not be positive to the other children. Many fear thatwhile inclusion may increase socialization and esteem in the special needs children, it maycause problems for the regular education children. They express concerns that normallearners will not get the attention they need. Many educators feel that they will not be able


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to meet the needs of ALL their students, if they have to take time to assist the inclusionchildren. However, if class sizes are reduced and teachers are trained more efficiently todeal with such circumstances, then maybe there would be fewer problems. The law statesthat all children are to be given equal educational opportunities therefore, why shouldspecial needs children be placed in secluded classes away from everyone else when they

can have the chance of normalcy.

Labeling special needs children is another issue that causes problems. Special needschildren are too often labeled as retarded or ignorant and treated like they carry disease.People look at them and often stare or ignore them completely. All of these things are ashurtful to them as they are to any normal person, they can cause low self esteem andsome children will even withdraw further into themselves. This includes children withbehavioral problems such as ADHD. Children with ADHD are not necessarily bad childrenthey just have a harder time than others. Many of these types of issues have underliningcauses such as a poor home life. Teachers tend to dislike students with behavior problemsright off the bat, which is unfair to the children. Many children just need someone to care

and take the time to ensure that they succeed. Children need positive reinforcement to growand flourish. Therefore it is critical to their livelihood to treat them as you would any otherchild, with patience and understanding.

In conclusion, it is important to make the necessary changes to better inclusion and reducelabeling and its effects. There are strategies to improve inclusion one just needs to look forresources and take ideas from the school systems that have used such strategies andsucceeded. Education is critical to ensure childrens future. Why not let them have theirchance?

References "Frequently asked questions about inclusion." Fen.org. The ERIC

Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education. Web. 31 Aug. 2009.. Kuhns, Deborah E., and Paul E. Chapman. "How doesshared decision making impact inclusion?" National Forum of Special Education Journal17 (2005-2006): 1-17. National Forum. William Allen Kritsonis. Web. 10 Sept. 2009.. Thompkins, Richard, and Pat Deloney. "Inclusion: The prosand cons." Welcome to SEDL: Advancing Research, Improving Education. 1995. Web. 10Sept. 2009. .

Monica Anderson: Camden

As we all know the practice of inclusion in the classroom is a growing concern amongteachers, parents, and students. As a teacher, the work load could be tripled by dealing withstudents with special needs because dealing with a regular classroom can be difficult as itis. By a regular classroom I mean children with no specific learning disabilities hearing,visual, and speech, mental or emotional disturbance. The increased labeling of specialneeds students and the practice of inclusion could have an enormous effect on the everydayclassroom. If certain special needs students are included in the inclusion process, this couldhave a tremendously bad outcome on the progress of our classrooms. Teachers would have
http://www.teachervision.fen.org/http://www.sedl.org/http://www.teachervision.fen.org/http://www.sedl.org/


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to learn with how to deal with structural complications and the impact certain studentswould bring to the class. There are many statistics that show the percentage of specialneeds students is growing rapidly. I believe by the process of inclusion in the classroom,we will set ourselves back not only in the learning department but also in the teachingdepartment.

In order for the inclusion of classrooms to prevail, many adaptations must occur not onlyon the teaching and student end of the curriculum but also on the structural integrity end ofthe classroom. In order for learning to prevail, distractions and interruptions must belimited. Structure will be the key for the inclusion of classrooms to succeed. If specialneeds students are going to learn in the same classroom as the "normal" students a greatdeal of co-planning between general and special education teachers is in order. I do notbelieve that one teacher will be sufficient for a classroom that is going through theinclusion process. There will have to be a fine line in the content the teachers' plan onpresenting to the class and the process of teaching will be greatly altered. The reason forthe fine line of content is if the content is to overwhelming for a certain part of the class, it

will have to be gone over multiple times before that part of the class can move on withoutbeing left behind. On the same note, if the content is too diluted, the upper part of the classwill suffer educationally and with their spare time could distract the lower part of the classneeding the extra help. Also, the curriculum may have to be altered in order for the schoolto meet the state and local standards of learning. Students requiring a special educationteacher may also develop emotional difficulties by receiving the special help required tolearn the curriculum in front of students who don't need the special teacher. This maycreate further disruptions in the classroom that may not be able to be handled by the regularteacher and a special team may be required to handle a situation.

capter11Onvia Grimsley: Brunswick

There is no doubt that there are various issues that need to be addressed within the realm ofeducation, especially the effects of quality and positive expectations of the educator. Justlike mobility, poverty, and gender bias in the classroom, the quality and expectations of theteacher play a major role in the success of the students. Trust, preparation, performanceevaluation, and demands outside of instruction, all affect the level of effectiveness andcomprehension between the teacher and the student.

Trust has been defined as a relationship of reliance. Whether it is between two people ormany persons, trust is found to be a key element in the amount of success a personpossesses. The trust between teacher and student is critical and could make the bigdifference in the level of communication between them. In the article Trust VersusManipulation Anne C. Lewis states, The children and parents entering the schools do sotrusting that they will be treated fairly and that the learning they encounter will challengethem. The teachers trust that their students will want to learn and that their students willwant to learn and that their own pedagogical skills can help make that happen. She impliesthat the relationship between the parents, students and teachers, rests on the level andexertion of trust that each party exhibits. One way for educators to ensure that they are


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trustworthy is by informing the student that they are confident in their knowledge anddisplaying that confidence throughout the school year. When a student notices that theteacher isnt confident with their own work, they may turn to someone else to educate themor not turn to anyone at all. Though it may not seem that having at least a small level oftrust is not vital, eventually, the effects of that missing element will manifest either in the

teachers attempt to educate, the parents involvement, or the students lack of enthusiasmfor learning.

Imagine you are getting ready to change a baby boy who has soiled his diaper. To reducethe risk of being urinated on you will prepare all the materials needed in order to make thediaper change quick and mess free. This scenario is similar to education in many ways.Many people enter the world of education without being prepared and we can see theeffects of this insufficiency in our current education system. We dont know the reasonspeople choose to become educators but we do know that they are expected to use theirknowledge and training to help our students to become successful. The workload, census ofstudents, and disciplinary issues are some areas that require preparation in order to decrease

the level of stress and increase the level of participation in the classroom. GeorgeKlinkhamer, a State Plan officer for the Bureau of Education for the Handicapped, informsus that Several states have adopted dual certification and prescribe that specific academictraining be taken in both areas of special education and vocational education. He impliesthat a specialized field of education alone cannot help the children utilize the informationthat the teacher provides and that teachers must also be able to incorporate real worldinstances into the curriculum to maximize the level of comprehension. Being prepared isnot just having the physical materials to do the work; it is also having the mentality toperform as well. Several states, including Georgia, have begun this reactive plan ofpreparation in order to improve the percentage of miscommunication within the educationfield and to educate the teacher on the importance of being mentally prepared for the

different day-to-day situations within the education field.

There is nothing like setting a date for some kind or performance to motivate us topractice and to make that practice smarter and more efficient. Gail Berenson, NCTM,MTNA President imposes the best example of performance evaluation in a way that we allare able to understand. When you are motivated to do a good job, many efforts are made toensure that your performance is at its best. Whether it is for a personal achievement or forsomeone elses, a performance evaluation is a critical component to maximumachievement. As teachers, our performance should constantly be evaluated in order toensure that the students comprehend the projected lesson. Berenson informs us that Asrole models for our students, we want them to recognize that learning continues throughoutour lives. This is one misconception that a lot of students have about education that reallyneeds to be corrected. We must constantly inform them that education neither begins norend in the classroom and our performance is a great example of that fact. Some methodslike inviting fellow co-workers to monitor class periods or using a camcorder could helpwith the performance evaluation. Workshops that focus on classroom scenarios may beoffered and should be taken advantage of should the opportunity arise. Seeking evaluationoutside of the classroom allows the educator to see just how the students perceive them


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inside the classroom and thus improve or adjust the technique used in order to improve oradjust the way students perceive the curriculum.

There is no doubt that outside forces impact the enthusiasm and effectiveness of aneducators performance and as a student, I know just how outside forces impact my

learning ability and how I perceive my educator during that particular time. Issues likemoney, relationships, children, bills are all things that can play a part in the classroom eventhough the intent is not present. One of the most basic generalizations of the biologicalsciences is that all living organisms tend to vary their activities in response to changedconditions in their environments. George W. Denmark offers the quote in his article DoSchools Have a Role in Adjustment? In his article he suggests that schools do play a rolein adjustment and that we are able to not allow outside forces to influence our performancein the classroom. This factor is one where the critical component varies from person toperson. At this point in our lives, we have seen that different situation affect differentpeople differently, so it is quite difficult to offer a remedy. Things like breathing exercisesand focusing on positive aspects such as another child becoming successful because you

were part of their education process, are helpful tools to not allow the influence of outsideforces hinder the primary reason you are a teacher.

Though there are many other issues visible in education, addressing a few at a time will bebeneficial to the progression process. The level of trust, preparation, performanceevaluation, and demands outside of instruction are just a few that deserve attention but weall know that with the progression of these issues come the arise of new more threateningcontributors to the quality and expectations of the teacher/student relationship.

Investigating Critical

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