Exploding the Charter School Myth

quote:

Originally posted by Constructive Feedback:
AGAIN - YOU MISS MY POINT.

If I said "Money Can't Buy You Love or Real Happiness" - you would agree with me - right?

I was NOT talking about SCHOOL FUNDING. I was talking about having the OPTIMAL CONDITIONS being worked toward to insure that a QUALITY ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT is created. In my personal opinion too many educational activists such as Jonathan Kozol focus on the EDUCATIONAL SPENDING "GAP" than they do focused on WHAT IS BEING DONE WITH THE RESOURCES THAT ARE BEING SPENT and the stand of consciousness of the children who come to the schools.

School Is Too "Boring" For American Students

I understand your points about how the resources are being spent and the student's motivation and interest in school and learning. I just want you to remember that every student is not fortunate enough to have the stand of consciousness toward education that we consider ideal. Expecting students to arrrive to class and sit still in rows for six hours while listening to a lecture seems like an unrealistic expectation nowadays. From what I've heard, there is an emerging generation of children who require much more intellectual stimulation than what was provided in the past. Teachers are now expected to provide "academic entertainment" in an effort to compete with high-tech video games, billion-dollar action movies, and fast-paced music videos. Because American students' minds are on everything else except learning, the typical classroom has now become much "too boring" for American students, whose attention spans cannot exceed the length of a five-second commerical. Teachers must to get down to the business of "popping their booty" and "dropping it like it's hot" to capture their students attention. And if they don't do these things, some students may feel as if their time is being "wasted."

quote:

to have the greatest impact on children, it make sense to get into the mud with them and make a difference rather than sit on the sidelines bitching and complaining about how "dirty" schools are while remaiining squeaky clean.

It's curious how you pick and choose what to focus on, even when it is hardly there.

This was one of the first things I posted when I came to this site:

Book List

But you will hardly comment about that, you just want to claim I bitch and moan. With so many kids having computer and internet access these days there are other options besides your glorious school system. I installed CD-ROM drives in computers at a high school some years ago. 450 books will fit on one CD. Selecting exceptionally good works from the Gutenberg Project could be an inexpensive way of helping Black kids. The trouble with that project is they supply little info about the work, not even the date it was created.

I already picked one out and mentioned it:

http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/18492

This was the 1st sci-fi book I ever read. I have often thought it taught me more about racism than anything my parents told me directly. Gutenberg doesn't even say the book is from 1960.

umbrarchist

quote:

Originally posted by umbrarchist:
With so many kids having computer and internet access these days there are other options besides your glorious school system. I installed CD-ROM drives in computers at a high school some years ago. 450 books will fit on one CD.

That's great! But education is not simply about reading books and turning in assignments. Reading books and administering assignments accounts for only 5% of my job as educator. I am also a counselor, coach, motivator, and when necessary, a PARENT! How will your computerized book collection reach those students who need a little more motivation and encouragement to pull up to a computer screen to read those online books? What of those students who have never been exposed to a computer, or who need a more personal, hands-on approach to instruction to accomplish basic tasks and objectives?

I took two online courses last year toward another advanced degree. There were GRADUATE students in those courses who couldn't muster up the motivation and responsibility needed to submit assignments to professors promptly when all it took was click of a button. It was pathetic. So how much more challengindg do you think this task would be for a five, six, or seven-year-old child who may come from a disadvantaged background? Finally, I want to clarify something, teachers are not concerned about losing their jobs if the traditional school system were ever abolished. As I said before, a teacher is not limited to the public school system. I know of teachers who left the traditional classroom a long time ago to host online distance learning courses as well as serving as online homeschool advisors and full-time online tutors. Others, after many years of teaching, decided to become professors. So teachers are not all threatened by this dream that people have about all public schools closing. First, we know that it will never happen. And second, unless every parent plans to stop working to educate their own kids, regardless of where you teach students (e.g., online, charter, magnet, private, tutoring facility) children will always need qualified teachers.

I don't want you to think that I'm against your suggestion though. I think distance learning is a GREAT alternative education for high-achieving students. That is, independent students who are self-motivated and require very little guidance and direction. But for those challenge students with learning disabilities or emotional and/or behavioral disorders, we must consider them too. Unfortunately, not every student has cultivated the self-reliance and self-discipline that is needed to be successful online learners. As a student, I loved taking online courses last year. I liked not having to rush from work to class to submit an assignment, or listen to a three-hour lecture about topics that were already discussed in the book. But there were a few students in those courses who weren't successful at all. They didn't consider an assignment, an "assignment," unless a professor constantly reminded them about it. At the time, I thought they were acting like babies, but then I had to remember that everyone learns differently. So, to serve everyone's needs, perhaps both traditional and online courses should be made available to students starting at middle school (7th grade)??? What do you think?

I just discovered this:

http://www.archive.org/details/education

I haven't begun evaluatint it yet but this looks like how home schooling with internet assistance could be done.

umbra

Do the people who CLAIM they have the best interests of Black kids in mind able to PROVE THIS based on the policies that they support cross referenced with the FACTS on the ground today in the Black community?

Please listen to the AUDIO REPORT on how this KIPP School takes in Black kids who are at the lower 25th percentile and raises them up into the top quartile.

http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId...-2006&view=storyview

AUDIO REPORT:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6081149

It seems as if the problem of Black Education originated with the lack of disipline and respect that has consummed the Black Culture in recent generations. The Children who are born into this Culture are just a by-product, and until we find a way to control the forces that has the greatest impact on these negative forces, education, employment, and criminal activity will not get any better.

Blacks as a Group aren't dealing with the Core of the Problem. So that's why all you hear from Leaders are a lot of small talk that don't effect any meaningful change. So the Black Community keep running in place, taking 2 steps foward, and 1.9 steps backwards. Blacks have to examine other avenues to improbe the quality of life of Black People.

leart

save the sweeping generalizations about black people......be more specific about who you are talking about....because contrary to popular belief.....all black people are not underperformers who lack a culture of hard work and academic acheivement......people need to get it in their skulls that behaviors are centered around socioeconomic class and not race......

quote:

Originally posted by Constructive Feedback:
Do the people who CLAIM they have the best interests of Black kids in mind able to PROVE THIS based on the policies that they support cross referenced with the FACTS on the ground today in the Black community?

Please listen to the AUDIO REPORT on how this KIPP School takes in Black kids who are at the lower 25th percentile and raises them up into the top quartile.

Kipp, nationwide only serves 11,000 children. I'm sure it's a wonderful opportunity for those who can get in. What about the rest of the millions and millions of children who can't fit into these schools?

If your true interest is to eduicate our children, why not improve the level of teaching and the educational experience where the kids are?

I listened to it.

10 hours a day!!!

I could barely stand those nuns for 5.

I don't recall a single book they gave us that was interesting to read. But I would read 3 sci-fi books a week, even with discouragement from my mother. ROFL

umbra

Most Blacks have been sold a "Bill of Goods" about the reason for the Charter/Voucher School Concept, and it has nothing to do with improving the quality of education for a few Blacks Children in failing schools.

The main purpose is to reverse desegregation of the Public School System, and allow Blacks and other ethnic groups to educate their children in what ever way they want. The eventual intent is to let every group deal with their own problems, funding and all.

leart

quote:

Originally posted by leart:
Most Blacks have been sold a "Bill of Goods" about the reason for the Charter/Voucher School Concept, and it has nothing to do with improving the quality of education for a few Blacks Children in failing schools.

The main purpose is to reverse desegregation of the Public School System, and allow Blacks and other ethnic groups to educate their children in what ever way they want. The eventual intent is to let every group deal with their own problems, funding and all.

leart

Do you think that is a bad thing??

quote:

Originally posted by Kevin41:
save the sweeping generalizations about black people......be more specific about who you are talking about....because contrary to popular belief.....all black people are not underperformers who lack a culture of hard work and academic acheivement......people need to get it in their skulls that behaviors are centered around socioeconomic class and not race......

quote:

Originally posted by Constructive Feedback:
Do the people who CLAIM they have the best interests of Black kids in mind able to PROVE THIS based on the policies that they support cross referenced with the FACTS on the ground today in the Black community?

Please listen to the AUDIO REPORT on how this KIPP School takes in Black kids who are at the lower 25th percentile and raises them up into the top quartile.

http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId...-2006&view=storyview

AUDIO REPORT:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6081149

Will it be able to help a significant amount of African Americans?? It is great that there is that alternative, but what do you propose for people who can not go to KIPP.

It's not a bad thing if it suitable for you and your kind, whomever y'all might be. You and your people can just jump in the Pick-up, and go where ever you want, the road is clear.

leart