discussion

First student's discussion

Scott Leverenz

Chapter two

This video and the chapter did make one thing clear, that there needs to be some sort of changes made in our schools today. Children are growing at different paces and learning in new ways and todays educational organizations need to find ways to keep up with the modern society. We cannot rush children and at the same time we cannot hold others back. The curriculum is forced upon teachers and leaves very little room for creativity and growth. Stimulation may be harder to find in some children and even in some teachers but forcing all to work at the same pace and same structure cannot be the answer.

I do agree that schools have good intentions and have the best interest of the children in mind however they have created an organized functional framework that seems to be leaving a lot of children in the dark or failing behind. Some kids are not being exposed to the proper amount of stimulation or influence they need to thrive and develop. .Grading scales should be tampered with in a manner that fits individual needs and talents.

Second student's discussion

Michael Heckendorn

After watching the RSA Animate and reading chapter two, I have come to the realization that schools need to change. Not tomorrow, but now. Schools are stuck in the period of industrial revolution, rather than modern/technological progress. I will highlight two of the points made by the video and the chapter that have convinced me that something needs to change. Both the movie and our chapter discussed how students are sent through the assembly line of school by their chrnological age -- as if it is the most important factor. I do agree that age is a factor, but what are the other factors? There is intellectual age, developmental stage,  and social skills stages amongst others. I agree that a 7 year old in first grade who is competent to do 3rd grade work should not be in first grade. But I'm not sure if the 7 year old should be grouped with the developmental age/social skills age of 9-10 year olds. Regardless of this point, sending students through school simply on the factor of age is a major disservice to the student. I currently work with a 7th grader who has failed every 6th grade class last year and is currently failing every 7th grade class. He is not even being considered for retainment because he hit puberty first and he looks like he's 14. There needs to be a balance between intellectual levels and chronological age. I'm not sure where that balance is or what is the most important, but the system does need to change. 

My second point is that of the content being taught and how it is taught. In reality, teachers have no choice of what they teach or really how they teach it (principal evaluations can force teachers into a box). This then leads to overly stimulated children being forced to sit in a desk for 5 hours a day. Small people are not supposed to be contained to a chair. The video makes this point by focusing on the fictional epidemic of ADHD and the overly medicated children that fill our schools. I completely agree with Sir Ken Robinson that the solution to assisting kids learn is not by anesthetizing, but it will be by engaging them in appropriate developmental interventions/strategies. The current, completley structured, underfunded, standardized test ridden schools are not helping children. Again, I don't have the solution, but with our current structure of education, I don't see anything changing any time soon.

Third student's discussion,

Jamie Aubin,

Chapter 2 describes how schools are controlled like an organization, not so much neutral as one may think  Because of the constant contact with children than other social institutions there is expected training for these children and training for future generations to come.  The RSA video from YouTube also sets the stage for what we are actually doing in our schools today with or without even knowing it.  It is known that a bureaucracy is the key feature of an organization. In our schools bureaucracy endures because of the guarantee of order, rationality, accountability and stability it provides to the public.  Our schools as a system have goals to meet. The need of administration makes it today completely crucial. In our text, Max Weber’s theory of bureaucracy explains its applicable the education system. Bureaucracy is identified as an organization with a hierarchy of paid, full-time officials who are formed of command. This implies that bureaucracy in schools is concerned with mass leadership whereby the power and authority is decentralized to different departments.  Bureaucracy is a model of organization design based on legitimate and formal system of authority. Most people associate bureaucracy with “red tape”, rigidity and passing buck. Weber viewed the bureaucratic form of organization as logical rational and efficient. You Tube video, RSA Animate-Changing Education Paradigms by Sir Ken Robinson gives a perspective of what I consider the “norm” in our schools today.  He illustrates how we are programed in education rather than using divergent thinking skills and celebrating creativity.  He demonstrates where we conform our students to meet standardized test scores.  I take away many thoughts after reading this week’s assignment.  I feel that America's schools face many external challenges, particularly the breakdown of the nuclear family and an imbedded underclass. But many public, charter, and parochial schools succeed nonetheless these challenges. When I think about what makes these schools successful, I realize they have somehow, with strong leadership, they figure out how to repress the bureaucracy and unleash the human spirit.  For example, years ago we moved our classroom toward a more student centered learning environment but often or eventually lead right back toward direct instruction especially during state testing.  I wonder is it our own background or the bureaucracy setting the pace that makes us turns round and round.  We must as educators have some freedom to be ourselves. Many teachers agree they were born to give something away to children, that benefits our society and most likely a teacher gave us just that.  That is why were in the business.  This doesn't mean we should not be unaccountable. But we should be accountable for overall success, including, especially, success at socialization of students through a healthy school culture, not just objective test scores.  Schools are human institutions. The effectiveness depends upon engaging the interest and focus of each student.