One of the hottest issues on the political trail this year is the value of public education. As many in the public already know, America’s public schools are facing a major crisis. The crisis is twofold. There has been a shortage of funding for education and the high illiteracy rate. Beginning with children unable to read on grade level to a high percentage of kids dropping out of school, parents and politicians are concerned about the direction in which our schools are heading. In 2006, John Stossel did a special on 20/20 titled “Stupid America”. In the segment he discussed the condition of public schools across the country and how parents don't have the free will to send their children to whatever school they wish. He as well as interviewed young people about the conditions of their schools. One of the young people he spoke to was Dorian Cain. In the interview, Stossel describes Cain as “An 18- year-old, who was still struggling to read a single sentence in a first grade level book. Although he has spent over 12 years in public schools, he still couldn’t read”. Even though this is an extreme case, there are many, unfortunately like Dorian, that are in the same situation. With Dorian’s story being not too uncommon today, there are many wondering whether public schools, in their current state, are truly effective in preparing our children for the future. Many are trying to find the solutions to these problems as well as deciding if private schools are better. Even though there are students that graduate from public school and go on to have successful careers, there are many that do not. With this thought, can it be said that public education is effectively preparing today’s youth for tomorrow? Are student getting what they need from public schools? In this series of blogs, I plan to discuss whether public education is truly preparing student for future or not.
The issue, of the effectiveness of public schools, is an interesting one because of several reasons. In the mast, many poeple disputed the credibility of private schools and stereotyped them as schools for the rich where the children were all 'preppy' and groomed to play a classical musical instrument. But that stereotype changed overtime because the demand for private schools increased, and is still increasing, because of the negativities associated with a public education such as insufficient fundings or huge classes, excessive bullying etc. Consequently, more and more parents believe it's a much wiser investment to send their kids to a private school where they can get the attention they need. One reason in particular why the demand for public schools may be declining is that they are often too large to be able to work with the different learning paces of the various multitude of students they face, thus some students, like Dorian Cain in the above blog are inevitably left behind. Furthermore, most kids of that age bracket are intimidated by the large classes and often fail to participate in class, and participation is a very vital key to succeeding in academics.
ReplyDeleteI really like the contrast you're developing between public and private schools. Often times, news media focus on the low end of grade testing scores and don’t give much attention to the changes that schools could make to better these grades. Private schools offer smaller class sizes and more individualized attention along with some other benefits, but private schools also contain different demographics than public schools. With the extra expenditures of private schools, most families can’t afford to send their children anywhere but public schools. It’s common to see private schools characterized as the “rich and entitled” schools, while public schools are an accumulation of all of the students left over. Most people try and say that private schools test better because they are wealthy student, but I believe it has more to do with private schools putting more emphasis on an individual student’s performance. There is a great need for the government to come in and help out public schools, so that they can supply children with the means and resources to receive a good quality education. If the government could level the playing field by providing funding to reduce overcrowding in public schools and attract better teachers, then there would be a great improvement in the level of literacy in the United States.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your introduction post for your blog, it is clear that you have some excellent questions to ponder. Your example of illiteracy, though shocking, is very believable. As for funding, I would also agree that this is the most potent reason for crisis. Funding is severely lacking in many public schools, creating an unequal balance in various schools for educational abilities. I have attended public schools my entire life and have certainly questioned the quality of education that I've received. When I came to college I realized just how different a private education typically is. Slacking off in school is simply not an option. Those courses offered in public schools where the most you have to do is show up, do not exist in the private sector. Discipline and rigor are not only required, but taught. Looking at the quality of college one can get into simply by attending a private school should be proof enough that something in the public education system is not working. Students who attend public schools are so far behind in the curriculum because little is expected of them. The expectations of students must be readjusted in public schools to begin to raise education levels. From there, teachers, curriculum, and testing methods must be questioned. Reform must happen for students to be prepared for the future.
ReplyDeleteNot only is there a notable difference in the education received at private and public schools, but there is also a major difference in the education received at different public institutions. Speaking from personal experience I feel as if my school had very little educational opportunities in comparison with the schools of my peers. I mean I’ve met people who have taken calculus 3 when the highest form of math offered at my school was calculus ab. Other schools in more developed cities offered many AP and IB courses to their students while my high school only offered 8 AP and no IBs. Walking and talking with the students on campus it’s obvious that their high schools have developed them into a different caliber of student. This difference in high school education can at times create a feeling of inferiority since I always feel I am at a disadvantage. To me the public school I attended is in no comparison to the schools some have attended. You may feel as though I went to a “bad” school but in reality the school I attended was one of the best in the county. It’s a sad realization that one of the best schools in my county still doesn’t compare to schools in other areas.
ReplyDeleteYou have presented valid points about a decline in the public school system and I am inclined to know more about the issue. It is often assumed that private schools have a higher education quality than public institutions because teachers can provide a more direct interaction with the student, which positively influences the student's overall understanding of the material. On the other hand, the larger the public school, the higher the ratio of students to teachers, which usually results in a diminishing academic standing among students because they are not able to get the individual help needed. Even so, we must recognize the overall will of students to stay focused in public schools to achieve the desired grades, as well as their motivation. Encouragement from teachers, as well as family members, to do better is vital in public schools, to keep the motivation high. Also, there is a positive correlation between the grade average of students and their participation in the public school, whether it be in clubs or sports, so perhaps we should get more students involved. Public school should not be viewed as a disadvantage to students. Students deserve a quality education, no matter which kind of institution they choose to attend.
ReplyDeleteEducation is a huge part of our society and the what the future holds for our country. I myself have known people that have been in high school that can't even read at a middle school level. There are too many loop holes in our public and private school education and something needs to be done about it. Schools are becoming extememly over crowded and there are not enough teachers to correctly teach the students. I went to school in Mecklenburg county and last year alone, hundreds of teachers were layed off causing our schools to become even more crowded. I don't understand how laying off teachers is going to help with improving our education, but something needs to be done. I know for a fact that some classes I took in high school were a joke and shouldn't be able to be taught. Our government needs to stop focusing on money and more about the future of our education.
ReplyDeleteHello everybody. Thanks for commenting on my blog.Adelina- I do agree with you that after constantly hearing about bad stories going in public schools, many people, including most parents, believe that attending private schools is a better option. Who could blame them for feeling that way?Me- I agree along with you that a smaller classroom size, plays a role in why students in private schools score higher on exams. In private schools, children receive more personal attention, leading to them to understanding the material and mastering it, while in public schools, the teacher just moves on, because she has daily objectives and 25 students to teach.The teacher has move on, regardless whether students understand the material or not.
ReplyDeleteMs. Ed- I do agree that many private schools set higher standards for students to follow. At my former high school, several of the classes I took, you didn't have to do homework nor study for an exam, because it was a easy A. Even though then it was nice to have classes like that, it does catch up to you later on when you get to college.Lazed- I can relate to your experience. The high school I went to, even though it was in Charlotte, it a lower income school and didn't offer as many AP courses as other middle/upper class public schools or private schools would offer. Currently this year, my high school doesn't even offer AP English or AP Physics B, which is what I took last year. I remembered not too long ago, cms was considered one of the best school districts in the country. That is sad because many of the schools are in a horrible condition.Expandyourmind- It is very true that encouragement from parents and teachers play a role in children performing well in school, but due to the hardships that many teachers as well as parents are facing, this is easier said than done. Also budget cuts are also affecting some of the extracurricular activities that schools are offering.Snap crackle- I remember when they made the job cuts for teachers in cms. My school was especially hit hard. We lost a lot of valuable teachers and staff, all because of saving money. If those teachers were at my school now, it would be in a different shape.
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