Hello All!!!
Well, I have had an eventful week and wanted to share some exciting news with you all. Like I stated before, I work as a tutor Coordinator in an elementary school. This past week, I was pleased to accept an additional position as a tutor in the Champions program! I am beyond excited about this opportunity and would love for you all to take a look at the program website! The link is listed below
http://www.discoverchampions.com/main/do/Home
How does this tie into my blog topic you ask? Well, as I have been working in different elementary schools the past few years, I have noticed things. One in particular is the fact that there are tutoring programs readily available to students and these programs are not being accessed to the fullest potential. I state this because there are constantly students who struggle with keeping up in class or with a specific subject. I know it is hectic for parents to sit and do homework with their children everyday, especially if they have more than one child or work duties to handle after hours. The point I am trying to make is, if there are programs available to help your student learn and complete assignments from school, possibly putting them ahead in class, why would you not take advantage of it? Now, some programs require a cost but some are free of charge so there is no excuse. My hopes are that more parents will take the initiative to place their children in after school tutoring programs to help along their schooling. Yes your children will get the opportunity to play and burn off some steam after school if that's what you're worried about...but they will be sure to complete all of their studies before they step a foot on the playground!!! Please if you have children or know of friends that do who might need some extra assistance, look into the after school tutoring programs in your area!
Until next time,
Miss Crystal
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Quiz 1: School Efficiency
Welcome back!
This week I wanted to touch on the subject of efficiency in schools in regards to current budget cuts and changes in school districts. An article about this all sparked my thoughts so I decided I would speak about it this week. The article is called "U.S study hopes to increase school efficiency," from Yahoo News and is linked below for you to view.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110119/us_nm/us_education_efficiency
In summary, there is a study being conducted in the United States considering the efficiency of teaching in schools and how to increase this efficiency if it's lacking. The study suggested that with budget cuts and layoffs, schools need to be more conscious of spending and possibly reevaluate how much is being spent on certain departments. It was suggested that more money go into actual teaching instead of administration. Doing so would provide schools with more money to fund better or more dedicated teachers, in return teaching children more efficiently with the school time provided, resulting in children learning more and scoring higher on proficiency/standardized tests.
That might have been a lot of information to swallow so take a moment to digest.
...........
There are a few points I would like to draw from this article. I agree with the reasoning behind the study, which is to make schools more efficient in spending/teaching their students. I think the main point of school is slightly overshadowed though. Students go to school to learn the basics, in education and life itself. At the end of the day, if a student is learning efficiently, everything else will fall into place. Sometimes I feel that school districts focus too much on preparing students for testing, which will determine their funding. That is the underline for them. Yes it is important to have the funds to run an exceptional school, but if you don't have the support of hard working teachers and thriving students then the money is worthless. I will speak on standardized testing another day, but I feel it is partially to blame in this situation. Districts should want their teachers to be efficient no matter what. Children are sent to school for a reason, so why waste time and not teach them like they should be taught? I applaud the U.S. for having good intentions in making sure schools are using their resources wisely but let us not forget why we are solely here.
Thanks for your time and hope you stop by for next week's discussion!
This week I wanted to touch on the subject of efficiency in schools in regards to current budget cuts and changes in school districts. An article about this all sparked my thoughts so I decided I would speak about it this week. The article is called "U.S study hopes to increase school efficiency," from Yahoo News and is linked below for you to view.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110119/us_nm/us_education_efficiency
In summary, there is a study being conducted in the United States considering the efficiency of teaching in schools and how to increase this efficiency if it's lacking. The study suggested that with budget cuts and layoffs, schools need to be more conscious of spending and possibly reevaluate how much is being spent on certain departments. It was suggested that more money go into actual teaching instead of administration. Doing so would provide schools with more money to fund better or more dedicated teachers, in return teaching children more efficiently with the school time provided, resulting in children learning more and scoring higher on proficiency/standardized tests.
That might have been a lot of information to swallow so take a moment to digest.
...........
There are a few points I would like to draw from this article. I agree with the reasoning behind the study, which is to make schools more efficient in spending/teaching their students. I think the main point of school is slightly overshadowed though. Students go to school to learn the basics, in education and life itself. At the end of the day, if a student is learning efficiently, everything else will fall into place. Sometimes I feel that school districts focus too much on preparing students for testing, which will determine their funding. That is the underline for them. Yes it is important to have the funds to run an exceptional school, but if you don't have the support of hard working teachers and thriving students then the money is worthless. I will speak on standardized testing another day, but I feel it is partially to blame in this situation. Districts should want their teachers to be efficient no matter what. Children are sent to school for a reason, so why waste time and not teach them like they should be taught? I applaud the U.S. for having good intentions in making sure schools are using their resources wisely but let us not forget why we are solely here.
Thanks for your time and hope you stop by for next week's discussion!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Reading Assignment 1: Punishment for Better Education
Welcome back!
Before I begin on the topic for this week, I would like to explain the format of my future entries so you have something to look forward to. I am focusing on issues regarding primary education and the education system as a whole in the U.S. To aid in my progression, I plan to direct my entry each week towards a current event about my topic. I will provide a link to the news report, give my views on the issue in general, and leave everyone with a few questions to ponder/comment on.
This week, we will cover the issue of school district boundaries & how this affects the level of education students may receive. A story which has caught much attention was reported January 26, 2011 about Kelley Williams-Bolar's situation. If you have not already read the story, follow the link provided below.
http://www.aolnews.com/2011/01/26/ohio-mom-kelley-williams-bolar-jailed-for-lying-about-kids-scho/
To sum up the story briefly, Kelley wanted her children to receive an exceptional education and simply would not in the district she lived in. She took it upon herself to move her children to a better school in another district. Once the school found out, Kelley was indicted. She was taken to court and convicted of 2 counts of tampering with records and served jail time.
There are a few issues I have with this woman's situation. Is it so wrong to want your own kids to get an acceptable education? It is apparent that the area Kelley lived in was not ideal for her and her family. She wanted to give her daughters the chance to succeed. One thing that was down-played in this story is the fact that Kelley currently works in the educational system as a special needs teaching assistant and is working on her education degree. This information flew under the radar I'm sure because it reveals that teachers simply don't earn enough. If they did, this woman would have never been in this predicament. She could afford to live in a better area, sending her children to a better schools.
My second stance is on the fact that the schools involved are public institutions, not private. Not to disrespect public schools at all, seeing as I attended public schools all the way through high school, it is a point I must make. All public schools do not receive the same amount of funding, therefore not being equal in learning environments for the kids. Funding depends on test scores, and it is a fact that lower economic areas do not have the best scores in the district. Working in a school, I know Mrs. Williams-Bolar is aware of this, which I'm sure fueled her actions.
Overall, I feel her conviction was over the top and unnecessary. Teachers should have the option to send their own children to any school of their choice. If they choose to send them out of their district, they should be required to pay a reasonable fee and be done. These schools get so money hungry that they forget about the main purpose of school, to teach. There should be no reason to punish this woman. What are your thoughts? Would you risk your life in order to ensure your children receive a better education? Kelley Williams-Bolar did...
Submit your thoughts and I will see you next class!
Before I begin on the topic for this week, I would like to explain the format of my future entries so you have something to look forward to. I am focusing on issues regarding primary education and the education system as a whole in the U.S. To aid in my progression, I plan to direct my entry each week towards a current event about my topic. I will provide a link to the news report, give my views on the issue in general, and leave everyone with a few questions to ponder/comment on.
This week, we will cover the issue of school district boundaries & how this affects the level of education students may receive. A story which has caught much attention was reported January 26, 2011 about Kelley Williams-Bolar's situation. If you have not already read the story, follow the link provided below.
http://www.aolnews.com/2011/01/26/ohio-mom-kelley-williams-bolar-jailed-for-lying-about-kids-scho/
To sum up the story briefly, Kelley wanted her children to receive an exceptional education and simply would not in the district she lived in. She took it upon herself to move her children to a better school in another district. Once the school found out, Kelley was indicted. She was taken to court and convicted of 2 counts of tampering with records and served jail time.
There are a few issues I have with this woman's situation. Is it so wrong to want your own kids to get an acceptable education? It is apparent that the area Kelley lived in was not ideal for her and her family. She wanted to give her daughters the chance to succeed. One thing that was down-played in this story is the fact that Kelley currently works in the educational system as a special needs teaching assistant and is working on her education degree. This information flew under the radar I'm sure because it reveals that teachers simply don't earn enough. If they did, this woman would have never been in this predicament. She could afford to live in a better area, sending her children to a better schools.
My second stance is on the fact that the schools involved are public institutions, not private. Not to disrespect public schools at all, seeing as I attended public schools all the way through high school, it is a point I must make. All public schools do not receive the same amount of funding, therefore not being equal in learning environments for the kids. Funding depends on test scores, and it is a fact that lower economic areas do not have the best scores in the district. Working in a school, I know Mrs. Williams-Bolar is aware of this, which I'm sure fueled her actions.
Overall, I feel her conviction was over the top and unnecessary. Teachers should have the option to send their own children to any school of their choice. If they choose to send them out of their district, they should be required to pay a reasonable fee and be done. These schools get so money hungry that they forget about the main purpose of school, to teach. There should be no reason to punish this woman. What are your thoughts? Would you risk your life in order to ensure your children receive a better education? Kelley Williams-Bolar did...
Submit your thoughts and I will see you next class!
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