Budget Cuts in the Creative Arts

During a time when our nation is faced with growing budget problems school systems are forced to cut back certain programs, but is it really right to consistently let the art programs take the fall? I think it is essential to keep these programs in elementary schools. While younger children are developing, I think it is important to offer them creative outlets to ensure that it truly becomes a part of who they are as they grow older. Classroom teachers can attempt to integrate art and music in to their classes, but teachers who are specialized in these fields will be able to reach the children better because that is what they are trained to do. It is vital that we keep arts programs alive in schools, so we can continue to foster creativity in children. Without the creativity that the arts help to develop a lot of doors begin to close later in life. If children are not introduced to the creative arts, we are doomed to end up with generations that are only focused on facts and numbers, not knowing how to appreciate the beauty the arts can possess.

Berman, L. (2009, October 29). State Plays same old song with school cuts. The Detroit News.
http://www.detnews.com/article/20091029/OPINION03/910290399/1409/METRO/State-plays-same-old-song-with-school-cuts

Electronic Libraries?

New technologies often bring very difficult decisions. Does this new technology make what it is replacing obsolete? The burgeoning availability of online databases and computerized books seem to be making libraries a thing of the past. I think that digital databases are a great investment because they can provide students so many more sources than any fully funded library can. Investing in digital, online databases gives students a wide variety and large amount of sources without the extra space needed to house them. Online databases also take away the hassle of having to maintain a whole library of books. While this is definitely a viable option for research sources, I am hesitant to rely completely on technology for works like fiction and picture books. I do not think that purely because these books are available in digital form means we should utilize it for everything in print form. It is definitely more convenient to complete research online with databases, but reading books should stay on paper. While it may make sense to turn middle or high school libraries digital, I think elementary school libraries should remain primarily in print. I think the children would receive much more benefit from reading hard copies of books at those levels than purely in electronic form. Also, currently there is a smaller selection of these types of works available in digital form so it would not be of that much benefit for students since it would be limiting their selection. I think one of the wonderful things about elementary school libraries is the wide variety and selection that is available to them. If these children are encouraged to read as many books as they can to improve their reading skills and develop a love for reading, I think the best way to offer that to them currently is with books in print.

Toppo, G. (2009, October 27). School chooses kindle; are libraries for the history 'books'?. USA Today.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-10-26-kindle-school-library_N.htm

Busing for Diversity

The proposal of ending the practice of busing students to different schools for diversity is interesting because it can be very controversial. While diversity in schools can be a problem with neighborhood zoning, is it worth the inconvenience? This system in North Carolina has clearly been in place for some time now and is working, but I feel like the school system should be able to work out a school zoning system that still provides for some diversity while allowing students to attend elementary school closer to their homes. While I realize that there would be many students affected by this new change in the school system, I think that in the long run it would be better for students. I also think this would help parents of all socio-economic levels. I do not think it would be fair to bus students from low-income families to a school that is farther away from their home because there are many aspects of school that cannot be attended by way of a bus. Requiring parents to drive out of their way to pick up a child at school or to meet with a teacher for a conference would be unnecessary stress on parents of a lower income bracket. A school should consist of diversity, yes, but also the sense of community that is reached when children who live close to each other go to school together.

Hui, TK, & Goldsmith, T. (2009, October 20). Wake schools to take new path. News Observer.
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local_state/story/149110.html

Interactive Whiteboards

The growing use of interactive whiteboards in the classroom today is increasingly helping teachers and students. These new whiteboards allow students to directly interact with PowerPoints and other interactive images and activities. I think this particular piece of technology will become more widely used and integrated in to the modern classroom within the next ten years. These whiteboards allow teachers to get students more directly involved with the lesson at hand. I think this direct interaction truly helps students make more connections with what they are learning because they are having a more hands-on experience with it. I think that students are also more likely to pay attention to lessons involving interactive whiteboards because it uses technology. This generation of students is constantly consumed with technology so the more we can integrate it into teaching, the more we are going to grab student attention. During a time when attracting student attention is becoming harder every year, I think this piece of technology is definitely worth schools investing in for every classroom.

Taboada, MB. (2009, October 6). Leaving chalkboards in the dust. Austin American Statesman.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/2009/10/06/1006grant.html

September 11th Education

For many adults today, visions of the 9/11 terror attacks will never be forgotten, but for many students entering middle and high school they do not have much of a recollection of the attacks. In the article I read it is discussed that, former mayor Giuliani of New York is working on creating and implementing a curriculum to teach middle and high school students about the 9/11 terror attacks. I think that if this information is presented in the right forms by teachers it can be used to get students to think critically about our current foreign relations. Not only is it important to remember and understand what happened on that day, just like the attack on Pearl Harbor, it is important for students to be able to understand why it occurred and how it relates to our current situation. Teachers can use the materials former mayor Giuliani wants to provide to stimulate class discussions and even help students better understand current events. This information is still relevant to our daily lives even though it occurred 8 years ago. This was a tragic event in our nation’s history and it deserves to be remembered and discussed. Because it is a controversial event and these students will have a growing lack of knowledge on the subject, it will be important for teachers to present as much unbiased information as possible to provide a healthy environment for classroom discussion on the topic of 9/11 and how it continues to relate to our nation today.

Associated Press, Initials. (2009, September 8). 9/11 education to be initiated in schools. USA Today.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-09-08-Sept-11-education_N.htm

Autism Research

With a growing number of cases of autism in the United States, teachers are trying to find ways to help these children learn. I think it is great that the government is finally taking action on this situation which is growing in intensity every day. The Obama administration has begun to take more serious steps in funding a national effort to research autism and its causes. It is great to think that at some point in our near future not only will families of these children be able to have answers, but teacher will be able to understand how to better teach these children. The research that the Obama administration is funding will be an integral part of helping us understand these children, and I think it will greatly impact their future. As a teacher it will be great to finally have some resources to look to, to help students in the classroom with autism. The more information that is available to teachers will continue to help these children receive a better education. I think an essential part of helping these autistic children will be complete cooperation and dedication between the family at home and teachers at school. If both aspects of the children’s lives are devoted to detecting autism and helping treat its affects, I think we will see a great progress towards helping these children be fully functional in society. I truly hope that this new investment in autism research will help make more information available not only to parents of children with autism, but teachers as well.

Sebelius, K. (2009, October 5). Fight to overcome autism gets major boost. A Global Leading News Source.
http://www.ednews.org/articles/fight-to-overcome-autism-gets-major-boost.html

Teachers as Role Models

When you think about your favorite teacher, it isn’t a teacher who was well educated and presented you with a lot of information. It is a teacher who took the time to get to know the students and really interacted with the class. It is a teacher who took the time to find the most creative way to present the information and engage the classroom. What makes the best teacher can’t always be learned in a classroom, but it comes from the heart. This article speaks to how teachers should be the best role models for students and teachers with that natural ability to truly help students should be praised and serves as role models for other teachers. I think that sometimes teachers forget that they are not just striving for good test scores, but to help these students become better people in the process. If a teacher focuses on being a good role model for students by caring about what they teach and who they’re teaching, they can help mold students with a strong character like themselves.

Borsuk, A. (2009, October 4). Good educators all differ . Journal Sentinel.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/63457502.html

New Teacher Evaluation System

The new teacher evaluation system that is being implemented in Washington, D.C. is putting much more emphasis on student test scores in their evaluation. Along with the test scores teachers are also evaluated by 5 different classroom observations. I am a bit confused as to how the overall score is achieved, but this system seems very comprehensive. I think it is very important to be able to provide teachers with feedback on their teaching, not just a score or grade. Teachers should be given areas they need improvement in so they can become better teachers. I think it is interesting that this system plans on providing teachers with information on their strengths and weaknesses and also a plan for additional help if it is necessary. I think this feedback will be what helps this program succeed in evaluating teachers. If teachers are aware of specific areas they need improvement in, they will be able to provide a better classroom environment and increase the number of passing test scores. I think the details they are focusing on in these evaluations are very interesting and important, like seeing if teachers are providing lessons that speak to at least three different learning styles. It will be interesting to see if this new system of teacher evaluation will provide enough feedback for teacher improvement or if it will only serve to identify and cut teachers who are not succeeding.

Turgue, B. (2009, October 1). New d.c. teacher ratings stress better test scores. The Washington Post.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/30/AR2009093004729.html?wprss=rss_education