My Letter to the Editor:

Dear Editor:

It has come to my attention that children from families with low socioeconomic status make up a disproportionate number of those most at-risk for school failure. Although children of low socioeconomic status may begin school with significantly different experiences and skills than their middle-class peers, research indicates that these children can catch up. Also students from families of low socioeconomic status often attend schools facing other problems some that are attributed to at-risk students. These schools typically have many students with high mobility rates, severe behavioral and emotional problems, and limited English proficiency. In addition, children of low socioeconomic status may come from culturally diverse backgrounds, and the classrooms that they are stuck in are that with lack of motivation by not only the students but the teachers as well. It is important to create and affective environment for every student in every school no matter what their socioeconomic status may be. This includes every classroom in every school to have a classroom that is orderly and focused on learning, a positive learning environment, parental involvement in their students learning, and some form of misbehavior intervention. I also wish that one day all schools will be granted equal funding so that every student can learn in an equally healthy environment with the best possible tools that they can. The way schools are still separated by income need to change because the policy is no child left behind but yet we are leaving many brilliant children behind because they don’t have the same opportunities as other more wealthy kids. The first step is to get every teacher involved. There are many great teachers in these lower SES schools, but we are still lacking in great education. There should be more willing to work to make the change.


Sincerely,

Kristen May Daniels
St. Cloud, MN  

Field Experience Reflection

I teach swimming lessons at the YMCA and have for some time now. On my first day of field experience I was very warmly welcomed by a little girl named Ellie. Ellie has been in my swim class a few months this past winter and I always joke with her to not wear her nose plug. It was a very nice feeling to start off with on my first day going into a real classroom, already knowing a student and quickly meeting others because she was so excited to introduce me. I did have to remind her that I am Ms. Daniels in school though not Kristen. I got the opportunity to have my field experience at Clearview Elementary with a wonderful 3rd grade teacher named Allison Auer. There I had the chance to teach in small groups, supervise and help in the library and assess some children’s reading ability.  

While getting started on my field experience I was a little uneasy because the teacher that I was assigned to had e-mailed me stating that she did not need me for math help because they do math in the morning (and I was scheduled for 12:30-2:30 in the afternoon due to my school schedule) and she was not sure what to do with me. But after talking to Carol and figuring out something different I could do, I found myself very useful in her class. I started my first day meeting with the teacher and talking about the schedule, and then we took the class into the library. Her class is 33 kids and they are all just out of recess so it was pretty crazy. I helped them find books and kept them from bouncing off the walls. The first day was a busy one, but after school was let out Mrs. Auer and I made a plan to split the class in half when I come so they are not so hectic and things could be more relaxed on Mrs. Auer’s part.  

The next few weeks were such a great practice.  When I went to Clearview we would split the class in two and Mrs. Auer would take half to the library and I would stay with half and go through the Kids Scholastic News articles. Then after a certain amount of time we would switch. This was great because it made me in charge of the students. I would have the students sit in a circle as we went around and each got to read two sentences. No student could skip as authorized by Mrs. Auer. I had my times with students who wanted to interrupt or make rude comments. I also had to even deal with some small bullying. This was a problem in the classroom but myself and Mrs. Auer would try to figure out ways to try to get the students to respect together. It was a challenge and I still didn’t master it, but it was a good learning experience to go through that.

After going to Clearview for some weeks a student teacher also joined me in the classroom. We still had the same routine for a while with splitting the class, but as the standardized testing was going on the schedule had to shift with it. This gave me a great opportunity though. On one day I got to watch and assist Mrs. Auer in a small group science lesson. This gave me personal experience with how the teacher ran a small group. Then on the last day Mrs. Auer had me read with two different students and this was my favorite part. She picked a little boy Jamarcus, who is at a kindergarten level of reading, and Ellie who I spoke about earlier who is exceptionally well in her reading ability. This gave me an experience of noticing the differences in the students in the learning levels and capabilities and it was great reading with the both of them.

Overall my time with the 3^rd graders in Mrs. Auer’s class was amazing. It was great being in the classroom and helping the students learn and engage. I had a great teacher to learn from and the variety of different things I got to do was remarkable. I am more excited than ever to keep going to further myself in becoming a Special Education Teacher. There were some tough times, but a job with a reward is the best and it is great to know that I impacted these students.   

The Root: Good Education Is A Right — Not A Crime

The article talks about the different schoold in different SES areas. Since January, two African-American women have been publicly shamed for sending their children to a school district that was better than the one in which they lived. This is outstanding to me because every child deserves the same education. It explains real life in the movie the pursuit of happiness and the meaing of being poor and how hard it can be on your child. Yes, school districts exist for a reason. According to America's idiotic public education system, tax dollars determine how decent an education your kid gets. This is a vary sad thing to know and read about, I hope that this will be changed soon as I know it is one of the most important issues right now involving our students in getting thier best education.

http://www.npr.org/2011/04/22/135627125/the-root-good-education-is-a-right-not-a-crime

Education in Africa: Where does the money go?

Over the last decade public spending on education in Africa has increased by more than 6% each year. The article shows details government spending on education in each of the 45 sub-Saharan African countries. It presents the most up-to-date data on how much is spent on different levels of education, and digs out historical data to track trends over the last 10 years. The report also presents figures on the qualifications and salaries of teachers, the running costs of schools, and the provision of textbooks. It is nice to look at another country and see how their funding for education is distributed. Especially in Africa.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2011/apr/27/africa-education-spending-aid-data

West Point Refuses To Readmit Lesbian Cadet

In this article a cadet who happens to be lesbian resigned from West Point last year. She has been rejected for readmission to the academy even as the military moves toward repealing its "don't ask, don't tell" policy. This is rediculous. Officials at the U.S. Military Academy said they had no choice but to reject Katherine Miller's application, because the repeal of the policy barring gays from serving openly in the military is not in effect yet. The policy's repeal did not occur immediately after President Obama signed the legislation in December; training and certification are required before the ban is lifted. This is outragous to me that things like this are still going on in America. Everyone should be treated equally in any circumstance. What I like best about the article is in the end it lets us know that she now intends to graduate from Yale and join the military through officer candidate school.

http://www.npr.org/2011/04/27/135781963/west-point-refuses-to-readmit-lesbian-cadet

COPE releases a summary of 2010 activities

COPE is The Council of Pacific Education. And a body of teachers in the pacific have just published the journal of pacific teachers union's latest addition. International Labour Organisation’s Officer Laila Harré delivered the keynote address, acknowledging that “teacher unions are a substantial component of national trade union movements and enjoy many advantages when it comes to the [ILO] work for social justice.” This is facinating to me because looking through this website I was amazed to see all the teacher union things that were/ are going on. I had no idea that there is even teacher unions but it makes sense when you think about, I just never have. I would reall like to take a look at the journal that was published I bet it is a vary educational and interesting read.

http://www.ei-ie.org/news/news_details/1789

Ravitch: Standardized Testing Undermines Teaching

Former Assistant Secretary of Education Diane Ravitch talked about no child left behind and her story and opinion on standardized testing. In her book "The Death and Life of the Great American School System", Ravitch criticizes the emphasis on standardized testing and closing schools as well as the practice to replace public schools with charter schools. One reason, she says, is the increasing emphasis on privatization.
Also in the atricle Ravitch says that charter schools undercut the opportunities for public schools, making public school students feel like "second-class citizens." She touches base on the likelyhood of change in public schools and says that it is possible if parents work together. I agree with her but I also want to say if parents and teachers work together because teachers are what really affect how the child is learning in the classroom.

http://www.npr.org/2011/04/28/135142895/ravitch-standardized-testing-undermines-teaching