In “This We Believe”
Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment are important and informative in a student’s academic future. When a student is proficient in the district’s curriculum, instruction, and assessments however, that student has to take remedial math in college then who is the blame?
Clearly the system in place is at fault. The student did everything required of them ... to perfection (as a 4.0 would suggest). That is a crime.
ReplyDeleteYes but who do you blame? The teachers, school district, or the state department of education? Surely, this would not happen in AR.
ReplyDeleteI don't see any reason to wallow in the blame game. We must move forward and work to change our educational system. I am hopeful that the Common Core State Standards will be a first step in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, classes such as this one, in which teachers seek to learn about our students and the developmental issues with which they struggle are also essential.
When we learn as much as possible about our students, we are demonstrating Leadership and Organization in our field, which is one of the 16 Characteristics included in the This WE Believe chart, that experts agree are the keys to educating our young adolescents. For more information on This We Believe visit the National Middle School Association web site at http://www.nmsa.org/AboutNMSA/ThisWeBelieve/The16Characteristics/tabid/1274/Default.aspx
I remember telling a college professor where I went to high school; he literally shook his head and told me "now I have to start from scratch with you". I had no idea how to respond to him.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I don't know who you blame - I suppose you would have to question the shared vision of that particular school. I hope that educators took notice of this and adjusted.
ReplyDeleteIn This We Believe follows that we need to take into account the individual but it also details that we need to provide them with the curriculum they will need as well as prepare them for what is to come. It's a very open and fluid concept; there's probably no 100% and foolproof way to accomplish this. In This We Believe would suggest that these continously assess and evaluate.
ReplyDeleteHere is an interesting article on this topic entitled, Why Remediation in College Doesn't Work
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mindingthecampus.com/originals/2010/08/why_remediation_in_college_doe.html
Here is an excerpt from the article:
"While a multitude of possible explanations exist for a high college dropout rate - family problems, illness, financial difficulties, alcohol abuse - one obvious possibility is that some youngsters graduate from high school without having learned enough in primary and secondary schools to do college-level work. They leave college without graduating because they realize they are not learning anything much; they are bored. Underlying their boredom is lack of the preparation they should have received in primary school and high school. Compatible with this interpretation are two facts: the dropout rate is very low in selective colleges despite their enormous tuitions; persistence to graduation decreases with the selectivity of the college.
Well, why aren't American high school graduates better prepared for college? Weren't they interested in attending college? They certainly were; they say so in polls of primary and secondary school students, and 70 per cent of high school graduates actually enroll in a college within two years of graduating from high school. But the emphasis of American society is on access to college, not on preparation for college. An unintended consequence of making access to college an entitlement readily available to all high school graduates is that serious study in the lower grades has become optional even for those intending to apply for college admission. Without an incentive to study diligently, many students are disengaged in high school and, as a result, underprepared for higher education. Some freshmen arrive at college thinking that having fun is the main reason they are at college and that the pursuit of knowledge should be available for when they have nothing better to do. In short, most of the responsibility for the relatively low rate of college graduation compared with enrollment is a result of misleading students and their parents into thinking that merely attending college will lead to well-paid and interesting jobs without pointing out that mere attendance is not enough. Students need to learn something at college."
I think the above article supports the characteristics in This We Believe under the area of Culture and Community, as follow:
ReplyDeleteEvery student's academic and personal development is guided by an adult advocate.
Comprehensive guidance and support services meet the needs of young adolescents.
The school actively involves families in the education of their children (Statistics indicate that students are much more successful in school when parents take an active role in their education.)
I believe that Teachers and Parents must work together to help prepare our young people for the rigor of college level work.