Please post on this prompt for comments on Nov. 16 & 18 classes. Again, thanks to our presenters for providing interesting paper topics to discuss. On Nov. 16, first we heard about the different views around corporal punishment and how it affects children at different ages. Then we learned about the moral issues surrounding sex education and the parents who choose to have their children opt out. Next we discussed Freud's impact on child psychology and education. Then we explored the idea of alternate schools, their philosophical aims and what they teach. On Nov. 18 we heard about different types of schools such as private, charter and magnet schools and their appeal to parents. Next we compared the educational pros and cons of two countries' systems, China and Canada. Then we learned about the value of school trips and how they can mesh with the classroom curriculum. We also explored the issues surrounding students with ADHD, and also heard about research on autism.
Please note: if there is no class Thursday, Nov. 25, groups scheduled to present will shift to Tuesday, Nov. 30 and the next group to Dec. 2nd. The blogs will be due as scheduled on Nov. 30 and the final portfolio on Dec. 2nd. (You should have eleven entries for the blog, not counting the introductory posting.) I would prefer these assignments be e-mailed to me, unless you provide a self-addressed stamped envelope with a hard copy. See you soon.
From the last presentations that were done in class i found that i was able to relate and commment on all of them. However, the ones that i would like to bring fourth for disscussuion on the blog is the essay on acculturation. I think that this is very important for students coming from different contries and trying to adapt into school systems in Canada. It is important for students to feel welcomed and part of a group. I feel that students who are not unwelcomed will not perform well in school. This essay brought fourth discussion of many examples that students in our class felt as they went through this process.
ReplyDeleteThe next essay is the essay on the corruption of india. I found it very odd that the teachers in public school systems in india did not show up to teach the students and that the teachers attitudes were so negative. I have never heard of such an issue. Anyways my uncle in mexico is a teacher and he has told me that being a teacher in mexico doesnt all the teacher to earn enough money to be able to provide for their families unlike in Canada. However to compensate for the low pay my uncle and his cow-workers have other jobs to help them be able to survive. I find this very sad and maybe it is the same in india.
The presentation on the academic success rates of public schools verses private schools demonstrated that, according to the statistics investigated, success rates in public education were as good as, if not better than, those in the private sector. While this may apply under certain circumstances, in certain regions, it is doubtful that all public schools can claim to be performing equally as well academically as their private counterparts across the board.
ReplyDeleteIn order to attract students the fee paying schools of today must be able to show results in terms of academic success rates. These schools are, therefore, motivated to see their pupils achieve academic excellence. Their intake of pupils will largely be from affluent homes where the value of such an education is viewed as worth paying for. They may even provide scholarships for the brightest of those who are unable to afford their fees, which in turn will enhance their performance rating; since not all of their fee paying pupils will meet the standards required of them. Closely in line with fee paying schools will be state schools which are situated in more affluent neighbourhoods, and which share a similar ethos to the private schools. Here parents are motivated and able to guide their children to achieve high academic standards, and they will also have the income to employ tutors to help them in areas of the curriculum where they may be falling behind. Expectation of University entrance and scholarships are as high as in the private sector, and examination results reflect this drive.
But what happens in those neighbourhoods where parents want the best for their children, but where both parents work and have little time, or themselves lack the education, to help their children reach their full potential ? It is in these schools that the public system must look to fulfill the role that parents are not able to, in order to provide a level playing field for their pupils’ academic success. A concentration of resources and lower student to teacher ratios should be maintained to enable these children to also reach their full potential, and to enlighten them to the value of this goal. The possibilities of doing so were amply demonstrated in the movie "Stand and Deliver". There may be some who consider this an unfair, or unnecessary expense. However, from a purely economic standpoint it makes good sense. A potential pool of talent may be wasted if these pupils are not encouraged. As could be seen in "Stand and Deliver", lowered expectations were self fulfilling, while encouragement to succeed brought great rewards.