Chapter 12 Treasured Places

The following quotes are taken from The Shame of the Nation, written by Jonathan Kozol.

"In these settings, teachers do not tend to let concerns about our nation’s competition on the gobal marketplace intrude upon the more important needs of childhood, such as the right to find some happiness in being children.” Chapter 12, Page 286.

I think it is important for teachers to let children be children. But as teachers we also need to educate students in issues that affect society. I think that middle school and high school students should be aware of current events that are happening worldwide. I remember in high school, my history teacher made each student find an article from a newspaper that talked about a current issue. This created a great class discussion and was very informative. The global marketplace is a current issue in education and I think it is important for students to know what is happening because one day it will affect them.

“Students in these schools still have to take the standardized exams that are required of all children in our public schools, and some of the anxieties associated with these tests and with the annual publication of the scores are present in these schools as well; but nobody tells the children that their test results define their worthiness or that these numbers measure their identities.” Chapter 12, Pages 286-287.

It is sad to think of how much pressure we put on students because of standardized testing. Children do not realize the consequences of low test scores, and nor should they. Students and schools are put under so much stress to achieving high scores and better results that people do not always look at how it is affecting children and teachers. In my college education classes we learn about different ways to assess children, why can’t we work to find a new way to measure a child’s learning.

“In class, she says, if children see her in a conversation with a man, they usually ask if he’s her boyfriend. They notice everything! Teacher, I like the way you did your hair today! Teacher, you have pretty earrings! Teacher, you have nice new shoes! They notice every little thing I change in my appearance.” Chapter 12, Page 288.

This statement is so true! Children notice everything. This does not only relate to appearance, but also how teachers interact socially and physically. Teachers need to be very careful of how they portray themselves in/out of their classroom.  Children can sense when a person is overwhelmed, nervous, excited or sad. It is important for teachers to leave their personal life outside the classroom and not let it interfere when teaching.

“I don’t know how I am going to survive this,” Mr. Bedrock says she told him in the week after her mother died. “You know, I’m just eleven.” Like the other children who are sitting at her table next to Mr. Bedrock’s desk, she keeps getting up and hovering about him in this next-to-final day of school, as if she doesn’t want the camaraderie to end.” Chapter 12, Page 291.

Going into the teaching profession it is important to realize that this is a career that is twenty-four hour and seven days a week job. Teachers need to be there for students in and out of school. It is important of students to trust their teachers because sometimes they have no one at home to rely on or talk to. For instance, if a child has a really bad morning because he spilt milk all over the table and his mom yelled at him. In this situation the child’s academic work might suffer because the earlier morning event is still effecting him. Teachers need to be encouraging, patient, and understanding because it helps students to feel more at ease in the classroom.

“He vents his feelings on these matters frequently in talking with Miss Rose. She gets impatient with him sometimes; but she likes him and she knows he’s a good teacher, and says she always tries to hear him out.” Chapter 12, Page 295.

I love this quote. It shows that teachers are supporting each other when they need to the most. Administrators and teachers might have different opinion on curriculum, grading, and such, but they still need to listen and be respectful of each other’s ideas. I like that this quote shows teachers become impatient and frustrated because it tends to happens a lot in the teaching profession.

“Schools can probably survive quite well without their rubric charts and numbered standards-listing plastering the walls. They can’t survive without good teachers and, no matter what curriculum may be in place, whether it’s approved by state officials or by Washington or not, they are no good at all if teachers are unable to enjoy the work they do and be invigorated by its unpredictable.” Chapter 12, Pages 299-300.
 Again, another quote from Kozol’s book that I loved. Good teachers are everything to a school system. I truly believe the best teachers can teach in the worse conditions. There are so many unpredictable daily and sometimes hourly events that occur within the school day, teachers need to be able to handle what comes at them with a positive go-getter attitude. But in the end good teachers love the good and turn the bad into something great.  

The Following Quotes Are Taken From Blackboard Vista: Folder 13

Quote 1-“The Seattle School District allowed students to apply to any high school in the District. Since certain schools often became oversubscribed when too many students chose them as their first choice, the District used a system of tiebreakers to decide which students would be admitted to the popular schools. The second most important tiebreaker was a racial factor intended to maintain racial diversity. If the racial demographics of any school's student body deviated by more than a predetermined number of percentage points from those of Seattle's total student population (approximately 41% white and 59% non-white), the racial tiebreaker went into effect.” Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 (2007) 

I think it is important for students to choose which high school they want to apply to. It gives students hope about having a successful high school career. However, even though students are applying to specific schools it doesn’t mean they will be accepted. The tiebreaker helps to make the schools more diverse and equal for students. To be honest I am not sure I how feel about this tiebreaker rule that is being applied. Yes, I strongly believe that schools need to be diverse, but I am not sure if this is the right way to go about it.

Quote 2-“MARTIN: Why was it so important for your daughter to go to Ballard High School?

Ms. BROSE: My daughter was, you know, denied access to three different schools. And we would have been satisfied with not her first choice, but her second or her third choice. But she was actually assigned to her fourth choice. And that didn't work out, so she actually went to her fifth choice. But the reason that we wanted Ballard as our first choice because it is the school that is closest to our home.”  NPR: Supreme Court Revisits School Segregation

I think that many families want their children to be enrolled in good schools that are located near their homes like Ms. Brose describes. I think that if Seattle wants to use this tiebreaking system to make their schools diverse, then they should at least students their top three choices. This is a very hard process for the schools to figure out how to divide students, create diversity, and to keep everyone happy at the same time. I give them credit for trying, but again I am not sure the tiebreaking strategy is the right system to determine each child’s high school education fate. Perhaps, the reason being the tiebreaking strategy reminds me of the lotto system that is used to determine if children are accepted or denied to charter schools.

Quote 3-“MARTIN: What do you make of the district's position that diversity is an important educational goal, and that these are among the steps that are necessary to ensure that diversity is achieved?

Ms. BROSE: Well, first of all, I want to say that we're not against diversity. We like diversity. We're in the public schools. Our argument is that there is lots of diversity in our schools without using the racial tiebreaker and that, you know, diversity means more than skin color and that, you know, the school district was really looking at having a ratio of white versus nonwhite kids. And the way they used the tiebreaker was clearly a form of discrimination.” NPR: Supreme Court Revisits School Segregation

I agree with Ms. Brose statement that diversity is more than just skin color; it is about economics, religion, beliefs, traditions, everything about one’s culture and ethnicity. I that Seattle’ district is really trying to create diversity and equality for all children, but if they are only focusing on skin color than that is not right. Because then the district is discriminating against certain skin colors. For instance in this case Ms. Brose believes they are discriminating against white, because her daughter could not get into her top three choices.

Quote 4-“LARRY ABRAMSON: The student in this case remains anonymous, known only as T.A. in court documents. But his story is a familiar and painful one to parents and educators. As a high school student he began having attention problems. The Forest Grove School District near Portland, Oregon evaluated him but decided he did not qualify for special education help. The family's attorney, Mary Broadhurst, says this is exactly when the school district should've jumped in.” NPR: Supreme Court Rules on Special Education Case

In my special education class here at CCSU, I learned that parents really have to fight school systems if they believe that their child is not receiving the assistance they need. It is sad to say that some school systems don’t always want to put the extra money into a child if they feel like that child does not need help, when in reality they do. If I were the parents of this child, I too would have pulled my child out from the school because clearly the administration was not doing their part. It is the teacher’s job to notice patterns in students and to do everything in their power to help children and parents. I wonder in this case if the teacher was supportive of the child’s needs.

Quote 5-“Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 (1954),[1] was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional. The decision overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896 which allowed state-sponsored segregation. Handed down on May 17, 1954, the Warren Court's unanimous (9–0) decision stated that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.” Brown v. Board of Education

When discussing the picture of Ruby, in class with Dr. Clark  we talked about all the hardship she went to when schools became integrated. It was all happy and dandy right away it required a ton of effort, trial and error on everyone’s part. As a country we have come a long way in creating equality for all. However we still need to create more equality in our school systems. Over the years our schools have become more and more segregated due to demographics, economic status, and race; we see think in Kozol’s book and also in Joel Spring’s book. I think we can change this through reform in the education system. 

Quote 6-“In 1971, the San Francisco Unified School District attempted to desegregate the school system by reassigning pupils attending segregated schools to other public schools. The School District submitted a comprehensive plan for desegregation which the District Court approved. Some Chinese parents protested the move, because in the Asian schools the students could learn about their cultural heritage, and they would lose this if they went to public schools.”  Guey Heung Lee v. Johnson

I understand both sides of this court case. It is important for our nation to have integrated schools because it provides equality in the education system. However, I also understand why the parents want their children to learn about their heritage. Both sides of this case are important, but I think it is more important for schools to become desegregated. With this issue it is more important for all students to have an equal education.

Readings from Blackboard Vista

“Place-based education (PBE) immerses students in local heritage, cultures, landscapes, opportunities and experiences, using these as a foundation for the study of language arts, mathematics, social studies, science and other subjects across the curriculum. PBE emphasizes learning through participation in service projects for the local school and/or community.” Promise of Place

This little description that gives information on PBE is very interesting to me. I think that students learn best when they are hands on and engaged in experiences that connect to their lives. By having students become a part of the community they will learn in various ways. I never considered teaching all my lessons this way, but it seems like children would gain a lot from this experience. I like the idea that children will be studying all different subjects because many schools these days are only focusing on mathematics and reading.

“Education is in a crisis as America finds itself faced with unprecedented challenges in a global community of nations desperately struggling with massive social, economic, and cultural change. Education must find new ways of helping Americans learn and adapt in a multicultural, twenty-first century world.”  Cajete1994.

As we have been currently learning and discussing in our EDF class that American education need a reform. This is because of segregation and inequality in our nation’s school systems. We need to find new and better ways to help students achieve success in school, but yet we face so many challenges. How do we begin solving this problem?

“In tribal education, knowledge gained from first-hand experiences in the world is transmitted through ritual, ceremony, art, and appropriate technology. Knowledge gained through these vehicles is then used in everyday living. Education, in this context, becomes education for life’s sake.” Cajete1994.

I think it is so important for students to have hand-on experiences in the classroom. This strategy of teaching can be applied in all subject areas, mathematics, science, arts, music, language arts, and more. I think that most children learn best by actually doing and participating in the task. It helps them to remember better because they were a played a part in the specific experience.

“The ideals of this process were naturally founded on the continuous development of self-knowledge, on finding life through understanding and participating in creative process of living, on direct awareness of the natural environment, on knowledge of one’s role and responsibility to community, and on cultivating sensitivity to the spiritual essence of the world.” Cajete1994.

I think that it is important for students to know that they are part of a community, a classroom, school, and town community. It helps the students to understand what specific roles and jobs are in society. This can be mocked in a classroom by giving students jobs such as, line leader, paper collector, paper passer ect. Students can also learn by from the environment. But we are seeing this less because science lessons have been taken out of curriculums in many schools in order for more focus to be on reading and mathematics.

“The cultivation of all one’s senses through learning how to listen, observe, and experience holistically by creative exploration was highly valued.” Cajete1994.

I love this statement. It is important for children to learn things on their own instead of always having a teacher to guide them. By having students explore, observe, and listen it can create memorable experiences for the child. In a classroom it is good to encourage students to take risks because it helps them to develop and succeed in more complex ways. Creative exploration should be allowed in all classrooms, it is how students show their individuality among others. Students can learn from each other as well.

“The ideal purpose for American Indian education is to attain knowledge, seek truth, wisdom, completeness and life.” Cajete1994.

I really liked this quote. I think that over the years in America education has ran off the tracks.  This is all due to standardized testing, businessmen being a part of school boards, and much more that society forgets what is important in education. Children need to learn by having experiences and fun in the classroom. Results from testing shows that students do better when they learn in different ways. There needs to be meaning to what is being taught.

Deadly Lies

The following quotes are taken from The Shame of the Nation, written by Jonathan Kozol.

“President Bush accuses those who disagree with him about the wisdom of these practices of being the unconscious bearers of soft bigotry, while one of the president’s advisers overseeing federal education research has said that it is racist nonsense to reject claims that schools accountability alone will lead to equal outcomes for our children.” Chapter 11, Page 265.

This quote is talking about the federal law, No Child Left Behind. I disagree with everything that is being stated in this quote. The federal law is not helping students succeed in schools especially students with special needs. Instead teachers have to push them beyond their limit because of the rules of the law. I also think that it’s wrong to accuse people of being racists just because they don’t believe in the law working for all students. Urban schools will have a difficult time, because schools are not funded properly to get the resources they need to teach students. Students will only fall further behind leaving the opportunity for equality behind them.

“The longer this goes on, the further these two roads divide, the more severe and routinized these race-specific pedagogies many become, the harder it will be to find a place of common ground on which children of the many ethnic groups and social classes in our nation’s public schools will ever actually meet.” Chapter 11, Page 273.

If our nation does not step up to the plate soon, the American education system will too far gone to help. There is so much we need to do to desegregate schools and create equality among all. We should not let the children to come suffer. Looking into the future I am scared to think what they education systems will be like in the next 20 years. Will things have improved or gotten worse? Parents, children, teachers, administrators, and more need to get out in the community and start “building bridges” to bring these two roads back together.

“The small school initiative, says Advocates for Children, offers the best hope for providing high school students in New York with an adequate education. But without careful planning small schools may merely replicate the problems of the past.” Chapter 11, Page 277.

I think that having smaller schools will help children get a better education in urban cities. By having smaller schools would also mean smaller classrooms. Teachers would be able to focus more on the students because of the lower numbers. I really like the idea of having smaller schools, but as a society we need to make sure that these schools systems are organized, have proper funding, and are focused to helping students.

“Yet hundreds of thousands of children who have made what urban districts claim to be dramatic gains in elementary schools where principals have readjusted their entire schooldays and school calendars, forfeiting recess, in order to comply with state demands-those students now in secondary schools are sitting in subject-matter classes where they cannot comprehend the texts and cannot set down their ideas in sentences expected of most fourth and fifth grade students in the suburbs.” Chapter 11, Page 281.

Why can’t politicians and administrators see that standardized testing has negative impacts in schools? Teachers are forced to teach to the test to help students do well, yet we clearly see this is not working. Students are becoming more and more behind because they are not being taught the basics in school. If politicians want a well working society in the future then they need to make changes in schools systems. It is sad to see that children have to suffer from the poor decisions that our American government makes.

“In 2004, The Washington Post has noted only 350 African American freshmen enrolled at the University of Michigan, out of an entering class of almost 6,000 students-the lowest number of African-Americans in 15 years and a decline from nearly 500 three years earlier.” Chapter 11, Page 282.

Why are there low numbers of African Americans attending college? I believe it has to do with the urban school systems and the low leveling learning that is occurring. In the quote above it says that principals are rearranging the schools schedules to let students have more time to practice for testing, but it leaves out all the other things children need in school. If students cannot write their ideas on a piece of paper because we did not teach them how, how are they supposed to succeed or even get in to a college? This is why the numbers are going down.

“The Post’s other explanation are increases in tuition costs and a restricted applicant pool of African-Americans because of very low test scores on their SATs. But, certainly the widening gulf in math and reading levels between minority high schools students and their white contemporaries-a devastating five year gap between the races, as the Education Trust observed does not pose an optimistic prospect for admissions of black students to our four-year colleges and universities during the years ahead.” Chapter 11, Page 283.

Tuition of colleges is also a huge impact to families these days. With the economy being down maybe families have to make sacrifices and put college off for a few years. If tuition keeps increasing little by little then soon nobody will be able to afford to go to college.  Low SAT scores are another reason why African Americans and minorities in urban areas are not going to college. Schools are not teaching the important things that students need to know. Schools are focusing more on reading and mathematics but still are behind.

The following quotes are taken from Anthology, chapters 21, 22, and 23.

“Many of the recommendations that have emerged in the current debate either ignore the role teachers play in preparing learners to be active and critical citizens, or they suggest reforms that ignore the intelligences, judgment, and experience that teachers might offer in such a debate.” Chapter 21, Page 197.

In recent debates with government officials there have been disagreements about the way teachers teach students. I think that teachers who are certified and have experience for the most part know what they are doing in the classroom. It is the state officials who are causing trouble, stating that teachers need to teach a certain way or blaming them for low test scores. Teachers are doing the best they can with the limited resources and time that are given to them.

Deborah Meier: “First of all, any kind of teaching requires toughness. You have to have firm convictions about a whole lot of stuff that you are not, in fact, always so sure about.” Chapter 22, Page 205.

This quote is so true. As a teacher you need to be tough and stand your ground. It also relates to the quote number three you need to stand up for what you believe in.  Toughness does not mean strict but dealing with tough choices many times a day. For example, deciding what lesson is more important to teach students when you have limited time. Even if you are not sure, you still have to make quick and tough decisions on a daily basis and teachers need to be able to support the reasoning.

Bruce Marlowe: “Suppose your way of doing your work, exercising judgment-is very different than your colleagues’ ways? Or very different from what the principal, school district or state is invested in?” Chapter 22, Page 205.

This is one of my fears when becoming a teacher. I think the best thing to do in this situation is to have an open mind. Teachers need to be willing to look at both sides of what is being presented. I think it’s important to stand up for what you believe in, but it’s also important to know when to stand down. Choose your battles carefully. Even if teachers disagree with the school system or colleagues they need to understand where they are coming from and hear others thoughts because they might make an important point that the teacher did not consider.

“When asked how teachers in his school were responding to the new learning standards and to the state-mandated testing, he explained that his state was preparing lessons, and directions for delivering all lessons, for all teachers in the state and that teachers would do exactly what they were told to because they didn’t have a union and therefore wouldn’t do anything they weren’t supposed to do for fear of losing their jobs.” Chapter 23, Page 209.

I find this quote quite upsetting. I really feel for these teachers because they can’t teacher how they want because they are not part of a union. Why are these teachers not part of a union? Is it due to expensive fees? Personal choice? These teachers have no say in how they teach their students, I find this unfair.

“To be able to think critically or analytically does not mean to criticize. It means to look at messages and materials through a different lenses and from many perspectives; it means to be able to recognize propaganda regardless of its origin; it means to be able to detect crap; it means to pull apart materials, sort them, question them, reorganize them mentally, and then synthesize the pieces into a coherent understanding and whole” Chapter 23, Page 211.

For teachers it is important for them to be able to think critically. Teachers need to have this skill because it is something they will use every day. For example, teachers that have to teach to the test. With a critical mind a teacher can eventually figure out a lesson to make teaching to the test more engaging for their students. Thinking critically about problems that come up in the classroom is important. As a teacher you do not want to use the first solution you come up with, a good teacher will come up with a few answers and compare and contrast what would work best for their students.

“Without thinking teachers, we do not have thinking schools. Without thinking schools, we do not have thinking students or future citizens who can think. Thinking and questioning teachers will not only tweak and improve our school systems but will work to improve our democracy and model the responsibilities of all citizens.” Chapter 23, Pages 211-212.

I love this quote because it really emphasizes how important it is for people to use their own minds and really think about the world. Teachers teach children how to think and use their brain power in school. Thinking occurs ALL the time it helps us to make improvements in society. By teaching children to use their thinking skills/brainstorming helps them to develop new ideas which will help them become responsible citizens in our society. Without thinking, we would be zombies in our own world.

A National Horror Hidden in Plain View: Why Not a National Response?

The following quotes are taken from The Shame of the Nation, by Jonathan Kozol.

“Racist beliefs are so profound and the supportive structures have now been in place so long that an upheaval like the one we lived through 40 years ago, it leaves the nation exhausted with a huge desire not to be obligated to think of it again. And yet, the nation must be asked to think of it again.” Chapter 10, Page 240.

It is true, the American Society needs to take a step back and look at the inequality in school systems. People want to ignore this issue because they do not want to have to deal with the stress and time it is going to take to fix our segregated schools. In, today’s world everyone is wrapped up in media, technology, and themselves that they do not realize how much some people are suffering. Do Americans not care about the inequality of schools systems or do they just have no knowledge of it? Do we have to have an upheaval to fix this problem or is there a way to come up with a peaceful solution?

“The inequitable distribution of resources between districts is often equally pervasive within the district. This is because most districts simply give their schools the money that they need to pay the teachers they are able to employ. Since high-poverty schools tend to employ a disproportionate number of inexperience, low-paid teachers, these schools end up getting much less money per student than do schools in wealthier communities of the same district.” Chapter 10, Page 247.

I am not sure how I feel about this quote. Yes, I think that certified teachers should get paid more because they have proper training, but is it fair to lower the funding of the high-poverty school when they need the money for resources more? Why can’t both schools receive the same amount of money but use it in different ways. The wealthier districts can pay the teachers more, while the poverty schools pay teachers less can use the left over money to buy resources for the school or be used towards the “per child” fund. I do not know if this would work in a real world setting, however it is fair and both schools are getting the same amount of money.

“Attorneys have been asked to renounce the goal of fully equal education and to ask the courts to give poor children not the same high level of resources offered by the wealthiest white districts but merely sufficient funding to achieve the standards now demanded of them by the state.” Chapter 10, Page 247.

This quote is clear evidence that children are not getting an equal education. Why should any student or school system have to suffer with a “sufficient amount of funding” when a few miles away a wealthier school district is able to have a high level of resources? I don’t think anyone should have to settle. We are supposed to be the nation with opportunity, but instead we are teaching students to settle. 

“It has taken over 30 years of litigation to achieve a genuinely substantial victory for children in poor districts in New Jersey. In Ohio more than a decade since a suit was filed to achieve a similar objective, courts have now determined four times that the system of schools finance is in violation of the constitution of that state and still the governor and legislature have defined these rulings with impunity.” Chapter 10, Page 254.

Why is does it taking for so long for courts to determine the inequality of funding in school systems? How is it possible that the school in Ohio be dismissed four times, but yet the state and governor still think it is fair? I do not understand why the state is not moving faster to help these schools in poverty, any amount money or funding would help students but it needs to be done at a quicker pace. Each school should not have to go through a 30 year process.

“Even when attorneys do try to reach out beyond the courts to build political support, it has been very hard to build a movement of dynamics national importance out of adequacy claims in a variety of separate states. Adequacy itself, as a political objective is hardly a heart-stopping and exalted cry to battle.” Chapter 10, Page 258.

I think that it is hard for people to talk about the segregated and inequality in schools because it bring up a lot of emotions from past events in our history. Another reason why people might not agree with this issue is because people have different opinions on what adequacy is. This quote connects to the first because some people to do not want to have an “upheaval” because they are comfortable with their status and lives, meaning the white privileged. Building a movement takes a lot of time and effort, and with the evidence from Kozol’s book one is needed to eliminate inequality in schools. I believe that if small movements started then joined together it could create a big impact on our nation.

“Whatever damage segregation might or might not do, the premise of our case is that the state and city can provide sufficient resources so that students in a school even if that school is segregated can achieve a respectable level of success.” Chapter 10, Page 259.

I think that everything in the state and federal government’s power should be in helping the equality of education for all. There is no reason why we should have segregated schools, inequality, and racism. All students should have the same amount of resources available and if this is not possible then schools should be able to share with each other. Wouldn’t this be a perfect school system if it were to actually happen? I believe that one day our school systems will be equal and segregation will be gone, but it going to take time and a lot of pressure on the government.

Invitations to Resistance

The following quotes are from The Shame of the Nation, by Jonathan Kozol.

“We need our teachers marching in the streets. She had been listening with me to the statements of her students for the previous two hours. She had heard Mireya’s disappointment about having been obligated to take a sewing class when she had hoped to take an AP class instead. She had heard Fortino’s swift reply: You are ghetto-so you sew! She had been listening to students like Mireya and Fortino now for many years.” Chapter 9, Page 215.

It is about time that we have read about teachers becoming angry and frustrated with problems in the school systems. This teacher wants to protest the district and the government for more equality in education. Why should students have to think they do not deserve equal opportunities just because they live in the “ghetto” It is not right for anyone to think that. I can see why this teacher is becoming angry, because it her job to inspire students to try hard and become anything they want. However segregated schools do not allow for this opportunity happen so I can see why she gets angry. 

“America has never made progress on racial issues unless there was enough agitation to force society to take action. Honor among privileged blacks and whites alike, he said, depends on rediscovering our commitment to treating all children fairly. If it takes new turmoil to bring about, that is a price we should be willing to pay.” Chapter 9, Pages 216-217.

I agree, people really need to start protesting or finding some way to stand up against the government. American society should not put up with inequality any longer in school systems. I think it is only a matter of time before we start having another movement. Perhaps an equality for all in education movement? Teachers, students, parents, administrators need to start taking action for movement to occur.

“He said he recognized that his decision would not counteract the ruling of the court but that he wanted to inspire students to take action on their own convictions and to understand the moral, political, and symbolic landscape of our city.” Chapter 9, Page 219.

I admire this teacher for making a difference. He wants his students to understand that they deserve better. Students should not just sit back and deal with what they have been given, but to stand up for what they believe in. Because the principal took action he is hoping that others will follow in his footsteps. Why should they have to suffer academically when schools around them have more funding? This principal is really teaching his students to look at the inequality in education and wants them to do something about it like he did.

“He went on to speak of an approach, known as the Gautreaux Remedy, which has been implemented in Chicago now for many years and has enabled inner-city families to find housing in more than 100 smaller cities, towns, and villages in the Chicago area. As limited as the program is in context of the population size and demographics of Chicago, Orfield nonetheless insisted it had been successful and is still successful.” Chapter 9, Pages 223-224.

This housing program seemed to work in Chicago and I think that it should be implemented in other urban cities. Families that find housing in smaller districts might be able to send their children to better schools. Academics might be higher in smaller districts because the school is outside the in inner city providing for more opportunity and diversity between whites and blacks. I wonder if other cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Detroit have taken on any programs like this. What makes this program so successful and continue to grow over the years?

“Linehan also notes that starting integration in the elementary grades made it much easier for children, simply to be children with each other. Stereotypes fall away, he adds-it’s more difficult to conjure up “the other”-when you’re building sand castles together.” Chapter 9, Page 227.

I agree starting integration early is best for all students and parents. Students will grow and experience things together in classrooms, leaving any racial tension aside. I think it is important to start integration early because it lets children have a better education experience as well. Children do not look at color as an issue at young ages, they do not see privilege and non-privilege, however they may realize people are different and come from different families. If we expand this to earlier ages I really think it could benefit all children. More privilege children will hopefully learn from the less and vice versa.

“The interdistrict program in St. Louis is facing the risk of termination on the next three years. A court-supervised phase-out of state funding for the program, while it does not prohibit integration, significantly discourages suburban districts from accepting students from St. Louis after the 2008-2009 academic year. The suburbs for the most part have wanted to continue; and, indeed students in the affluent community of Clayton walked out of classes in 2004 to protest a possible withdrawal from the programs.” Chapter 9, Page 232.

I am glad to see that people do care about these interdistrict programs. After reading about students walking out of their classes to protest what something they strongly believe in is a big sign to the government that students want these programs around. Why do students have to suffer and go back to a school that is not high in academics just because the district does not encourage integration? It is not fair, especially because there is a clear want for these students to be at this school. I really admire these students and parents who protested against their district, it is very inspiring after reading all discouraging stories in the beginning of Kozol’s book.

False Promises

The following quotes are taken from Shame of the Nation, by Jonathan Kozol.

“The program known as Higher Horizons, was the subject of extensive press attention, most of it tremendously enthusiastic at the start. The federal government assisted in the financing of this and other efforts like it elsewhere; and, indeed, far greater sums of money were invested on compensatory programs of this nature in decades after Brown.” Chapter 8, Page 187.

This program tried to help school systems, but eventually failed because of decrease in funding from the state. However it was a step in the right direction. More programs should be presented to school systems, and though  trial and error schools will figure out what works and what doesn’t. Even in if programs fail, I think we should still look at it as a learning process. The state and schools need to work together to work out kinks. I think that Higher Horizons would have been a good program if it had been properly financed.

“A 66-page booklet, called What Works, that listed 41 attributes of a successful school, including rigorous textbooks and curriculum, consistent enforcement of discipline, the memorization of historical dates, literacy passages, and the correct spelling of words, moral awareness and good character reinforced by good adult examples and an emphasis upon the primary phonics. High teacher expectations, continuous assessments, and positive work attitudes were emphasized.” Chapter 8, Page 194.

First of all, how would think booklet work in a school system that was in a less privilege community? Second students need to have the basic developmental skills (like reading and writing) to go through this rigorous curriculum. I think that the booklet provides a good curriculum for those who have the supplies, resources, and support to learn the information being taught, but putting this curriculum in a school without the extra materials and aids students might not understand because they have not taught this. They have only been drilled for state exams. I think that this booklet means well, but am not so sure how it would do or work in an urban school setting that does not have a lot of materials. 

“When I visited the school in 1990, its famous principal had already departed whatever promise had been represented by his highly visible presence had departed with him. He left behind a grim and stolid school where classes in the language arts took place in a dingy basement full- grown adolescents I observed had to squeeze their bodies into desks that were the size appropriate for elementary school, and English classes that I visited were stripped of literacy content and were used almost exclusively, according to their teachers to drill students for exams.” Chapter 8, Page 198.

I look at this quote and it makes me sad to see that one person can have such an impact on a community. When this principal left he should have put someone with great respect and leadership in his place. I feel like someone needs to step up and fill his role. I wonder if he ever went back for a visit and was disappointed of what he saw. I wonder how the student felt when he left. Why was there such a dramatic change when he left? This quote really makes me question how sturdy is a school system if it can change so dramatically after one person leaves. 

“The latter provision, the right to transfer, which appeared at first to be an opening for children of poor people to attend good schools in middle-class communities, turned out to be a bit of teasing rhetoric that had no realistic application. In most urban systems there were not enough high-scoring schools to which the children of a failing school could transfer. In some cities like New York, moreover, many of the most successful schools, which tended to be clustered in more privileged communities, had strict selections policies that included interviews and testing, as we’ve seen. In schools in which there were no such requirements in any case, enrollments often were already full, and parents in these neighborhoods were not disposed to see their own children excluded so that children from a poorer neighborhood could be enrolled.” Chapter 8, Page 203.

As a community why set up this rule if people are not going to follow it? I think that the right to transfer provides students with an opportunity to change schools if they feel like they are not getting an adequate education. It is important to have this opportunity available for people of the less privilege because they should not have to suffer in school. Now privilege schools and families are trying to take this right away (one of the only rights they have) from them. Obviously parents want the best for their children, but to take something an education from someone else is wrong. If the district decided on this provision then why are there requirements being set up to keep other students out? Instead of being selfish people should look out for each other. What do parents think will happen if people get transferred to their school?

“A former fifth grade teacher told The Morning News that teachers were instructed how to cheat by walking around the classrooms while the students worked on their exams, stopping behind students who had chosen the wrong answer to a question, and remaining behind such students until they selected the right answer. Further analysis of students’ test scores at this school and others indicates that this was not an isolated situation. Nearly 400 Texas schools are now suspected of having cheated too.” Chapter 8, Page 207.

I know that cheating is wrong, but learning from previous readings about standardized testing and low reading levels how are children and schools supposed to do well. I’m not saying that cheating was right in this situation, but I really feel for the teachers because their job is on the line.  A student that is taking a state exam who does not know how to read well, how testing them going to be fair. They need the extra help and guidance. If students do not pass the state exams then funding will decrease. I feel like as a teacher you can’t win in this situation. That last sentence of this quote really says it all….more and more schools are breaking rules because they have no other options left. Something needs to be changed in the schools because clearly testing is measuring students development in any ways we have read about in Kozol.

“At the Houston school that claimed it had no dropouts, for example $75, 000 in cash bonuses had been awarded to the staff for raising test score and attendance rates and lowering its dropout figures in the year in which 460 students left the school.” Chapter 8, Page 208.

Bonuses being given to schools that decrease dropout rates! This is something I never heard about before. I was shocked that a district and government would even do this. I don’t think that there should be a cash reward for the faculty decreasing dropouts. How about increasing the funding of the school instead? It is very exciting to see that this school is doing well and increasing their academics. It gives hope for other schools. However, I do not think that the faculty should receive the bonus. It should be used within the school to make it better and provide more opportunities for development.

Excluding Beauty

The following quotes are taken from the book The Shame of the Nation, written by Jonathan Kozol.

“Do kids who go to school like these enjoy the days they spend in them? In schools, for most of them, a happy place to be? You do not find the answers to these questions in reports about achievement levels, scientific methods of accountability, or structural revisions in the modes of governance. Documents like these don’t speak of happiness.” Chapter 7, Page 163.

Children are required to take practice and take standardized tests day after day. These tests do not measure if a child is happy or stressed. More focus needs to be put on the kids not on the tests. It is important for children to learn by having fun and in a safe environment, but this does not occur in urban classrooms. Teachers should provide lessons in language arts, though words, art, and reading to help kids express their feelings. For some children this is the only place where they can be “just kids”, home life could be tense. By providing more emphasis on the students, children will feel safe and open up to learning.

“Even with the serious infrastructure problems that then principal had pointed out, it was more cheerful school, by far, than any I had visited in recent months. The instructional approach in use within the school, which was based upon a body of ideas called multiple intelligences.” Chapter 7, Page 168.

The multiple intelligence theory is one that every teacher should use. It provides music, body movement, art, mathematics, nature, and more in lessons. Children learn in different ways, so it provides opportunity for all to gain new experiences.  Students will have time to explore new ways of learning and will also provide fun in the classroom.  In the quote above it states the children were more cheerful, this is what kids need in schools to learn, grow, and gain confidence in positive ways.

“Among the items documented in court papers, according to the Sacramento Bee, were chemistry labs with no chemicals at all, literature classes without books, computer classes where according to one student, we sit there and talk about what we would be doing if we had computers. There were classes in which students were forced to stand or to sit on bookshelves, cabinets, or window sills because there were more kids than chairs.” Chapter 7, Page 171.

How are children supposed to learn when they are not provided with, books, computers, and most important desks? I feel so bad for these students who don’t have the materials they need to learn.  What is the administration and district doing for these students? One of my thoughts was that the community should donate or set up fundraisers for the school, but if the schools are in low income communities, families might not have money to donate. Again, I wish there could be an quick solution to these problems in urban schools.

“Several students spoke then of a problem about frequent substitute teachers, which was documented also in court papers. One strategy for staffing classes in these three-and-four-track schools when substitutes could not be found was to assign a teacher who was not “on track”-that is, a teacher who was on vacation-to come back to school and fill in for the missing teacher. Just yesterday I was subbing for a substitute who was subbing for a teacher who never shows up, a teacher told the ACLU lawyers. That’s one scenario…” Chapter 7, Page 180.

How can teachers not show up to school!? Students need routines and structure in school. It is the one place where they depend on routine because outside of school their home life might be disorderly. If students are expected to show up to school every day, shouldn’t the staff have the same expectations? This is how teachers lose students respect because clearly they do not care how they do in school. Administrations need to check backgrounds of people before they hire them. I strongly believe that all teachers should be certified and dedicated to their job.

“Students who needed to use the library to do a research paper for a class ran into problems because the library was often closed when it was being used for other purposes such as administration of examinations, typically for make-up tests.  In all, according to the school librarian, the library was closed more than a quarter of the year.” Chapter 7, Page 182.

A lot of students in the book are from low income communities. Most families probably cannot afford to buy computers. If the library is closed for weeks at a time, how are students supposed to complete assignments on time? As I read Kozol’s book, he talks about schools being overcrowded, so it’s possible there might be no other place to administrate the tests. But other students are suffering because they are not able to use the resources available in the school.

The most coherent sentences was by Fortino, “I don’t have to go all into detail. I think it’s a school that is in deep shit overall….The biggest problem with Fremont is over population. Teachers are pushed so far that they just give up on their students. Others try to keep up the fight, but they are losing slowly.” Chapter 7, Page 184.

This statement says it all. First a student is aware of the problems that are happening in school. It saddens me that teachers are giving up on their students. I admire the ones who are still fighting and that are not giving up easily. Teachers need help and support from the community. Conditions in urban schools need to change, things are already bad and they arel only going to get worse if something is not done immediately.

Inequality of Opportunity in Schools

The following quotes are taken from The Shame of the Nation, written by Jonathan Kozol.

“To qualify for admissions to this public school, a child must first be taken to a private testing agency: $165 for the IQ test, she notes. Parents who can’t afford to pay may apply for a free test, she says but many parents are intimidated to make such requests and, more to the point, most of them have never even heard that such exemptions are available.” Chapter 6, Page 138.

This quote is a good example of how privileged families can get ahead in school systems. Families that have the money to pay for certain tests to get their children ahead have a better chance to attending prestigious schools. People with lower incomes do not have the same opportunity as wealthier families because they may not be able to afford testing. The test should be free for all students to take; it is not fair for the people that can’t afford to take it. If this is a public school then why does private testing have to be part of the admissions process?

“Even in a brief recession in the early 1990s when a billion-dollar cut in funding was imposed on New York City’s schools across the board, $150 million was discovered to erect a dazzling new building, the most expensive high school ever built in New York City¸ for the students who attended Stuyvesant. Not a single high school had been built for students in the Bronx since 1973.” Chapter 6, Pages 139-140.

Why did the government of New York build another high end school when there are hundreds of schools in low income areas that need repairs, new buildings, and materials within the school? This makes no sense to me. In this book, Kozol describes on numerous accounts, schools that are located in urban settings that are falling apart, but yet the government still decides to build a bigger and better school for those who already have what they need to get by. What was the government of New York reasoning for this? Do they not care about the students who have no learning materials in their schools?

“Class size averaged 30 students. Thirteen of the 15 teachers were provisional which meant they were not fully certified to teach. Supplies were scarce. Three of my classes don’t have textbooks, said the principle. I have to fight and scratch for everything we get.” Chapter 6, Page 143.

This quote goes along with the one previous. Principals and teachers in poor urban areas have to fight for the supplies and materials they receive. How are students supposed to learn and be successful in school when the schools do not have the resources they need to teach properly? There should be more funding to schools that do not the materials they need. But again this all connects to government standardized testing and increasing scores.

“At that point, his mother agreed to have him transferred to this school in Harlem. When I later asked her why she had agreed to this instead of trying to enroll him in one of the better middle schools that were presumably available under the school choice program in New York, she said that she was given no alternative. I went to the school district office and they gave me that school she replied. If other choices did exist, she said they were not mentioned.” Chapter 6, Pages 143-144.

Why is the district office holding back important information to parents? This is half the reason why poorer families do not get good educations because they do not know what is available to them. It should be a mandated rule that the district needs to come forth to help families and provide them with options and other resources available to them. Holding information can jeopardize a child’s future. In this quote the mother had no idea she could have sent her child to a better school. Instead he see violence every day because the district held information from him and his mother.

The following quotes are taken from American Education, written by Joel Spring.

“Horace Mann believed equality of opportunity would reduce tension between the rich and poor. The poor could believe that their children had and equal chance to compete with the children of the rich. Rather than feeling antagonistic toward the wealthy, the poor could believe that they had the opportunity to join the rich.” Chapter 2, Page 31.

Horace Mann theory of equality means well, but in fact it would never work. There will always be inequality in American society. Some people will always have more opportunities while others do not because of economic statuses people have. Equal opportunity should reduce tension between the rich and the poor. However this is not true because people of privilege backgrounds always will have more resources available to them to get ahead in the competition, while poor families to not have means in obtaining extra resources. Therefore, sadly there will always be inequality between the two.

“Common-school model continues to be plagued by differences in family backgrounds. Children with parents who read to them expose them to a variety of cultural events are probably better prepared to learn than children whose parents are illiterate. Also, wealthy parents can provide their children with special advantages such as tutors and learning aids, while poor parents might have to struggle just to feed their children.” Chapter 2, Page 33.

As much as this model proposes equality for all school systems, our society does not work this way, there is always going to be more advantages for some. It is not anyone fault, it is the way the American society works. Some people are more privileged then others.  If all the schools were set up the same for every child, there will still be students who fall behind and some that achieve great success because of their family’s economic status. This is not fair to the people with fewer privileges, just because they can’t afford tutors and aids for their children, they fall behind in academics.

Standarized Testing in the United States

The following quotes are taken from the book The Shame of the Nation, written by Jonathan Kozol.

“At P.S. 65, during the three months prior to the all-important state exam, fifth grade teachers had to set aside all other lessons from 8:40 to 11:00, and from 1:45 to 3:00, to drill the children for their tests. In addition to this, two afternoons a week, children in the fourth and fifth grade had to stay from 3:00 to 5:00 for another session of the test preparation. They also have to come to school on Saturdays to get three hours more of this during the last four weeks before exams.” Chapter 5, Page 113.

This quote gives a good example of how much school administrators want their students to do well on the tests. Students for several weeks and hours spend time practicing for state exams. The administrators in the school systems are very willing to give up time for students to practice for the test because all they care about is funding. Once the tests are taken, many students fall behind and lack skills for their age. This has become a major problem in school systems because teachers have to give up their daily lessons and teach to the tests.  

“Test results will help to show their teachers where the children’s weaknesses may lie, so that they can redirect the focus of their work in order to address these weaknesses. However, because of the long lapse in time between the taking of these tests and the receipts of scores.” Chapter 5, Page 115.

I think that when standardized testing was first produced it was supposed to be a good way to help teachers to know where their students are developmentally. However, because testing has changed so much in the past years, teachers do not get the tests results back right away. By the time the test results come back to the teachers, some of the students have moved up to the next grade or it is too late in the year to address the problems.  Students start to fall behind little by little because they are not working on their areas of weakness. If teachers are going to be spending most of their time focused on practice tests, then they should at least get their test results back within a few weeks, so they can help the children improve for the text year.

“Every time we hold a child over, we are substantially reducing the odds of that child graduating anytime in the future. When that child is held back twice, the likelihood that he or she will never graduates increases by 90 percent.” Chapter 5, Page 117.

When I first read this quote, I could not believe that the percentage was so high! But then I thought that 90 percent made sense because, a child can get really low self-esteem about themselves and school. Instead of focusing all our time on standardized testing, we teachers need to focus on the students more. Children are clearly not learning because lessons that are made by teachers that help them develop proper skills for example, social and cognitive are not being taught. All of the classroom time is focused on drilling students to increase their last year test scores.

“In some schools art and music are excluded from the organized curriculum because these subjects are not tested by the state examinations. The banishment of recess from the normal school day is perhaps the ultimate penurious denial.  Recess has been abandoned to secure more time for test-related programs.” Chapter 5, Page 119-120.

Again, like the quotes above this, clearly show that standardized testing is taking over schools. I feel like the administrators are focused on one thing, one thing only, and that is improving and increasing test scores from year to year. This is no way to run a school. How do these school systems expect students to learn when they have no fun activities? Extracurricular activities can be sometimes the most important classes a child can partake in. When a child is struggling with academics he or she looks to other classes such as art, music, and gym. Kids need other outlets in school to help them learn. Drilling and testing is not going to benefit the students or the school, students will only become frustrated and this will show in test results.

The following quotes are taken from the book American Education written by Joel Spring.

“These researchers found that some immigrant cultures in the United States retained their parental culture in their private lives while taking on the values of the host culture in their public lives.” Chapter 5, Page 121.

I think it is important for teachers to study and discuss other cultures in their classrooms. All cultures should feel welcomed, especially in the classroom. Students need to understand diversity and that everyone is different. But also that it is okay to be yourself, people do not have to conform to society. I think immigrants should not have to confine their cultures to only their private lives. They should feel proud where they came from, and teach others about their culture.

“The Teaching Tolerance Project is to provide resources and materials to schools to promote interracial and intercultural understanding between whites and nonwhites. There also have been decisions to include materials dealing with cultural tolerance, homelessness, and poverty. The Teaching Tolerance Project is the only one of the many educational attempts to end racism in the United States.” Chapter 5, Page 130.

The Teaching Tolerance Project should be something that every school should participate in. I believe its really important to teach students to be open about these kind of issues. It also spreads awareness throughout the community.  Using this project in schools would help promote cultural understanding, but also maybe put a stop to bullying. Much of today’s bullying happens because of the lack of understanding from culture to culture. If students learn from each other they will be more sympathetic to each other.
 

Diversity, Difference, and Privilege Continued...

The following quotes were taken from The Shame of the Nation by Jonathan Kozol.


“The names of the children and their tasks were posted on the wall, an ordinary thing to see in classrooms everywhere. But in this case there was a novel twist: All the jobs the kids were given were described as management positions! They were intended to teach values of responsibility for…jobs” Chapter 4, Page 90-91.
I think it is important for children to have specific jobs in a classroom setting. It teaches students to work together as a community and also as a team. Teachers that use job charts are helping to teach children responsibly, which I think is very important. Learning responsibility helps children grow as individuals because they are learning to take accountability for ones actions. I realize that teaching responsibility will one day help in their careers, but I never thought about using the term management positions. Using the term management gives students an earlier idea about the different positions there are in the workforce. At young ages these educators are teaching their students that hard work will place you higher in the working field.


“It’s a medical school, another child, named Tamika, told me when I asked her why she had applied there. I wanted to be a baby doctor she explained….Tamika went from Robeson to another of those industry-embedded schools, a 97 percent black and Hispanic school called Health Opportunities in which only one in five ninth graders ever reached twelfth grade and from which Tamika dropped out in eleventh grade.” Chapter 4, Page 101.
This quote made me really think about the high dropout rate in schools. I feel like because Tamika and her fellow classmates were required to choose a career at an early age, it might have burnt them out before they even started. I think it’s important for teenagers in high school to start thinking about their future, but any age before that is too early. I remember being a child and going through different phases of wanting to be an artist, to a veterinarian, to an actress. I believe it is important for kids to be kids. We should not pressure them to start thinking seriously what they want to be for the rest of their lives too early or they will get burnt out. Burnt out meaning they will get bored or the opposite be to intense in their schooling before they even start the career, which will result in dropping out like Tamika did.


“Students, she explained, were required to decide on a career path at the end of freshman year and once you do this, your entire program is determined by that choice. Technically, she said, a student could select a college education as a career path, but this option, she reported wasn’t marketed to many students at the school as forcefully as they were the job-related programs.” Chapter 4, Page 102.
This quote really frustrates me! I think that it is so important that college be an option for students, especially in today’s world. I cannot believe that college was not a path that was not marketed more. Was it because this school was located in a poorer community? Even if this is so, there are scholarships and financial aid to help people. I think it is important for every person to have some kind of degree whether it is from a college or a tech program ect. Why would teachers not support the path of college in this school system? Did they think it was not a good option for these teens?

The following quotes were taken from the book American Education, by Joel Spring.


“The refusal of the San Francisco school district to provide special help learning, English to Chinese immigrant children with limited English ability. The Court ruled that for limited-English-speaking students, schools must provide aid in learning in English so that they could participate in learning in English-speaking classrooms.” Chapter 4, Page 107-108.
It is baffling to me, that one time in American History, that school systems in the United States denied aids to immigrants that were trying to learn English. This confuses me because I thought that the government required schools to teach immigrants English because they wanted them to conform into American society, but yet they denied it. Not until the courts made it a rule that all limited-English-speaking students be provided with an aid to learn English. Why did the schools deny it in the first place? How did they expect students to learn English without an aid?



“A major problem for schools is finding teachers who are trained to teach students who have limited English proficiency (LEP).” Chapter 4, Page 109.
I can see where this can be a problem for schools. Teachers are not required to learn different languages for our jobs. If a student were to walk in my classroom and only know the French language, I would be puzzled on what to do, because I do not know any French. I’m not sure if making a requirement for teachers would solve this problem. A possible solution would be hiring aids that spoke the same language as the students learn the English language. But I am not sure what the best solution would be for this problem.



“After the conquest of Northern Mexico, state governments tried to use their school systems to replace the speaking of Spanish with English. In 1856, two years after the Texas legislature established public schools, a law was passed requiring the teaching of English as a subject.” Chapter 4, Page 89.
After reading this quote, I did not realize how far back the controversy of teaching and speaking
English went. I do not think it was right for American courts to change school systems in Mexico. The schools were not even located in the United States. This particular requirement I feel is taking away from the Mexican culture, because we are taking away their native language in their own country. However, I believe even today it is important for any immigrant from any ethnic group, whether they are from Europe, Latin America, or any another country, should all learn to speak English if living in the United States. I believe this because English is our national language, to have success in our society immigrants need to understand others and have a basic knowledge of how to speak our native language. I would expect the opposite too, if an American were to move to Mexico, they too would be expected to learn Spanish.

Diversity, Difference, and Privilege

The following quotes are taken from the book The Shame of the Nation, written by Jonathan Kozol.

“Very little teaching took place in Pineapple’s class during the time that I was there…Nearly two hours had elapsed between the time Pineapple’s classmates formed their line to go to lunch and finally returned.” Chapter 1, Page 14.
As I was reading this particular story about Pineapple, I couldn’t believe that she and her classmates had to wait around every day for two hours. All sorts of questions popped in my head like, why was forming lines so important to the faculty at the school, how many hours did these students spend on academics, and why did transitions take so long in the school? In my past experience in schools, transitions to the cafeteria, recess, and other classrooms took around five minutes. Now that people are aware of this problem in Pineapple’s school changes should be made by the administration. Instead of waiting outside the lunchroom for thirty minutes, teachers should keep the students in the classroom learning.

“Pineapple had four different teachers in a row. One of them was apparently a maladjusted person who, Pineapple said, used swear words to subdue children. One was fired for smoking in the building.” Chapter 1, Page 14.
As a future elementary teacher, this quote made me quite irritated. Teachers are supposed to be positive role models and set good examples for their students inside and outside school. Does this school system look into the backgrounds of potential teachers before they hire them? What is the administration doing to make sure they provide their students with the best possible teachers? Looking at backgrounds and making sure potential teachers have certifications would make for a lesser teacher turnover rate at Pineapple’s school.

“In a Seattle neighborhood for instance where approximately half the families were Caucasian, 95% of the students at the Thurgood Marshall Elementary School were black, Hispanic, Native American, or of Asian origin. An African American teacher at the school told me of seeing clusters of white parents and their children on the corner of a street close to the school each morning waiting for a bus that took the children to a school in which she believed that the enrollment was predominantly white.” Chapter 1, Page 22.
Why are parents busing their children to different schools and is it really because of race issues? I think that schools are definitely segregated in some areas of our nation. In the book, Kozol notes different schools in urban and suburban areas and the demographics, and it clearly shows that there is always a majority of Caucasians, or a majority of African Americans and Hispanics. It is never really equal between the two ethnic groups. Kozol gave many examples of this in schools all around the Unites States, but the it still varies. The Civil Rights Movement purpose was to intergrate whites and blacks together, but now we are moving backwards and becoming segregated again.  

“In one make-shift elementary school housed in a former skating rink next to a funeral parlor in another all-black and Hispanic section of the Bronx, class size rose to 34 and more; four kindergarten classes and a sixth grade class were all packed into a single room that had no windows. Recess was impossible because there was no outdoor playground and no indoor gym, so the children had no place to play.” Chapter 2, Page 41.
As I was reading this section from chapter two, I noticed how different it was from reasoning behind Pineapple’s experience in school. Whereas Pineapple spent two hours of her day at lunch, at recess, and in lines and these children do not have any time to play. Sitting in a crowded classroom must be very difficult to teach in. It is crazy to think that this classroom setting takes place in the twenty-first century in the United States. Schools all around our nation are becoming more and more overcrowded; the government needs to make changes so schools will get more funding. Children should not have to learn in these conditions. Teachers should not have to teach in these conditions.

“A good deal of private money ,moreover as The Times observed, was being collected under the table because parents sometimes feared that they would otherwise be forced to share these funds with other schools.” Chapter 2, Page 48
I did not realize that private funding could be that much beneficial to schools. I agree and disagree with both perspectives on funding. I see the unfair and fair side to parents raising money to better their child’s education experience. However, communities that have more poverty do not have the opportunity to raise as much money. Sharing money with other schools would be helpful because then schools would be able to pay better salaries and provide newer materials to lower economic communities.

“Anxiety, for the children was intensified, according the a fifth grade teacher, by the ever-present danger of humiliations when their reading levels or their scores on state examinations were announced….Children who are labels in this manner soon begin to use these labels to refer to one another or themselves….She wrinkled her nose and looked at me unhappily, I’m just a Level Two.” Chapter 3, Pages 73-74
Children should never feel down about where they are in academics, especially at young ages. In this school system they labeled every student publicly. I don’t think this will help students or the school in receiving better test results. If students have a low self-esteem, they will start to believe they cannot do things and not try as hard. Teachers are supposed to help motivate students not make them feel worse about their academic abilities, which is clearly done with the girl at the end of the paragraph.

Foundations of Education

http://educationfoundationsccsufall2010.wikispaces.com/