Saturday, May 12, 2007
The Blog Closes
Thank you, all 21 Community Service Learning Project students, for participating in this spring's blog. Your insights and stories helped me understand our community partners and also your struggles with both the course material and your experience in the field. Also, your comments about how blogger.com formats our blog are well taken. I might very well just use Blackboard's discussion function if I can't figure out how to organize the blogger-style blog better. OK. Over and Out.
Monday, May 7, 2007
Last Blog Repost
I found the blog to be a helpful way of learning along with our volunteering. We are in a big city with what we still see as a new community, and it can be hard getting engaged. I think that the blog at the beginning of the semester was helpful to getting comfortable with the volunteering side of the CSLP. I think when you can read the other peoples ideas you're able to see that other people are going through the same things you are.
I think as the semester went on I found myself with less and less time to read other peoples blogs. I think that in the future it would be more beneficial to have people present their volunteering information in the class room during class time. This would do two things, one they would better be able to articulate the problems and advantages they find at their place of volunteering. Also I think that the people in the class who are not doing the volunteering, or are unable to volunteer, would then be able to learn from people as well. I think in the end this would provide topics for class discussion and such as well.
Thank you for a great project and I can wait to see the success of our hard work and your classes in the future!
Have a good summer!
I think as the semester went on I found myself with less and less time to read other peoples blogs. I think that in the future it would be more beneficial to have people present their volunteering information in the class room during class time. This would do two things, one they would better be able to articulate the problems and advantages they find at their place of volunteering. Also I think that the people in the class who are not doing the volunteering, or are unable to volunteer, would then be able to learn from people as well. I think in the end this would provide topics for class discussion and such as well.
Thank you for a great project and I can wait to see the success of our hard work and your classes in the future!
Have a good summer!
response to #6
Evaluation of the blog:
Although I didn't keep up with the blog in a timely manner, I did enjoy reading other people's responses as I was playing catch up. Also, this was a good way for me to think through my CSLP experiences as I put the final touches on my CSLP essay.
The only suggestion that I would have for the blog is to put the blog prompts in some kind of separate folder or something, so that they are more easily accessable. I guess this wouldn't have been as much of an issue if I had kept up with the blog better, however having the prompts separate would make the blog more organized. Thanks so much for this semester, it's been really great!
Although I didn't keep up with the blog in a timely manner, I did enjoy reading other people's responses as I was playing catch up. Also, this was a good way for me to think through my CSLP experiences as I put the final touches on my CSLP essay.
The only suggestion that I would have for the blog is to put the blog prompts in some kind of separate folder or something, so that they are more easily accessable. I guess this wouldn't have been as much of an issue if I had kept up with the blog better, however having the prompts separate would make the blog more organized. Thanks so much for this semester, it's been really great!
response to #5
I have seen disorganization in the schools, especially in Hope Community Charter School. Children randomly roam around the halls, and a lot of class time seems to be inefficient. This has related to our class, because we have spent so much time talking about the DCPS and the horrible state that they are in. I believe that a big part of the problem is from a lack of organization of resources. This relates to my personal life and goals, because my dream is to head an organization that brings together resources for small non profit aid organizations in developing countries. I want to help them organize by being an umbrella organization from which they can access resources, communication, advice, education, etc.
response to #4
I believe that parents should be the ones who choose what schools their parents attend. They are the ones who most intimately know their child's needs to get the best education possible. When schools specialize in different areas, parents can make sure that their child is getting special attention in the area that they want to focus on developing. An argument against this may be that some parents will not take the time or be involved in this process, and so will not actively choose a school that best fits their child. However, if all schools live up to education standards that they should, than no matter what school a child ends up at, they will be recieving a quality education.
response #3
This is a response to Christina's "First visit to Hope Community" blog. I was a little jealous about her first visit to the school, because mine went completely differently. Shiza and I took a loooong metro ride to the school, and the only people we saw the whole time were the secretaries. The woman we'd been communicating with, Meredith Henne, was busy the whole time so we didn't see her. THe secretaries gave us a box full of papers to corrolate, put into envelopes, and address. We did this the whole time, in a room with the door shut tight. I knew that we were helping out, but I was disapointed, because I wanted to learn about the school, and I wanted to see the kids, and talk to teachers and administrators. Having Christina's experience, being put into a classroom with a bunch of hyper kids would have been right up my alley.
Blog Six
Honestly, I’m not a big fan of blog posting. I understand that there needs to be some way to gage our progression consistently through the semester, but because I was unfamiliar with the format, I at times felt it was confusing instead of helpful. I also had problems signing in and couldn’t for a long period of time. I think that handing in the posts in paper should be an option just because it would make me more prompt in answering the posts and wouldn’t pose a technology issue. I know this would stop us from seeing other people’s blogs, but I don’t think that would be a huge loss. Apart from this though, I thought that most of the questions were really good. I thought that they were for the most part thought-provoking and made me look at other aspects of my service.
Blog Five
The service that I have done has related to what we have learned in class a lot and has deepened my interest in the subject greatly. In class, we have talked so much about the division of the blacks and whites, as well as the poor and wealthy; going to the charter school has proven to be a real life example. After working at the school for a couple months, I became very aware of the economic status of each child that I worked with. Almost none of them was very well off and every single one of them was a minority, whether black or Hispanic. The correlation between minority status and poor economic standing in the school was undeniable. It perfectly portrayed the situation described in both of the last two books that we worked with in class.
This experience will broaden my view and perspective on the city and economic classes in general. For my entire life I have lived in what now seems like a bubble. The small, privileged area that I am used to now seems so idealistic. This experience will strengthen my ability to relate with people and understand how different their background is from mine. This could also spill over into my professional career no matter what I end up doing. It will help me to relate to people and will help my people skills in any situation.
Blog Four
For this post I would like to comment on number 4. As a student for the past 14 years, I have come to realize that a lot of the time, the subject or material that is taught in a class isn’t normally what makes you learn the most or what makes you excited for the class. It’s the teacher that makes a class interesting. A teachers ability to enthrall the class and make them excited to learn is really what makes you like what you’re learning and gain a passion for it. If a teacher has a passion for the subject and is able to relay that to her students, so much more is learned. This is why I think that schools should spend more time on looking for good teacher as opposed to ones that might necessarily look best on paper. Just because a teacher has PhD in her field doesn’t mean that he or she is going to be able to teach kids and make them really learn something. A good example of this is my General Biology Professor. My professor is extremely qualified, she’s so knowledgeable and loves the field she works in, but she is completely incapable of teaching my class and relaying any information. This makes the class, a subject I would otherwise be very excited about, miserable and I have learned very little. I think that our schools need to search out professors that are great teachers and hire them instead of being sticklers for the qualifications they put on paper.
Blog Three
For my third post I would like to comment on Elise’s “Help for New Teachers” post. Like her I also volunteer at Butler Campus and have seen many of the same situations. It’s incredible to me sometimes what the teachers are supposed to work with. There seem to be so few children and yet even fewer books which is obviously very detrimental to their education. I have also talked to my teacher about this. She has been teaching for a while, not at
Blog Two
I’ve been visiting Butler Bilingual now for a couple of weeks and one girl and her family has especially impacted me and would be a great story for my paper. In my paper, one thing I focus on is the impact of parents on their children and their successfulness in their education. A first grader named Storm and her mother perfectly represent the positive relationship I wanted to show in my paper. Storm’s mother spends almost an hour everyday at
Blog One
The first time I went to the charter school I really had no idea what to expect. I traveled with Elise and Nick who had both gone before, so they were explaining what it would be like. I thought that I would be working with the other kids in our class that were assigned to
After getting to the school I was assigned to work with the third grade teacher Ms. D. Stewart. There were only nine kids in her class which was initially surprising to me because I was used to classes that were much larger than that when I was in school. The first thing that we did was sing a song that they had been rehearsing for black history month. This was also odd for me because I had never had a teacher belt out a song in front of me before. Ms. Stewart was very apparently an outgoing, outspoken teacher.
After leaving the school I was excited to go back. I really enjoyed being around the kids and had already started to form bonds with some of them. It was also good to get a new perspective on D.C. outside the walls of
6th Posting- Blog Eval
I was really excited about the blog, I think it is a great that we are ale to read everyone else’s opinions. I also liked that we were able to reflect on our experiences throughout the semester instead of just at the end. However, I would have liked to see the prompts based a little more on our experiences an less on how we might use these experiences. I understand that several people had some trouble with the technology aspect of the blog, I agree that at times it was extremely frustrating and I feel I have pretty good computer skills. Maybe there is a blog that is a little less complicated? I also would have liked to see the blog more organized, maybe there is a way to post under a subheading for each response. I find it very confusing to read the way it is because the subjects are jumping around so much. Lastly, I would have liked to have more of a set schedule of when the blog responses were going to be posted etc. Hopefully these comments will be helpful in making the blog even better next year!
Blog SIx
I think that the idea of the blog is good because people can share stories about their experiences. Also, it can be a good tool in releasing frustration when a charter school is disorganized. However, the blog was so hard to navigate! It took my forever to find a friend's blog and I could never find the prompts! I think that once that problem is fixed, people will use the blogs more often becuase it is actually fun to read the blogs.
Blog Five
Being involved with service learning allowed me to witness firsthand the problems of the DCPS. It is one thing to read about something and completely different to actually experience what is happening. Service learning helped me recognize who I was writing for. Being involved with service learning helped me to actually understand students' lack of motivation. By witnessing the problem, I was able to strengthen my arguments by using pathetic appeal.
I've always been passionate about education and this course only reinforced that notion. My mom has had a hard life becuase she was only able to finish elementary school becuase she was poor. My mom is a good woman and never deserved to have her whole life go down the drain becuase she wasn't one of the lucky ones with opportunity. I would just hate to see other kids being punished the same way that my mom was which is why I want to use my degree in political science and work for a lobbyist on education reform.
I've always been passionate about education and this course only reinforced that notion. My mom has had a hard life becuase she was only able to finish elementary school becuase she was poor. My mom is a good woman and never deserved to have her whole life go down the drain becuase she wasn't one of the lucky ones with opportunity. I would just hate to see other kids being punished the same way that my mom was which is why I want to use my degree in political science and work for a lobbyist on education reform.
Blog Four
1) Charter schools do in fact promote competition. When I was told by the teacher that the mother of the girl with bipolar disorder was threatening to take her daughter to another school I knew that the theory of competition was true. Parents do in fact hold the charter schools accountable, which promotes competition. However, i thought that the concept was suppose to hold regular public schools more accountable thus forcing the DCPS to deal with its problems. I did not think that the concept of competition was suppose to switch which charter school was being held responsible.
2) I have mixed feelings about this one. Parents should be allowed to take part in their child's future and be able to pick the best possible school for their child. However, what makes parents experts? Also, what will stop parents from switching their children to different charter schools becuase of the progress of the child. But either way, in the end I think that parents will ultimately decide. They may not be experts but they do see their children's reactions to the school at home. I think that parants should be taught how to properly choose a school.
3) I do not believe in specialized cirricula. I do believe that school district Cirricula is a preferred way to teach students. With a specialized cirricula, some students will be left out. I think that students should have a school district cirricula becuase then all of the basics will be taught. I absolutely do not believe in a national cirricula becuase every school district if different and has different standards and obtainable goals.
4) I believe whole-heartedly in teach qualifications. Someone may be really talented in how they teach but why should they teach if they do not fully understand the topic or have not studied the topic extensively? I want students to learn about a subject and cover all bases and how else can that happen if a teacher is not qualified?
2) I have mixed feelings about this one. Parents should be allowed to take part in their child's future and be able to pick the best possible school for their child. However, what makes parents experts? Also, what will stop parents from switching their children to different charter schools becuase of the progress of the child. But either way, in the end I think that parents will ultimately decide. They may not be experts but they do see their children's reactions to the school at home. I think that parants should be taught how to properly choose a school.
3) I do not believe in specialized cirricula. I do believe that school district Cirricula is a preferred way to teach students. With a specialized cirricula, some students will be left out. I think that students should have a school district cirricula becuase then all of the basics will be taught. I absolutely do not believe in a national cirricula becuase every school district if different and has different standards and obtainable goals.
4) I believe whole-heartedly in teach qualifications. Someone may be really talented in how they teach but why should they teach if they do not fully understand the topic or have not studied the topic extensively? I want students to learn about a subject and cover all bases and how else can that happen if a teacher is not qualified?
Blog Three
I am writing in response to Shiza's second post. I would have to disagree with what he said. I've been working at City Collegiate and the students are integrated. I didn't even notice that until I read your blog. I guess I didn't notice it becuase when a school is integraded, there isn't an issue at hand. However, I understand how integration is an issue if it doesn't exist. I wonder if City Collegiate is well integraded becuase it is in Georgetown and the surrounding neighborhood has a different range of socioeconomic backgorunds than your school. You might want to re-word your thesis then. I would try to include the idea of the location somewhere within your thesis. Maybe you could look at the possible pattern that charter schools that are integrated are located in neighborhoods that reflect a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds.
Blog Two
Well my essay is about how charter schools that are run by EMO's are horrible "solutions" and how market-based charter schools actually make the problems of the DCPS even worse. I am working at City Collegiate so I can't exactly use any primary evidence becuase City Collegiate isn't market-based.
I can, however, use my experience with the two girls to prove how hard it is for charter schools to operate becuase of funding problems. Obviously the school didn't have enough money for a school psychologist to help the two girls because of funding issues. By using that evidence I will try to argue that EMO's are becoming more and more popular because charter schools need funding. I will then argue that becuase of that pattern that the charter school movement needs to be checked and examined with a close eye.
I can, however, use my experience with the two girls to prove how hard it is for charter schools to operate becuase of funding problems. Obviously the school didn't have enough money for a school psychologist to help the two girls because of funding issues. By using that evidence I will try to argue that EMO's are becoming more and more popular because charter schools need funding. I will then argue that becuase of that pattern that the charter school movement needs to be checked and examined with a close eye.
Blog One
I am volunteering at City Collegiate in Georgetown. I had no idea what to expect becuase the charter school is in a nice part of town. The ride over was pretty simple. All I had to do was go down Wisconsin Ave but of course I am bad at navigation. I got on the bus and had no idea how long it would take to get to the school. It was the first time I rode the city bus and I was nervous that I would miss my stop. It turns out that I ended up getting off the bus several blocks past where the charter school was. I also assumed that the building I was looking for would have City Collegiate along the side but even that was wrong. I kept walking past the school but it said the Boys and Girls Club. I looked at the address and noticed that it was the same address I wrote down for City Collegiate. I decided to walk in. Who knew that the building was there the entire time!
So I walk in and walked right into the office. I told them who I was and they were all so nice. They told me to sit down and wait for the principal. I waited for what seemed like forever. Since the school just opened up, I was expecting for them to have so much for me to do. It was the exact opposite and I felt like I was just wasting my time. The principal was too busy so they just told me to go downstairs and walk around their first ever science fair. The kids were so cute and I actually saw some really cool projects. That was fun and all.
After the science fair, they told me to just go to the Afterschool program. I met with the teacher and he told me that one girl has an extreme case of bipolar disorder and the other ADHD. He said that they were both in danger of failing and that the afterschool program was the school's last resort for them. One of the mothers was even threatening to switch her daughter into a new school becuase of her poor grades. He even said that the girls were in danger of entering the special education program. I was just shocked. From everything that I've read so far, charter schools are supposed to be perfect solutions. Looks like they are full of their own problems as well.
So I walk in and walked right into the office. I told them who I was and they were all so nice. They told me to sit down and wait for the principal. I waited for what seemed like forever. Since the school just opened up, I was expecting for them to have so much for me to do. It was the exact opposite and I felt like I was just wasting my time. The principal was too busy so they just told me to go downstairs and walk around their first ever science fair. The kids were so cute and I actually saw some really cool projects. That was fun and all.
After the science fair, they told me to just go to the Afterschool program. I met with the teacher and he told me that one girl has an extreme case of bipolar disorder and the other ADHD. He said that they were both in danger of failing and that the afterschool program was the school's last resort for them. One of the mothers was even threatening to switch her daughter into a new school becuase of her poor grades. He even said that the girls were in danger of entering the special education program. I was just shocked. From everything that I've read so far, charter schools are supposed to be perfect solutions. Looks like they are full of their own problems as well.
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Last Blog
How useful you found the blog; Did you enjoy reading other bloggers' responses?
I thought the blog was very useful. It helped me see other points of view from my classmates. I think it is very important to have different points of view on certain topics. I was able to understand how others felt about the DCPS problems and why they felt that way.
Did it help you think through your ideas both for your class essays as well as the CSLP essay?
It did help me to think my ideas for the essays.
I thought the blog was very useful. It helped me see other points of view from my classmates. I think it is very important to have different points of view on certain topics. I was able to understand how others felt about the DCPS problems and why they felt that way.
Did it help you think through your ideas both for your class essays as well as the CSLP essay?
It did help me to think my ideas for the essays.
5th Blog
Fifth Blog Prompt: Addressing specific aspects of your service experience, how has that experience related to this writing course’s content and purpose? How might this experience and course content be applied to your personal or professional life?
The first person accounts of the state of the DCPS has really helped me understand the purpose of this course further. The content and purpose of this course is to learn about the current state of the DCPS and DCPCS be able to make an expert evaluation of the problems faced by the systems. This semester I learned so much about the DCPS through the books we read in class and the research required for our assignements, but nothing compares to the actual accounts and experiences I had while volunteering. Through the students I was able to learn the reality of the failure of the DCPS. Witnessing the students being frustrated because they were not able to read, infuriated me and showed me the injustices that are occurring to these kids everyday. I will never forget the experience I've had with these students and I think it has helped me realize what I should be doing with my life.
I always wanted to make a difference. For the past for years I thought I would make that difference by putting criminals in jail/prison being a prosecutor, but now I know that as much as I would love to do that, there are more important agendas on my list. The minorities which happen to be the minority in DC are being neglected and change won't occur because nobody really cares if a little black boy or latino boy cannot read. I however, won't allow this injustice to occur and will fight for civil equity. This course content reinforced the things that I already knew; if you are colored, you don't get a fair chance in America and as much as whites try to deny it, racism is at an all time high.
The first person accounts of the state of the DCPS has really helped me understand the purpose of this course further. The content and purpose of this course is to learn about the current state of the DCPS and DCPCS be able to make an expert evaluation of the problems faced by the systems. This semester I learned so much about the DCPS through the books we read in class and the research required for our assignements, but nothing compares to the actual accounts and experiences I had while volunteering. Through the students I was able to learn the reality of the failure of the DCPS. Witnessing the students being frustrated because they were not able to read, infuriated me and showed me the injustices that are occurring to these kids everyday. I will never forget the experience I've had with these students and I think it has helped me realize what I should be doing with my life.
I always wanted to make a difference. For the past for years I thought I would make that difference by putting criminals in jail/prison being a prosecutor, but now I know that as much as I would love to do that, there are more important agendas on my list. The minorities which happen to be the minority in DC are being neglected and change won't occur because nobody really cares if a little black boy or latino boy cannot read. I however, won't allow this injustice to occur and will fight for civil equity. This course content reinforced the things that I already knew; if you are colored, you don't get a fair chance in America and as much as whites try to deny it, racism is at an all time high.
4th Blog
1) Charter schools promote competition with public schools.
I can agree with this statement, but I do not necessarrily agree with its implications. Charter schools are promoting competition with public schools, but it is not good competiton. Like Professor Moomau's example of having firefighters compete in a city, having failing schools compete with each other is not constrcuctive. I do like the concepts of charter schools, they are a very essential and innovative method in education, however, when DCPS students transfer into them because they want to receive a better education they are being trapped by the false image DCPCS are sending. If both systems were yielding good results, then I would be all for a competition amongst the schools, but when they are both failing, I strongly disagree with the competition.
2) Parents, not politicians or school administrators, should be allowed to choose what school their children attend, and should be considered the most qualified to judge this matter.
I do think that parents should be the ultimate force in deciding where their child attends school. I also think that they SHOULD be considered the most qualified to judge this matter. The reality of that, however, is that not all parents are educated enough about school choice decisions to make this decision. Their should be a system implemented to make sure that the parents understand their options and be able to place their child where ever they see fit. Impoverished parents, unlike the wealthy and middle class parents are less educated about the opportunities their children have in education. In theory, the people who gave life and take care of the children should be able to decide where they get education, but the reality is that these parents are not qualified to make this decision.
3) Specialized curricula, not national or even school district curricula, are a preferred way to teach students.
I agree with this statement to a certain extent. With ununiform school systems across the nation, there is no way every student will be on the same page. I think that to educate students, you need a specialized curricula for that group. Not all students are the same, therefore you cannot try to implement the same curricula for everyone. There should be leg room to change the curricula into the needs of the student, however, certain basic concepts should be part of every school curricula.
4) Teacher accreditation is over-valued; school should seek out talented, passionate teachers regardless of their qualifications.
I do not agree with this statement. Education is too important of a task to be left just to talented, passionate teachers without certain qualifications. A lot of the problems in education faced in inner cities and specially charter schools, is that teachers are just sought out on an ambition basis. While I do think it is very important to have teachers who are dedicated and passionate about education, I think it is unfair for students to be taught by people who are not qualified for it.
I can agree with this statement, but I do not necessarrily agree with its implications. Charter schools are promoting competition with public schools, but it is not good competiton. Like Professor Moomau's example of having firefighters compete in a city, having failing schools compete with each other is not constrcuctive. I do like the concepts of charter schools, they are a very essential and innovative method in education, however, when DCPS students transfer into them because they want to receive a better education they are being trapped by the false image DCPCS are sending. If both systems were yielding good results, then I would be all for a competition amongst the schools, but when they are both failing, I strongly disagree with the competition.
2) Parents, not politicians or school administrators, should be allowed to choose what school their children attend, and should be considered the most qualified to judge this matter.
I do think that parents should be the ultimate force in deciding where their child attends school. I also think that they SHOULD be considered the most qualified to judge this matter. The reality of that, however, is that not all parents are educated enough about school choice decisions to make this decision. Their should be a system implemented to make sure that the parents understand their options and be able to place their child where ever they see fit. Impoverished parents, unlike the wealthy and middle class parents are less educated about the opportunities their children have in education. In theory, the people who gave life and take care of the children should be able to decide where they get education, but the reality is that these parents are not qualified to make this decision.
3) Specialized curricula, not national or even school district curricula, are a preferred way to teach students.
I agree with this statement to a certain extent. With ununiform school systems across the nation, there is no way every student will be on the same page. I think that to educate students, you need a specialized curricula for that group. Not all students are the same, therefore you cannot try to implement the same curricula for everyone. There should be leg room to change the curricula into the needs of the student, however, certain basic concepts should be part of every school curricula.
4) Teacher accreditation is over-valued; school should seek out talented, passionate teachers regardless of their qualifications.
I do not agree with this statement. Education is too important of a task to be left just to talented, passionate teachers without certain qualifications. A lot of the problems in education faced in inner cities and specially charter schools, is that teachers are just sought out on an ambition basis. While I do think it is very important to have teachers who are dedicated and passionate about education, I think it is unfair for students to be taught by people who are not qualified for it.
MY LAST BLOG!!!
Seeing as I posted all my blogs a day before the final for our class, these blogs did not help me think through my ideas. However, they did make me reflect on all that I have done in class and at the charter school this semester. Even though, I did not start writing my blog till last minute, I frequently logged on to read what other students in the class had written. I must say that some blogs are very funny and witty. I enjoyed other people encounters with the charter school. I specifically loved Julie Mills blogs. They were descriptive and deep even though they were written today- SUNDAY, like me! The only suggestion I can think of for next years blogs, is to give out a due date for each blog. The reason for this is so students respond to each blog in a timely manner. I like the idea for writing blogs, and I think it should continue next year.
BLOG # 5
The course was designed to evaluate the DCPS vs. charter school revolution. Volunteering at HOPE gave a better understanding of the growing popularity of charter schools. The problems of the charter schools were brought to light by spending my time at HOPE. Even though, I did not volunteer at DCPS, the research paper we had to do enabled me to judge its condition. From all the research I gathered about the DCPS, mismanagement of funds, rundown facilities, and lack of student progress were common themes. On the contrary, when I talked with Meredith Henne, a school administrator at HOPE, she told me that they receive less funding than the average DCPS school; however, they have brand new facilities that they keep in good condition. The students are in smaller classrooms and show progress on math and reading tests. Going to HOPE every Wednesday truly led me to see how charters are good alternatives when the school administrators, teachers, and parents are encouraging and passionate about student progress. Aside from Mr. Ramiro, and Christina’s second grade teacher Ms. Washington, I think that teachers like Ms. Eckman ( the actual third grade teacher I work with sometimes) make a huge impact on the children and gear them into the right direction for a progressive future.
The experience had made me realize that struggles of the students who attend DCPS. Coming from an excellent public school in Fairfax county, I could not have imagined all the problems the public education institutions our nation’s capital faces. The problems seem endless, and the only alternative I see is charter schools. If all of the budding charter schools make progress like HOPE has in the past two years, then the charter schools seem like the perfect solution.
The experience had made me realize that struggles of the students who attend DCPS. Coming from an excellent public school in Fairfax county, I could not have imagined all the problems the public education institutions our nation’s capital faces. The problems seem endless, and the only alternative I see is charter schools. If all of the budding charter schools make progress like HOPE has in the past two years, then the charter schools seem like the perfect solution.
BLOG # 4
From my visits to Hope Community Charter school, I can attest that charter schools promote competition with public schools. In the case of HOPE, a budding charter school, the students, teachers, and administrators are very passionate about learning. Unlike the public schools which are usually neighborhood schools, charter schools take more time and effort from the parents for their children to attend. The principle, Mr Sanker, was a student of DCPS, and discussed his experience with Christina M. and I. He talked about the atrocities of his DCPS middle school. Fortunately, he received a scholarship to attend a private school for high school. Charter schools are rising in numbers in the District, and in the years to come charters might take over DCPS if the DCPS continues to deteriorate.
Parents should have the ultimate say in where to send their children. The parents should be involved in the decision process for choosing their child’s school because they know what best suits their child’s needs. I know that for HOPE, transportation is not provided. Parents who choose to send their children to charter school are required to drop/pick them up. It is obvious that they are truly involved in their kid’s education.
I think that specialized curricula is tricky because even though it would be better for students in their primary and secondary education, they might have trouble adapting to post-secondary education. In the case of D.C, abysmal reading and math scores would gear the specialized curricula towards below grade level material. When these students gradate high school, any average university’s curriculum might prove to be exceedingly difficult for them to adapt to.
Teacher accreditation is important. The schools should hire teacher based on their qualifications. For example, with my third grade class, the permanent Wednesday substitute is Mr. Ramiro. I do not know why he was hired. He is incompetent in handling the kids in a civil manner. This man is not even passionate about the children. He hands out worksheets, and goes and sits down in Ms. Eckman’s chair. I know he is not a teacher, but he is hired to teach for three hours each Wednesday. I find it frustrating when he is not as helpful when the kids raise their hand. From my personal experience, I think the teacher need to be both passionate and accredited.
Parents should have the ultimate say in where to send their children. The parents should be involved in the decision process for choosing their child’s school because they know what best suits their child’s needs. I know that for HOPE, transportation is not provided. Parents who choose to send their children to charter school are required to drop/pick them up. It is obvious that they are truly involved in their kid’s education.
I think that specialized curricula is tricky because even though it would be better for students in their primary and secondary education, they might have trouble adapting to post-secondary education. In the case of D.C, abysmal reading and math scores would gear the specialized curricula towards below grade level material. When these students gradate high school, any average university’s curriculum might prove to be exceedingly difficult for them to adapt to.
Teacher accreditation is important. The schools should hire teacher based on their qualifications. For example, with my third grade class, the permanent Wednesday substitute is Mr. Ramiro. I do not know why he was hired. He is incompetent in handling the kids in a civil manner. This man is not even passionate about the children. He hands out worksheets, and goes and sits down in Ms. Eckman’s chair. I know he is not a teacher, but he is hired to teach for three hours each Wednesday. I find it frustrating when he is not as helpful when the kids raise their hand. From my personal experience, I think the teacher need to be both passionate and accredited.
Julie Mill’s first blog was about her visit to her assigned charter school. Julie mentioned that she could not distinguish between her school and the office buildings around it. Likewise, when I was walking towards HOPE with Sarah, we passed a residential neighborhood on one side and on the other side were run-down shops and a car garage. Continuing on 8th street as stated in the directions, we saw a building shape like a huge block next to the car garage on the opposite side of the neighborhood. The building had one layer of bricks painted blue at the top, outlining the buildings structure. The tiny playground Julie mentioned was similar to HOPES. The children play on either sides of the building. One side is parking space turned playground, and the other side has a tiny playground on it. The equipment is new; however, the children do not have enough space to run around. It is truly saddening to see this students play on parking lots. As a child, I played on one of the two playgrounds at my school. In addition, I agreed with Julie when she was talking about not helping the children directly. On my first visit, I was told to send out enrollment forms. I did not help in any classrooms. My first experience with the charter school was not a pleasant one, I did not want to return.
BLOG # 2
Nothing I have encountered seems to prove my thesis. Most kids are predominately African American or Hispanic with lower socio-economic backgrounds. On the contrary, I am arguing that charter schools are increasingly integrated and attract middle class families. However, one thing I have noticed is that class sizes are a lot smaller compared to my public school, and it fosters a community-stressed environment. For example, today I worked with fifth grade and there is one Asian student. Being the only Asian in the class does not affect his class-relations. No one treats him differently. They all talk about the same TV shows, or same new songs on the radio. Unlike Ariel’s story, Hope Community Charter is only two years old, and it great condition. Granted a few organization problems, the school is upholding its facilities fairly well. The rooms are nicely organized, the equipment in classroom is working fine, and the condition of the classrooms and the hallways is excellent.
Blog 6
Well, considering that I wrote the blogs two days before they were due, I didn’t find it useful at processing my thoughts. While, the blog did not help me to process my thoughts after every service week, I felt that it gave me the opportunity to hash out a lot of my feelings after I completed service. I wish that I had taken a greater initiative and responded every week because I had so many frustrations and stories that I wanted to tell somebody. I left many of my CSLP experiences wanting to cry. It was difficult to see these students matched with incompetent teachers and college students. On the other hand, it was just as difficult to see the passion and will of teachers who tried so hard but could never impact every student. I think that the blog is a great tool, I only wish I had used it.
Blog 5
My involvement in CSLP allowed me to see the human implications of education policy. So many times, I forget whom I am writing for or the impact of my proposals. Now when I make statements, I am partially basing them off of a classroom or administrative experience. Most importantly, my writing contains a passion and level of necessity. I know that if policies are not changed, the students who will be left behind. As I left CentroNia charter school, I felt that I was leaving the students behind to struggle independently. So many of the kids are far below their intended grade level and do not have the assistance to succeed. It is saddening and frustrating to see their potential but have no way of knowing if they ever reach their abilities.
This course reinforced my love for education and desire to influence education policy. My main passions in the political realm are international relations and education. After taking this course, I hope to work for a lobbying group, the Department of Ed., or the Senate or House Education and Workforce Committees. The state of education is changeable and I feel that policy can make an impact across school districts.
This course reinforced my love for education and desire to influence education policy. My main passions in the political realm are international relations and education. After taking this course, I hope to work for a lobbying group, the Department of Ed., or the Senate or House Education and Workforce Committees. The state of education is changeable and I feel that policy can make an impact across school districts.
Blog 4
Parents, not politicians or school administrators, have the right, within reason, to chose a school for their children. That considered, all students should be given high performance level schools from which to decide. Thus, even students with uninvolved or uninformed parents are provided with an excellent education.
My motive that I adding “within reason” lies in the amount of control parents have to chose their son or daughter’s education. Parents should be allowed to teach their students preposterous and mind warping statements. This was especially relevant in the movie Jesus Camp where students were home schooled in curriculum dismissing global warming and evolution. These students were never offered another point of view and misinformed. All parents should have the right to chose a school if the curriculum and environment meet certain expectations.
Parents that chose a school for their children are more likely to be involved in their children’s education. If you look at the amount of volunteers in public versus charter school, the numbers generally indicate an increase in parental involvement in charter schools. Thus, the parents are interested in knowing what their children are learning and want to assist in the educational development of their children. Children need academic assistance either at home with homework or through another outlet. Only involved parents know how best to meet the needs of their children. Thus, charter schools are the bets at enlisting their services.
If I lived in the District and had a son or daughter, I would want to know that they are receiving an excellent education. I would never allow my child to step foot in a school like Ballou for both safety and educational purposes. Furthermore, if the school closest to me was failing or unsafe, I would send my child to a private school or move before letting them receive that caliber of education. Parents can step foot in a classroom or school and immediately recognize if the school will met the needs of his/ her child. They know their child and how they face social and education settings. Some children require additional assistance or can only learn by certain methods, if these services are not provided than the chances of success and graduation are slim. Parents know their children best, they should chose.
My motive that I adding “within reason” lies in the amount of control parents have to chose their son or daughter’s education. Parents should be allowed to teach their students preposterous and mind warping statements. This was especially relevant in the movie Jesus Camp where students were home schooled in curriculum dismissing global warming and evolution. These students were never offered another point of view and misinformed. All parents should have the right to chose a school if the curriculum and environment meet certain expectations.
Parents that chose a school for their children are more likely to be involved in their children’s education. If you look at the amount of volunteers in public versus charter school, the numbers generally indicate an increase in parental involvement in charter schools. Thus, the parents are interested in knowing what their children are learning and want to assist in the educational development of their children. Children need academic assistance either at home with homework or through another outlet. Only involved parents know how best to meet the needs of their children. Thus, charter schools are the bets at enlisting their services.
If I lived in the District and had a son or daughter, I would want to know that they are receiving an excellent education. I would never allow my child to step foot in a school like Ballou for both safety and educational purposes. Furthermore, if the school closest to me was failing or unsafe, I would send my child to a private school or move before letting them receive that caliber of education. Parents can step foot in a classroom or school and immediately recognize if the school will met the needs of his/ her child. They know their child and how they face social and education settings. Some children require additional assistance or can only learn by certain methods, if these services are not provided than the chances of success and graduation are slim. Parents know their children best, they should chose.
Blog 3
On Thursday February 22, Nicholas posted his first blog. He addressed the building size and the small class size. After trying to lead a group of thirty students in a recycling workshop, small class sizes sound particularly attractive. While attempting to teach a lesson, I was interrupted by questions and comments. This lost the focus of the class and my train of thought. Additionally, it is difficult to point the class in a new direction when two students are in a headlock on the floor. This requires me to physical remove the two students off of each other. At the same time, two students make bathroom requests or assignment questions. Forced into this environment without teacher support, is overwhelming. I have no idea how teachers can deal with a specific problem while leading a class. Furthermore, how can you fully identify the success of students or best help them reach their potential. Every student deserves one-on-one time and the necessary assistance; this is virtually impossible within a thirty-student classroom. I sympathize with teachers and now fully comprehend the importance of small class sizes.
Blog 2
My essay focuses on the role of the Board of Education in the current problems facing the DCPS. Since the Board is the primary policymaking and oversight body of the DCPS, the members should be held accountable for the current state of education. My main question is why schools that continually fall below guidelines remain opened and unchanged? Many schools in the DCPS need additionally assistance to be successful; instead they fall to the sidelines. Changes need to be made and the Board must ensure that their policy decisions reach the students. While my experience at the charter school has been enlightening to the problems facing many families, the charter schools are not the responsibility of the Board. While I fully believe that charter schools require additional oversight, the system that they currently function under is much more effective than the DCPS. Requiring the charter schools to be evaluated under the DCPS is ineffective until comprehensive reforms occur. Eventually, the entire school system should be overseen together to evaluate the best path for success. That looks like a glimpse in the far future.
While the evidence from charter schools does not directly assist the development of my paper, looking at the homes and attitudes of the students gives me insight into urban life. In my first and second visits to the school, I had the opportunity to evaluate the classroom environment and the administrative side. Stuffing letters in the office allowed me to overhear conversations between the secretaries and with parents. One that was especially upsetting involved a custody dispute. The father called into the school requesting pickup of his children. He claimed that at a trial earlier in the day, the judge granted him full custody. The office stated they required a letter from the judge to turn over his children. They were baffled as to why the judge would give permission to an unemployed and drug addicted parent when the mother was employed, involved, and would give her life for her children. Fortunately, the mother came to pickup her children and was told of the encounter with the father. Alarmed, the mother immediately wanted to know if her children were on campus. The mother had received custody of the children in court that morning. Fortunately, the children were still in school and the administration was careful who to release the children to. Stories of destructive parents were openly told in the office in addition to poverty and hunger issues. While I never saw office life from the perspective of a suburban, successful school district, I imagine the calls to be completely different. Only the precision of the office guarantees the safety of the students. If this was not the case, as I assume it is not at many schools, children could be kidnapped.
The attitude and personality of the students was very different from that of my kids at summer camp. They had a tendency to talk back not only to each other but also to the teacher. Being kind just didn’t fly. Students took advantage of positive reinforcement of behavior and only paid attention or aligned under strict rules. The strictness of the teachers alarmed me; I could not believe their harshness. Only later, did I realize that they only registered a response if teachers used a strict tone. They made fun of each other when answers were given incorrectly; the teachers enforced such peer pressure. I felt that this hindered the self-esteem and lead to less class participation. The most distressing part of the day revolved around the playground. Teachers sat back while students played a quasi-tag. This tag involved tackling each other onto the ground and hitting or punching. I had to break up too many fights without the assistance or response from faculty. How can a teacher stand back and nonchalantly watch this treatment? Where did these students learn to play violently? Was it the environment of southeast DC or the mass amounts of inappropriate TV? The students in elementary school watched MTV and a vast array of PG13 or R rated movies. They mimicked the actions of these actors. Watching their behavior was distressing, I tried to be positive and assist in mediations instead of violence. At the end of the day, I felt that my attempts were ineffective.
While the evidence from charter schools does not directly assist the development of my paper, looking at the homes and attitudes of the students gives me insight into urban life. In my first and second visits to the school, I had the opportunity to evaluate the classroom environment and the administrative side. Stuffing letters in the office allowed me to overhear conversations between the secretaries and with parents. One that was especially upsetting involved a custody dispute. The father called into the school requesting pickup of his children. He claimed that at a trial earlier in the day, the judge granted him full custody. The office stated they required a letter from the judge to turn over his children. They were baffled as to why the judge would give permission to an unemployed and drug addicted parent when the mother was employed, involved, and would give her life for her children. Fortunately, the mother came to pickup her children and was told of the encounter with the father. Alarmed, the mother immediately wanted to know if her children were on campus. The mother had received custody of the children in court that morning. Fortunately, the children were still in school and the administration was careful who to release the children to. Stories of destructive parents were openly told in the office in addition to poverty and hunger issues. While I never saw office life from the perspective of a suburban, successful school district, I imagine the calls to be completely different. Only the precision of the office guarantees the safety of the students. If this was not the case, as I assume it is not at many schools, children could be kidnapped.
The attitude and personality of the students was very different from that of my kids at summer camp. They had a tendency to talk back not only to each other but also to the teacher. Being kind just didn’t fly. Students took advantage of positive reinforcement of behavior and only paid attention or aligned under strict rules. The strictness of the teachers alarmed me; I could not believe their harshness. Only later, did I realize that they only registered a response if teachers used a strict tone. They made fun of each other when answers were given incorrectly; the teachers enforced such peer pressure. I felt that this hindered the self-esteem and lead to less class participation. The most distressing part of the day revolved around the playground. Teachers sat back while students played a quasi-tag. This tag involved tackling each other onto the ground and hitting or punching. I had to break up too many fights without the assistance or response from faculty. How can a teacher stand back and nonchalantly watch this treatment? Where did these students learn to play violently? Was it the environment of southeast DC or the mass amounts of inappropriate TV? The students in elementary school watched MTV and a vast array of PG13 or R rated movies. They mimicked the actions of these actors. Watching their behavior was distressing, I tried to be positive and assist in mediations instead of violence. At the end of the day, I felt that my attempts were ineffective.
Blog 1
Walking towards the address, I could not distinguish the school from the surrounding office buildings. Only a sign pointed me in the right direction. The entire school was centered in one building. This was very different than the experiences of my childhood. My elementary school had vast playgrounds and a series of classrooms looking out into school gardens and a city park. Although, this was not a typical school building the classrooms had the materials required for student success. Every classroom was equipped with alphabet mats and posters emphasizing scientific and historical concepts or events. They were inviting and surrounded with proud student work. In the hallways, there were paper mosaics completed by students.
Taking a tour of the building, I was surprised by the specialization teachers. There was a music and art teacher and on Wednesday afternoons dance instructors embarrassed pop culture. The emphasis on performing arts was surprising considering the cutting of such courses throughout California. While the excelled in their area, there is no library and a tiny playground. The playground is packed with students running into each other and getting routinely injured. The school currently has plans to expand the playground area.
On my first trip, my experience of classroom life extended to peering through windows and being introduced to teachers. I had no grasp of the level of education being taught. From the classroom environment and setup, I felt that I was unneeded. All they wanted me to do was stuff letters and file. They felt their students did not require my assistance. The previous day, I was talking to one of my friends who volunteers at CentroNia. The students cannot read or comprehend where they live. I had the intention of entering a rundown school that desperately needed the assistance of tutors. This was not the case; I left convinced that I would never return. Why should I be helping these children, when so many more need my assistance?
Taking a tour of the building, I was surprised by the specialization teachers. There was a music and art teacher and on Wednesday afternoons dance instructors embarrassed pop culture. The emphasis on performing arts was surprising considering the cutting of such courses throughout California. While the excelled in their area, there is no library and a tiny playground. The playground is packed with students running into each other and getting routinely injured. The school currently has plans to expand the playground area.
On my first trip, my experience of classroom life extended to peering through windows and being introduced to teachers. I had no grasp of the level of education being taught. From the classroom environment and setup, I felt that I was unneeded. All they wanted me to do was stuff letters and file. They felt their students did not require my assistance. The previous day, I was talking to one of my friends who volunteers at CentroNia. The students cannot read or comprehend where they live. I had the intention of entering a rundown school that desperately needed the assistance of tutors. This was not the case; I left convinced that I would never return. Why should I be helping these children, when so many more need my assistance?
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Fifth Blog
Fifth Blog Prompt: Addressing specific aspects of your service experience, how has that experience related to this writing course’s content and purpose? How might this experience and course content be applied to your personal or professional life?
I feel that working in the field with these students wakes one up from a lot of the ideologies about the education system. That if you put students teachers and books together the outcome is not always a successful student. My experience didn’t surprise me really. I knew that these kids where coming from bad homes and from parents who had made some big mistakes in their lives. Working with those often seen at the bottom of society, I have gotten to know how resilient people can be; this is often not a product of their spirit but of circumstance. That if one doesn’t know of anything better, how can one really expect anything more? The kids I worked with were not the brightest, but they did have one outstanding characteristic, they appreciated you, every kind word, smile, gesture, anything. I knew I was a glimpse into another world for them, which is why they watched me so closely. They ask where I went to school I told them American University most replied with a “where’s that”? Although in the main hall reads a banner “We are college bound at Potomac Lighthouse”. I really do wonder what will be the outcome of these kids. Will Tikjuan go to college, will he even graduate high school or will he end up in jail like his father. What will Mice’l do? His mother is so irresponsible. He knows more about the street than he does about literature, art math or science; can he rise above it This is why I put forward the idea of the school board being a powerful entity, to ensure that students are taken care of. The charter schools did influence my writing some on learns the lingo quickly. What I am going to take away from this semester is that we can’t hide from the problems of the world from behind our ivory curtains. People become numb to the struggle of the poor because they don’t understand what it means. We cant look at those at the bottom with distain , we should feel apathy.
I feel that working in the field with these students wakes one up from a lot of the ideologies about the education system. That if you put students teachers and books together the outcome is not always a successful student. My experience didn’t surprise me really. I knew that these kids where coming from bad homes and from parents who had made some big mistakes in their lives. Working with those often seen at the bottom of society, I have gotten to know how resilient people can be; this is often not a product of their spirit but of circumstance. That if one doesn’t know of anything better, how can one really expect anything more? The kids I worked with were not the brightest, but they did have one outstanding characteristic, they appreciated you, every kind word, smile, gesture, anything. I knew I was a glimpse into another world for them, which is why they watched me so closely. They ask where I went to school I told them American University most replied with a “where’s that”? Although in the main hall reads a banner “We are college bound at Potomac Lighthouse”. I really do wonder what will be the outcome of these kids. Will Tikjuan go to college, will he even graduate high school or will he end up in jail like his father. What will Mice’l do? His mother is so irresponsible. He knows more about the street than he does about literature, art math or science; can he rise above it This is why I put forward the idea of the school board being a powerful entity, to ensure that students are taken care of. The charter schools did influence my writing some on learns the lingo quickly. What I am going to take away from this semester is that we can’t hide from the problems of the world from behind our ivory curtains. People become numb to the struggle of the poor because they don’t understand what it means. We cant look at those at the bottom with distain , we should feel apathy.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
MY first BLOG.
Even though, I visited my school Hope Community Charter way back in February, I still remember my first day. Sarah and I got off the CUA- Brookland Metro and walked a good 15 minutes to the school.. We finally got to the school and met with Meredith Henne, the school administrator. Meredith Henne was rather sweet and understanding when we arrived 20 minutes late. Arriving into the school, my initial reaction was why am I here? The school seemed to be in great condition with happy children. The hallways were covered with artwork of the kids, making them colorful, ultimately, creating inviting learning environment. I was hoping to help in the classroom, but Meredith Henne had other plans. She explained to us that the school was very disorganized and she needed help sending out enrollment forms. The first day, I sent out enrollment forms. It was quite disappointing. Heading to school with thoughts of working with younger children, I came out without feeling fulfilled. I really had thought that I was going to be a teacher aid, helping the students with their worksheets or projects. We didn’t even tour the building during our first visit because we were late. We sat in a conference room, stuffing envelopes with enrollment form. I had no desire to do office work; however, it ended up that way.
And it comes to an End.
The blog was a nice way to share with other people in the class our experiences in the CSLP. I enjoyed reading other peoples’ responses, especially Peggy’s because we often worked together and reading her’s gave a different view on the same things that I experienced.
The only real complain I have about the blog is that since we all were going at different times and the Next Step group was so delayed, the “fourth” post for us came way later than the “forth” post for other people, so we started to feel behind but really we didn’t have anything to say since we hadn’t visited our schools lately…
One of the blog prompts should have been “read the response below you and respond using your own experiences” or something- because I tended to read other people’s but then the prompt never really gave me a way to respond to theirs.
As Peggy said, I hope other people will find this blog and find it useful. I think you should definitely tell your future classes about previous years’ blogs so that they can use our views in their papers.
All in all, great experience- I’m really glad I did CSLP as it helped IMMENSELY with my papers for this class. I really got to become a member of the Next Step community and they were really sad to see me go when I said good-bye yesterday.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Blog #6- Brainstorming, Blogging, Bon Voyage
CSLP blogging has been beneficial. Sharing experiences provided grounds for further understanding of the current DCPS system. Even though reading about a problem in a school such as leaky plumbing or lack of supplies in the paper or in class was surprising to me, it seemed distant. However, communicating with a professor, teacher, or an administrator, hearing them tell me about what they are experiencing, brought the urgency of the problems closer to me. This blog allowed me to relay the information and hopefully bring the issue or a different aspect of the problem to another classmate.
To me, the blog is a virtual document. I hope one will stumble upon this Web site in a few years or even a decade and view it as beneficial. Personally, the blog was helpful in brainstorming ideas. Specifically, the fourth prompt jolted some of my experiences at these schools, which would be helpful in my evaluation of the school. In the first essay, however, I found the charter school I worked at was only useful in comparing experiences at public schools. Since the essay focused only on DCPS, it was difficult to marry the two types of schools together equally. Overall, this was a new experience that will always have a place in my mind.
To me, the blog is a virtual document. I hope one will stumble upon this Web site in a few years or even a decade and view it as beneficial. Personally, the blog was helpful in brainstorming ideas. Specifically, the fourth prompt jolted some of my experiences at these schools, which would be helpful in my evaluation of the school. In the first essay, however, I found the charter school I worked at was only useful in comparing experiences at public schools. Since the essay focused only on DCPS, it was difficult to marry the two types of schools together equally. Overall, this was a new experience that will always have a place in my mind.
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