There are many examples and statistics in Chapters 1-3 in The Flat World and Education to give a rich understanding of the equity issues in public schools. While teachers are tasked with the enormous goal of preparing students for demanding careers asking them to integrate technology and think critically, the organization of public schooling is stacked against the prospect of success. The world is becoming flat because of increased globalization. Technology allows us to communicate across countries and languages, share ideas and trade products and broaden our knowledge of the world. This can level the playing field for students from the one to one devices, to mainstreaming special education students. The historical unequal distribution in education in our country has persisted despite efforts to even the playing field.
The problems, and there are many that are presented in the reading, outline the root of inequity in education: Disproportionate funding Unprepared and un-credentialed teachers Tracking students Burden of state tests Throughout the reading I of course could think of specific examples of situations I identified with in every single section. The disproportionate way schools are funded is apparent when you talk to any teacher regarding support for their classrooms and student learning. Equity in education starts with equity in funding, but when public schools are funded by local tax revenues, it is no wonder low income areas with the most disadvantaged students are bearing the burden of inadequate educational opportunities. The statistics and examples of unprepared and un-credentialed teachers flailing in the classroom and failing students is coupled with experienced teachers who are overburdened with the classic and cliche, too much to do with not enough time to do it theme. Educational focus changes with government elections making it even more difficult for even the experienced teachers to keep up, with school districts unable to give teachers the in service trainings they need. Schools can not meet state standards because of inadequate support for both teacher preparation and funding. These truths are not surprising, and what I expected to read about, having been a teacher for just over 10 years. While sounding pessimistic, there are many things to be celebrated in public education, and many more things to change for the better. What would I change? A more equitable funding formula, this nonsense of schools trying to be everything a student needs in their life (before school programs starting at 7am and after school going until 7 pm). Let us focus on educating our students to a high degree so they can in turn be successful after graduation so they can support a family and not rely on the school to feed and care for their own children. Darling-Hammond presents statistics on how the economic success of our country is linked to the education of the people. I would like to see the results of keeping my students for more than one school year. By the end of the year I know my students well, but they are moved along to the next grade level and a completely new set of teachers. I would like to be able to have my students for longer than one year, perhaps a rotating system of two years, that is one set of students having the same math teacher for two years in a row. The time and effort that is put in to building positive relationships, meetings with parents, and finding out the learning style of my students would be able to serve them better by committing to a two year time period with them. I would like to see more dynamic performance assessments that measure students ability to think critically with results that the teacher can analyze and help inform future teaching. When I feel overburdened as a teacher I find collaborating with teachers in my subject area helps to not only reassure my abilities to be a successful classroom teacher, but it also gives a chance to improve my strategies to present lessons that are well thought out and rigorous. Chapters 1-3 in the Flat World was dense with information, I am looking forward to reading about the strategies we can implement to improve our educational system in America.
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