Monday, February 24, 2014

Waiting For Superman-Free write review

Waiting For Superman...

Isn’t it interesting that so many presidents say their top priority is education and they are going to “fix” education in America? In 1971 the average spent on a student was $4300 it was increased to $9000 by 1994 from 1971-1994 student scores flatlined.

Its obvious that public schools located in low income and crime ridden neighborhoods get less and are failing children in America. But is it possible for students with a good support system to prevail and become educated and successful in a school that is failing them?

There was an obvious trend within 5th-7th graders in these failing schools students went from B to C to D students during this three year span. When did you give up on your future? When did the chances of you achieving it give up on you?

Dr. Robert Balfanz found a pattern in failing schools, he deemed them “dropout factories”
in a study of Americas schools he found 2000 “dropout factories” in the U.S.

Steve Barr a Principal at a high school in L.A. Had a dropout rate of 800 students from freshmen to sophomore year. He claimed that “Bad schools produce bad neighborhoods” rather than the bad neighborhoods producing bad people. When you take a moment and really analyze this what do you think? I think it makes undeniable sense.

68% of inmates in Pennsylvania are also high school dropouts.
The amount of money spent on a prisoner for one year is actually more than the amount of money spent on a student per year. If the state was to invest that money into the education system they would end up with money to spare and who knows if the dropout rate would go down.
Money that is spent on prisoners is only going one way.

One grandmother caring for her grandson whose father had passed to drug abuse was asked if school was taken very seriously when she was a child, she shrugged and said not really she “wasn’t pushed” if these children had better support systems along with functioning school systems then they might get a chance.

What happens when a publication labels a school as “bad”?

In 2007 there was an education “frenzy”
In 10 years there were 7 superintendents for the schools in Washington... Definitely weird

I think the State and Federal government need to be two departments that work together (at least for education) rather than two separate departments that make funding and laws more difficult to track, manage and disperse.
There are too many “hands in the pot”

Why does Tenure have no limitations? This makes me mad. Tenure needs to have a stricter process of application and needs to have limitations. We are waisting so much money on lazy teachers who aren’t working and aren’t making any positive contributions to our education system. I feel like money given to education is waisted on “tenured” teachers who cant work but are still paid, this is one less teacher and one less class that isn’t getting an equal education. Lose a teacher and class size goes up, educational value goes down.
The teachers union seems to be one of a mystery.
Why are well preforming teachers not compensated accordingly? This makes no sense.
According to Waiting for Superman public schools in the U.S. Were the best until the 1970's, 10 of our presidents attended public schools in the U.S.

Students scored very low in most subjects but did come out first in one...Confidence, oh the irony.

Kipp Academy was created by three inspiring people Geoffrey Canada, Educator who claimed would “figure out” the education system in 3 years post graduating (1978) David Levin and Mike Feinberg. These schools proved an alternative teaching style and environment improved children s passing rates and education retention. When facts and proof was presented to the government they sated that this was only due to a few good teachers and could not be successful in other circumstances. Does this go back to the idea that business leaders want to keep low income poor achieving students in that bracket for entry level positions? Why would the government blatantly turn down an obvious solution?
Schools have student tracking systems...

Depending on various things, grades, likeness, mannerisms etc. it somewhat determines where or what you will be capable of and where you may go after high school..

Will the gap between rich and the poors education ever be closed? What is actively being done to improve the school system?
Because the schools system is failing us matters have been taken into the hands of a few willing to make change. “Private Charter schools”, “Magnet schools” “Urban Public Boarding Schools” even.
With such terrible school conditions there is now the stressors of school lottery’s. One cant just apply to a school or audition there is such a high demand that a lottery is what determines if a child will have the opportunity at a more promising future. What kind of stresses do you think this is putting on children at such young ages to see their parents in disappointment and distress over the fate of their children s future. This also cant be good for our kids, a lottery is fair but is it really fair?


turn a blind eye to children in schools for harmony amongst adults” Michelle Rhee

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