The Promise of Urban Schools / Inquiry Project

The Promise of Urban Schools:

This reading made numerous good points as to why urban education should be a concern. Many of the problems that faced urban schools were listed. It's sad to see that such problems exsist in some our of school systems, but other school districts do not even begin to experience such dilemmas.
One of the solutions talked about was how teachers must try and get the student body interested. We all know that once a child is interested in something it gives them a reason to try. I found it real interesting how an inner city Mathematics teacher got his class interested and involved. He "used mathematics to analyze zoning patterns in their city and then propose changes to reduce the disproportionate proliferation of liquor stores in their neighborhood." This example clearly shows how a teacher triggered something in the mind of his students to be involved; he gave them a problem that dealt with the enviornment they lived in. This is a great method to keep kids interested in what we have to offer in our school systems. Our goal as teachers has to be to seduce them. It is when we accomplish this, that our job of giving them knowledge will become MUCH MUCH easier.

Inquiry Project:

One of the goals listed on that handout is to identify a question to explore that are PERSONALLY MEANINGFUL. All year we've discussed inner city schools and their students. I myself am a product of this theme. I think it should be easy to find a topic dealing with this, especially when i've grown up around it all my life.

Parker Piece

Revised Blog: (2nd Draft)

To insure our way of life, we must teach our way of life. We teach in schools. America’s schools are where children go and learn. They become enlightened in subjects ranging from mathematics, biology, world history, etc. But a key element is missing from our school systems: the teaching of our form of government; the teaching of Democracy. If we are to anticipate our children to live in a democratic fashion, we must show them what is expected of them. We must instill the beliefs of this way of life. Parker (2005) states, “Democratic ways of living together, with the people’s differences intact and recognized, are not given by nature; they are created.” We must realize that democracy does not come natural to humans. If we look back to when cavemen roamed the earth, our population was less than a quarter of what it is today. Because of this, cavemen were allowed to live in seclusion and not have to worry about anyone else. In this great nation, it is impossible to live like a caveman. America’s citizens must work in unison for this country to move forward. Because of this, democracy is something that must be introduced and molded into our minds. We must use the school systems to achieve this.
To introduce the ideals of a democratic government to our children at an early age is essential. Once this is done, we will see that as generations pass it will become undeniable for the American population to see why it is important to live in a country where all people are equal, and everyone’s voice is heard. Parker (2003) supports this by stating, “When aimed at democratic ends and supported by the proper democratic conditions, the interaction in schools can help children enter the social consciousness of puberty and develop the habits of thinking and caring necessary for public life.” When we achieve something of this feat there will be no room in American society for selfish and idiotic mentality. Democracy will be something that is second nature for our children and those who follow. The result will be a nation that understands the importance of succeeding as a whole, and one who realizes that democracy is the best and only way in which to live.

Preserving The Republic

As I concluded the third reading assignment I felt unsettled. I feel like I really didn't get anywhere. The reading went back to the birth of our great nation. It brought up a topic that has plagued our country's schools since the very beginning and still continues to exist today: the separation of religion and politics from education. The article tries to give us an image that we could achieve a compromise between all the different background we have in this country. It is almost as though for the past 200 years we have been trying to come to an agreement with what type of religious and political views we should teach within a classroom. I feel that this is a goal we will never be able to reach. You cannot try and come to an agreement when dealing with such a diverse population. To try and have one set of morals and values to try and teach our students would have consequences and might offend various groups of people. Moreover, if we try and throw out religion and politics from the classroom than what do we have left to teach? Of course we can always teach the history, math, english, grammar. But i feel as though parents might want their children to learn more from sitting in a classroom eight hours a day. This is why Catholic schools, private schools, boarding schools, etc all exist, it's so that students are molded into the certain morals and values the parents want them to have. However, this cannot be achieved in a public school system where students come from all types of different backgrounds, cultures, and religious points of view.