...The Major Problem Faced by Teachers in America Throughout the history of mankind, teachers have played a pivotal and irreplaceable role in the development of society. One could argue that teachers are the powerhouses that maintain the world full of innovation and creativity. They are the individuals responsible for educating the influential minds that have left significant marks in history as it is known today. However, even with the several years of formal and informal education teachers have to surpass in order to obtain their degrees, teachers are not given the praise and recognition they are worthy of. Although teachers have to demonstrate dedication and perseverance in their job to provide an effective education to their students, teachers...
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...McGee August 08, 2012 Movers and Shakers in Education The purpose of this paper is to review and acknowledge the efforts and contributions of four significant people in history who helped to shape the American educational system. Though the four people discussed in this paper are certainly not the only ones who left a permanent mark upon the history of our American educational system we have today, their efforts and philosophies laid the foundation upon which our educational system today was built. Horace Mann Horace Mann is credited with creating the first state board of education in 1837, whereby schools were managed by a state system. He was a leader in the Common School Movement and believed that teaching standards were in great need of improvement and that teachers should be paid better. He brought a great deal of focus onto current school conditions and prompted discussions on ways to improve them. Because of him, school conditions were improved and better equipped. Mr. Mann was fundamental in helping to instigate teacher training institutions (known as normal schools) and considerably successful in raising the standards of not just schools, but colleges as well. He has been referred to as “The Father of American Education”, (gcumedia.com, 2012). His philosophy was that it was contingent upon the state to make sure all children were provided the opportunity to receive an education. (www.ait.net) ...
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...istockphoto Evaluating Teacher Effectiveness How Teacher Performance Assessments Can Measure and Improve Teaching Linda Darling-Hammond October 2010 w w w.americanprogress.org Evaluating Teacher Effectiveness How Teacher Performance Assessments Can Measure and Improve Teaching Linda Darling-Hammond October 2010 Contents 1 Introduction and Summary 5 Why performance assessments are needed 7 National Board Certification 9 Assessment of beginning teachers 11 Prospects for a national system of Teacher Performance Assessments 12 How performance assessments can help teachers improve their practice 17 Improving preparation through the use of performance assessments 22 Policy recommendations and conclusion Introduction and Summary Parents, practitioners, and policymakers agree that the key to improving public education in America is placing highly skilled and effective teachers in all classrooms. Yet the nation still lacks a practical set of standards and assessments that can guarantee that teachers, particularly new teachers, are well prepared and ready to teach. This report discusses a promising approach to the question of how to measure teacher effectiveness. Specifically, it describes the ways in which assessments of teacher performance for licensing and certification can both reflect and predict teachers’ success with children so that they can not only inform personnel decisions, but also...
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...personal experiences of oppression in his native country. The Brazilian educator devoted his life of adult literacy. Loewen essay “Lies My Teacher Told Me,” argues the American history textbooks have the wrong facts. The sociologist feels the American students are lied to and misled in their history classes. Freire and Loewen essays both are informative account of a failed education system. Although scholars capitalized education, they failed to apply the importance in one education system. Freire argues there are two types of conceptual tools; Banking concept of education and problem posting method. In the tradition type of education, however, the teacher stores the information the student listens. The goal of banking education was to immobilize the student within the existing structure conditioning them into memorize the materials (Freire.web). I felt the ability to overcome the fear of memorize the lesson. In a sense, we all are a result of banking the education. In my early days, in high school, I had some experience of understanding the lesson. Robinson 2 I can remember my history teacher given me an assignment to complete in class; of just what she went over. I struggled a bit, because Mrs. Hall was a fun teacher; she made lessons fun in class. In the reading, How Freire concept of education, he conveys the student does not think for themselves...
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...Homework X 2 = The American Dream discusses of raising reading, literacy, math and science is school is the most important factor to increase our economic growth. America faces many changes and challenges in education and governance. Technological has become more important and widens the gap between America and other countries. Friedman mention problems with closing the gap between African Americans, Hispanic, and other minority. However, Friedman discuss what is more damaging is the gap between “average Americans students and the average students in countries that are competitive. Furth more, Friedman discuss how teachers and principals can make an immense different in students education. The achievement gap can be measure on the level educational between the students especially group by race, socioeconomics and gender. Friedman explain that some results of standardized test do not state the whole account. In the United States, the test score are similar of those students who live in different countries. Freidman point out the some fourth grade Americans scores were equivalence with their...
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...American educational system vs Asia’s Because of years of declining test scores and behavioral problems of the U.S students, some people suggest that American schools should use the Asian model of education. However, I think it is not a wise idea. Even though, a country has the best educational system in the world, it still has something to be done or judged. Nothing is perfect. American students are rated as mediocre in math and science while American engineers and scientists are highly demanded around the world. The U.S.A is a multi racial country, so it has a unique educational system which is irreplaceable by any systems. There are many advantages in American educational system, but some aspects need to be changed. We need to look in to our school’s educational system. According to “the Trend in international math and science study,” American classes cover too many subjects, so the teachers just have time to lecture each subject superficially. There are no national standards in the U.S schools. Students may choose to go to easy schools to graduate. Therefore, high school students who graduate from different schools are in diverse levels of education. A successful student can not succeed without good teachers but American schools don’t have enough proficient and qualified teachers. In “new math-science study rates U.S students mediocre at best,” William S. Robinson states, “the international average for math teachers with a degree in math is 71 percent, but in the U.S....
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...perceptions of disruption. A case study of an African American middle- school classroom. Journal of Teacher Education, 55, 256-268. I. Statement of the Problem a. Ressearch Topic The topic is how to discipline students. The authors state, “student responses to teachers’ disciplinary techniques can be unpredictable and require quick reactions on the part of the teacher.” This sets the context for the more specific research problem. b. Research Problem As the title of the article suggests, cultural synchronization between the teacher and the students can be influential in discipline. This is illustrated in the authors’ transcription of an interaction among students and the teacher along with commentary. More specifically, the authors note that Ms. Simpson (the teacher) has shifted her language to include dialect that is non-standard English but is closer to the students’ own language. The authors state “Ms. Simpson’s comments, undoubtedly, have altered her professional image from one of “effective educator” to “unprofessional teacher” in the eyes of many teacher educators.” They go on to note “conventional wisdom fails to account for the importance of cultural context when analyzing teacher behaviors.” c. Research Questions/Hypotheses No specific research question or hypothesis is noted, but the authors do address the overall context for their qualitative study. They state that “we argue that researchers and teacher educators must carefully consider the salience...
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...Why some say the American Education System is failing, Why some say it’s not Liz Sanders As Jeff Daniels’ character in The Newsroom put it, we’re 7th in Literacy, 27th in Math, and 22nd in Science (The Newsroom, 2012). America used to be an educated country; now we just base our opinions on what we get from social media, and the people around us. In this piece, I’m going to look at why some people think the American Education System is failing, and why some people think it’s not. What does it mean to fail? A bad grade in one of your classes? Falling behind, and not being able to catch up? Here, we’re going to look at the problem surrounding the failing American Education System. In an article from Foreign Affairs magazine, it’s stated...
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...Grillos first experience with an American teacher affected his outlook on life and education because after that experience grillo became shut out of reality, would get in trouble at school more often and became defiant. Grillos first time in school affected him deeply because after being treated badly by his first American teacher he became more shut out of reality. Grillo would be seated away from the whole class because he didn’t speak English and the teacher never knew what to do with him. Grillo explains that he was treated like this regularly and it eventually became a routine, we this to be true when the story reads “I just stayed in the back of the class, building blocks. It got so every morning I would put my lunch and coat away, and walk to my my corner where I stayed the whole day long. It forced me to be more withdrawn.” Due to the lack of care and constant isolation, Grillo eventually became lost in his own mind, which made him hate school in various ways and made him become shut out of reality....
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...The “Nuts and Dolts” of Teacher Images in Children’s Picture Storybooks: A Content Analysis, by Sarah Jo Sandefur and Leeann Moore, is an ethnographic content analysis that carefully examines how teachers are portrayed in children storybooks within the United States. One of the main purposes of the study was evidently to probe the impact of stereotypes and clichés of teacher representations, in children storybooks, on the actual institution of teaching. According to the study, children storybooks are plagued with contradictory depictions of teachers and schools. The authors highlighted the fact that teachers are portrayed in these storybooks as insensitive, foolish or inefficient. This portrayal of teachers is a phenomenon that has been examined by several other researchers and has yielded similar results over the years. As such, Sandefur and Leeann conducted their research based on the hypothesis that; a propensity of images painting teachers in an unflattering light may in fact have broader consequences on cultural perceptions of teachers and educational institutions. Accordingly, the representations of teachers in these storybooks are absorbed in to the collective consciousness of society and shape expectations and behaviors of both teachers and students. The second objective of the study is to make teachers aware of the varying portrayal of teachers being represented. This is evident by the authors’ statement that teachers cannot effectuate positive change in their profession...
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...Based on The American School: A Global Context From The Puritans to The Obama Era by Joel Spring, the history of American education is a story about the quest of power, a struggle for cultural, economic, and political freedom and equality. Throughout time, the purpose of public education in the United States has remained the same: to build an educated society, a productive government and economy, and help immigrants blend in to American norms. Although the purpose of American education has transcended through time, the way it was established has changed. Education reformers always saw the idea of education as means to develop individual growth in citizens, building upon the responsibility of a democratic society. There have always been conflicting...
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...How can we close the Achievement Gap? When we are thinking about our school system it isn’t difficult to think about different gaps, which we should reach. Gaps that we should break down to get a stronger education system, with better qualified teachers, which can lead our students to a grounded education. In the education system you can find negative stereotypes, which make the way for success for students even more difficult. Stereotypes can effect students in their personal goals but also make them feel less valued. Also, bad teachers in the school system aren’t making things better, which get protected from unions, but on the other hand teachers have no freedom. To find a way out of this dilemma between negative effected students and unsatisfied teachers who lose all kind of motivation, we should encourage students and teachers in their work away from unions, so that we can to attend our achievement gaps as soon as possible. Stereotypes are everywhere in our society, also in our schools. Although stereotypes can help students to do better in certain materials, stereotypes affect students and perpetuate and exacerbate gaps. Students who are in a negatively stereotyped group often underperform because of the pressure and worry they get in qualifying exams and aptitude tests in math, and these intensifies worries. According to Rodolfo Mendoza-Denton, the author of “ Framed!” “Notions about innate ability don’t just hinder the performance of negative stereotyped...
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...AUGUST 2012 How Americans Would Slim Down Public Education By Steve Farkas and Ann Duffett Foreword by Chester E. Finn, Jr. and Amber M. Winkler Contents 1 5 8 9 Foreword Executive Summary Introduction When Times Are Tough 11 Cost-Cutting Measures that the Public Approves 19 Close Up: Is Special Education Spending Sacred? 22 Rejected Proposals 24 Split Decisions 28 Conclusion 30 Appendix A: Methodology 32 Appendix B: Complete Survey Results 42 Endnotes The Thomas B. Fordham Institute is the nation’s leader in advancing educational excellence for every child through quality research, analysis, and commentary, as well as on-the-ground action and advocacy in Ohio. It is affiliated with the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, and this publication is a joint project of the Foundation and the Institute. For further information, please visit our website at www.edexcellence.net or write to the Institute at 1016 16th St. NW, 8th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20036. The Institute is neither connected with nor sponsored by Fordham University. HOW AMERICANS WOULD SLIM DOWN PUBLIC EDUCATION i Foreword By Chester E. Finn, Jr. and Amber M. Winkler In November 2010, Education Secretary Arne Duncan delivered a highly publicized address at the American Enterprise Institute. His message? Tough economic times lie ahead: “I am here,” he said, “to talk today about what has been called the New Normal. For the next several years, preschool, K–12, and postsecondary educators are likely...
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...Core themes Teacher perception The people who are in the profession of educating students need to have social personal characters. Professional teachers should be empathetic and tatt can be important in mitigation of their negative attitudes towards the black male students. Therefore, the teachers should adopt the students cultural and social perspective in order to provide effective decision making. Motivation People are not usually motivated in order to be biased on the basis race. According to Maslow’s theory, needs which are not yet satisfied cannot influence the behaviors of the various humans (Greene & Burke, 2007, p. 116). Understanding the ways in which bias arises can be important in decision making because it will develop effective...
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...as long as our students feel good about themselves.” Schools have stopped teaching important facts. Some teachers do not feel their students need to know what was taught back in the day. According to Charles J. Sykes, “In a 1990 survey of college seniors, 42 percent couldn’t name the dates of the War Between the States within half a century” ( Sykes, 4). Why don’t our teachers care anymore about teaching about important events or even science? Many of them have said it is because they just are not useful facts. I would have to disagree. I believe that you should know the background of this country you live in. I think students need to be taught about our founding fathers. I fear for our future generations. The school systems are dumbing our students down and they are too worried about how the students are feeling than what they are learning. So the question we are all asking teachers along with the school system is, “Why are we allowing students to be dumbed down?” How are we going to elect a president in the future who never had a background in math, science, or most importantly, history? Our future generation does not know what we were taught when we were in school. Some public schools have even removed certain subjects because they are not necessary or the school cannot afford them. Can we put a price tag on education? I would hope not. I think principals and teachers need to step up a notch and really focus on the learning aspect of school and not just the social and psychological...
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