Public Schools

The schools in the Bay Area which are being persistently low-achievers have several reasons why they are in that state. Just like the schools in Savage Inequalities, there are students which are not getting a proper and fair education. Some people will say it is environment, ethnicity, equality of teaching; it could be any of these things. These problems are part of the inevitable. We can’t change that. But what we can do is fix these problems. And we aren’t. These problems are not getting fixed and we are just watching our students suffer.  There is this big ignorance pattern which has been following us for many years. We saw it in the schools in the 80’s, and we see it today as well. Nothing has changed.

            Why do we take pride in our education, our equality, our freedom, our own self if we can’t even take care of those things? We say we have all these things when in reality, they are all cut short. And even if we did have all those amazing things, we wouldn’t use them to their full capacity. In the past thirty years, we have seen different presidents, different religions, new technology, the works. But why are the main fundamentals of our country still the same after 50 years? In one of the schools in Camden, New Jersey, they were still using type writers as a technological resource in the late 80’s. Computers were well and alive in those days. And even today, if you were to go into a low-achieving school, you would see 10 year old monitors running a system which is years older than the students using them. If we have to rely on outdated materials just to teach and make a point to our students then there truly is no hope.

            Low test scores, high dropout rates. The Bay Area has a large amount of schools in the whole area. With schools being about a couple miles away from each other, we don’t necessary have the issue of overcrowding classes. But we do have the issue of the students in the classes. Students haven’t been trying hard enough to make up their schools. Schools are receiving low grants and credibility due to the students test scores.  And since students aren’t doing well on their tests, they lose the hope to continue forward and dropout early. There are several ways to solve this problem. We need to show those students that there is help and that everyone cares. If we were to show someone who has lost hope in everything that we care, we could make a difference in that child’s life. 

Students care less because others care less. This notion or idea is very unfair to children of all ages. They are getting treated like this because some people still hold a grudge against their ancestors or their previous generations. The whole idea of moving on just doesn’t seem to be there. These kids are suffering and are losing their future due to what, environment, race, ethnicity, social standing? These children should have no idea how racism occurs or how inequality is getting the best of us. The fact that they know this and are mature about it goes to show that these kids deserve better than what they have. Why are the futures of children from a lower social class sacrificed for one wealthy child? Do the lower children not have the same priority as the wealthier children? We are using century’s old thinking instead of a modern thought which has already affected our own and the next generations future. 

Our brains are trained to think and process in a common standard. The way we eat, sleep, drink, breath; all are a standard function in everyone. So naturally people would think that the way we are taught and the way we learn should be the same for everyone. With this still being a problem, as it was in the past, there hasn’t been any signs of reform lately. We all say that progress is good, change is good, but why isn’t it happening? Our education system is flawed and people very well know about it as well. Is it the fear from our government, fear of speaking up against powerful people? It could be anything, but nothing is happening. If our system continues to be flawed, then what is the point in believing in a future generation? They are being taught the same way the previous generation was taught and we see how it is coming out. Why do we keep pretending that tomorrow is going to look better when in reality it is going to be the same as it was the day, year, decade, century before?

I have heard of TED talks here and there but I have never really gotten around to actually watching one and analyzing it. I feel that this talk was a good introduction for me. Sir Ken Robinson is a very good speaker. His voice is clear and precise and the fact that he has a British accent just tops the cake. I have to admit, in the beginning of the video, I wasn't paying that much attention to what he was saying. Then I started hearing a few jokes and some wise-cracks. And suddenly, I was hooked! He then came to a topic which coincides with my education subject about students and teachers. He said that countries are reforming our education but reforming is only meant for “broken models”. We should get rid of the old and start anew and learn from our mistakes. That really struck me and I totally agree with that opinion. If people see that we need change in a system that’s long overdue, and are making changes, why are there still problems affecting everyone?

Another little topic he approached was about how kindergarten of all places, has come to the same level as college in admission wise. I mean it’s kindergarten for crying out loud! The place where you learn numbers and learn how to read! There are now interview processes taking place just to get a spot in a class. A funny little saying was "You've been around for 36 months, and this is it"? I enjoyed that piece. But on a serious note, people are taking this very seriously. They think that this school or that nursery is the gateway to my child’s future. C’mon, three years old and you already have a college set for your kid? The way people think kids of that age deserve the very best education to get to college is a monstrosity.    

Reeling in Research

The Passion Project has a lot of different ideas and different topics roaming around the video. From the obvious topic of passion, to family pressure and risks; all of those main ideas have been thoroughly discussed and have a lot of insight between them. Looking at each topic individually makes it seem like there isn’t any connection between all of them. However looking at it as a whole ‘project’, then the ideas seems to come together. After going over and reading the Passion Project again, I understand why each topic was approached and discussed. I really liked the fact that each of the speakers had experience and knowledge about what they were talking about. These guys are normal people and they are just like us. One of the quotes from the Passion Project which really struck me was “[Passion is] something that drives you, that excites you, makes you feel good” (1). My passion has been mock trial ever since I started high school. The rush of seeing lawyers and judges in a courtroom excites me. I guess I am pretty lucky because my passion can end up as a big part of my future. But another issue which was discussed was that if you wanted to survive in the real world, then you have to push the passions in the back seat. In a dog-eat-dog world, money is what drives people. We have been taught that without money, we will not have a proper future. With articles suggesting how “Following your passion will send you to the poorhouse”, how can anyone even imagine to have a passion in the first place (Henderson)? “If the market doesn’t value [your passions] as highly as you do, you… have to… pare down your lifestyles until you can afford to live on what you can get paid [for]” (Henderson). If the young generation were to read these quotes at such a young age, they would lose all there hope for anything they desired and would basically become living robots. Shooting for ideas which can only financially support you.

Henderson, J. Maureen. "3 Reasons Following Your Passion Will Send You To The Poorhouse." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 11 Feb. 2013. Web. 01 Sept. 2013.