1. Name at least 3 problems of education.
a. Lack of resources: My children have gone to 2 different schools. The first one was an Exemplary School for 4 years in a row. I worked there for a while and every classroom had new computers (The PTA's wrok help with the funding), & plenty of materials & supplies. The new school where they are now ... uggggh. Every classroom does not have a computer. The 1st grade teacher informed my child (when she ran out of manuscript paper) "Well, your parents will have to buy it, we don't have any more". I went to the class & they didn't have enough books, the kids were sharing. AND we paid for our child's journal at the beginning of the year only for her to receive a USED journal due to they ran out. I am disgusted and I've noticed a definate differene in the resources available to children in different school zones!
b. Poor pay for teachers.
c. Overcrowded Classrooms.
2. For each problem that you identified, please name a possible solution.
a. Resources should be distributed among schools, making sure that schools with more students and less resources are properly allotted.
b. Teacher should have a starting salary of at LEAST $30-$40k in this area. Teachers in this area generally come in @ 23k-25k. Customer service reps make more than that & do less. We can get more qualified teachers with more attractive salaries & bonuses.
c. The ratio of student to teacher should change. It is ineffective to have 30 students to 1 teacher. Also, EVERY teacher should have an assistant, regardless of grade level.
3. Is education fair to all of its students?
No.
4. Is education color blind? No. Should it be? Yes. How? Even though we want to recognize diversity and different cultural backgrounds to create a comfortable learning environment, the
quality of education that each student receives should be color blind.
5. Are you in favor of public single race schools with same race teachers? No. Why or why not? I feel it would be easier for the government to allot more funding to "certain" schools if we did this. Also, by segregating children, we subject them to a secluded world that does not exist. We have to teach children to relate to people of all races so that they can be successful in the real world. Advantages? Disadvantages?
6. Are you in favor of public single gender schools being taught by that respective gender? No. Why or why not? For the same reasons as above. What are the advantages? Disadvantages?
7. For at risk students or students who are disadvantaged in terms of class and inferior school settings, what should be done to help these students? Unfortunately, I don't have any solutions for this right now.
8. As members or prospective members of BGLOs, our focus is service. How can we help our own more PROACTIVELY? Participation in Big sister programs, volunteer to tutor children that may need help afterschool (on school grounds). What are you doing right now or have done in the past? Both of the previously mentioned.