Moments in Time

In my Oral Communication class we have to give speeches on any chosen topic. I decided to keep the issue of education from English Composition 1020 class and present speeches informing, persuading and calling of actions to help change the the difficulties we are having currently in the education field. With this said, I am sharing you what I believe are some issues that should be changed in the American school system. You may agree or disagree with me, but nevertheless, we should take a step up to provide ever student a quality education like in the past (maybe even before No Child Left Behind). Below you will find different notes on different issues in education that are current happening somewhere across the country. I am sure that we all need to be ware of the education system whether it does not pertain to us, but it does to your children, nieces, nephews, and cousins, and everyone else.

SCHOOL ASSESSMENT

• Education is like a button on a coat; we all need it to help us in any field of studies and even the workplace.
• Improving education is important because we all should meet the standards of providing the best education possible future citizens of today’s society in America.
• When researching background information on school assessment and where it branched out, I found out that during the 1930’s, the College Entrance Examination Board created the SAT test. The SAT was the first, single test for college admission.
• During the 19^th century, teachers were interviewed by board members and a member from the church on order to make sure none of the students showed any immoral conventional views or beliefs of their religion (Ravitch).
• The idea of “teaching to the test” is cheats the students out of their free education by teaching directly to a curriculum that will help the student past rather than allowing them to have the knowledge of different educational ideas and methods (Jamie McKenzie).
• I agree with Linda Bond, director of North Central Regional Educational Laboratory that we should use standardized effectively to promote the learning abilities from outside the classroom to workplace and beyond.

NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND

• Robert Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts, really does a good job saying that “reading and math, while essential, are simply not enough.
• A better American school system is the way to go in order to produce successful citizens and to get them out of poverty.
• An increase of the debate NCLB can cause students to dropout of school before graduating because they are pressured to make the school have higher scores and which reduces the time to allow the teacher instruct the class.
• Tests get in the way of actual teaching, schools losing future teachers, and the “work like a robot” effect is in place and they are able to do the best they can.

SCHOOL SAFETY

• Many schools across the nation and including in Memphis are filled with violent students and putting everyone, including the teachers at risk.
• The National Education Association documents that there are problems at home such as children feeling guilty for the situations in the household and students who are being bullies to their peers. (NEA, 2008).
• Focusing on issues of school assessment, the NCLB Act, and school safety will ensure students that we are working to provide them with the education they can possibly receive in this country.
• The professor and psychologist Dr. Lisa Medoff formulates in her book that students are faced with peer pressure that cause them to misbehave, do drugs, and ditch school.
• Violence can also happen when students are bullied, feel unsafe, and take matters into their own hands

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References

1. Lynch, Robert L. “No Child Left Behind Act Wrongly Left the Arts Behind.” http://thehill.com. February 2008.
2. Stiggins, Richard J. “Assessment, Student Confidence, and School Success.” Kappan Professional Journal. November 1999: pgs. 191-198. Vol. 88.
3. Ravitch, Diane. “A Brief History of Testing and Accountability.” Hoover Digest. Hoover Institution. http://www.hoover.org/publication/digest/4495866.html
4. National Education Assoication, "Safe School Manual: A Resource on Making Schools, Communities, and Families Safe for Children.” 2008 25 Sep 2008 http://www.nea.org/schoolsafety/images/ssm05-background.pdf.
5. McKenzie, Jamie. "Killing NCLB in 2007." The September Issue of No Child Left Vol. IV No. 8. 09 2006 23 Oct 2008 http://nochildleft.com/2006/sept06killing.html#Reduction%20in%20Time%20for%20Learning.
6. Bond, Linda. "Critical Issue: Rethinking Assessment and Its Role in Supporting Educational Reform ." North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (1995) 23 Oct 2008 http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/assment/as700.htm.
7. Medoff, Lisa. Stressed Out Students. New York, NY: Kaplan Publshing, 2008.