Equal Curriculum and Funding: A discussion on Issues
By Kathleen Hagerty
Two factors that were seen as extremely important for teaching and learning were teaching an equal curriculum as well providing funding for the schooling. The curriculum should reflect accurately the class structure and inequities that exist in the United States (Gollnick & Chinn, 2009, 114). This importance of reflecting on integrating the curriculum to incorporate the lack of funding within the United States effectively and fully is through understanding society. As an educator within the United States, one must be aware of every individual student that comes within your classroom. An educator needs to be aware of the student’s background, their socioeconomic status, and their values. Gollnick and Chinn (2009) discussed how the textbooks and curriculum focus primarily on one socioeconomic group status “Curriculum and textbooks usually focus on the values and experiences of a middle-class society” (p. 114). This statement displays how much an educator needs to work in order to incorporate all students effectively into the curriculum. For example within a social studies curriculum, it is important for an educator to incorporate not only the heroes and important information pertaining within the United States as well as around the world. It is important as an educator to be aware of the education that is taught within the classroom excels into the real world for many students varying on their socioeconomic status. Gollnick and Chinn (2009) discussed the importance education has on students in the classroom relating to the real world by discussing how students who are within the lower socioeconomic status heavily embrace what they learn within the classroom and take the lessons as experiences. Providing adequate funding within the schools and education can lead to a more accessible way for an educator to attempt to incorporate and accommodate all of their students’ equally in the classroom. Unfortunately, funding is not easy to come by and is also difficult for many schools to have. Currently within private schools funding is limited as well as within public schools at this time. Due to the economy, many schools are struggling not only with funding for their school and supplies but maintaining their staff. In January 2009, the Board of Education once more brought up the idea of “freezes”. The term “freeze” involves hiring new educators within the schools, a full interview process for substitutes, and salaries maintaining but not increasing. It was interesting that a Superintendent was mentioned in the brief stating the cut would consist of almost 4 million dollars (Board of Education, 2009, Briefs from January 27, 2009, Website: http://www.ucps.k12.nc.us/BOE/supp_docs/boe_briefs_1-27-09.pdf.) How can an educator plan effective lessons with limited funding in their schools? Also, how can a school with little funding incorporate technology and multicultural education within the curriculum?
References
Gollnick, D. M. & Chinn, P. C. (2009). Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society (8th Edition) Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.
Board of Education, Briefs from January 27, 2009, 2009. Retrieved: October 12, 2009. http://www.ucps.k12.nc.us/BOE/supp_docs/boe_briefs_1-27-09.pdf.
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Critical Project 2
ReplyDeleteHot Topic: NCLB and the effects it has on the U.S. education system
Marijana Ljutic
Fordham University
The goal of the education system in the United States is to produce a well educated and informed citizen who participates in society at large. Two obstacles that prevent young adults from achieving this goal is high stakes testing and adolescence dropout. “Dropout rates are on the rise in the United States,” according to Ms. Lavada M. Walden, a doctorate student in the educational leadership and Dr. William Allan
Kritsonis (Walden and Kritsonis, 2008, p. 2). Unfortunately this is not new news in
education. Test scores results have reflected the increase and decrease in correlation to
political agendas and campaigns by politicians in electoral years. High stakes testing has
had a negative impact on students resulting in an overall increase in high school dropout
rates (Walden and Kritsonis, 2008). High school students specifically are struggling to
pass high stakes tests due to the rigorous test driven curriculum that were implemented in
order to compete with the global community.
Former President George W. Bush Jr made no Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) into law on January 2002. This law helped to provide each student with necessary skills and exposure to content material on an equal footing throughout the entire nation. All students, regardless of education, economic reasons, or cultural background should be able to take a national exam and pass with a proficient score. According to Ms. Walden and Dr. Kritsonis, who are experts in education, this education reform was implemented in order to, “…narrow the gap in test scores between white and nonwhite students on high stakes testing” (Walden and Kritsonis, 2008, p. 3). One then must ask the critical
question: ‘Why is there a gap in test scores between the races”(Walden and Kritsonis,
2008)?
Race is a factor in reporting which students are achieving high-test scores
compared to the students who were not meeting the standards were being left behind in school. This issue brings up the matter of the ‘haves versus the have nots.’ It is a fact that some school districts have more resources and tools than other school districts. This directly impacts student involvement, preparation and performance on high stakes tests. Students do need various modes of instruction to accumulate and integrate content material to “make it their own.” Students, who attend a high school that is overcrowded and have few resources, are at a disadvantage at performing competitively with others. These students are more likely to feel unprepared (Walden and Kritsonis, 2008)
The education system in America services millions of students on a yearly basis. There are both positives and negatives within the system. According to Ms. Walden and Dr. Kritsonis, “Proponents fear that the standardized tests may be less measurement of student intellect, rather they measure culture and language. The tests may be biased toward the culture mainstream white culture” (Walden and Kritsonis, 2008, p. 4). This statement is contradictory because of the term
‘standardized.’ It signifies that all students
are tested on the same content and skill regardless of cultural background. Reality
however has proven that student’s prior knowledge and quality of preparation determine
the success achieved on these exams.
Reference
Walden, L., & Kritsonis, W. (2008). The Impact of the Correlation between the No Child
Left Behind Act's High Stakes Testing and the High Drop-Out Rates of Minority Students. Online Submission, (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED499541) Retrieved September 22, 2009, from ERIC database.
http://www.eric.ed.gov.avoserv.library.fordham.edu/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/3b/69/2b.pdf.