The education system that was shown in this short story was very controversial at the time. The standard form of schooling was a set school with the same lesions for all students, being taught the same way with no exceptions. This story explores a more personal idea of learning. The tutor Mr. Pemberton was a revolutionary in the system of education. While tutoring Morgan Moreen, an unusual young genius, he didn’t enforce the standard lesion plan, “This might not have been an education to recommend in advance, but its results with Morgan were as palpable as a fine texture.” (James, 279). It discovers a new relationship that a teacher can form with a student. His strategy was to treat Morgan with respect. He didn’t speak down to his pupil but rather put his lesions in terms that made sense to him. He connected his learning and worked with Morgan’s strategies. Instead of a student simply being spoken to James open up the idea that they could instead have a conversation. The feedback that students can offer teachers is incredibly valuable if used. No two people are alike, to attempt to have all students learn the same way doesn’t make any sense. Henry James uses Mr. Pemberton shows the new style of education.
Others disagree with these new ideas. In the article The Quality of Public Education Has Declined, written by Tom Bethell, it questions the new schooling system and the productivity of it. Tom Bethell looks at structure details that he thinks will improve schooling over all. He explains that the school year used to be seven days longer then it is currently, and that could be an explanation for the down fall in public schooling. James was looking more at the overall picture of education. He taught not by a set schedule for all children, but for a personal plan for each student. The days of a school year weren’t important to Henry James, as they are for Tom Bethell. He also explains that teachers with different master’s degrees in subjects other than education have fallen and is currently at 5 percent. Tom Bethell uses factual information to find the faults in public education. Bethell focuses on loss in masters could change the information that is being taught to the students. He then shares that teacher’s salaries have increased as well as their benefits. He is looking for the faults that can be fixed in the current education program, while Henry James questions the whole system.
Tom Bethell looks at the small perfections that need to adjust in the standard education program to make it more organized and scheduled. Henry James works to do the opposite through his book The Pupil. They both share different steps to change the education system but are promoting change in the opposite direction.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
Literature Journal
Literature
The short story The Pupil written by Henry James was an interesting story of a tutor and his student. This story is known for the controversy it caused in education. Prior to this story education was lead in only way. Teachers were expected to teach all students with the same methods. The old system of education was unproductive and ignorant. All students are different, making it impossible to effectively teach all students one way. Education should be a personal experience. It is important to understand a person’s strengths and weakness and evolve their learning strategies to fit them. Without a personal system of education I don’t understand how students are expected to succeed. This displays a teacher that takes a personal approach on education. The tutor named Pemberton was a smart man that had lost his money all at once. When he became desperate for cash he resorted to tutoring. He went to the Moreen family. James explains the Moreen family in a very odd way. He explains that the family can’t do anything right. Pemberton seems to study the family as he educates them. Pemberton thought the most unique thing about them was that “…He had never seen a family so brilliantly equipped for failure.” (James, 576). The family is a train wreck. The family that can’t seem to get anything right is sad to read about, but at the same time it is interesting and alluring. The scrambled family consists of a talkative mother, secretive dad, and four children. The youngest of them, Morgan is the main focus of the story. Morgan is a very amusing character to read about. Morgan is a brilliant but doesn’t seem to fit in quite right. Morgan doesn’t fit the ideal methods of education. He is a smart boy but can’t seem to fit in exactly right. He forms a strong connection with Mr. Pemberton, which carries the story. Morgan and Mr. Pemberton aren’t the typical student, teacher partners. They expand beyond the set instructions of teaching. Mr. Pemberton finds different methods that work with Morgan’s learning style instead of trying to force him to be like others. Mr. Pemberton is inspiring to read about. He makes text books apply to real life.
While this major progress in education is taking place the family remains incapable of functioning properly. The Moreen’s are constantly moving to different hotels to escape the bills that they owe. They seem to work so hard to create an exterior image of a successful family that they never create anything real.
The teaching ideas are natural for Mr. Pemberton. When Mr. Pemberton first met Morgan he was unsure of what to think of him. He saw didn’t fear his mother. Mr. Pemberton frond this to be odd, causing him to start planning methods to use for teaching. He understands that Morgan doesn’t seem normal. He uses this information to change his lesions plans rather than change Morgan.
This job changes Mr. Pemberton as well. When he first started the job all he could think about was the money. He wanted to know how much he would be paid and when but through the course of the story he never receives money for his work. As the teaching continues Mr. Pemberton distances himself from the family except for Morgan. Morgan and he grow very fond of each other. One night when they go for a walk they begin to talk about their relationship. Morgan questions Mr. Pemberton’s motives for staying with the family. Mr. Pemberton explains that his compassion for the family is his only motive to stay. They end the conversation by setting up the idea that although they not fully understand each other they enjoy being with one another. The friendship that is developed through his tutoring is incredible. They are two people that most likely would have otherwise never crossed paths were able to form a story bond over education. The both were looking for personal gains with this exchange but found much more. Mr. Pemberton, who only wanted to find money, had his life changed for a little boy. In the first chapter, when he is first being introduced to the family he was trying to decided how to ask what his pay would consist of, in the least uncomfortable way. While Mrs. Moreen drags on her welcome him “He would have liked to hear the figure of his salary…” (James, 571). Money is not a factor in his tutoring, but the only factor. Morgan changes his drive for money to a compassion for teaching. He continues to teach for Morgan although he isn’t receiving a pay check.
Finally after he could not afford to keep his “… Mind was fully made up to quit the house the following week. This would give him time to get an answer to a letter he had dispatched to England” (James, 587). He had a plan to leave his job and leave his student/ friend. It was easier said than done for him. I feel bad for Mr. Pemberton to be in this rut. He wishes to continue to educate his newly formed friend but can’t support himself if he follows this path.
The education system that was shown in this short story was very controversial at the time. The stand form of schooling is a set school with the same lesions for all students, being taught the same way with no exceptions. This story explores a more personal idea of learning. It discovers a new relationship that a teacher can form with a student. Instead of a student simply being spoken to James open up the idea that they could instead have a conversation. The feedback that students can offer teachers is incredibly valuable if used. No two people are alike, to attempt to have all students learn the same way doesn’t make any sense. Henry James uses Mr. Pemberton shows the new style of education.
The short story The Pupil written by Henry James was an interesting story of a tutor and his student. This story is known for the controversy it caused in education. Prior to this story education was lead in only way. Teachers were expected to teach all students with the same methods. The old system of education was unproductive and ignorant. All students are different, making it impossible to effectively teach all students one way. Education should be a personal experience. It is important to understand a person’s strengths and weakness and evolve their learning strategies to fit them. Without a personal system of education I don’t understand how students are expected to succeed. This displays a teacher that takes a personal approach on education. The tutor named Pemberton was a smart man that had lost his money all at once. When he became desperate for cash he resorted to tutoring. He went to the Moreen family. James explains the Moreen family in a very odd way. He explains that the family can’t do anything right. Pemberton seems to study the family as he educates them. Pemberton thought the most unique thing about them was that “…He had never seen a family so brilliantly equipped for failure.” (James, 576). The family is a train wreck. The family that can’t seem to get anything right is sad to read about, but at the same time it is interesting and alluring. The scrambled family consists of a talkative mother, secretive dad, and four children. The youngest of them, Morgan is the main focus of the story. Morgan is a very amusing character to read about. Morgan is a brilliant but doesn’t seem to fit in quite right. Morgan doesn’t fit the ideal methods of education. He is a smart boy but can’t seem to fit in exactly right. He forms a strong connection with Mr. Pemberton, which carries the story. Morgan and Mr. Pemberton aren’t the typical student, teacher partners. They expand beyond the set instructions of teaching. Mr. Pemberton finds different methods that work with Morgan’s learning style instead of trying to force him to be like others. Mr. Pemberton is inspiring to read about. He makes text books apply to real life.
While this major progress in education is taking place the family remains incapable of functioning properly. The Moreen’s are constantly moving to different hotels to escape the bills that they owe. They seem to work so hard to create an exterior image of a successful family that they never create anything real.
The teaching ideas are natural for Mr. Pemberton. When Mr. Pemberton first met Morgan he was unsure of what to think of him. He saw didn’t fear his mother. Mr. Pemberton frond this to be odd, causing him to start planning methods to use for teaching. He understands that Morgan doesn’t seem normal. He uses this information to change his lesions plans rather than change Morgan.
This job changes Mr. Pemberton as well. When he first started the job all he could think about was the money. He wanted to know how much he would be paid and when but through the course of the story he never receives money for his work. As the teaching continues Mr. Pemberton distances himself from the family except for Morgan. Morgan and he grow very fond of each other. One night when they go for a walk they begin to talk about their relationship. Morgan questions Mr. Pemberton’s motives for staying with the family. Mr. Pemberton explains that his compassion for the family is his only motive to stay. They end the conversation by setting up the idea that although they not fully understand each other they enjoy being with one another. The friendship that is developed through his tutoring is incredible. They are two people that most likely would have otherwise never crossed paths were able to form a story bond over education. The both were looking for personal gains with this exchange but found much more. Mr. Pemberton, who only wanted to find money, had his life changed for a little boy. In the first chapter, when he is first being introduced to the family he was trying to decided how to ask what his pay would consist of, in the least uncomfortable way. While Mrs. Moreen drags on her welcome him “He would have liked to hear the figure of his salary…” (James, 571). Money is not a factor in his tutoring, but the only factor. Morgan changes his drive for money to a compassion for teaching. He continues to teach for Morgan although he isn’t receiving a pay check.
Finally after he could not afford to keep his “… Mind was fully made up to quit the house the following week. This would give him time to get an answer to a letter he had dispatched to England” (James, 587). He had a plan to leave his job and leave his student/ friend. It was easier said than done for him. I feel bad for Mr. Pemberton to be in this rut. He wishes to continue to educate his newly formed friend but can’t support himself if he follows this path.
The education system that was shown in this short story was very controversial at the time. The stand form of schooling is a set school with the same lesions for all students, being taught the same way with no exceptions. This story explores a more personal idea of learning. It discovers a new relationship that a teacher can form with a student. Instead of a student simply being spoken to James open up the idea that they could instead have a conversation. The feedback that students can offer teachers is incredibly valuable if used. No two people are alike, to attempt to have all students learn the same way doesn’t make any sense. Henry James uses Mr. Pemberton shows the new style of education.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Analytic Entries Current Event
Analytic Entries
Current Event
The obstacles that were facing education in the past are not gone today. Schools are still dealing with a serious lack of funding. There was a warning sent out to schools in Connecticut to let them know that there was going to be budget cuts. The last cuts were placed on the test books. The schools had ordered the books before being told that there was going to be a $20 million total cut for the books. Because these books had already been ordered it was up to the district to pay the difference. The pressure that was placed on the district due to the cut was unfair and not prepared for. The district also had to pay for a one percent salary increase in retirement contributions, “Which together cost the district about $300,000. Those figures are the reason the district took an allowed 4 percent increase in its local tax rate this year.” (Minor). It is unfair that the people should have to pay for things that were already promised to be paid for them by the state. Education is still not receiving the proper attention that it deserves and needs to successfully teach students. The current funding in not enough to run a school and to then take a six percent cut is unthinkable. To create underfunded schools is to kill America’s future. The decision on the cuts has not been made yet but they do plan to make them. The cuts in their minds are unquestionable. For now it is only a matter of time before it is shown what part of parts of the school will be taken away. The problem then was getting funding to start the school, while now the trouble is keep the school open.
The state Board of Education is planning on meeting to look over the funding on different schools. This meeting is going to be held with the purpose of deciding where the money should go. The problem now is that although there is money it is not being spent in a productive manner. There used to be a lack of structure to the system as there is now. The potential members that may plan to attend this meeting were not specified but can be assumed to be chairmen of the state Education Committee as well as representatives from different groups that have testified before the board about school funding changes. Fleishmann, state of Education Committee co-Chairmen, said “It’s a bit of a crazy quilt that we have right now, and we should have a better designed system… What makes sense is having dollars follow students so the state doesn’t end up with too many situations here it is paying more than once for the education of one child,” (Fleishmann). He is explaining that they are working to create a better system that will take the money that is being put into the education program and make it an investment rather then a temporary fix. It is important when trying to address the issue on hand that there are people working to make a change in the system before it is too late.
The idea to follow the new “money follows the child,” (Benton) proposal was not acted upon. This was intended to be the new solution to the current problem of finding a productive place to spend money. This was going to be used to replace the current system of pupil grants. The legislature is now reviewing the new idea would end up coasting the state about $ 5 million in the next fiscal year. One of the reasons the idea was emplaced was to prove a “Reduced role of local property taxes in education funding.” (Benton). To change a system is essential when working against such a large problem and could end up benefiting the students greatly, but there is a large risk at hand.
Current Event
The obstacles that were facing education in the past are not gone today. Schools are still dealing with a serious lack of funding. There was a warning sent out to schools in Connecticut to let them know that there was going to be budget cuts. The last cuts were placed on the test books. The schools had ordered the books before being told that there was going to be a $20 million total cut for the books. Because these books had already been ordered it was up to the district to pay the difference. The pressure that was placed on the district due to the cut was unfair and not prepared for. The district also had to pay for a one percent salary increase in retirement contributions, “Which together cost the district about $300,000. Those figures are the reason the district took an allowed 4 percent increase in its local tax rate this year.” (Minor). It is unfair that the people should have to pay for things that were already promised to be paid for them by the state. Education is still not receiving the proper attention that it deserves and needs to successfully teach students. The current funding in not enough to run a school and to then take a six percent cut is unthinkable. To create underfunded schools is to kill America’s future. The decision on the cuts has not been made yet but they do plan to make them. The cuts in their minds are unquestionable. For now it is only a matter of time before it is shown what part of parts of the school will be taken away. The problem then was getting funding to start the school, while now the trouble is keep the school open.
The state Board of Education is planning on meeting to look over the funding on different schools. This meeting is going to be held with the purpose of deciding where the money should go. The problem now is that although there is money it is not being spent in a productive manner. There used to be a lack of structure to the system as there is now. The potential members that may plan to attend this meeting were not specified but can be assumed to be chairmen of the state Education Committee as well as representatives from different groups that have testified before the board about school funding changes. Fleishmann, state of Education Committee co-Chairmen, said “It’s a bit of a crazy quilt that we have right now, and we should have a better designed system… What makes sense is having dollars follow students so the state doesn’t end up with too many situations here it is paying more than once for the education of one child,” (Fleishmann). He is explaining that they are working to create a better system that will take the money that is being put into the education program and make it an investment rather then a temporary fix. It is important when trying to address the issue on hand that there are people working to make a change in the system before it is too late.
The idea to follow the new “money follows the child,” (Benton) proposal was not acted upon. This was intended to be the new solution to the current problem of finding a productive place to spend money. This was going to be used to replace the current system of pupil grants. The legislature is now reviewing the new idea would end up coasting the state about $ 5 million in the next fiscal year. One of the reasons the idea was emplaced was to prove a “Reduced role of local property taxes in education funding.” (Benton). To change a system is essential when working against such a large problem and could end up benefiting the students greatly, but there is a large risk at hand.
Background Analytic Entries
Analytic Entry
Background
It started with the “common school reform movement” which was a slow moving process. A basic education consisted of fundamental literacy skills from a mom or local woman. Any education that they had was almost valueless. The upper class was using tutors while the lower class was settling with no real education system at all. The change was finally brought during the American Revolution when people started to notice the importance of an educated population. Because the students were limited in their schooling it prevented them from ever improving classes in life. Horace Mann worked with others to reach new goals. They wanted more school terms, smaller classes with age limits and separations, more students that would be taught by highly educated teachers, and text book shat were American rather than British. Horace Mann’s seemed to be crazy to people for fighting for these school requirements that are necessary for students to learn. The opposing opinions on public education was that there should be no tax funding for these schools because it was wrong to pay “what they considered local issues,”(Common Schools). Public education was nothing more but a “local issue”, making taxes appear to be a waste. When the world began to quickly develop and the cities were booming, the job market started to change. The work world was looking offering job that required an education, such as an accountant. These jobs acted as proof to people that schools were needed. Although the proof was evident in the country change didn’t come over night. The changes in school took a long time to progress. It took some time but the American colonists created schools and this era was also creditable for the system of public education. Home schooling was the first form of education. It was up to the family’s parents to teach their children what they felt was important; there was an optimistic outlook that the parents would be good teachers. Because parents were the only source of education the next generation was restricted to the career their parent worked in and massed on. The boys of the family were destined to be what ever their father was while the girls were prepared to be married off. These limiting qualities are what made it necessary for public education. The public education was mostly used for the poor and the orphaned children that would have no other possibilities of gaining a future. This was one step our country took for the common good of the people. As schools began to be created Dr. Benjamin Rush established a school for woman. The reason he had created the school was because he felt that it was important that the girls that would one day become the mother of the country’s leaders should be able to offer them a the best moral education possible. The big change came with McGuffey’s First Eclectic Reader (1836). McGuffey’s book was a schooling program that contained lesions and story that connected with the people reading them. It started with basic vocabulary and grammar and then worked its way up to harder leaves throughout the book. This program that was just simple teaching books was a large piece in the public school movement. After the first text book began to appear other things followed such as secondary schools, middle schools, and universities. All of things appeared rapidly throughout one hundred years. This was no small task. To start not only a new school but a completely new type of schooling, where different ages and material were being taught is something revolutionary. Education was always opened to the public though. Outside of public education different private schools were being created for people of different religions. It shares that while the private schools were used for the upper class “free public education centered on the poor.” The separation was in clear existence during this schooling period. The rich had tutors while the poor progressed with the new system of education.
Horace Mann gave a speech to the state legislature on the board’s activities. He explained that there are two different types of theories for the ways of life. The European theory is that men are not equal. Men should be divided into social classes and rated as human. In Europe it was expected that some people would never be able to succeed in life, they worked and labored for nothing while “others to seize and enjoy” (Horace Mann). The class separation in Europe was discouraging and expected throughout Europe. Horace Mann is placing the British theory against the Massachusetts theory. In the Massachusetts theory he explains that it represents equality. The Massachusetts theory shows that “all are to have an equal chance for earning, and equal security in the enjoyment of what they earn” (Horace Mann). The Massachusetts theory on classes allows for people to move up in the class system. There are no locked in classes like the ones that are set for generation in the British system. It then explains to reach the goal of the Massachusetts system of maintaining a republic it would require the people to have the potential to be equal. The people of the republic should all be able to have a free education, and the possibilities to have a brighter future. To attempt to run the Massachusetts theory without public education “is the most rash and foolhardy experiment ever tried by man…” (Horace Mann). He was appalled to find that people didn’t see the massive problems in that plan. Horace Mann became emotional when reaching the republic portion of his speech. He explains his plan for the future. To create the America we claim to have we must have an education system that “… knows no distinction of rich and poor…”(Horace Mann), so that all students have the possibility to succeed. He wants America to be all of the equal things that it wishes to represents.
Horace Mann had been giving speeches in gain support for public
education. The Pecuniary Value of education by Horace Mann, 1842, was his Fifth Annual Report and it was used to support the poor. He used this to show people that public education would benefit the population as a whole.
He understood that it is not a common goal of the population to have public education but it is a necessity none the less. Horace Mann felt it was important for people to demand public education. He was well aware of “Thousands who are now indifferent about the education of their offspring because they foresee no reimbursement in kind, no return in money, or in money’s worth, for money expended.” (Horace Mann) but that doesn’t mean that the reasons are not there. Horace Mann works to explain to the people that their money that is being used now will give them an opportunity for their children to make more, it will provide them with a more informed population, and a better government over all. Education isn’t an item you buy that will at some point lose its value; education is an investment in a child’s future. The people of the country have to see that this is goal is not for one person or one social class, this should be a common goal of all people. A child with out an education “would have been condemned to perpetual inferiority of condition and subjected to all the evils of want and poverty…” (Horace Mann) America is the land that disregarded the British class system, and fought for a land that would allow to attempt to work for what they wanted. Without public education this was not the same America that was fought for. It is a mockery to use the same title. Horace Mann explains how the United States may not assign the classes but it locks them in place by not offering a basic tool to improve future generation’s ways of life. These schools would bring a light of hope to every citizen in the country because not only would they be eliminating the permanent classes, but they would also be living in the real Untied States that were fought for.
Background
It started with the “common school reform movement” which was a slow moving process. A basic education consisted of fundamental literacy skills from a mom or local woman. Any education that they had was almost valueless. The upper class was using tutors while the lower class was settling with no real education system at all. The change was finally brought during the American Revolution when people started to notice the importance of an educated population. Because the students were limited in their schooling it prevented them from ever improving classes in life. Horace Mann worked with others to reach new goals. They wanted more school terms, smaller classes with age limits and separations, more students that would be taught by highly educated teachers, and text book shat were American rather than British. Horace Mann’s seemed to be crazy to people for fighting for these school requirements that are necessary for students to learn. The opposing opinions on public education was that there should be no tax funding for these schools because it was wrong to pay “what they considered local issues,”(Common Schools). Public education was nothing more but a “local issue”, making taxes appear to be a waste. When the world began to quickly develop and the cities were booming, the job market started to change. The work world was looking offering job that required an education, such as an accountant. These jobs acted as proof to people that schools were needed. Although the proof was evident in the country change didn’t come over night. The changes in school took a long time to progress. It took some time but the American colonists created schools and this era was also creditable for the system of public education. Home schooling was the first form of education. It was up to the family’s parents to teach their children what they felt was important; there was an optimistic outlook that the parents would be good teachers. Because parents were the only source of education the next generation was restricted to the career their parent worked in and massed on. The boys of the family were destined to be what ever their father was while the girls were prepared to be married off. These limiting qualities are what made it necessary for public education. The public education was mostly used for the poor and the orphaned children that would have no other possibilities of gaining a future. This was one step our country took for the common good of the people. As schools began to be created Dr. Benjamin Rush established a school for woman. The reason he had created the school was because he felt that it was important that the girls that would one day become the mother of the country’s leaders should be able to offer them a the best moral education possible. The big change came with McGuffey’s First Eclectic Reader (1836). McGuffey’s book was a schooling program that contained lesions and story that connected with the people reading them. It started with basic vocabulary and grammar and then worked its way up to harder leaves throughout the book. This program that was just simple teaching books was a large piece in the public school movement. After the first text book began to appear other things followed such as secondary schools, middle schools, and universities. All of things appeared rapidly throughout one hundred years. This was no small task. To start not only a new school but a completely new type of schooling, where different ages and material were being taught is something revolutionary. Education was always opened to the public though. Outside of public education different private schools were being created for people of different religions. It shares that while the private schools were used for the upper class “free public education centered on the poor.” The separation was in clear existence during this schooling period. The rich had tutors while the poor progressed with the new system of education.
Horace Mann gave a speech to the state legislature on the board’s activities. He explained that there are two different types of theories for the ways of life. The European theory is that men are not equal. Men should be divided into social classes and rated as human. In Europe it was expected that some people would never be able to succeed in life, they worked and labored for nothing while “others to seize and enjoy” (Horace Mann). The class separation in Europe was discouraging and expected throughout Europe. Horace Mann is placing the British theory against the Massachusetts theory. In the Massachusetts theory he explains that it represents equality. The Massachusetts theory shows that “all are to have an equal chance for earning, and equal security in the enjoyment of what they earn” (Horace Mann). The Massachusetts theory on classes allows for people to move up in the class system. There are no locked in classes like the ones that are set for generation in the British system. It then explains to reach the goal of the Massachusetts system of maintaining a republic it would require the people to have the potential to be equal. The people of the republic should all be able to have a free education, and the possibilities to have a brighter future. To attempt to run the Massachusetts theory without public education “is the most rash and foolhardy experiment ever tried by man…” (Horace Mann). He was appalled to find that people didn’t see the massive problems in that plan. Horace Mann became emotional when reaching the republic portion of his speech. He explains his plan for the future. To create the America we claim to have we must have an education system that “… knows no distinction of rich and poor…”(Horace Mann), so that all students have the possibility to succeed. He wants America to be all of the equal things that it wishes to represents.
Horace Mann had been giving speeches in gain support for public
education. The Pecuniary Value of education by Horace Mann, 1842, was his Fifth Annual Report and it was used to support the poor. He used this to show people that public education would benefit the population as a whole.
He understood that it is not a common goal of the population to have public education but it is a necessity none the less. Horace Mann felt it was important for people to demand public education. He was well aware of “Thousands who are now indifferent about the education of their offspring because they foresee no reimbursement in kind, no return in money, or in money’s worth, for money expended.” (Horace Mann) but that doesn’t mean that the reasons are not there. Horace Mann works to explain to the people that their money that is being used now will give them an opportunity for their children to make more, it will provide them with a more informed population, and a better government over all. Education isn’t an item you buy that will at some point lose its value; education is an investment in a child’s future. The people of the country have to see that this is goal is not for one person or one social class, this should be a common goal of all people. A child with out an education “would have been condemned to perpetual inferiority of condition and subjected to all the evils of want and poverty…” (Horace Mann) America is the land that disregarded the British class system, and fought for a land that would allow to attempt to work for what they wanted. Without public education this was not the same America that was fought for. It is a mockery to use the same title. Horace Mann explains how the United States may not assign the classes but it locks them in place by not offering a basic tool to improve future generation’s ways of life. These schools would bring a light of hope to every citizen in the country because not only would they be eliminating the permanent classes, but they would also be living in the real Untied States that were fought for.
Schools plan for cuts to funding: State Department of Education says a 6 percent cut ispossible from current fiscal year budget News Article
Schools plan for cuts to funding: State Department of Education says a 6 percent cut is possible from current fiscal year budget
News Article
This article was written on December 6, 2009. The article was reflecting on the different areas of funding for schools, and how some places might stay consistent while others could take drastic cuts. The warning was sent out that there could be an average 6 percent cut from all departments. This warning is a very frightening thing for a school district to hear. Due to the rescission that we our currently in schools are already being underfunded but to have cuts placed on them in a nightmare. I feel that the whole idea of education is to provide a brighter future for not only the citizens but the country as well. By taking away from education it is talking away from the county’s future. The last cuts were placed on the test books. The schools had ordered the books before being told that there was going to be a $20 million total cut for the books. Because these books had already been ordered it was up to the district to pay the difference. The pressure that was placed on the district due to the cut was unfair and not prepared for. The district also had to pay for a one percent salary increase in retirement contributions, “Which together cost the district about $300,000. Those figures are the reason the district took an allowed 4 percent increase in its local tax rate this year.” (Minor). It is unfair that the people should have to pay for things that were already promised to be paid for them by the state. I feel it is disappointing that the state aloud these last minute cuts to be made on the people, causing them to have raised taxes. The article then showed a long list of possible things that could have to deal with cuts this year. I found it disturbing to be reading a large paragraph of things that could lose funding, especially because all of those things provide such a good purpose in the schools.
The current funding in not enough to run a school and to then take a six percent cut is unthinkable. To create underfunded schools is to kill America’s future. I feel scared that this is happening and frustrated that the solution that the Board is following is to create cuts. I understand that there isn’t enough money always but giving up doesn’t help the case.
The decision on the cuts has not been made yet but they do plan to make them. The cuts in their minds are unquestionable. For now it is only a matter of time before it is shown what part of parts of the school will be taken away.
"Schools plan for cuts to funding: State Department of Education says a 6 percent cut is possible from current fiscal year budget." Daily News (Bowling Green, KY). (Dec 6, 2009): NA. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 11 Feb. 2010.
News Article
This article was written on December 6, 2009. The article was reflecting on the different areas of funding for schools, and how some places might stay consistent while others could take drastic cuts. The warning was sent out that there could be an average 6 percent cut from all departments. This warning is a very frightening thing for a school district to hear. Due to the rescission that we our currently in schools are already being underfunded but to have cuts placed on them in a nightmare. I feel that the whole idea of education is to provide a brighter future for not only the citizens but the country as well. By taking away from education it is talking away from the county’s future. The last cuts were placed on the test books. The schools had ordered the books before being told that there was going to be a $20 million total cut for the books. Because these books had already been ordered it was up to the district to pay the difference. The pressure that was placed on the district due to the cut was unfair and not prepared for. The district also had to pay for a one percent salary increase in retirement contributions, “Which together cost the district about $300,000. Those figures are the reason the district took an allowed 4 percent increase in its local tax rate this year.” (Minor). It is unfair that the people should have to pay for things that were already promised to be paid for them by the state. I feel it is disappointing that the state aloud these last minute cuts to be made on the people, causing them to have raised taxes. The article then showed a long list of possible things that could have to deal with cuts this year. I found it disturbing to be reading a large paragraph of things that could lose funding, especially because all of those things provide such a good purpose in the schools.
The current funding in not enough to run a school and to then take a six percent cut is unthinkable. To create underfunded schools is to kill America’s future. I feel scared that this is happening and frustrated that the solution that the Board is following is to create cuts. I understand that there isn’t enough money always but giving up doesn’t help the case.
The decision on the cuts has not been made yet but they do plan to make them. The cuts in their minds are unquestionable. For now it is only a matter of time before it is shown what part of parts of the school will be taken away.
"Schools plan for cuts to funding: State Department of Education says a 6 percent cut is possible from current fiscal year budget." Daily News (Bowling Green, KY). (Dec 6, 2009): NA. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 11 Feb. 2010
Committee to examine education funding News Article
Committee to examine education funding
News Article
This explains the state Board of Education is planning on meeting to look over the funding. The potential members that may plan to attend this meeting were not specified but can be assumed to be chairmen of the state Education Committee as well as representatives from different groups that have testified before the board about school funding changes. They seem to be all over the place at the moment. It seems to be a stressful time where not many question can be answer but many are being brought up. Fleishmann said “It’s a bit of a crazy quilt that we have right now, and we should have a better designed system… What makes sense is having dollars follow students so the state doesn’t end up with too many situations here it is paying more than once for the education of one child,” (Fleishmann). He is explaining that they are working to create a better system that will take the money that is being put into the education program and make it an investment rather then an temporary fix. I agree that the current way that money is being used is not progressive and is only wasting time. It is important that there are people working to make a change in the system before it is too late.
The idea to follow the new “money follows the child,” (Benton) proposal was not acted upon. This was going to be used to replace the current system of pupil grants. The legislature is now reviewing the new idea would end up coasting the state about $ 5 million in the next fiscal year. one of the reasons the idea was emplaced was to proved a “Reduced role of local property taxes in education funding.” (Benton). I can understand why people would want this in a time of rescission but I don’t know if it is realistic. I think it is great that people are taking the current situation seriously but change is generally a costly affair. It is a bold move to change a system but could end up benefiting the students greatly. I feel Benton shared the information about the possible change of school funding in a very interesting fashion.
"Committee to examine education funding." New Haven Register (New Haven, CT). (Feb 4, 2010): NA. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 11 Feb. 2010.
News Article
This explains the state Board of Education is planning on meeting to look over the funding. The potential members that may plan to attend this meeting were not specified but can be assumed to be chairmen of the state Education Committee as well as representatives from different groups that have testified before the board about school funding changes. They seem to be all over the place at the moment. It seems to be a stressful time where not many question can be answer but many are being brought up. Fleishmann said “It’s a bit of a crazy quilt that we have right now, and we should have a better designed system… What makes sense is having dollars follow students so the state doesn’t end up with too many situations here it is paying more than once for the education of one child,” (Fleishmann). He is explaining that they are working to create a better system that will take the money that is being put into the education program and make it an investment rather then an temporary fix. I agree that the current way that money is being used is not progressive and is only wasting time. It is important that there are people working to make a change in the system before it is too late.
The idea to follow the new “money follows the child,” (Benton) proposal was not acted upon. This was going to be used to replace the current system of pupil grants. The legislature is now reviewing the new idea would end up coasting the state about $ 5 million in the next fiscal year. one of the reasons the idea was emplaced was to proved a “Reduced role of local property taxes in education funding.” (Benton). I can understand why people would want this in a time of rescission but I don’t know if it is realistic. I think it is great that people are taking the current situation seriously but change is generally a costly affair. It is a bold move to change a system but could end up benefiting the students greatly. I feel Benton shared the information about the possible change of school funding in a very interesting fashion.
"Committee to examine education funding." New Haven Register (New Haven, CT). (Feb 4, 2010): NA. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 11 Feb. 2010
Opposing viewpoints The Quality of Public Education Has Declined
Opposing viewpoints
The Quality of Public Education Has Declined
In this article is tom Bethell’s explanation on why public education in America had lost the strength that it once held. Tom Bethell explains that performance in American’s public education has gone down gradually since 1970. He explains that this problem is not only a threat to our countries future but also an embarrassment considering the money that we have put into these programs. “The budget of the Department of Education rose from $14 billion to $55 billion.”(Tom Bethell). That is a $41 billion dollar difference, and instead of seeing the American money being put to good use the system has only provided lower test scores. They have made what would seem to be productive changes, such as creating smaller classes and raising teacher salaries but these have yet to provide a productive out come.
I feel frustrated to read this. He shares straight facts that show the lack of progression but we aren’t going down without a fight. The country is putting effort in but not in a constructive manner apparently. I agree that there need to be changes but they should be thought through more carefully and more planned out because the current strategies are not working.
The information that could supply reasoning for these results isn’t much. He shares the school year used to be seven days longer then it is currently, but I don’t feel that those seven days are truly enough to make the difference that is at hand. He also explains that teachers with different master’s degrees in subjects other than education have fallen and is currently at 5 percent. I feel that although that is an odd trend that has taken place, I don’t think it is the most important back round information that he could have offered. He then shares that teacher’s salaries have increased as well as their benefits. I don’t that this could be a bad thing, but maybe it sets in a doming plan for teachers, allowing them to focus more on the money rather then their passion for education.
The slump that we are reaching in education is no ones fault but our own. We have led our education systems to this point, and have now gotten trapped in a dead end. He quotes Nation at Risk which compares our action to “an act of war” (Nation at Risk) against us. He feels that we have weakened ourselves and now we must change this path.
Bethell also points out that another problem in our educational system relates to something other then school days, it relates to race. The inner cities schools are trapped with schools were almost nothing is learned, while the middle class is benefiting from a quality education. One solution to this problem is to “introduce a competitive environment, accountability and choices,” (Hauser). Another idea is the voucher program. This was attempted in Milwaukee. This program was the processes of supplying vouchers to people that were in need, mostly being the poor and minority families. There are arguments that this isn’t a new change, that minorities were doing the same then as they are now, but the gap was the same as it is now, so how could they possibly expected to improve. I feel that the gap between classes and the education program is disturbing. I don’t want to believe that there our children in this country that aren’t given the right to a proper education. America is the land of opportunity but that name is only mocking to all of those that aren’t given a fair chance to succeed in life. As a result of the education system Hispanic students and blacks students are majority in 46 or 57 of the city schools, while “There are 15,000 school districts nationwide, a mere 10 districts educate 19 percent of all black schoolchildren” (Tom Bethell). I don’t understand how it is even possible for these numbers to be true. To have only ten school districts educate only nineteen percent of all black school children is embarrassing. I feel guilty for belonging to such a corrupted country that would allow this system to continue for so long.
Bethell then goes back to the idea that the teachers unions could be to blame for the decline in the education system. The fight to protect jobs and increase benefits is the common goal of these unions. I feel that unions are a productive part of American history and most likely a necessary aspect to the teacher program today. The Hoover Task Force idea varies from the outline of the unions. The Hoover plan is to reward good work by teachers and punish those that fail.
Over all although much more money has gone into the support of education there haven’t been positive results yet. It is frustrating to still not see the light after all of the work and money that seems to be going into it. I feel that they could still be looking at the wrong places and getting to picky about details. It could be a more general, or overall change that needs to be made to the system.
When being compared to other nations America lacks. Our gap provides two separate groups to be rated. While those stuck in the inner city fail on a more severe level, the people that grow in the middle class aren’t doing as well as it was once thought.
Bethell, Tom. "The Quality of Public Education Has Declined." Opposing Viewpoints: Education. Ed. Mary E. Williams. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2005. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 10 Feb. 2010.
The Quality of Public Education Has Declined
In this article is tom Bethell’s explanation on why public education in America had lost the strength that it once held. Tom Bethell explains that performance in American’s public education has gone down gradually since 1970. He explains that this problem is not only a threat to our countries future but also an embarrassment considering the money that we have put into these programs. “The budget of the Department of Education rose from $14 billion to $55 billion.”(Tom Bethell). That is a $41 billion dollar difference, and instead of seeing the American money being put to good use the system has only provided lower test scores. They have made what would seem to be productive changes, such as creating smaller classes and raising teacher salaries but these have yet to provide a productive out come.
I feel frustrated to read this. He shares straight facts that show the lack of progression but we aren’t going down without a fight. The country is putting effort in but not in a constructive manner apparently. I agree that there need to be changes but they should be thought through more carefully and more planned out because the current strategies are not working.
The information that could supply reasoning for these results isn’t much. He shares the school year used to be seven days longer then it is currently, but I don’t feel that those seven days are truly enough to make the difference that is at hand. He also explains that teachers with different master’s degrees in subjects other than education have fallen and is currently at 5 percent. I feel that although that is an odd trend that has taken place, I don’t think it is the most important back round information that he could have offered. He then shares that teacher’s salaries have increased as well as their benefits. I don’t that this could be a bad thing, but maybe it sets in a doming plan for teachers, allowing them to focus more on the money rather then their passion for education.
The slump that we are reaching in education is no ones fault but our own. We have led our education systems to this point, and have now gotten trapped in a dead end. He quotes Nation at Risk which compares our action to “an act of war” (Nation at Risk) against us. He feels that we have weakened ourselves and now we must change this path.
Bethell also points out that another problem in our educational system relates to something other then school days, it relates to race. The inner cities schools are trapped with schools were almost nothing is learned, while the middle class is benefiting from a quality education. One solution to this problem is to “introduce a competitive environment, accountability and choices,” (Hauser). Another idea is the voucher program. This was attempted in Milwaukee. This program was the processes of supplying vouchers to people that were in need, mostly being the poor and minority families. There are arguments that this isn’t a new change, that minorities were doing the same then as they are now, but the gap was the same as it is now, so how could they possibly expected to improve. I feel that the gap between classes and the education program is disturbing. I don’t want to believe that there our children in this country that aren’t given the right to a proper education. America is the land of opportunity but that name is only mocking to all of those that aren’t given a fair chance to succeed in life. As a result of the education system Hispanic students and blacks students are majority in 46 or 57 of the city schools, while “There are 15,000 school districts nationwide, a mere 10 districts educate 19 percent of all black schoolchildren” (Tom Bethell). I don’t understand how it is even possible for these numbers to be true. To have only ten school districts educate only nineteen percent of all black school children is embarrassing. I feel guilty for belonging to such a corrupted country that would allow this system to continue for so long.
Bethell then goes back to the idea that the teachers unions could be to blame for the decline in the education system. The fight to protect jobs and increase benefits is the common goal of these unions. I feel that unions are a productive part of American history and most likely a necessary aspect to the teacher program today. The Hoover Task Force idea varies from the outline of the unions. The Hoover plan is to reward good work by teachers and punish those that fail.
Over all although much more money has gone into the support of education there haven’t been positive results yet. It is frustrating to still not see the light after all of the work and money that seems to be going into it. I feel that they could still be looking at the wrong places and getting to picky about details. It could be a more general, or overall change that needs to be made to the system.
When being compared to other nations America lacks. Our gap provides two separate groups to be rated. While those stuck in the inner city fail on a more severe level, the people that grow in the middle class aren’t doing as well as it was once thought.
Bethell, Tom. "The Quality of Public Education Has Declined." Opposing Viewpoints: Education. Ed. Mary E. Williams. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2005. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 10 Feb. 2010
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