The Problems with Tenure

Tenure can be defined as: guaranteed permanent employment, especially as a teacher or professor, after a probationary period. This probationary period typically lasts up to three years, after the three years of teaching a teacher can receive tenure. Once given tenure the process to fire a teacher becomes long and costly. So what this means is that you basically have to only teach for three years to then have a job for life, with the exception of committing a serious crime.

People say this is a necessary component of the educational system due to the fact that it protects good teachers from getting their jobs cut first if they have high income and the school or district is experiencing budget cuts. The problem is the system we have now is protecting a lot of bad teachers. The system should be based more on the quality of a teacher rather than the measly three years they spend learning how to be a good teacher. I have had many teachers that have been at a school for twenty plus years that are not god teachers, but stay there because they completed three years of teaching. Three years is not enough time to say that a teacher is good enough to be a teacher for life.

The system is set up to cut the least experienced teachers first no matter what, but what if they are one of the good teachers that just haven’t received tenure yet? Teachers get job security based on length of employment. A new teacher that is an exceptional teacher and is well liked will be let go first while a mediocre teacher who has been there 20 plus years will not be cut solely on the length of their employment.

What if we had students go through this process, telling them that they can graduate as long as they have been going to school for a certain amount of years. There would be no grading or evaluation of the students just on their length as a student. Our education system would fall apart, including our society. The process of tenure needs to be evaluated and needs to be based on productivity and excellence not just years of teaching. To better our children’s education and have trust in our teachers, tenure needs to be based on quality not quantity.

Lets Get Outside!

Let’s Get Outside!

While the classroom is a  very important part of the education system another area has come into play. The outdoors! Anyone who has been in a classroom for long periods of time can most likely agree that being in the same building surrounded by walls can be tiring, but when the teacher says “We are going to have class outside today” the mood changes. Some of the most exciting times in a class as a child are when there has been class outside. The thought of getting out of the class room and into the fresh air is invigorating to students no matter the age.

There are multiple benefits to and outdoor style learning system. According to the article “Outdoor Learning: Education’s next revolution?” by Laura Smith  “The relationship between outdoor learning and motivation was notably documented by researchers Julie Athman and Martha Monroe. In a 2004 study comparing 400 students in environment-based education programs with students learning in traditional classrooms, the authors determined that environment-based education significantly raised motivation levels. The results of this study provide evidence of environment-based education’s ability to improve high school students’ achievement motivation and support its used in school reform efforts,” the study states.” With this being said I think there are substantial benefits to the process of outdoor learning.

Some benefits include:

• Confidence building
• Builds leadership skills
• Gives an optimistic outlook on learning
• Learn how to deal with risks  
• Exercise/Fresh air  

These factors can play a role in the rest of a student’s education. With the confidence and ability to deal with difficulties a student can complete tasks that a student without the outdoor learning background may not able to complete. All in all learning outside can be beneficial for the academic purpose, but mostly fun for the student. I strongly advise teachers to open those doors and get those students OUTSIDE!   

 

 

Top 3 Things That Should Be Involved In Every School Day

Top 3  Things That Should Be Involved In Every School Day

1. Designated reading time
   -literacy and learning skills are important to all children and students in there developmental years. Schools should designate parts of the day to reading. It has been said that reading can help you in many ways. According to “8 Benefits of Reading (or Ways Reading Makes You Better at Life)”  your vocabulary can improve your spelling. The site states that “Reading forces us to look at words that we might not have seen or heard recently at the pub. In fact, language in children’s books is likely to be more sophisticated than your average conversation.”  Including this reading time into the school day would benefit the student’s grades and self-confidence about reading.
    
2. Mental math time
   -Mental math time can be challenging but can really get your brain working. As a person who struggles with math, I know the feeling of not knowing simple math to do on more complicated problems. Having a time in the day to set aside all of your other work and focus on simple mental math can benefit your math skills in the future. According to the website The School Run mental math can be defined as “being able to give an answer to a math’s question after thinking about it, rather than making notes on paper, but in school mental math’s skills are expanded to include being able to truly understand math’s concepts and solve problems in a logical, methodical way.” Mental math will benefit students throughout there mathematic career, and provide confidence in their learning ability.  
    
3. Outdoor lessons
   -Some of the most enjoyable times in a child’s life are spent outside. There is something about running around in fresh air that is invigorating to a child. When a teacher decides to have a lesson take place outside joy comes to play for the students. Being outside for a lesson whether it be about nature or another subject is enjoyable (pending weather). According to the EnglishOutdoor Counsel there are multiple benefits to outdoor learning. These benefits include:

• Enhanced personal and social communication skills
• Increased physical health
• Enhanced mental and spiritual health
• Enhanced spiritual, sensory, and aesthetic awareness
• The ability to assert personal control and increased sensitivity to one's own well-being.

 

Sensitive Schools

In today’s society, schools seem to be so careful about what they chose to teach to the children in the classrooms. Religion is a major no, politics are a sensitive area, and sex education is barely touched upon. Teachers have to so closely watch what words come out of their mouth or next thing you know parents are calling into the school to complain about what their children are learning. This point brings me to a lingering question that I’ve been thinking about for a while now. Is it the school curriculum that is the problem, or is it the over protective parents that feel the need to interfere in every aspect of their child’s life?

Initially, I thought that it had a lot to do with the fact that we live in such a sheltered society that everything has to be politically correct. Growing up in this type of society I have always felt as though I have had to walk on eggshells when speaking not just in class, but in general as well, to make sure I don’t accidentally offend anyone. I think it is really tough to have a discussion in class when you have to monitor yourself so frequently to ensure that it is “school appropriate.” What is the point of having the conversation when you aren’t allowed to say what you actually feel?

After mulling it over some more, it occurred to me that part of the reason why schools are so subject sensitive is because of parents. As a child, you tend to see nothing wrong with your parents wanting to protect you from the words of others. However, as I grew older, I personally felt like I wanted to hear what others had to say, offensive or not. At the high school and college level, students know what hurts their feelings and what doesn’t. There is no need for parental intervention at the high school or even middle school level when it comes to touchy subject.

At this point I’m still unsure if the reasoning leans more towards putting blame on society or on the parents. It might even be a combination of the both. Either way, I disagree with schools monitoring every single thing that is discussed in the classroom, whether everyone likes it or not.

The Other Side of the Screen

It is so easy to say something mean to someone over the computer instead of face to face. People feel like they are safe and protected behind the screen. But in reality children do not care and they can be viscous over the internet. People say things and do not realize that what they say actually hurts people.

A fourteen year old named Trishia Prabhua had created software that will block cyber bullying from happening. She wants to help people to rethink what they about to post, to help people realize that what they say is hurtful. There are so many people on social media especially this day in age where it is so easy to get your hands on technology. Cyber bullying happens in all ages, but 40% of 12 to 18 years olds had admitted they would post offense messages on social media rather than older people. Based off of her research, 52% of people in the United States are being cyber bullied, 38% of those people have reported suicidal tendencies.

I believe schools should teach that things you say do hurt others. I think it has just been something people handle when the situation comes up and isn’t discussed before it happens. Teachers and parents should be proactive and teach different ways to talk to people. Instead of being negative they should be positive. I think that this software system will help children of all ages think about what they are saying before they post it.

I also think that teachers should focus more on helping children have the confidence to stand up for themselves. This could help eliminate some of the bullying issues people face. Also they should teach children that it is okay to tell someone if something bad happens to them. We should teach them it is important to help them know they will not get in trouble if they speak up. Help children to feel safe on the internet and off the internet.

"Rethink Before You Type" - Trisha Prabhu 

The Importance Between Pretend Play and Real Play with Guns

Some children talk a lot about guns and play a lot of pretends with their hands as guns. You see it everywhere not just in the classroom. I saw it today walking through a grocery store. When a child is playing games with their friends such as cops and robbers, some people tend to get nervous when they hear the play. Children do pretend to shoot people but it does not mean they are actually going to in real life. That is why you should supervises your child's play. So you can know the difference.

In society today, parents may not supervise the TV or video games their children are involved in. This means children are highly exposed to certain violent video games as well as shows. When children play they do copy what they see. So children do pretend to shoot people with guns. Although it is incident play, it becomes an issue when children know more information then you know. For example if they know certain kinds of guns or how they can get their hands on an actual gun.

You hear stories on the news on how children accidentally shooting relatives because they had a gun in their hand. Children do not actually know how to use it so it is important to keep guns in a locked safe and out of reach of children. This will save the lives of children and others around them.

Parents and guardians should watch what their children are watching or playing. A game could be innocent or it could be a real threat. If it a threat they child should get help. It is important to keep your child safe as well as others around them. 

Sneaking in School on the Go

With the holidays coming up it is easy for children to forget about school. For elementary school students they need to continuously keep up their, math, writing, science and reading skills over break. As parents it is easy to help your children during breaks. Here are 4 different ways you can help your children keep up with their studies:

1. Pretend to play school: The child would want to be the teacher at first but then you could give them math work sheets. Children love to play pretend. You can take advantage of keeping their imagination going.  
2. Read: Anytime you have down time you could read to your child. You could read to your child in the car while you are traveling to different family houses. Your child could also read independently before bed. It is important to help build your child’s vocabulary.
3. Cook together: An extra pair of hands in the kitchen is not a bad thing. Your child could help you cook and they could learn while doing it. Children learn by doing. Cooking involves math by measuring each ingredient. Also it could help with their vocabulary by reading the ingredients or reading from a cook book.
4. Homemade cards:  Grandparents and other family members would love to receive homemade cards. This would allow your child to be creative but also work on their writing skills.

Learning can be fun and hands on. Everything we do in our lives which involve math, writing, reading and science so we should encourage our children to do the same.  This will help with the child’s education as well as a bonding experience between the two of you.