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Thursday, Dec. 30, 2010 | 2 a.m.
Ashley Martinez of Green Valley High School
A major issue that was brought up was to what extent others are responsible for our education. We posed questions such as “Should parents be held more accountable for the attendance and behavior of their child?” and “Would higher teacher salaries produce higher-quality teachers?”
Regarding the first question, here is the solution we developed: It is unjust to hold parents responsible for a student’s attendance because it is ultimately the student’s decision to go to school. A child may be driven to school by a parent, but after this step is taken, it is up to the student as to whether he or she stays at school and attends classes.
However, it is the parents’ duty to guide their child toward making correct and beneficial decisions, but this is all that should be expected from them. Therefore, the best way to prepare a child for the real world is through the lessons he or she is taught.
School provides students with the basic knowledge they need to survive in life, and so it is encouraged that students attend school for this purpose. It must also be understood that every individual learns differently.
Teachers should use audio, visual and tactical techniques to reach every section of the student population. Most important, the teachers must care.
We live in a time of laziness, which has largely been encouraged by our technological advancements. Because of this many students lack the motivation to even try, and it is only through the encouragement of teachers that they succeed.
Unfortunately, we seem to have few motivated teachers today, and increasing payment will do little to improve this. Teachers are evaluated every year, but many are able to bypass punishment by “improving their game.”
Salaries should be increased based on a teacher’s outstanding achievement, which should be judged by a student evaluation rather than an administrator, because students blend in with the crowd, so the instructor won’t know the evaluation is occurring.
On the issue of extracurricular activities, the main problem with them is that although many pupils wish to become involved, they are unable to do so. Some activities take place after school and some students require a bus for transportation home — and there are no late after-school buses at most high schools in Clark County.
Another issue that harms extracurricular activities is the seeming inequity with which the budget is spent. Many students in our room pointed out that most of their school’s funding tends to go toward their school’s most popular sports teams, even if those teams don’t have such wonderful records. This takes away from the quality of all other programs.
School spirit was also seen as contributing to good behavior and for instigating a desire in students to attend school.
On the subject of what content should be taught in class and the best way to test a student’s abilities, we came up with a couple of suggestions, one of them being: Teachers should be allowed to use PG-13 movies to assist in their lesson plans.
High school students are usually older than 13, and a lot of the books read in class are more graphic than the movies teachers wish to present. However, they cannot become dependent on videos and must seek approval from their advisers before showing films.
Teachers must also provide the opportunity for students to leave the classroom during films if they feel uncomfortable. These students can then seek help, at a later time, from their teacher to gain a lectured version of the material that was presented visually.
I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to speak my mind, to let my opinions be known, and to hear the opinions of others. It is my greatest hope that I have fairly represented the peers in my room to the best of my ability as we look forward to a brighter tomorrow.
Ashley, you look out your window and see vandals slicing your tires and spray-painting your car windows.
Then a drunk driver side-swipes your car, as a flock of birds overhead drops deposits on it.
Running from the police, terrorists use your car, as cover, as they exchange gunfire with the police.
Then you hear an explosion from above.
As you look up, you see an airplane falling out of the sky onto what?...you guessed it...your car!
I just gave you, what is called...a "hunter visual" analogy for effect.
To completely restore your seriously abused automobile would be easier, than overhauling the educational system...and considerably cheaper.
To be more specific (and not just really funny, right?), the learning process for children and young adults has been compromised by the military, corporate interests and politicians with "educational overlays."
With valuable, VALID information, such as math, sciences and language studies (forget civics and history distortions...see George Washington & his cherry tree story fabrication) comes behavioral control "programming" that cripples your personal identity and intellectual evolutionary growth...ALL the way through adulthood.
In other words, adults' delusional and selfish priorities come first, second and all the way to the bottom of their priority list.
This "automation of the young mind" process has been perfected by the generations prior to your generation.
Blind obedience & subservience to your "superiors" dilutes and often completely REMOVES your decision-making process.
I have a file (a box actually) on abused children victimized by this commercial "saturation bombing" of the educational system.
It's called...Priority Level Zero: "the Children Zone"
See what I mean about putting your car in the repair shop, Ashley?
Dear Mr. Carper,
I understand your statement, but quite frankly it is one that cannot nor should it be related to such an important topic that is education. You speak in a viewpoint that it is always best to take the easier route in life no matter where it may lead you, for the work that it would require to fix an object that is almost completely destroyed to pieces of rubble is far too great a task. I don't mean to be rude sir, but that viewpoint is defined as laziness. This is the exact point I made in my article above. I quote myself sir by saying, "We live in a time of laziness, which has largely been encouraged by our technological advancements. "
What you have read above is the discussion that my peers have formed together, a communal decision. If you would like to know my opinion in as few words as possible, here it is: people need to start caring or nothing will ever happen to improve our education.
Let me ask you this, Would any soul dispose of something valuable to his or her life? Would they dispose of the last memory of his or her relatives? Would they willingly toss an item that has been with them as long as they can remember, and that reminds them of an emotionally meaningful memory just because it would be easier to replace that item rather than repair it? I'm sorry to ruin your argument sir, but the answer is NO. You draw your results based on the fact that the easier route is always the best route, but education is not a worthless, unnecessary item; it's a priveledge. We live in a world that relies on education in order to survive. You can not simply toss out the current education system for a more beneficial one. You know why? It's because you would be harming the education of those currently involved. A student could be on his or her third year of high school and to have the education system wiped cleaned and replaced would instal new requirements for the student to graduate, requirements that they might not be able to achieve in order to graduate on time.
to be continued.....
continued...
We also don't have the money to start a new. Simple adjustments that require little funding is a better alternative. When it all comes down to it sir, the only answer to a problem such as education is for those involved to start to care. This costs absolutely NOTHING! The only thing required to get people to care is to make it known to them that their education really does make a difference in their lives and in this world. Unfortunely, the status quo involves far too many people realizing this point too late in their lives and regretting the fact that they didn't care about their education to begin with. Many of them don't have the option to go back and finish gaining the necessary knowledge either due to the situation they may be in.
You assume sir that I have not thought the educational process through. I am sorry to inform you sir, that I am forced to do that everyday. I am one of those children who has to fight for their education and I have willingly done so for my entire high school career and prior. You do not know me, you do not know the voices of the high school students in Nevada, and you do not know the tears that fall upon the faces of children everywhere. Until you take this viewpoint from a student who is lost in a world of financial debt where the last place money is directed is to the next generation's education, you cannot understand. I speak only honest words sir, so please feel free to attack any argument I have made, I welcome it because with argumentation comes a learning opportunity.
I would also like to point out sir that my article was originally written for another source and was actually 1600 words. If you would like to read the article in its entirety I'd be more than happy to email it to you.
Have a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
Ashley Elizabeth Martinez
One more thing Mr. Carper.
At the Sun Youth Forum, many students chose to discuss "school days" because they thought it was the easiest. The reality is that it's one of the most difficult topics to discuss due to the fact that there will never be one correct answer to improving our education system. This is why I chose to discuss it because no matter how hard we try, no single answer will exist, but many ideas for improvement can be made.
Ashley...very heartfelt.
If you will...please send your 1600-word essay to breakoutbegins@aol.com
and I will read it thoroughly.
Unlike other adults, (I'm still about 10 years old...emotionally LOL) I will give a meaningful response.
Though my "inner child" rules, my adult side has been paying very close attention to the world and the educational corruption.
Bruce (not sir or Mr. Carper) LOL