Read First Impact

http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2008/11/11192008.html In this article U.S. Secretary of Education discuss the success of the “Read First” program which was implemented to help 1st- 3rd graders to read better. In this article the success have been that the students of this program has progress in three of the five components in reading. The three area that made progress are de-coding, fluency and phonics which is great. But this program did not make any progress in comprehension another component in reading. So my question is do we label this Read First program as successful? My concerns are that its great that the students are able to recognize words and are able to read them but what good is that if they can not comprehend what they have read. I think that the Read First program is a great stepping stone but I think that it needs to be revised. I read in another article that this program cost $6 million to have in just 13 states.  $6 million in 13 states what about the other 37 states how much will that cost. But my bigger question why after 6 million dollars why can’t they comprehend? The only other good thing out of this program is that teachers have found  good practices that teaches student how to recognize words but that is not enough.

Becoming adept at code-switching

In this article becoming Adept at Code-Switching http://firstsearch.oclc.org.proxy.lib.wayne.edu/WebZ/FSQUERY?sessionid=fsapp10-56545-fno39lyp-hxshpq:entitypagenum=6:0:numrecs=1:searchtype=locateFT:tdbname=WilsonSelectPlus_FT:query0=sc%3d%220013-1784+200804+65+7+54+BAAC+%3F%22:format=BI:entityfttoprecno=19:next=NEXTCMD%7FFTFETCH:rule=0:tdbname=WilsonSelectPlus_FT:issuesici=0013-1784+2008+65+7:fetchtype=fulltext:tdisplaydbname=WilsonSelectPlus_FT:thirdpartydbid=4:isbillable=TRUE:isdirectarticle=FALSE:numrecs=1:format=BI:ftformat=PDF:entityemailfullrecno=19:entityrecno=19:entityemailfullresultset=2:entityemailftfrom=WilsonSelectPlus_FT:%7F Rebbecca Wheeler  tells a story of a student that was held back a grade because her previous teacher thought that she could not read or write. Wheeler states that her previous teacher did not understand African American Dialect which in turn labeled the student as below her reading and writing level. Wheeler describes this happening to many African American students. She states that these students who speak or write in such dialects are just as smart or maybe smarter as those who uses the “correct” language. She says that these students are capable of passing standardize test if shown how to code switch. In this article she also gives a models in which she feel is key to helping African American student succeed in school and standardize test.

I’m not sure if i can see how schools or teachers don’t understand or know that there are difference in ways different races speak. The difference between dialects among African Americans and Standard American English has been present for centuries so I don’t understand how some can just decide that students who speak in a that dialect is not smart or is illiterate. I would think that if a teacher was to get hired to work in a predominately African American school district they would take in consideration to learn or try to figure they way the students speak or write. As a future English Teacher, If I was to work in a city or area where students spoke in a dialect other the the Standard American English I would try to understand  their dialect and try to find away to teach them how to be able to use their language and the standard language. I would never try to take their language away from them because I feels it is a part of their identity. Like Wheeler I would teach them how to function using code switching. In all I think it is unfair that although the dialect of different cultures can be consider “wrong” when held up to Standard American English. These dialects are just a intricate and have rules just like Standard American English. So in that respect I think that these dialects should not be disregarded but used as aids to help students learn.

Key to Stemming High-School Dropouts: Parents

In this article http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/1027/p02s01-usgn.html Key to Stemming High-School Dropouts: Parents, the idea that communication between schools and parents in low -income schools is the key factors to preventing students dropping out. In this article the myth that low-income parent don’t value education or don’t want to be further engaged by the schools is countered. In this article it suggest that the dropout rate may be  higher in low- income schools because schools don’t notify parent when student are absent or doing poorly in school. Also that schools don’t require parents to be involved in their child’s education in high school. Once in high school many parents believe that their volunteering and participation is no longer needed.

I agree that there need to be a great deal of communication between schools and parents and parents to students. I think that in low-income schools there is not enough money in the budget or resources for schools to notify parents every time a student is absent.  I think that there should be a way that parents are kept up to date in their child’s schooling, be it attendance, grades or behavior. I think in efforts to kept parents informed progress report should be mailed to parents every semester also I think that schools should use the Internet as a way to keep in contact with parents.

 I think that in lower-income schools parents can not participate in their child’s school activities because of work obligations. In instances where it is a single parent home finding time to participate is hard because of work obligations. Because of work obligations many parents just don’t have the time to participate. I am not using work as an excuse for parents not ever going to a parent teacher conference or being involved but this is a reason why parent are not active in schools.

i think another big issue is that both parent and student think that high school is the age where participation in not needed. Many children believe that they are too old or cool to have their parents volunteer or or participate in their schools. As parents think that their child is too old to have their involvement. so because of these ideologies many parents fall into the background.

In the article it states that parents said “they were not notified about their child attendence or grades by schools” but i ask did the [arent put forth effort to learn about their child atendence and acdemics? so in all I think that there should be an effort between both parents and schools to make sure that students are achieving in school.

Educators focus attention on ninth-graders’ transition to high school

I found this article in the Los Angles Times http://www.latimes.com/news/education/la-me-ninth15-2008sep15,0,5315353.story?track=rss  this articles discuss several school’s efforts to help incoming ninth graders to transiton to high school easier to lower drop out rates.

This articles states that ninth grade determines a student’s success in high school. If a student does poorly in the first year of school they are likely to drop out of high school for the 10th grade. The idea of building ninth grade schools or have programs to help ninth graders adjust.

I think that this is a great idea. i think that helping incoming ninth grader adjust to high school will definitely curve the dropout rate among ninth graders. At the age of these ninth graders so much is going on with them physically and mentally because of the effects puberity that extra guidance and attention can help the transition. I do think this could be costly and maybe hard to implement in all school districts but I think that this could work. I would think that in this effort student, teachers and administrators will work together more closely to assure that student achieve and adjust so they will continue through school. My one question is what happens when they enter the tenth grade? How are they introduce to the tenth grade without the support of the teacher and administration they previouslyhad? Would that be the same as entering the ninth grade but in the tenth grade? How would that transition work?  I think that these efforts are great and should be tested and possibly adopted, but I think it need work on how to make sure that student are not only getting the attention they need but also the things they need for academic success

What is America Getting from Its Investmentsin Education?

What is America getting from it investment in education? Good question? But, no real answer. This article http://www.heritage.org/Research/Education/ednotes104.cfm discusses the notion that money is not the solution to academic achievement, it is family structure that determines success. The author suggest that it does not matter how much money a state or government spend on education, but, the child’s family structure. So if the family is not solid than that child will more than likely drop out of school.

I have mixed feeling about this article. i truly believe that money and family is need for children to succeed in school, but i think more is needed.  The stats this writer used is a little bias to conclude that family structure is what is needed. I noticed that all the stats that were posted was that of inner cities that were mostly African American. I think that the writer should have thought about other factors besides family structure or possibly us stats from suburban cities as well. There are so many more factors that can contribute to the failure of students in inner cities that family structure can only help so much towards the success of a student. I do think that having a good family foundation is a plus but, it does not solve every issue, I think it is a start. I really can not say what could solve the dropout rate of students, but family  structure is just a piece of the  massive jig saw puzzle. 

Money is a huge factor when it come to schooling. Money affects so much in schooling that it can not be ignored.  Money is needed for the upkeep of schools, its needed for books and supplies,its needed to  fund programs in schools and so much more. In this article she mention Detroit and how much money each student receives there and Detroit’s graduation rate but she did not mention the other surrounding cities gets roughly $7,000 more.   nor did she incIude the finance of othe surrounding cities. I think the writer was saying that families in the inner city can not produce children that are academically successful. So if these  surburbs outside of Detroit and other urban cities  are have a better family structure, than why do they need so much money? In all I think that is has more to do than money and family.

School Attendance Law “Gone Awry”

This article discuss the challenges of meeting the ‘No Child Left Behind’ standards. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/13/AR2008101302863.html?nav=rss_educationThis article focuses on a  Kensington Special Education Center in Washington. This particular school in 2006 and 2007 was failing according to the federal law for low test score. This year the Kensington school has meet the requirements for reading and math but not is being sanctioned for poor attendance.

Kensington’s principle Stephen Knolls has been on the states list for under performing schools because of the attendance situations the center. The sad thing about this situation is that students with disabilities are getting caught up in political of the federal No child Left Behind law. under this law schools must show improvements in test scores, attendance and graduation rates for all students and groups or students including those who receive special education.  Because many of the students have conditions such as cerebralpalsy, spina bifida, Rett syndrome, and severe physical and cognitive disabilities students have legitimate reasons for not to show up to school. Some students may be going to medical specialist having lab work done, being hospitalized or ill causing them to miss days of school.

When reading this article i though about how the No Child Left Behind law is flawed in its design. I understand that the intentions are to better educate students and set standards in an education which all students should be receiving. But i think that the way they are going about reaching these goals and standards are not fair.  In this situation it show a school who is willing to meet the requirements on the federal law but are being sanctioned for a situation that is beyond anyone controls. I do beleive that is important that the student at Kensington received an education that is granted to the general education student but since that have more needs one being medical in think that the attendance part of the law should be overlooked. I think that the state and federal officals should focus more on the progress of the students reading and math rather then attenance in these cases.

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