Blog 2

As I read the 1^st two chapters of The Flat World and Education, I felt it offered some insights about possible solutions of educational problems and difficulties identified in the School – The Story of American Public Education.   I found that it addressed some of the issues and misunderstandings I had regarding apathetic attitudes towards education displayed by some people. 

As a teacher, I get frustrated and apathetic towards initiatives and quick fixes that do not address educational issues.  I can sympathize with students who are dealing with multiple sub level teachers year after year.  When I am required to attend workshops that are repetitive and do not meet my needs or interests, I tend to zone out and not fully engage in the “learning”.

I hear over and over people making a generalized statement that in a country as rich as ours there should not be awful school buildings and educational situations.  We have so many entities (federal, state, local) that pull money and utilize it in many different directions.  We are not cohesive in our direction of what and how to spend educational funds.  So ultimately we have lots of money, being spent randomly across the educational landscape.    On the drive back home we listened to the Harper School episodes on This American Life.  The school was at the end of receiving five years of extra funds.  It sounds like a lot had been done with the money ranging from facilities to supports for students.  One comment struck with me. Out of all previous “reform” efforts in this and other poverty stricken schools, this was the best one the interviewee had seen.  What was done differently than previous reform initiatives?  What made it the best reform he had seen?  What was reformed? The money was being pulled, what had it helped with? Did it matter how much money the school received, could it ever give these students higher educational opportunities?  What was the goal of the reform? Did the money really help address the core issues? Or was it just a symptom fix?  I saw that in response to the show, donations were being accepted to help support Harper.  I am very pleased about that (we are a nation full of caring individuals), but it leaves me feeling overwhelmed.  This one school is getting more help, but for how much longer? What about all the other schools across our nation that are in as much desperate need for resources?  Until our method of financing schools really makes schools equal, students in poverty schools will know that they are not valued.  If others do not care about their situation, why would they not be apathetic towards public education?

The issue of cultures being stereotyped and tracked into certain educational paths would also create an apathetic attitude.  If you know that no matter how hard you work to achieve, or if your other interests are not acknowledged or respected, why would you care about that system and what it values?  Generally we usually work to achieve more when interacting with people/systems that respects and support us as individuals.