Northpoint Horizons

Research Update: School Makes a Difference in America

2010-06-10T14:42:00.003-07:00

Few would disagree that effort and achievement are fundamental to our country’s leadership in the world. Yet, the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) studies show that, despite our efforts to raise academic standards, improve teacher quality, restructure schools, and provide quality curricula and materials, American students consistently score worse and study less than those in other highly-developed countries. How have we as parents, educators, and a culture reduced the significance of school and learning in the eyes of our children?

How do the cultural and social values of modern American society contribute to the erosion of academic effort? Competing American cultural values encourage students to spread their efforts over a variety of academic and non-academic activities. Both parents and teachers send mixed signals to students about the purpose of school. Our culture often steers students’ attention away from academic pursuits. Overscheduled teens are encouraged to pursue a wide variety of activities that compete with academics for their time and interest.

How do school policies and classroom practices limit student effort and achievement? With minimal effort high-ability students usually garner the most attention, receive the best grades, attain the highest test scores, and reap academic honors. Meanwhile, the efforts of the largest group of students, those with average ability, are often ignored. The labors of less-talented, low-ability, or disadvantaged students are seldom acknowledged. Too often, educators lower their expectations of them. When students who must work the hardest have the least incentive to do so, they become indifferent or disruptive.

What classroom practices undermine effort and achievement? For a variety of reasons some teachers fail to insist that their students work to their full potential. Some feel they are protecting students from failure; some simply cave in to pressure from parents, students or others. Some offer challenging work but then undercut expectations by bargaining with students or offering them an easy way out.

What can we do to instill the drive to succeed? How can we raise the amount and quality of academic effort and achievement? It is imperative that teachers, schools, and parents examine their policies and practices. We must begin early and work together to:

· Make academic effort and learning the highest priorities in every student’s life.

· Communicate the message to students early, consistently, and continually: A good education comes first; there is no future without it.

· Act to focus students’ attention on the learning that is critical to their future: Education is a life-long process; every student must develop the inner drive to learn.

· Define the skills all students must develop and all schools must teach: Academic success depends on knowing how to learn as well knowing what to learn;

· Remember that the best intentions will fail unless educators tap the efforts and abilities of all students.

Let’s Talk:

How are you, your school and parent organizations addressing the challenge of refocusing students on effort and achievement? Tell us about the results of your efforts.

Your Voice

2010-06-10T14:37:00.000-07:00

“My greatest personal reward is in the ability to use my teaching skills to reach beyond the classroom in ways I had never imagined.”

Kerri Elliott, Special Education Teacher

Antioch Community High School, Mundelein, IL

In 2008, two friends and I volunteered for an organization called Cross Cultural Solutions to spend four weeks teaching English at Kilimahewa Informal School in a rural area outside Moshi, Tanzania. Upon arriving in Tanzania, I was struck by the poverty and the need for help. I realized at once that, as an American, my “needs” are truly “wants.” I became convinced that I could help others attain their basic needs: food, water, shelter, and education. I fell in love with the children and families of the community and made a life commitment to assist them. I was determined to share with my American students the pride and spirit of this African community.

Following our first trip, we joined forces to appeal to school clubs, sports teams, and classes, church and business organizations, and others from our area. We held large fundraising events attracting people from surrounding communities. We returned to Tanzania the following summer to organize the school curriculum and management structure and purchase much-needed textbooks. We visited families and met with village leaders and government officials. We learned that many families could not afford fees to send their children to school. With very little rainfall and no water source in the village, the community of farmers barely made enough money to survive! We learned that teachers were not being paid; they were volunteering their time while their own families were struggling. We discovered that special needs students lacked services. We decided that when we returned home to America our new goals would be to raise funds to pay the teachers a modest stipend, to bring water to the village, and to start a family support group.

My teacher training has helped me in many ways. I was able to teach English to the children at Kilimahewa Informal School, and my teaching style helped reach students who struggle to learn in traditional classrooms. I was able to help families identify children with learning difficulties and teach parents strategies to help their children learn. I used my knowledge of curriculum development to work with teachers to develop a one-year curriculum for the school’s English, math, business, and communications programs and map out future curriculum development.

Rewards of these efforts and experiences come in many ways. My American students stay after school to build care packages for children they have never met. Large and small donations come from complete strangers, community and school groups, friends, and family members. Monthly notes and cards arrive from Tanzanian children, thanking us for helping their school. Priceless memories include hours of utter silence as each child in a classroom flipped through the pages of his or her own English textbook. I am witness to countless smiles of hope and joy in the face of hardship and struggle.

To learn more about Kerri’s project in Tanzania or to make a donation, visit:

http://projectkilimahewa.weebly.com or email: projectkilimahewa@gmail.com

2010-06-01T10:06:00.000-07:00

EVoice@NPH is now blogging!

Educators learn by talking with one another so EVoice@NPH has made the change to blog format. We invite EVoice readers to respond to articles by making comments, asking questions, and sharing information with other educators.

Ask questions of our EVoice Staff:

Guy Science, Admin Ada, Tina Tech, Eli ELL and Molly Math.

Also, look for opportunities here to WIN INTERVENTION PRODUCT for your classroom!

So let’s get the conversation started. Let’s talk.

2010-06-01T10:01:00.000-07:00

What’s Hot! Educate to Innovate

Oh, no, this is not the news we educators want to hear! Despite notable progress in math, the U.S. has failed to raise student achievement in science over the past decade. Results of the 2008 Trends in International Math and Science Study (TIMSS) assessment showed that students in the U.S. continue to rank in the middle of the pack in both math and science.

Because math and science ingenuity and innovation are essential to America’s economic leadership and success, American society must raise awareness of the importance of science, technology, engineering and math among educators, parents and students. Individual classrooms, schools, communities, government, businesses, and professional organizations must find new and creative methods of generating and maintaining student interest in these areas of study.

The “Educate to Innovate” campaign has been launched by the U.S. Department of Education to reaffirm our country’s commitment to math and science education. Three overarching priorities for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education include:

· Increase students’ critical thinking in math and science;

· Improve the quality of math and science teaching through teacher training, professional development and collaborative tools;

· Expand education and career opportunities for under-represented groups, including women and minorities.

STEM education requires the participation of many elements of society, including governors, philanthropists, scientists, engineers, educators, and the private sector. Partnerships with with private corporations and non-profit organizations have made a combined commitment of over $260m in public-private financial support to STEM education.

“Inspiring and training a new generation to excel in science, technology, engineering, and math is critical to America’s health, security, and energy future.” President Obama

Let’s Talk:

What efforts are being made to raise awareness and inspire students’ interest in science, technology, engineering, and math in your school? What are you doing? What are your school and your community doing about it? How’s that working out?