dollar bills

I was not shocked when I read this article. It has been the main focus of most of my currins classes that, statistically speaking, minorities in this country are not getting the education that they need. The hidden curriculum is the biggest thing that has been talked about, and how it alienates people who do not have the same upbringing as the teacher. We preach about a "fair" education but when you really stop to think about it who is really getting the better education? The wealthy.

My alma matter just played against Milw. Washington in the state championship over the break in Madison, I learned a little bit about this school during the game. Oshkosh does not have the same "problems" as Milwaukee, but the Milw. Wash. team has a basketball court of lineolium and metal detectors at the doors. Oshkosh North has a state of the art new basketball court that is updated ever 1-2 years at the longest, and has just gotten a new computer lab. I know that sports are not the main point here, but education is, I do not know the graduation statistics for these two schools, but I would bet Oshkosh North graduates a higher percentage of their kids, and is a wealthier school.

That was a long anecdote about how wealthier schools have the capability of handling different needs for different people. People in America, generally speaking, do not care about the poor. The key to success is education, but many schools have been neglected because it is not economically sound to spend all of Milwaukees money on schools, so instead each school gets a little bit of money and if the school fails they get a little less money. Where as in the Whitefish Bay's and Oshkosh's of the world do not have to worry about supporting any more than 2 schools and can therefore afford to give out more money to one school.

Money, it makes the world go round.

yea, because that creates a the learning environment needed

Most kids hate going to school to begin with, but with the addition of over the top security measures, kids hate going to school even more. In order for poor students to gain access to a better life they need to have access to a good education, and they have to actually attend school in order to get an education. When these kids are turned off by seeing these metal detectors at the door that just scream "you can not be trusted" they want to go there even less. There is a time and a place for extra discipline in the school, it is either a military academy or private school, not public schools. In my infinite experience; the more you push someone into adapting your culture the farther they will go in the opposite direction to prove that they don't need someone to tell them what they should be. If there needs to be safety precautions then they should be taken, just not at the students expense. There should also not be more money spent on metal detectors and cameras in the hallway than on text books and other school supplies. Education = Success in order to get these kids education, we need to get them to school and no one wants to go somewhere they are not trusted.

You Should All Believe the Same Things as Me

I feel really good about our group project, because I feel really good about the people in my group. This is the umpteenth group project I have done and it won't be the last. I have not agreed with homework, ever, but if this is supposed to better my understanding of a subject then I can not argue about doing or not doing it. I like the way our group is approaching the subject and I feel confident that we will be able to bring all of our ideas together in a nice, neat, coherent presentation. The question that we have is quite difficult to answer because it is predicated upon an opinion, and those are the toughest questions to answer.

We will be answering "What texts and other curricular resources, supported by solid, educational research and theory, are available for Language Arts and Social Studies teacher to aid students in creating a positive self-identity and that will discourage the use of drugs, gang activity, and other destructive behaviors, often incited by peer pressure?"

The "experts" in this field are constantly changing their minds or flat out do not know what will discourage one person and not encourage another. There are just too many variables in and out of the school that factor into these children's decisions. We will do our best to persuade you into believing the people whom we have believed in.

My main hope for our project is that you do not fall asleep because we are so boring, beyond that it will be all gravy baby.