Educational Alternatives

To be able to close the achievement gap takes many paths and time. I don't think this is something that will happen over night, and new programs progress, we will see successes and failures. Not just a single program is the answer, I believe it takes many types and styles to fit the many types of learning and interests students have.

I am really excited to see America take on new schools and ways to help children learn. Not one school is perfect for every child no matter how well the school does. I believe that having many types of schools within the school district allows for healthy competition. This makes teachers and school district try even harder to make their schools desirable so students will stay and not drift off to other schools. It is inevitable this will happen, but rather than making so much controversy over this, I believe it would be in the school's best interest to cooperate with different schools, even private ones.

As I have mentioned, my children attend a charter school and my experience with this has been very positive. No school is perfect. That is the bottom line, but the local public school did not share the same values as I do in certain areas, where the charter school matched it much better. I wanted my children to go to a school where they are academically challenged, however character building and citizenship is important to me. The local school failed in this area, in my opinion, so the charter school was undoubtedly a better choice for us. I like the smaller atmosphere and that parent's voices are respected and heard. My children know most of the teachers in the school personally and they feel that they are important there.

Different schools are helpful in closing the achievement gap, but certain programs instilled within the public schools are very helpful too. Any curriculum or program that challenges students to apply what they have learned to real life has much benefit. I think standardized testing is good to make sure that schools are on the right track, but tests and real life are two completely different things. Doctors don't become good doctors by taking tests and writing papers about how they might do something. They have to have hands on experience, and many hours of it, before they are qualified to be doctors. This is true of many occupations. Teaching is one of them. If we give students opportunities to apply what they have learned, this will solidify their learning and I believe this will really start to close the achievement gap.

I think high expectations are a must. If we expect just barely passing grades, that is what we will see. I just heard a statement on the radio stating that people who have responsibilities and expectations for performance tend to do much better and be happier, more successful and achieve at higher levels then those who do not. The radio show also went on to explain a very simple study done at a nursing home on the east coast where one floor of residents were told they were going to have more choices and they could decide on what they wanted to do that week. They could also have a plant in their room, but they would be responsible for its care. The other floor of residents were told that there was some concern about whether or not people were happy with the current schedule and would be able to complain if they did not like the way things were going. Also, if they saw something that needed to be done, they should tell someone who worked there that it needed to be fixed. The people on the level where they had more freedom and responsibility had 75% improved health where the others declined. Also over 90% of the first residents reported feeling happy that month where only 30% of the other residents reported being happy.

Basically, the same principle applies to our children. If we continue to make programs that expect more of our students, they will want to achieve better and feel more self worth. This can be done in individual classrooms, even in the entire school doesn't have a particular program that is designed to help close the achievement gap.

My personal experience in education has been very positive. I had high expectations at home, and I believe that is what helped me a lot. However, when teacher didn't let me slack either, I didn't want to disappoint that teacher and I tried harder. When I felt like a teacher didn't really care how I did, I tended to not do as well.

I hope that America continues to search for better ways to teach. What is there now is great, but I still think there is room for improvement. I just hope the controversy with the different types of school, be them private or public, doesn't stifle the learning our children deserve.