In this class, I learned that the education system is screwed up beyond repair, the deck is stacked against any one outside of the suburbs, and I better pray nightly to make sure I don't end up getting placed in an urban school...
Obviously, I'm joking. This class was very interesting overall, and perhaps the thing I'll take away most is all of the encouraging stories of students from urban areas. I know the system is flawed. I hadn't really looked at it from an educational standpoint, but as an Economics major, I studied a lot of public finance, and the inequity is pretty blatant. But I really enjoyed hearing stories of people who overcome those inequities and are able to make the most of their academic opportunities. Because honestly, that's what life is about. We're never going to have an equal system. There are the "haves," and there are the "have nots," and it will always be like that. All we can do is try to make the most with what we're given. I don't want to use the "when life gives you lemons..." cliche, but the point is, we do what we can.
Granted, it's frustrating how little we can actually do. Anyon's book, which I loved (I'm a numbers guy), called for a total revolution. Fructher pointed out how to integrate educational and community movements. The sad reality is, I really don't think there are enough people with influence who want to fight this battle. I don't see much changing. But that isn't an excuse to get downhearted. People in urban areas may have disadvantages from a socioeconomic and educational standpoint, but they can be overcome. I look at my father, who grew up poor in Burlington, and how he managed to make it to an Ivy League school and provide a great life for his family. It's certainly not easy, but it's doable, and if educators have the proper mindset and can instill confidence in their students, we'll see more success stories from the poorest of districts.
As for what could have been done differently... honestly, I can't even assess a class that's crammed into 4 weeks. It's just so different from a normal class. I will say, though, that I was a bit disappointed we never got to go on that field trip to an urban high school. It's understandable, considering the time of year, but I was looking forward to that.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Final Project Reflection
After completing our project on school funding and student achievement, I'm left with a pretty empty feeling. The districts we compared are not even close to the differences in other districts. I keep thinking back to my old school giving laptops to each student, and how about 10-12 miles from my high school, in the same county, is Garfield, which is an Abbott District.
The funding inequities are mind boggling. But realistically, it's not a surprise. That's how our country is. We're capitalist, after all. We don't subscribe to making everything equal. That's Socialist... that's been evil for 60 years. We're bound to find inequality everywhere we look in America.
I'm not even going to try and understand the underlying political issues. Bottom line is, I'm not a very political person. Every administration is imperfect, because every human is imperfect. The concept of education being a "zero-sum" game, which was mentioned in the Fructher book, is kind of a microcosm of our entire society. It seems like for every gain, there is an equal loss somewhere else. So, I don't think politicians are actively trying to ruin education in urban areas. They just choose not to fight those battles. I'm sure part of the reason is the "zero sum" analysis (afraid of taking resources away from the economically elite), but I'm sure there are other underlying issues. It's not as simple as "free up more money for education." Nothing in this system is that simple.
Anyon's proposals of revenue sharing, increased taxes, etc., are great in theory. Who knows how they will work in practice? Heck, when I was studying Economics as an undergraduate at Boston College, a lot of things sounded great in theory, whether it was monetary or fiscal policy changes, environmental policy, or many other things. The fact is, we don't know how any of this will turn out, if ever implemented. But again, that's kind of the way this system works. We're too big a country to perfectly predict how any political action will resonate throughout the country. And factor in the probability of something working over a long period of time... it's downright impossible to know how anything will turn out.
But the sad thing is, we're playing with the lives of children. There have been a lot of changes in school funding, many seeming rather experimental, and that's the way most economic policy works. But when the stakes are the future of America's children, it makes the uncertainty so much more unbearable.
The funding inequities are mind boggling. But realistically, it's not a surprise. That's how our country is. We're capitalist, after all. We don't subscribe to making everything equal. That's Socialist... that's been evil for 60 years. We're bound to find inequality everywhere we look in America.
I'm not even going to try and understand the underlying political issues. Bottom line is, I'm not a very political person. Every administration is imperfect, because every human is imperfect. The concept of education being a "zero-sum" game, which was mentioned in the Fructher book, is kind of a microcosm of our entire society. It seems like for every gain, there is an equal loss somewhere else. So, I don't think politicians are actively trying to ruin education in urban areas. They just choose not to fight those battles. I'm sure part of the reason is the "zero sum" analysis (afraid of taking resources away from the economically elite), but I'm sure there are other underlying issues. It's not as simple as "free up more money for education." Nothing in this system is that simple.
Anyon's proposals of revenue sharing, increased taxes, etc., are great in theory. Who knows how they will work in practice? Heck, when I was studying Economics as an undergraduate at Boston College, a lot of things sounded great in theory, whether it was monetary or fiscal policy changes, environmental policy, or many other things. The fact is, we don't know how any of this will turn out, if ever implemented. But again, that's kind of the way this system works. We're too big a country to perfectly predict how any political action will resonate throughout the country. And factor in the probability of something working over a long period of time... it's downright impossible to know how anything will turn out.
But the sad thing is, we're playing with the lives of children. There have been a lot of changes in school funding, many seeming rather experimental, and that's the way most economic policy works. But when the stakes are the future of America's children, it makes the uncertainty so much more unbearable.
Blackness in 5th Grade
In Spectacular Things Happen Along the Way, a lot of the abilities of the children surprised me. I'm sure it surprised most readers. The type of information they collected, the way they analyzed it... all of these things are very impressive for 5th graders. But it wasn't their ability to perform these tasks that jumped out at me the most. It was their insight.
One of the students, when the class was preparing questions for an interview with a Reverend, wondered if he would be allowed to ask whether the students' "blackness" was a reason they did not get a new school. That kind of social critique is incredibly profound for a 5th grader.
I know when I was growing up, issues of race or class were never discussed in class. We were happy in our affluent, predominately White neighborhood, and never mentioned class differences until at least freshman year of high school. My sister and I were the only black kids in our middle school, and we never wondered why. It never occurred to us that our father made more money than most African Americans. We never connected race to class or opportunity. It just wasn't how we thought... and it sure wasn't going to be brought up in an actual lesson plan.
It's interesting to see a 10 year old already making connections to race and privilege. And according to the author, that mentality was commonplace in class. That kind of mature perspective is impressive, but I have to wonder if it's a positive thing. On one hand, I find it disturbing that children so young are already connecting their misfortune with the color of their skin. On the other hand, why shield them from a harsh truth that they will have to learn eventually? I guess I still have mixed feelings about it.
One of the students, when the class was preparing questions for an interview with a Reverend, wondered if he would be allowed to ask whether the students' "blackness" was a reason they did not get a new school. That kind of social critique is incredibly profound for a 5th grader.
I know when I was growing up, issues of race or class were never discussed in class. We were happy in our affluent, predominately White neighborhood, and never mentioned class differences until at least freshman year of high school. My sister and I were the only black kids in our middle school, and we never wondered why. It never occurred to us that our father made more money than most African Americans. We never connected race to class or opportunity. It just wasn't how we thought... and it sure wasn't going to be brought up in an actual lesson plan.
It's interesting to see a 10 year old already making connections to race and privilege. And according to the author, that mentality was commonplace in class. That kind of mature perspective is impressive, but I have to wonder if it's a positive thing. On one hand, I find it disturbing that children so young are already connecting their misfortune with the color of their skin. On the other hand, why shield them from a harsh truth that they will have to learn eventually? I guess I still have mixed feelings about it.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Culturally Relevant Curriculum
Initially, the research topic my group wanted to investigate for our project was implementing a culturally responsive and relevant curriculum. When our group fist met in class, not everyone knew what we were talking about. After all, it was a group of 6, about double the size that we initially thought. The best way to explain what we were trying to do was to reference the song "They School" by Dead Prez that we had just heard in class a few days prior. Specifically, the section where the rappers talk about why they aren't learning things that could benefit their community, such as how to combat the drug problem in the streets. Eventually, we changed topics, believing that a topic so vast was not conducive to the 4 week class session.
The first chapter of Spectacular Things Happen Along the Way certainly would have been pertinent to that project. I can picture how lively the students were when naming problems with their community and school... much more enthusiastic than they probably would have been if they were naming English monarchs. Allowing these students to discuss issues they have actual experience with and knowledge about instills immeasurable confidence in them. The idea that the students were looking forward to continuing that discussion in future class periods alone is a testament to the effectiveness of the lesson. Their involvement in the project itself, which included them writing letters to school officials and even reading books that were "beyond their reading level and aptitude" was very encouraging.
As the author brought out early in the book, many times the media focuses only on the dangers of these areas: the poverty, the drugs, the violence, etc. The story of the children is rarely told. Cases like this are reminders of why the topic of culturally relevant curriculum interested me in the first place.
The first chapter of Spectacular Things Happen Along the Way certainly would have been pertinent to that project. I can picture how lively the students were when naming problems with their community and school... much more enthusiastic than they probably would have been if they were naming English monarchs. Allowing these students to discuss issues they have actual experience with and knowledge about instills immeasurable confidence in them. The idea that the students were looking forward to continuing that discussion in future class periods alone is a testament to the effectiveness of the lesson. Their involvement in the project itself, which included them writing letters to school officials and even reading books that were "beyond their reading level and aptitude" was very encouraging.
As the author brought out early in the book, many times the media focuses only on the dangers of these areas: the poverty, the drugs, the violence, etc. The story of the children is rarely told. Cases like this are reminders of why the topic of culturally relevant curriculum interested me in the first place.
Homer's Philosophy on Statistics
"People can come up with statistics to prove anything, Kent. Forty percent of all people know that." - Homer Simpson
When Homer said that, he was trying to combat the evidence that the neighborhood watch program he was in charge of was having a negative impact on Springfield. It was obviously meant as a joke. It was a line that was supposed to be vintage Homer stupidity and ignorance. But the more studies I read, the more I realize how accurate it is. People can come up with statistics to prove anything. If they make certain assumptions and ignore certain variables, it's easy for people to design studies that validate whatever they want.
At the end of the article School Resources and Student Achievement, the authors, after analyzing data that positively correlates resources to achievement, make the observation that their data may be seen as "merely confirming the obvious." And honestly, I'm one of those people who thought that. I thought it was clear that school resources have an impact on student achievement, and this study was just confirming that.
However, there are studies out there that contradict this evidence. Several studies done by Eric Hanushek concluded that there was no impact, and statistically, these studies were sound. Those who have since criticized Hanushek's work have noted that flaws in Hanushek's logic or data collection have created conclusions that are not actually true.
We've all heard the notion that "numbers don't lie," but in fact, when put in certain contexts, it's pretty easy to have two (or even more) completely contradictory studies on the same topic. It's a reminder that we shouldn't be swayed simply by numbers. We have to fully understand and question the methodology behind them.
When Homer said that, he was trying to combat the evidence that the neighborhood watch program he was in charge of was having a negative impact on Springfield. It was obviously meant as a joke. It was a line that was supposed to be vintage Homer stupidity and ignorance. But the more studies I read, the more I realize how accurate it is. People can come up with statistics to prove anything. If they make certain assumptions and ignore certain variables, it's easy for people to design studies that validate whatever they want.
At the end of the article School Resources and Student Achievement, the authors, after analyzing data that positively correlates resources to achievement, make the observation that their data may be seen as "merely confirming the obvious." And honestly, I'm one of those people who thought that. I thought it was clear that school resources have an impact on student achievement, and this study was just confirming that.
However, there are studies out there that contradict this evidence. Several studies done by Eric Hanushek concluded that there was no impact, and statistically, these studies were sound. Those who have since criticized Hanushek's work have noted that flaws in Hanushek's logic or data collection have created conclusions that are not actually true.
We've all heard the notion that "numbers don't lie," but in fact, when put in certain contexts, it's pretty easy to have two (or even more) completely contradictory studies on the same topic. It's a reminder that we shouldn't be swayed simply by numbers. We have to fully understand and question the methodology behind them.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Rod Paige: Behaviorist?
When we discussed Rod Paige's comments about how "all children can learn," putting blame for failure entirely on teachers not doing their jobs, I couldn't help but think of some of BF Skinner's work on behaviorism.
Obviously, the focal point of behavioral learning theory deals with reinforcement, but the underlying belief of Skinner's was that students can learn anything. Skinner said something along the lines of "give me a student and I'll shape him into anything" (I can't find the exact quote from my Educational Psychology notes, but I found that quote online), essentially disregarding any innate differences in children and believing they can be shaped into whatever the teacher desires. It is implied that, if a teacher wants their students to learn and apply knowledge, that teacher could get the desired behaviors from their students. If those students do not exhibit the desired behaviors, it was the fault of the teacher. This is what Skinner's most ardent followers believed: if a student wasn't learning, a teacher wasn't teaching.
I wonder if Paige subscribed to Skinner's school of thought. After all, Skinner was a very influential thinker in the 20th century. Although behavioral learning theory, in its purest form, has been criticized severely over the decades, I'm curious if any of the core concepts were sources of inspiration for Paige's beliefs on education.
Obviously, the focal point of behavioral learning theory deals with reinforcement, but the underlying belief of Skinner's was that students can learn anything. Skinner said something along the lines of "give me a student and I'll shape him into anything" (I can't find the exact quote from my Educational Psychology notes, but I found that quote online), essentially disregarding any innate differences in children and believing they can be shaped into whatever the teacher desires. It is implied that, if a teacher wants their students to learn and apply knowledge, that teacher could get the desired behaviors from their students. If those students do not exhibit the desired behaviors, it was the fault of the teacher. This is what Skinner's most ardent followers believed: if a student wasn't learning, a teacher wasn't teaching.
I wonder if Paige subscribed to Skinner's school of thought. After all, Skinner was a very influential thinker in the 20th century. Although behavioral learning theory, in its purest form, has been criticized severely over the decades, I'm curious if any of the core concepts were sources of inspiration for Paige's beliefs on education.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Fruchter and NCLB
Some of the information in Fruchter's book on No Child Left Behind was pretty sobering, such as how the additional funding the law requires has not been allocated. But the part that was most interesting to me was the potential of NCLB to actually widen the achievement gap. The author brings out how students in urban settings tend to perform worse on standardized tests. Since teachers are held accountable, those low test scores could give good teachers more motivation to avoid poor, urban areas, in favor of the more affluent. So diverse schools are left with worse teachers, who can't prepare their students adequately for tests, and less money to provide resources to help their students' achievement. The scores remain low, and the gap never narrows.
Another thing I found interesting was the point about how pressure to reach Adequately Yearly Progress could motivate schools to push students out who are likely to fail. It reminded me of a recent episode of The Simpsons, where Superintendent Chalmers and Principal Skinner concocted an elaborate plan to make sure some of the less intelligent students (Bart, the bullies, Ralph Wiggum) were not around during state mandated standardized tests, so that their probable low scores wouldn't cause Springfield Elementary to lose their federal funding (of course, Simpsons fans are aware of the running gag that Springfield Elementary is very poorly funded, whether it was their cafeteria serving "malk" instead of "milk," or the auditorium being bulldozed into a mini-mart after budget cuts forced them to cancel art, music, and dance). Chalmers' anxiety about the test seemed unreasonable, but The Simpsons tends to satirize with hyperbole. Apparently, those kinds of actions aren't THAT far-fetched, as struggling schools will try desperate measures so that they don't fall further behind. When events in The Simpsons don't seem outrageous any more, I think it's safe to say we're living in scary times.
Another thing I found interesting was the point about how pressure to reach Adequately Yearly Progress could motivate schools to push students out who are likely to fail. It reminded me of a recent episode of The Simpsons, where Superintendent Chalmers and Principal Skinner concocted an elaborate plan to make sure some of the less intelligent students (Bart, the bullies, Ralph Wiggum) were not around during state mandated standardized tests, so that their probable low scores wouldn't cause Springfield Elementary to lose their federal funding (of course, Simpsons fans are aware of the running gag that Springfield Elementary is very poorly funded, whether it was their cafeteria serving "malk" instead of "milk," or the auditorium being bulldozed into a mini-mart after budget cuts forced them to cancel art, music, and dance). Chalmers' anxiety about the test seemed unreasonable, but The Simpsons tends to satirize with hyperbole. Apparently, those kinds of actions aren't THAT far-fetched, as struggling schools will try desperate measures so that they don't fall further behind. When events in The Simpsons don't seem outrageous any more, I think it's safe to say we're living in scary times.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Annotated Bibliography
1. Mahoney, Joseph L. and Cairns, Robert B. (1997). Do Extracurricular Activities Protect Against Early School Dropout. Developmental Psychology Vol. 33 (2).
Link: http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.montclair.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=9711153633&site=ehost-live
Article details study of several hundred students from 7th through 12th grade and how extracurricular activities impacted whether or not they dropped out. Can be used in our paper because we can point out discrepancies in the amount of money allocated for extracurricular activities in different districts, and the impact that could have on students. Developmental Psychology journal is published by the American Psychological Association, and the authors of this particular article are professors at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.
2. Hanushek, Eric. (1989). The Impact of Differential Expenditures on School Performance. Educational Researcher Vol. 18
Article details a study done that actually downplays the impact resources have on school performance. I found the article in the book "Does money matter?: the effect of school resources on student achievement and adult success" by Gary Burtless, which is a compilation of articles dealing with the topic. In most articles I came across, references to this study were made. It was important to look at this article and to understand why some of the conclusions drawn were incorrect. The journal, Educational Researcher, is peer reviewed
3. Tobin, Kenneth and Kincheloe, Joe L. (2006). Doing Educational Research. Sense Publishers.
Link: http://books.google.com/books?id=pj1c67LuwJYC
Book describes many methods that could be useful in urban education. For the purpose of our project, I focused on a few excerpts (accessed through Google Books) that dealt with science education in an urban setting. Tobin's findings on how hands-on learning and relevant lab work help improve urban students' perspectives on science, and also help them understand the concepts, is pertinent to our project because the availability of the resources mentioned determines how applicable Tobin's suggestions are. Without the proper resources, these ideas cannot be implemented, and students could become disinterested in science. Tobin is a very renowned researcher and a credible source in the area of urban education.
4. (2009). High school dropout crisis continues in US, study says. CNN
Link: http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/05/05/dropout.rate.study/
Article brings out how lack of funding has damaged high school re-enrollment programs, which were programs that help students who have dropped out get back to school and earn their degree. Uncertain if this article will be used, as our focus is going to be on budget factors we can analyze in New Jersey districts (such as amount spent on faculty, extracurricular activities, or school supplies). It's unclear what these programs actually are, and whether or not they even exist in New Jersey. Statistics and testimonials brought out in article make reference to successes in Chicago, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, and Portland.
5. Greenwald, Rob et al. The Effect of School Resources on Student Achievement. (1996). Review of Educational Research, Vol. 66 (3).
Link: http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.montclair.edu:2048/sici?sici=0034-6543(1996)66%3A3%3C361%3ATEOSRO%3E2.0.CO%3B2-4&origin=serialsolutions&cookieSet=1
This article is a meta-analysis on whether or not resources impact student achievement. Essentially, it is a rebuttal to Hanushek's study. The study analyzes the impact of 7 different variables on student achievement: Per-pupil expenditure, teacher ability, teacher education, teacher experience, teacher salary, teacher/pupil ratio, and school size. Review of Educational Research is a peer reviewed journal.
The actual analysis done in this article is very comprehensive. I appreciate how many different ways the information is broken down: full analysis, post-1970, quasi-longitudinal study, longitudinal study, etc. I also appreciate how cautious the authors were before jumping to conclusions, as they tested for both positive and negative correlations in each study, and only emphatically stated a variable had an impact if there were positive correlations and no negative correlations across the board. I also appreciated the sensitivity analysis done towards the end of the article.
The conclusion of this study, that there is a "substantial correlation between educational resource inputs and academic achievement," is really the core of our project. However, this study defined academic achievement by standardized test scores, which is why I found articles dealing with resource impact on other measures of student success (i.e. content knowledge and dropout rates) to supplement this article's findings.
Link: http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.montclair.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=9711153633&site=ehost-live
Article details study of several hundred students from 7th through 12th grade and how extracurricular activities impacted whether or not they dropped out. Can be used in our paper because we can point out discrepancies in the amount of money allocated for extracurricular activities in different districts, and the impact that could have on students. Developmental Psychology journal is published by the American Psychological Association, and the authors of this particular article are professors at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.
2. Hanushek, Eric. (1989). The Impact of Differential Expenditures on School Performance. Educational Researcher Vol. 18
Article details a study done that actually downplays the impact resources have on school performance. I found the article in the book "Does money matter?: the effect of school resources on student achievement and adult success" by Gary Burtless, which is a compilation of articles dealing with the topic. In most articles I came across, references to this study were made. It was important to look at this article and to understand why some of the conclusions drawn were incorrect. The journal, Educational Researcher, is peer reviewed
3. Tobin, Kenneth and Kincheloe, Joe L. (2006). Doing Educational Research. Sense Publishers.
Link: http://books.google.com/books?id=pj1c67LuwJYC
Book describes many methods that could be useful in urban education. For the purpose of our project, I focused on a few excerpts (accessed through Google Books) that dealt with science education in an urban setting. Tobin's findings on how hands-on learning and relevant lab work help improve urban students' perspectives on science, and also help them understand the concepts, is pertinent to our project because the availability of the resources mentioned determines how applicable Tobin's suggestions are. Without the proper resources, these ideas cannot be implemented, and students could become disinterested in science. Tobin is a very renowned researcher and a credible source in the area of urban education.
4. (2009). High school dropout crisis continues in US, study says. CNN
Link: http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/05/05/dropout.rate.study/
Article brings out how lack of funding has damaged high school re-enrollment programs, which were programs that help students who have dropped out get back to school and earn their degree. Uncertain if this article will be used, as our focus is going to be on budget factors we can analyze in New Jersey districts (such as amount spent on faculty, extracurricular activities, or school supplies). It's unclear what these programs actually are, and whether or not they even exist in New Jersey. Statistics and testimonials brought out in article make reference to successes in Chicago, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, and Portland.
5. Greenwald, Rob et al. The Effect of School Resources on Student Achievement. (1996). Review of Educational Research, Vol. 66 (3).
Link: http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.montclair.edu:2048/sici?sici=0034-6543(1996)66%3A3%3C361%3ATEOSRO%3E2.0.CO%3B2-4&origin=serialsolutions&cookieSet=1
This article is a meta-analysis on whether or not resources impact student achievement. Essentially, it is a rebuttal to Hanushek's study. The study analyzes the impact of 7 different variables on student achievement: Per-pupil expenditure, teacher ability, teacher education, teacher experience, teacher salary, teacher/pupil ratio, and school size. Review of Educational Research is a peer reviewed journal.
The actual analysis done in this article is very comprehensive. I appreciate how many different ways the information is broken down: full analysis, post-1970, quasi-longitudinal study, longitudinal study, etc. I also appreciate how cautious the authors were before jumping to conclusions, as they tested for both positive and negative correlations in each study, and only emphatically stated a variable had an impact if there were positive correlations and no negative correlations across the board. I also appreciated the sensitivity analysis done towards the end of the article.
The conclusion of this study, that there is a "substantial correlation between educational resource inputs and academic achievement," is really the core of our project. However, this study defined academic achievement by standardized test scores, which is why I found articles dealing with resource impact on other measures of student success (i.e. content knowledge and dropout rates) to supplement this article's findings.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Culture Reflections
It's difficult to pinpoint exactly how culture will shape my identity as a teacher. Personally, I feel my family culture has influenced every aspect of my character. If I talk about everything, this blog post will turn into a term paper. Strictly from an educator's perspective, one thing immediately came to mind: patience.
Schools are becoming more and more diverse, and students who don't speak English particularly well are becoming more common. I've heard tales of frustration from ALL of my cousins who moved from Lebanon to the US and attended school: how annoyed their teachers are at their inability to speak or write well, the lack of effort put in to catching them up, the unreasonable immediate expectations. Depending on what country a student comes from, the changes could be VERY significant (in Lebanon, they write right to left). Math, my subject area, is of particular note, because many people may believe that math is "universal." Most math teachers, or aspiring math teachers, have heard arguments along the lines of "2+2=4 everywhere." There have even been cases where foreign students are put directly into regular math classes because of the notion of the universality of math. But as the standards for math change, the requirements to succeed also change. Math is becoming more logic-based, and requires linguistic and problem-solving skills on top of numeric skills to fully excel. I've had cousins come to the States and get completely baffled by word problems, while their teachers become irritated at the lack of comprehension. I hope to not be one of those educators.
As for culture's impact on learning in general, it really impacts everything. It can affect how interested a student is in a certain class. Perhaps students with Lebanese heritage aren't particularly interested in the Franco-Prussian war. One of the reasons that our group initially wanted to look at Culturally Responsive Curriculum as a research topic (a topic we have since abandoned) was because many school curricula could alienate students if the predominantly Euro-centric male point of view is what is focused on.
Culture can also impact how a student values education. My mother had 7 older sisters, none of whom went to college. Most of them grew up and attended school in Lebanon, and at that time, women in Lebanon were expected to be housewives. Two of my aunts were married before the age of 16, because it was believed that a woman's responsibility was to raise a family as early as possible. College was not really in the equation. When my Aunt Najla brought my mother to the US, my mother attended Clifton High School. Because she still associated herself with her Lebanese culture, she didn't think much of college, and therefore didn't value high school as seriously as her teachers would have hoped.
Schools are becoming more and more diverse, and students who don't speak English particularly well are becoming more common. I've heard tales of frustration from ALL of my cousins who moved from Lebanon to the US and attended school: how annoyed their teachers are at their inability to speak or write well, the lack of effort put in to catching them up, the unreasonable immediate expectations. Depending on what country a student comes from, the changes could be VERY significant (in Lebanon, they write right to left). Math, my subject area, is of particular note, because many people may believe that math is "universal." Most math teachers, or aspiring math teachers, have heard arguments along the lines of "2+2=4 everywhere." There have even been cases where foreign students are put directly into regular math classes because of the notion of the universality of math. But as the standards for math change, the requirements to succeed also change. Math is becoming more logic-based, and requires linguistic and problem-solving skills on top of numeric skills to fully excel. I've had cousins come to the States and get completely baffled by word problems, while their teachers become irritated at the lack of comprehension. I hope to not be one of those educators.
As for culture's impact on learning in general, it really impacts everything. It can affect how interested a student is in a certain class. Perhaps students with Lebanese heritage aren't particularly interested in the Franco-Prussian war. One of the reasons that our group initially wanted to look at Culturally Responsive Curriculum as a research topic (a topic we have since abandoned) was because many school curricula could alienate students if the predominantly Euro-centric male point of view is what is focused on.
Culture can also impact how a student values education. My mother had 7 older sisters, none of whom went to college. Most of them grew up and attended school in Lebanon, and at that time, women in Lebanon were expected to be housewives. Two of my aunts were married before the age of 16, because it was believed that a woman's responsibility was to raise a family as early as possible. College was not really in the equation. When my Aunt Najla brought my mother to the US, my mother attended Clifton High School. Because she still associated herself with her Lebanese culture, she didn't think much of college, and therefore didn't value high school as seriously as her teachers would have hoped.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Special Education School Closings
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/04/nj_to_close_schools_for_disabl.html
This is an article about a decision in April to close 18 state-run Special Education Schools, which provided services for students with disabilities and troubled kids, throughout New Jersey by the end of June, 2010, relocating the students to local district schools.
The main issue, as brought out in the article, is that these students were sent to these special schools because their local districts could not accommodate them. But given what we're learning about urban education, I have to wonder: what of the students that are relocated to urban schools? How well are the Special Education services in Newark and Trenton (two cities whose Special Education campuses will be closing) prepared to handle this situation? Special Education in urban schools was something I considered doing my final project on, and this ongoing story is definitely one of the reasons.
This is an article about a decision in April to close 18 state-run Special Education Schools, which provided services for students with disabilities and troubled kids, throughout New Jersey by the end of June, 2010, relocating the students to local district schools.
The main issue, as brought out in the article, is that these students were sent to these special schools because their local districts could not accommodate them. But given what we're learning about urban education, I have to wonder: what of the students that are relocated to urban schools? How well are the Special Education services in Newark and Trenton (two cities whose Special Education campuses will be closing) prepared to handle this situation? Special Education in urban schools was something I considered doing my final project on, and this ongoing story is definitely one of the reasons.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Suburban School Luxury
I just got my license to be a substitute in my old high school district. Since I received the actual license and was called in to work this coming Friday, I finally decided to open "Substitute Teacher Handbook" I was given when I initially interviewed. One page of the Handbook is called "Laptop Computer Rules for Substitute Teachers."
I was reading the instructions (typically dealing with preventing students from playing games or watching inappropriate material) before I realized something: the instructions weren't talking about students bringing their personal laptops to school (the way many students at Montclair do), but it was referring to laptops that are provided to each student by the school. I'm not entirely sure how this system works (perhaps I'll figure it out when I sub there) but based on the instructions in the handbook, it appears that this district hands out laptops similar to text books: students get them at the beginning of the year, use them at will, and return them in June.
I found this to be particularly interesting, given how we're discussing all the economic disadvantages of urban schools in the Anyon book, yet here is a situation where a district apparently has so much money at their disposal schools are able to provide approximately 1000 students with laptops. Just an example of the gap between the 'haves' and the 'have-nots' that kind of hit home for me.
I was reading the instructions (typically dealing with preventing students from playing games or watching inappropriate material) before I realized something: the instructions weren't talking about students bringing their personal laptops to school (the way many students at Montclair do), but it was referring to laptops that are provided to each student by the school. I'm not entirely sure how this system works (perhaps I'll figure it out when I sub there) but based on the instructions in the handbook, it appears that this district hands out laptops similar to text books: students get them at the beginning of the year, use them at will, and return them in June.
I found this to be particularly interesting, given how we're discussing all the economic disadvantages of urban schools in the Anyon book, yet here is a situation where a district apparently has so much money at their disposal schools are able to provide approximately 1000 students with laptops. Just an example of the gap between the 'haves' and the 'have-nots' that kind of hit home for me.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Taxing Rich and Poor
I appreciate Anyon's evaluation of our economic system, but one obvious question jumps out at me. Admittedly, I've only read the first 4 chapters at the time I write this, but there seems to be an "elephant in the room" with regards to her argument about a wealth tax that could have covered the $60 billion deficit that states collectively built up in 2003. Namely, she contends that a combination of corporate taxes and the wealth tax would create billions that "would be available for use in job creation and urban schools."
My question is, what makes her think that this new-found money would be spent on urban schooling? I think it's a bit optimistic of her to say that political contention and public struggle could make these funds available for the public good. Is there a precedent for that? In our current economic state (huge Government deficits, funding wars, major companies in jeopardy, etc.) I have a hard time believing any new money that becomes available to the Government would be used for improving situations in urban areas, either through job creation or education. It's sad, but I guess I'm a bit more cynical than Anyon when it comes to public spending.
My question is, what makes her think that this new-found money would be spent on urban schooling? I think it's a bit optimistic of her to say that political contention and public struggle could make these funds available for the public good. Is there a precedent for that? In our current economic state (huge Government deficits, funding wars, major companies in jeopardy, etc.) I have a hard time believing any new money that becomes available to the Government would be used for improving situations in urban areas, either through job creation or education. It's sad, but I guess I'm a bit more cynical than Anyon when it comes to public spending.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Making Race Matter
The article by Cheryl Curtis entitled "Culturally Responsive Curriculum: Making Race Matter" was interesting for several reasons. I love her insistence on acknowledging the significance of race. She brings out how well-intentioned comments she frequently hears from her students such as "I don't see color" are borderline racist, as it strips her of a major part of her identity. The author brings out how teachers and students are “racial and racialized” beings, and how race impacts curriculum in many ways, including whose version of history is told. The article also touches on an unfortunate trend that is a focal point of our project: "Knowledge was suddenly about information only… it had no relation to how one lived, behaved.”
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Children of Camden
I found the 20/20 special profiling 3 children in Camden, New Jersey to be rather frightening. The amazing thing is, I know a lot of people from bad areas in New Jersey. There's a basketball court in East Orange that I used to go to a lot, where kids from East Orange, Newark, and Bloomfield (where my cousins live) would play for bragging rights. Things got heated and we'd yell a bit, people smoked weed occasionally in the back, but nothing ever got out of hand, and I never felt like I was in danger just being there. We'd always shake hands after games, have a laugh, and talk trash about next time. We go to Paterson all the time... it's the only place we can get good pita bread and tahini. I have a lot of other relatives who live in bad areas of Burlington or Willingboro. The house where my father grew up, and my grandmother lived until she passed away in 2007, is only 12 miles outside of Camden. Yet, it feels like a different world. Yeah, there were some drug dealers and some crime at night, but I've played many a basketball game in the parks there without hearing gunshots. It's sobering to see how different Camden is not only from the Saddle Rivers and Alpines of NJ, but even from some of the other urban areas in the state ("Needle Park" just flat out baffled me, but I'll get to that later).
The naive part of me, who had a rather privileged childhood, wants to dismiss the Camden story. I want to think of it as ABC's media tugging at the heart strings (seriously, Ivan and Moochie are 2 of the cutest kids I've ever seen on TV) to emphasize the class differences a year before elections, hoping to inspire people to vote Democrat. But I know better.
The stories are truly heartbreaking, and of course the obvious question is, what can be done? ABC apparently set up a way for viewers to donate, and they reached their goal very quickly, allowing them to provide some services and gifts to the children featured. But what does that really do? My father was poor growing up, and always said that he hates when people develop "white guilt" when they see the hardships of minorities, and decide to lend a hand out of pity. I hope those kind enough to donate were actually intrinsically motivated to try and improve the situation of a poor city, instead of pitying the cute kids the same way they would take a stray cat to the vet for some vaccinations.
Of course, news pieces like this are meant to evoke some emotional reactions. There's a reason they profiled adorable kids from families who were troubled enough to feel bad for, but not too troubled to alienate the viewers (for example, there was no "single mother who turned to prostitution" featured here... something tells me we'd be less inclined to donate and help that family). But at the end of the day, any significant, lasting change is going to have to come from the government, not relying ABC documentaries (that take years to film) to motivate a few strangers to open their wallets. And of course, although Camden appears to be in a worse situation than most urban areas, the fact is there are many other areas in New Jersey and in the US that need serious help. Are news pieces supposed to bring all of those to light? Of course not.
Again, the naive part of me immediately jumps to short-sighted, unreasonable questions like "we spend hundreds of millions of dollars to fix problems overseas, why can't we fix our domestic problems first?" or "ABC is owned by Disney... if they care so much, why don't they do something?" I know things aren't that black-and-white, but clearly there is a lack of effort involved in Camden's situation. Governor Corzine told the children featured in the 20/20 piece that they would clean up the parks. When 20/20 visited with the kids 9 months after they were initially profiled, Diane Sawyer visited the parks, and Moochie pointed out all the used needles still on the grounds. Clean parks for children to play in doesn't seem like an unreasonable request, yet it appears the powers that be still drag their feet. And as for ABC helping out... all I can say is in reality, it's not their place.
At the end of the day, I don't really know what to make of something like this. It's sad and depressing, but there isn't a whole lot that can be done in the short term. I just think it's great that all 3 kids managed to have truly positive demeanors, whether it was the work ethic to juggle a part-time job and high school to support a family, or the excitement of going to school and starting the long path to becoming a judge. It just shows that no matter how dire situations may be, there's always a ray of hope. Some people are unfortunately born into more difficult situations than others, and have to work a lot harder to succeed, but it certainly can, and has, been done. The kids profiled here look like they have the strength of character to overcome their disadvantages. Of course, only time will tell.
The naive part of me, who had a rather privileged childhood, wants to dismiss the Camden story. I want to think of it as ABC's media tugging at the heart strings (seriously, Ivan and Moochie are 2 of the cutest kids I've ever seen on TV) to emphasize the class differences a year before elections, hoping to inspire people to vote Democrat. But I know better.
The stories are truly heartbreaking, and of course the obvious question is, what can be done? ABC apparently set up a way for viewers to donate, and they reached their goal very quickly, allowing them to provide some services and gifts to the children featured. But what does that really do? My father was poor growing up, and always said that he hates when people develop "white guilt" when they see the hardships of minorities, and decide to lend a hand out of pity. I hope those kind enough to donate were actually intrinsically motivated to try and improve the situation of a poor city, instead of pitying the cute kids the same way they would take a stray cat to the vet for some vaccinations.
Of course, news pieces like this are meant to evoke some emotional reactions. There's a reason they profiled adorable kids from families who were troubled enough to feel bad for, but not too troubled to alienate the viewers (for example, there was no "single mother who turned to prostitution" featured here... something tells me we'd be less inclined to donate and help that family). But at the end of the day, any significant, lasting change is going to have to come from the government, not relying ABC documentaries (that take years to film) to motivate a few strangers to open their wallets. And of course, although Camden appears to be in a worse situation than most urban areas, the fact is there are many other areas in New Jersey and in the US that need serious help. Are news pieces supposed to bring all of those to light? Of course not.
Again, the naive part of me immediately jumps to short-sighted, unreasonable questions like "we spend hundreds of millions of dollars to fix problems overseas, why can't we fix our domestic problems first?" or "ABC is owned by Disney... if they care so much, why don't they do something?" I know things aren't that black-and-white, but clearly there is a lack of effort involved in Camden's situation. Governor Corzine told the children featured in the 20/20 piece that they would clean up the parks. When 20/20 visited with the kids 9 months after they were initially profiled, Diane Sawyer visited the parks, and Moochie pointed out all the used needles still on the grounds. Clean parks for children to play in doesn't seem like an unreasonable request, yet it appears the powers that be still drag their feet. And as for ABC helping out... all I can say is in reality, it's not their place.
At the end of the day, I don't really know what to make of something like this. It's sad and depressing, but there isn't a whole lot that can be done in the short term. I just think it's great that all 3 kids managed to have truly positive demeanors, whether it was the work ethic to juggle a part-time job and high school to support a family, or the excitement of going to school and starting the long path to becoming a judge. It just shows that no matter how dire situations may be, there's always a ray of hope. Some people are unfortunately born into more difficult situations than others, and have to work a lot harder to succeed, but it certainly can, and has, been done. The kids profiled here look like they have the strength of character to overcome their disadvantages. Of course, only time will tell.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Media Portrayals
In class, we discussed various movies and songs that depict schools, either in urban or suburban settings. There were a few others on my list that we didn't get to in class:
Music:
1. Suburbs:
Straight A's (Dead Kennedys) - This was the most interesting one for me. When I think of songs about school, this is the first one that comes to mind. It's a song about a student who is under a ton of pressure from his parents to get good grades, and although he manages, he is miserable. His "friends" use him for answers and don't even like him. His parents are so strict about him getting good grades that he never has time to go out, as he constantly does homework. What makes this so interesting is that nowhere in the song does he mention where he's from. When I talked about this with my cousin, I asked whether this should be classified as "urban" or "suburban." Without hesitation, he said "suburban." I asked why, and his answer gave an inclination to some of the innate stereotypes we might have: he said "I don't think urban schools have too many nerds." Essentially, he automatically associated the pressure (and, to take it a step further, the very possibility) of getting Straight A's with suburban schools.
No Such Thing (John Mayer) - a song that brings out how futile it is to plot out the course of your life based on high school success. Some answers can't be found in books when you're 17 years old.
Jeremy (Pearl Jam) - terrifying song about a Texas school shooting. The bullied kid lashes out
2. Urban
Juvenile Delinquentz (Terminator X) - a song that critiques urban schools in every category from curriculum to disgusting lunches.
Brain Damage (Eminem) - a story about a bullied kid in a Detroit school and his efforts to avoid his fears before finally being forced to confront them.
School Spirit (Kanye West) - Kanye telling the story about how he didn't need school, and bragging about how he proved his doubting teachers wrong.
Straight A's (Dead Kennedys) - This was the most interesting one for me. When I think of songs about school, this is the first one that comes to mind. It's a song about a student who is under a ton of pressure from his parents to get good grades, and although he manages, he is miserable. His "friends" use him for answers and don't even like him. His parents are so strict about him getting good grades that he never has time to go out, as he constantly does homework. What makes this so interesting is that nowhere in the song does he mention where he's from. When I talked about this with my cousin, I asked whether this should be classified as "urban" or "suburban." Without hesitation, he said "suburban." I asked why, and his answer gave an inclination to some of the innate stereotypes we might have: he said "I don't think urban schools have too many nerds." Essentially, he automatically associated the pressure (and, to take it a step further, the very possibility) of getting Straight A's with suburban schools.
No Such Thing (John Mayer) - a song that brings out how futile it is to plot out the course of your life based on high school success. Some answers can't be found in books when you're 17 years old.
Jeremy (Pearl Jam) - terrifying song about a Texas school shooting. The bullied kid lashes out
2. Urban
Juvenile Delinquentz (Terminator X) - a song that critiques urban schools in every category from curriculum to disgusting lunches.
Brain Damage (Eminem) - a story about a bullied kid in a Detroit school and his efforts to avoid his fears before finally being forced to confront them.
School Spirit (Kanye West) - Kanye telling the story about how he didn't need school, and bragging about how he proved his doubting teachers wrong.
Movies:
1. Suburban
John Hughes - no, that's not a movie. He's a director who pretty much shaped every stereotype of suburban high schools in the 80's with movies like Weird Science, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, and The Breakfast Club.
Mean Girls - a great movie about a girl from Africa trying to fit in. I love how the character changes throughout the movie, and actually compromises who she is, just to make friends.
Revenge of the Nerds - college nerds exacting revenge on a fraternity of jocks. The title is exactly what you get.
2. Urban
Half Nelson - I love how in this movie, we don't get the "teacher riding in on a white horse to fix everything" stereotype. Ryan Gosling's character is very flawed (a drug addict) and it's interesting to see how his elementary students react to him
Sunset Park - movie about an NYC high school basketball team coached by a white woman. It really touches on every problem a team of students can encounter: teammates on drugs, on probation, in academic trouble, getting shot, etc.
Hoop Dreams - Documentary about two African American kids who commute 90 minutes so they can attend a high school with a renowned basketball program. It follows the two students over the course of five years
John Hughes - no, that's not a movie. He's a director who pretty much shaped every stereotype of suburban high schools in the 80's with movies like Weird Science, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, and The Breakfast Club.
Mean Girls - a great movie about a girl from Africa trying to fit in. I love how the character changes throughout the movie, and actually compromises who she is, just to make friends.
Revenge of the Nerds - college nerds exacting revenge on a fraternity of jocks. The title is exactly what you get.
2. Urban
Half Nelson - I love how in this movie, we don't get the "teacher riding in on a white horse to fix everything" stereotype. Ryan Gosling's character is very flawed (a drug addict) and it's interesting to see how his elementary students react to him
Sunset Park - movie about an NYC high school basketball team coached by a white woman. It really touches on every problem a team of students can encounter: teammates on drugs, on probation, in academic trouble, getting shot, etc.
Hoop Dreams - Documentary about two African American kids who commute 90 minutes so they can attend a high school with a renowned basketball program. It follows the two students over the course of five years
TV Shows:
1. Suburban
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air - what makes this interesting is that it goes beyond the premise of an urban child living with a suburban family. Throughout the show, there is an underlying message that the Banks family (particularly Carlton) is "less black" than Will.
Saved By The Bell - like many movies that portray suburban schools, this show focuses on a group of stereotypical kids in school. Some of the stereotypes: the Jock, the Nerd, the Geek, and of course, the Black girl
Beverly Hills: 90210 - an insight into the lives of privileged high schoolers
2. Urban
The Wire - probably the most sobering show in the history of television. When the series shifts its focus onto the education system of Baltimore, the issues that are brought up are terrifying, but very real. Honestly, this is the only show that needs to be seen on this topic. It runs the gamut completely.
Boston Public - a great show about a troubled high school in Boston. Of course, after too many school shootings, inappropriate teacher/student interactions, lawsuits, etc., my suspension of disbelief could take no more, and the show started to feel ridiculous. But for a couple seasons, it was a powerful drama.
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air - what makes this interesting is that it goes beyond the premise of an urban child living with a suburban family. Throughout the show, there is an underlying message that the Banks family (particularly Carlton) is "less black" than Will.
Saved By The Bell - like many movies that portray suburban schools, this show focuses on a group of stereotypical kids in school. Some of the stereotypes: the Jock, the Nerd, the Geek, and of course, the Black girl
Beverly Hills: 90210 - an insight into the lives of privileged high schoolers
2. Urban
The Wire - probably the most sobering show in the history of television. When the series shifts its focus onto the education system of Baltimore, the issues that are brought up are terrifying, but very real. Honestly, this is the only show that needs to be seen on this topic. It runs the gamut completely.
Boston Public - a great show about a troubled high school in Boston. Of course, after too many school shootings, inappropriate teacher/student interactions, lawsuits, etc., my suspension of disbelief could take no more, and the show started to feel ridiculous. But for a couple seasons, it was a powerful drama.
"They School"
When we discussed "They School" by Dead Prez in class today, it seemed to get a few people riled up. Basically, the duo talks about how the education system favors white people, and people in certain urban areas aren't taught what they need to know to survive, but instead are taught what "the man" wants them to know.
Although Dead Prez use some pretty vulgar language (par for the course for these guys), I think the song brings out some very interesting points, especially when compared to other rap songs that deal with the education system. They don't just complain about the system: they specify why it doesn't "relate" to them, and what life skills could be taught to make school more relevant (such as combating the drug problems in ghettos). Never do they say to simply dismiss education. In fact, throughout the song, they talk about the value of education, but only if education is done properly.
In so many other rap songs that deal with the education system, the message is simply that school is unimportant, and you can succeed in other ways. Kanye West, for example, brags about how he left school to chase his dreams, and it worked out for him. In the song "School Spirit" he even mentions how the person who graduated at the top of his class was a waiter at the Cheesecake Factory, while Kanye is making millions in the rap game. That's not the kind of message that should be sent through music. Encouraging people to give up on school in favor of chasing dreams that VERY rarely come to fruition is not the proper way to overcome a flawed education system. Not only that, but Kanye actually implies that success in school often leads to failure in the future (he's been critical of Valedictorians in many other songs, too). I actually have heard of many people who dropped out of school to focus on music, hoping for a record deal that never came. It's really a sad outcome, yet so many rappers talk about it like it's easy.
Other rappers do the same thing, but glorify an even more unrealistic alternative: drugs. Many Jay-Z songs talk about how he was a high school drop out and never needed school because he made enough money selling drugs until he became successful in music. Same goes for Immortal Technique. And although Jay will once in a while talk about how he doesn't condone selling drugs ("Like I told you 'sell drugs'... no, Hov did that, so hopefully you won't have to go through that") the fact is most people listening to Jay don't look at his example as a cautionary tale, but a rags-to-riches story that can be emulated.
I feel "They School" and "Juvenile Delinquentz" (by Terminator X) do the best job of actually critiquing the education system among rap songs. Instead of giving up on school, these songs mention that the system needs to be fixed. Education needs to be relatable to all students. And while I agree that "They School" makes it seem like Dead Prez is using white oppression as a scapegoat for the failures of many urban youths and might come off as a conspiracy theory, the reality is sometimes the deck is stacked against certain people. Personally, I believe the song "Juvenile Delinquentz" makes the same points, but in a more palatable manner. I like how at the end, after talking about how the school system isn't relatable to urban youths and mentioning topics that should be included in curricula, Terminator finishes by saying "we say 'f**k school', but we'll still get through." Students shouldn't be told to chase impossible dreams like Kanye, sell drugs like Immortal Technique, or have the same perspective of inevitable outcomes that Dead Prez have. In essence, Terminator admits that there are a lot of problems with the system, and it certainly needs to be fixed. But for the time being, it's possible to roll with the punches and make the most out of it.
Although Dead Prez use some pretty vulgar language (par for the course for these guys), I think the song brings out some very interesting points, especially when compared to other rap songs that deal with the education system. They don't just complain about the system: they specify why it doesn't "relate" to them, and what life skills could be taught to make school more relevant (such as combating the drug problems in ghettos). Never do they say to simply dismiss education. In fact, throughout the song, they talk about the value of education, but only if education is done properly.
In so many other rap songs that deal with the education system, the message is simply that school is unimportant, and you can succeed in other ways. Kanye West, for example, brags about how he left school to chase his dreams, and it worked out for him. In the song "School Spirit" he even mentions how the person who graduated at the top of his class was a waiter at the Cheesecake Factory, while Kanye is making millions in the rap game. That's not the kind of message that should be sent through music. Encouraging people to give up on school in favor of chasing dreams that VERY rarely come to fruition is not the proper way to overcome a flawed education system. Not only that, but Kanye actually implies that success in school often leads to failure in the future (he's been critical of Valedictorians in many other songs, too). I actually have heard of many people who dropped out of school to focus on music, hoping for a record deal that never came. It's really a sad outcome, yet so many rappers talk about it like it's easy.
Other rappers do the same thing, but glorify an even more unrealistic alternative: drugs. Many Jay-Z songs talk about how he was a high school drop out and never needed school because he made enough money selling drugs until he became successful in music. Same goes for Immortal Technique. And although Jay will once in a while talk about how he doesn't condone selling drugs ("Like I told you 'sell drugs'... no, Hov did that, so hopefully you won't have to go through that") the fact is most people listening to Jay don't look at his example as a cautionary tale, but a rags-to-riches story that can be emulated.
I feel "They School" and "Juvenile Delinquentz" (by Terminator X) do the best job of actually critiquing the education system among rap songs. Instead of giving up on school, these songs mention that the system needs to be fixed. Education needs to be relatable to all students. And while I agree that "They School" makes it seem like Dead Prez is using white oppression as a scapegoat for the failures of many urban youths and might come off as a conspiracy theory, the reality is sometimes the deck is stacked against certain people. Personally, I believe the song "Juvenile Delinquentz" makes the same points, but in a more palatable manner. I like how at the end, after talking about how the school system isn't relatable to urban youths and mentioning topics that should be included in curricula, Terminator finishes by saying "we say 'f**k school', but we'll still get through." Students shouldn't be told to chase impossible dreams like Kanye, sell drugs like Immortal Technique, or have the same perspective of inevitable outcomes that Dead Prez have. In essence, Terminator admits that there are a lot of problems with the system, and it certainly needs to be fixed. But for the time being, it's possible to roll with the punches and make the most out of it.
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