Do American Students Need More Time in School?

As schools continue to fail our students, many people are continuing to search for new strategies that might improve the quality of students’ education in the United States. One idea that has come about is increasing the amount of time students spend in the classroom. Some believe that this will allow students more time in class to focus on their individual needs. It will allow teachers more time to devote to each student. However, there are those who disagree with this strategy. They do not believe that students need more time in the classroom. They believe that what students really need is a better quality of education. They need better educators.

Those in favor of allotting more time in the classroom believe that this will allow teachers to focus more on each student’s specific needs. Teachers say that with the small amount of time in the day and with so many students to account for, it is simply too difficult to appropriately give the time each student deserves. They say that expanding the school day by one extra hour and including Saturday classes will benefit the students greatly. One argument was that we are now in the 21^st century and we cannot and should not be following the school schedules made for students who worked on farms centuries ago. A three month long summer vacation is therefore unnecessary, especially when a large portion of knowledge is lost during this time. Many schools have already integrated a lengthened school year into the curriculum and have seen wonderful results with higher academic testing scores.

Those not in favor of the extended school year say that the evidence shown by the proponents is not significant. They say that schools should be focusing on quality instead of quantity. This strategy simply will not work if the teachers are not up to par. They also say that it is much too costly for tax money to be used in supporting air conditioning costs and increased teacher pay throughout the summer. People believe that alternatives, such as a block schedule, are efficient enough to make a difference in student education.

I believe that there should be an increased school year. This will allow teachers more time in the day to focus on each student and tell them what they need to work on. I also believe that we not only have to increase the school day, but we have to make sure that the teachers are fit for the task and can effectively use the time in class to benefit the students. Without good quality teachers, students will not progress no matter how much time they spend in school. I also believe that a three month long summer vacation is unnecessary. A large percent of the knowledge gained throughout the school year is lost within this three month time span. The school calendar needs to be revised in order to properly fit the needs of a 21^st century student.

Merit Based Pay

In order to solve the problem with our failing school systems, many have brought about the idea of merit based pay. This is the idea that teachers’ salaries will be heavily dependent on his or her performance in the classroom. Today, many teachers work under tenure. Those in favor of merit based pay believe that tenure is one reason in which schools fail. It is allowing bad teachers to continue to teach, not giving students the proper education.

Those in favor of merit based pay say that this will increase the morale inside the classroom. Teachers will become more motivated to push their students in the right direction. It will push them to create better lesson plans that will increase student performance. Merit based pay is like an incentive. If the students perform well on standardized and state tests and show an improvement in the classroom, then they will get a bonus or increase in their pay rate. It acts as a motivator for teachers. If teachers know that no matter what they do in the classroom or how well their students are performing, they’re getting the same amount of money as every other teacher, then there is no motivation to do better.

In contrast, those who disagree with the merit based pay plan believe that it will not benefit the students whatsoever. They argue that schools which incorporate this new system of pay into their school often show little or no improvement in the students’ performance in the classroom. These schools often abandon merit based pay within the first few years. They argue that a plan like this does not work because those who implement the plan do not follow the same qualifications as to what is considered a successful teacher. Some schools may judge there teachers on solely state and standardized test performance while others may only look at grade improvements within the classroom. They believe that in order for this plan to be successful, there needs to be set guidelines for every school to follow to properly judge whether a teacher deserves an increase in pay. This is why merit based plans are not as successful as they should be. The schools also have to be willing to change in order to make a change.

I believe that merit based pay will help failing schools in the long run. It will help weed out all of the bad teachers that have been hiding from the system under tenure. I think that this plan provides a good incentive for teachers to improve their lesson plans and think about how they can help their students succeed. The more their students succeed, the bigger the teachers’ paycheck. However, there must be a set of strict guidelines which evaluators must follow in order to determine whether a teacher deserves a raise. Teachers should be evaluated, not only on students’ performance on standardized tests, but also their improvements on grades in the classroom. Evaluator should also look at the lesson plans and how the teacher deals with each individual student to meet different needs.

Technology in Schools

As new technology is being introduced to the world daily, more people are trying to utilize these new advancements in many different ways. We have seen a lot of computer usage in the work force. Computers are used to provide better efficiency and time management. A major debate topic regarding the use of computers has developed regarding the schools systems and whether computers are having a negative impact on students’ growth and development.

Lowell Monke, an assistant professor of education, believes that computers in the school environment are having a negative impact on the students. Monke strongly believes that utilizing computers in schools emphasizes a strong focus on getting the students prepared for the workforce, while there is less emphasis on the importance of developing the students’ minds with first hand experiences. There will be a lack of focus on building their creativity. Monke also states that once computers are further integrated into the school curriculum, human needs will no longer be a priority, and we will be focused on adapting to the demands of our machines. Students, at an early age, will learn to become materialistic and given too much power that they won’t know how to manage. Schools are cutting programs in order to provide more funding for boosting security to sustain and protect these new computers.

On the other hand, Frederick Hess, believes that computers will be a benefit to teachers and students. He states that with the aid of computers, schools will become more efficient and teachers will be able to use their time more wisely. There are computer programs that can now mark grammatical errors and check run on sentences. Instead of spending so much of their time grading errors on writing assignments, teachers will be able to focus more of their time and energy with each individual student, assessing their needs. Also, computers will allow teachers to better track the learning improvements of each student.

I believe that computers can provide a great deal of help to both teachers and students. Although it is very easy to abuse the use of computers in class, many students can learn more efficiently. As long as there is an acceptable use policy that is strictly followed so that computers will be used only for learning purposes, computers should not pose a problem in the learning atmosphere. However, I do agree with Monke that first hand experiences will always provide students with a better grasp on the information being taught. Lesson plans can be taught with the aid of computers. However, the material learned in class can be put to use outside of the classroom with first hand experiences and encounters that help students gain a full understanding of the material.

Lesson plans should not be strictly on the computer. Teacher-student interactions are key to student success inside and outside of the classroom. There should be time set aside for teacher instruction. After this, the teachers will have programs set up for the students to enforce what was just taught. Teachers will be able to track the progress of each student on the computer. Once the students have fully grasped the lesson, it will be time to explore and experience this first handedly. All in all, by working hand in hand, both computers and first hand experiences will greatly benefit the students and teachers in schools.

Can Failing Schools Be Turned Around?

Student education has been a major focus of many throughout the years. A major issue that is currently been dealt with is the failure of our school systems. Students are not performing up to standards. States have been trying to solve this ongoing issue and attempting to decide which is the best solution to fix this problem. As a nation, we cannot let students fail. The students are the future. If we fail on education, we are not succeeding in our role as a society. We must all work together and put these children, our future, as our main focus.

Some argue that that most effective solution to fix the failure of some school districts is to work together as a cohesive unit and analyze the needs of the students. It is crucial that we work with these needs to promote a better learning atmosphere. The focus is primarily on the students. Emphasis on what the students need to learn, discipline, and teacher quality are being enforced. Supporters of the turnaround policy firmly believe that there needs to be a sufficient amount of time for teachers to collaborate with other teachers and faculty to determine what needs to be improved and what is the best way to do so. There needs to be time for teachers to interact with the students and focus on their specific needs.

Others have the viewpoint that failing schools cannot be turned around, and that such schools need to be shut down all together. They support the notion that once a school shows that the students are not at the performance levels that they should be, then the government will take over, the school will be shut down, and a charter school will be set up. The supporters of this solution believe that turnaround policies are not as effective as proposed. They think that a quick shutdown of the entire school and a buildup of a brand new school with new teachers and policies will solve this problem a lot faster and more effectively.

I believe that just because an entire school system is failing does not mean that the school cannot rebuild itself with time. Closing down the school will not solve the problem. If a school system is failing, it is going to require a lot of time and effort in order to fix multiple issues. There is no such thing as a quick fix. The most effective and logical solution to help better education for students in failing school districts is to focus on the students. We need to take the time to evaluate the needs of students and work together to form better lesson plans to fit students’ needs.

More money is spent of the education for those who are fortunate to have money while poverty stricken areas are paid less attention. This is one of the many reasons why many areas’ school districts are not serving these students properly. More funding needs to be provided. If the district itself cannot afford proper funding, then that national government should take charge and assist with the funds. This way, better lesson plans and school activities can be implemented in the classrooms. Teachers need to be better trained to follow through on disciplining the children. It is simply not fair how students are discriminated upon due to their lack of income. Every students needs to be treated equally. Education needs to be stressed on a national level so that all children get the same learning opportunies as every other child in America. These students are our future, so they all need a good education.