I believe that a student should have access to 21st century curriculum and instruction as it is the foundation for learning. A standard driven organization should implement and support student learning to enhance a student’s potential at succeeding not just in school, but in life.
I believe this because standards are everywhere. They guide the instructor and student on what needs to happen next. In the work force, we must meet or exceed in certain skills to maintain a job. For instance, as a mathematics teacher, I must know the content material and be able to deliver it in various methods to ensure that all students grasp the material. If a student does not grasp the material, I need to know what to do next, intervene. If I do not posses the knowledge or skills, then I should not be a mathematics teacher.
There are aspects that some may disagree on whereas others may agree. According to various studies, the Education in the United States is not keeping up with the rest of the world. Students in countries like China are outperforming our students. Therefore, we have established a new set of standards called Common Core. Students shall possess skills by the end of their education that will benefit and be useful to them in the real world. They will have the knowledge and skills to succeed in college and in life.
I’d like to talk about the curriculum and instruction in the charter school system
I have been a charter school teacher for more than three years. For mathematics courses, we use Renaissance Learning. It is a web based curriculum. Each student has an account. They log in, complete and submit their work online. They obtained immediate feedback after they submitted it. They work at their own pace. Now with the implementation of Common Core, I do not see this program as being Common Core aligned as it does not meet the Common Core mathematics standards nor 21st century skills. Students answer multiple choice questions after working out the problem on paper. However, not all students practice this skill as there are some who guess the answers or do not put the effort in learning.
So, this curriculum should be replaced with curriculum that is align with Common Core standards. As a result, students will be college and career ready. They will also be acquiring the same knowledge that other students in the state are acquiring.
Technology
I believe technology is a skill that everyone should know, not just students as it is expanding to areas that we have never thought of. Technology is a skill that is used everyday by millions of people worldwide. Students should be technology proficient.
I believe this because technology has changed and it continues to change the way we live. Technology is part of our everyday lives. We use it daily. It is part of our daily routines. We share, connect, and communicate with others who are located miles or inches away. This is a tool that has evolved over time and it is best that we ensure our students are given opportunities to become proficient and stay up to date on technology.
There are issues with technology as if it is not used properly it can damaged or hurt the world. For instance, the Sony Pictures Studios were hacked last year. The business data was then published to the public. This is an issue that one must be aware of. We need to know how to protect data from malicious individuals. Another issue is cyberbullying. Students are bullied through social media and text messages. Students must learn how to share, respect, and communicate through technology.
I’d like to talk about the use of technology in the classroom.
As a teacher, I instruct, supervise, model, encourage, and guide students. However, at the end of the day it is up to the student to take the tools I provided him with and use them on whatever he wishes to. I am currently one of two teachers who teaches a course in technology. Our students lack basic computer skills as they are low income. Some of them have never used a device other than a smart cell phone. This semester, I introduced them to Google Drive. More than 95% of the student have never used this tool. I am teaching them how to create a powerpoint. They are learning about inserting pictures, videos, and text boxes, formatting text and background. This presentation is 20 slides. It is a personal powerpoint presentation. Once they complete it, they will be selecting 10 slides and download them as JPEG images. They will create a video in Animoto by adding these 10 slides onto it. They will upload this Animoto video on their Weebly site where students will be able to view it, share it, and provide feedback to peers. Through this activity they are enhancing their technology skills.
Highly Qualified Staff
I believe every school should employ highly qualified staff. Staff who are not qualified for the job result in poor student academic performance. As a result, the school’s expectations are not met and students are not challenge.
I believe this because students are the future. One day, they will represent this country. They deserve access to a qualified teacher who will motivate, support, guide, and challenge them. If we do not provide students with this type of staff, then our students will continued to be outperformed by other students in the the state and world. I have been in a school where “teachers” do not possess the required skills nor education to be in the classroom. This was shocking to find out. If I were a parent, I would want my child to attend a school where the staff is qualified for the job.
There are aspects about having qualified staff in an organization. In a school system, it makes a difference in student’s academic performance. For example, a students who has a qualified teacher will be academically challenge. The student will most likely acquire, retain, and use the tools learned in the classroom. As a whole, the school’s mission and vision will be met. If I were a business owner, I would want to employed qualified staff for the job.
I’d like to talk about my experience with teachers while I was in high school.
They were all qualified for the job as most of them had master’s degrees and everyone was credentialed. These teachers made a difference in my education. I always felt challenged. The skills learned in high school were part of the foundation of my success. I admired them for their passion and being able to make me feel important. They were devoted teachers who inspired me to become a teacher.
Stakeholders Involved in Decision-Making
I believe ALL stakeholders should be involved in decision makings. They should all be given the opportunity to share their input on decisions made related to the school.
I believe this because a school is a place where students obtained skills and knowledge. There are those who do not come into contact with students and those who do. Those who do shall always be included in decision makings as they may share input that others may have never thought of. At my school, there were 120 iPads purchased. Teachers were not involved in this purchased process. I was never involved in this decision. I was aware of this decision when the devices were purchased. This was not a smart decision as we replaced these devices for Chromebooks. The iPads were useless. They were not effective in the classroom.
There are lots of aspects of incorporating stakeholders in decision making. For example, in education, the term stakeholder typically refers to anyone who is invested in the welfare and success of a school and its students, including administrators, teachers, staff members, students, parents, families, community members, local business leaders, and elected officials such as school board members, city councilors, and state representatives. Stakeholders may also be collective entities, such as local businesses, organizations, advocacy groups, committees, media outlets, and cultural institutions, in addition to organizations that represent specific groups, such as teachers unions, parent-teacher organizations, and associations representing superintendents, principals, school boards, or teachers in specific academic disciplines .
I’d like to talk about the importance of incorporating stakeholders in the decision making process. Generally speaking, the growing use of stakeholder in public education is based on the recognition that schools, as public institutions supported by state and local tax revenues, are not only part of and responsible to the communities they serve, but they are also obligated to involve the broader community in important decisions related to the governance, operation, or improvement of the school. Increasingly, schools are being more intentional and proactive about involving a greater diversity of stakeholders, particularly stakeholders from disadvantaged communities and backgrounds or from groups that have historically been underserved by schools or that have underperformed academically, including English-language learners, students of color, immigrant students, and special-education students. In some cases, federal or state programs and foundation grants may encourage or require the involvement of multiple stakeholder groups in a school-improvement effort as a condition of funding.