https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk This project requires that you synthesize information from our discussions to design “the ideal school" and the "ideal school system." This school is not “ideal” because it has tons and tons of money – though equitable funding should be a concern. It is ideal because it attempts to achieve the many goals and address the many concerns we have examined in class en-us 2021-06-30 21:32:34 UTC 2025-10-20 20:56:22 UTC hello@padlet.com achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1632307572 Currently, public schools (charters differ) are funded mainly from state and local taxes, with federal funding comprising less than 10%.  What would be the sources of funding for your ideal school?  How would funding be distributed? Please provide your rationale.]]> 2021-06-30 21:32:34 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1632307572 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1632307577 Integration, Zoning, controlled choice, etc.?  How would students be assigned in your school? Would you aim for neighborhood schools? For a charter school system?  For the current or a different zoning system?  For another outside-the-box option?  Please explain your choice and its rationale. ]]> 2021-06-30 21:32:34 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1632307577 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1632307578 Activity types, foci, special programs, etc.  Please include an overall discussion of what you think is the most appropriate overall pedagogical approach for your school  (and the rationale) given all the issues we have talked about in urban public schools -- and the need for engagement, belonging, and trust/respect.  If possible, also list some specifics activities you might incorporate. And maybe give me a glimpse into what your classrooms might look like.]]> 2021-06-30 21:32:34 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1632307578 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1632307580 How would students be assessed in your school?  What role would standardized testing play (this might also mean you have to talk about how ideal college admissions might look)? Please describe what your assessment would look like and why.]]> 2021-06-30 21:32:34 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1632307580 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1632307581 Given your overall mission and goals in your ideal school that services at least some students from low-income backgrounds, what qualifications would you require of your instructors (education, specialized training etc)? what expectations would you have regarding their approach to teaching and their beliefs about education and the students your school would serve? What ongoing professional development would you require?  And how would you assess instructors?

]]> 2021-06-30 21:32:34 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1632307581 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1632307582 Given the varying needs and interests of students in your school, what extracurricular projects or special programs might you include to increase engagement, provide after-school support for students?  These projects could be solely within the school or involve outside groups (businesses, community. parents, etc). Please explain your choices.]]> 2021-06-30 21:32:34 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1632307582 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1632307583 Given your discussions of the model minority myth, the school-to-prison pipeline, and mental health in schools, what type of counseling would be available at your school?  And what type of academic support programs?  College counseling? Please describe the options and explain their significance.]]> 2021-06-30 21:32:34 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1632307583 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1632307584 OK -- here is your chance. What did you not get a chance to say under the other categories? What aspect of your school has not been outlined in the static categories given? What issue that we have discussed is most important to you -- and how will your approach to it be highlighted in your school? what is your school's overall mission in terms of addressing social reproduction or addressing trauma or addressing the needs of the 21st century or....? You can elaborate on anything you want to here.]]> 2021-06-30 21:32:34 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1632307584 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1634020500 For many school districts, students are assign a school based on zoning laws. Therefore, students in a certain radius around a school would all go there. This is problematic because as mentioned earlier, school funding is largely based off of property taxes. Therefore, if the homes that surround a particular school are of low value, it means that the school will have a lack of funding. This then contributes to the cycle of social reproduction as low-income students get a poor education, which causes them to get a poor paying job and to not be able to move out of the neighborhood. ]]> 2021-07-01 23:55:26 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1634020500 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1634021344 Currently, public schools are funded in a way that creates a large amount of disparities. According to Bruce Biddle and David Berliner in their article "Unequal School", more than half of a school's funding comes from local property taxes. This system creates issues as poor communities are not able to provide the proper resources needed for the students in their community to go to school. In the end, this system of funding creates huge disparities as the amount and quality of teachers, class size, and other resources all depends on the neighborhood that the school is in. So if the school is in a poor neighborhood, it is likely that they will receive a poor education, which continues the cycle of poverty. 

Resource: 
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/may02/vol59/num08/Unequal-School-Funding-in-the-United-States.aspx ]]> 2021-07-01 23:56:21 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1634021344 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1634031057 As discussed in question number 3, standardized testing is very problematic as the article from Harvard Graduate School mentions how it is not a true measure of one's objective performance. Arlo Kempf discusses this more in his TedTalk as he explains why there is standardized testing in the first place. He notes that the purpose of standardized testing is for there to be reliability and validity. This means that the test results should be consistent during different sittings, as well as accurately measure what it is suppose to measure. The issues arises with test validity. Students with testing anxiety, challenges reading, and tests with cultural references all contribute to an invalid standardized test. 

Resources: 
https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/17/11/when-testing-takes-over

]]> 2021-07-02 00:04:47 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1634031057 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1634031467 The current issue with instructors is that there is oftentimes a disconnect between students and teachers. According to Waterford, an nonprofit that focuses on improving teacher training, low income students oftentimes have trouble trusting teachers. This can be due to man reasons: poor experiences with adults, teachers having personal bias towards low income students, student not able to have enough resources to succeed in school. Overall, these factors can play a large role in creating a disconnect between the teacher and the student. This disconnect is important to mend as Waterford mentions that this can eventually lead to issues such as school drop outs and participation in crime. Therefore, this demonstrates how important it is for there to be a positive student-teacher relationship. 

Resource: 
 https://www.waterford.org/education/teacher-student-relationships/]]> 2021-07-02 00:05:12 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1634031467 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1634034681 The current issue with extracurriculars is that most low income schools do not have the resources or funding available to allow students to have access to these activities. According to a study conducted by Brown University, there has been an increase in extracurricular participation due to income based differences. Therefore, this makes school extracurriculars and projects ever the more important. However, an important issue with extracurriculars is participation. Oftentimes, low income students do not have the privilege of spending their time doing after school activities. They pay have jobs to work, siblings to look after, or simply live too far away to be able to commit to anything. 

Resource: 
https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/01/the-activity-gap/384961/]]> 2021-07-02 00:08:11 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1634034681 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635412245 As mentioned from a Vox article written by Libby Nelson and Dara Lind, trouble at school oftentimes can lead to a rude introduction into the criminal justice system. This direct trend is problematic as it can draw many students into a world of crime and prison that is hard to get out of. Even though the incarceration rate of juveniles have been dropping, there has been a steady increase in school disciplinary actions. PBS has similar findings too when they discuss the story of De'Angelo Rollins. As an individual was bullying Rollins for months, he finally retaliated and got into a fight. Unfortunately, this got Rollins a misdemeanor citation, a fine, and a suspension. To make matters worse, if Rollins didn't pay the fine off by the age of 17, he would have to be thrown in jail. 

Additionally, an NPR article written by Kat Chow explains how the model minority myth seeks to drive a racial wedge between Asians and African Americans. It seeks to falsely downplay the racism that minorities struggle with (especially the struggles of African Americans).

Resources: 
https://www.vox.com//2015//2//24//8101289//school-discipline-race/

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/education/american-graduate-jan-june12-tx-ticketing_06-21

https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2017/04/19/524571669/model-minority-myth-again-used-as-a-racial-wedge-between-asians-and-blacks]]> 2021-07-03 00:54:01 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635412245 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635581634 As demonstrated by a chart provided by the Center of Budget and Policy Priorities, local funding accounts for almost half of a school's budget. This large chunk of funding can lead to huge impacts on the quality of education that the student receives. It can contribute to the student's ability to achieve post-high school education, and ultimately break the social reproduction of poverty. 

Resource: 
https://www.cbpp.org/research/state-budget-and-tax/k-12-school-funding-up-in-most-2018-teacher-protest-states-but-still]]> 2021-07-03 07:21:49 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635581634 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635582714 A solution that Bruce Biddle and David Berliner mention is the idea of providing national funding based on the number of students in the school. Additionally, Netherlands also gives 25% more money to lower income students, and almost 100% more for students that are minorities. What is interesting about this concept is that is does exactly the opposite of what the US does right now. My ideal school will have it where instead of punishing low-income school districts with little funding from local governments, the federal government should step in and provide the additional funding. This allows for a more equitable distribution of resources. 

Resource: 
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/may02/vol59/num08/Unequal-School-Funding-in-the-United-States.aspx]]> 2021-07-03 07:24:44 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635582714 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635583692 One point that Marguerite Roza, an expert in economics, mentions is that public schools have inefficient ways of spending money. Oftentimes, districts will have compensation for teachers based on tenure and level of education (i.e if they have a masters). So in these cases, extra money needs to be paid to these teachers for things that minimally (if at all) benefit the students. In my ideal school, I would like to break down how much everything costs. For example, I would like to know how much it would cost for a student in 5th grade to learn math. This break down of costs will be achieved through budgeting and careful allocation of resources. This makes sure that the resources are properly utilized and equally distributed. ]]> 2021-07-03 07:27:11 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635583692 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635589864 The issue of an imbalance of funding can be demonstrated by comparing two different school districts. In Rochester School District, there was low levels of local funding. Additionally, most of the students were low income. As a result, the students achieved one of the lowest test scores in the nation. On the other side of the spectrum, Naperville Illinois is adequately funded and very few students come from low income backgrounds. Not surprisingly, these students achieved one of the highest test scores in the nation. The conclusion is that the amount of funding does play a large role in the students' ability to perform. ]]> 2021-07-03 07:40:09 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635589864 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635593764 When it comes to School Integration, Cambridge, Massachusetts offers a great example that would definitely be implemented in my ideal school. This idea of a "controlled choice" allows families to rank their top school choices. Once given these factors, the school board then considers the preferences, in addition to the student's socioeconomic status, and equally districts them amongst each school. Ultimately, it helps create a school system where there is a balance between student/family preferences and a solid mix of diversity. Therefore, my ideal school will mimic the student distribution style of Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

Resource: 
https://www.edutopia.org/article/3-promising-models-school-integration ]]> 2021-07-03 07:51:52 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635593764 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635595024 It is important to understand why school integration is important, as it plays a role into creating the ideal school. As mentioned in a research conducted by Roslyn Mickelson, students that attend a diverse school score higher in all subjects. Additionally, it isn't just low income and minorities that benefit from diverse integrated schools. Even wealthier white students are able to experience benefits from the diversity. To answer the argument that most people that are against integration have, there is nothing that says that integration hurts any students. Probably the most important benefit of integration is that future generations will be able to break free from poorly funded, segregated schools. It breaks the social reproduction and pushes for low income families to hopefully move up in socioeconomic status. 

Resource: 
https://www.school-diversity.org/pdf/DiversityResearchBriefNo5.pdf]]> 2021-07-03 07:55:49 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635595024 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635595890 The change that Integration has can be demonstrated in the New York City School District. Historically, NYC School District has been one of the most segregated schools for African Americans in the country. What this resulted in was that a large percentage of African Americans were placed in separate schools. Oftentimes, these schools had much less resources, qualified teachers, and funding available. A large part of this was due to the fact that zoning laws made the low income students in the area all go to the same school. What legislation passed on 2019 did was it school districts now assign students based on a lottery system. This way, it allows schools to have a better balance in the socioeconomic status, as well as ethnic background, of the students. ]]> 2021-07-03 07:58:35 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635595890 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635601417 According to a research study conducted in the UK, the most effective pedagogies considers the students' opinions. Additionally, the teaching style is flexible according to the needs of the students, and have a clear picture of the learning objective - both long term and short term. Furthermore, good pedagogies have a range of teaching techniques for students and for students to work as a class, in groups, and individually. Since my school will have students from all sorts of socioeconomic backgrounds, it is important that all students are involved in the learning process as they all have different styles of learning. Some may require more attention than others. That is what the purpose of breaking up into small groups. According to the UK study, this allows for a more intimate learning environment that best allows different learning styles.

Resource: 
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/329746/what-makes-great-pedagogy-nine-claims-from-research.pdf ]]> 2021-07-03 08:16:50 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635601417 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635602250 Based on the research provided by the UK study, an example of how my ideal school would teach math is first introducing the learning objective: "Being able to add single digit numbers." This makes the students understand what the end goal is, and allows them to check to see if they are making progress towards that learning objective as they go along. Next part involves teaching addition in several ways. One way could be visually with adding things such as apples and pencils. Another technique would be explain to the students verbally on the steps involved in adding. Lastly, the teacher can have the student try this themselves. An important part of this process is listening to the needs of the students and considering their options. Maybe students are saying that they want to focus more on the visual aspect - by catering to the students it makes sure that they are learning most efficently. Lastly, after moving from teaching the entire class, have the students work in groups. This allows for collaboration and makes sure that the students are able to work together in a smaller setting. Lastly, having the students work one on one in pairs really makes sure that the student understands the terms and can explain it to a peer. Overall, this process is very interactive and heavily involves the input of the student.]]> 2021-07-03 08:19:50 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635602250 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635604452 Building trust in the classroom is a crucial part of my ideal school. This allows for teachers and students to feel connected, and have the most effective learning. As mentioned by Kickboard, an important way to build trust is listening to the students. By being open to opinion and feelings, it shows that the teacher cares. Additionally, the teacher needs to have empathy with the students. These students come from a variety of backgrounds, so the teacher needs to make sure that they are empathic towards the student. Lastly, having the teacher tell the students about themselves will make the students feel that they have more of a personal connection with the student. 

https://www.kickboardforschools.com/pbis-positive-behavior-interventions-supports/8-trust-building-strategies-that-improve-student-classroom-behavior/]]> 2021-07-03 08:26:50 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635604452 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635605065 In my ideal school, there will be no standardized testing or teach tenures. According to a study consulted by Penn State, tenures encourage teacher complacency as teachers have job security and seek to just do the minimum in order to get by. Therefore, tenures do not encourage student learning, rather it can lead to teachers being demotivated to teach at a quality level.

Standardized testing will also be banned at my ideal school. According to a study conducted by Harvard's Graduate School of Education, standardized tests are not a true measure of one's objective performance. The study mentions that low income and minorities oftentimes do not receive the same quality education as white people. Additionally, white people are able to afford test preparation and tutoring services that give them a upper hand. To replace standardized testing, my school will have a system similar to that of Finland. There will be more flexibility for the student to decide on what course work they want to take. Additionally, the exams will not be comprehensive based, rather they will be sample-based. These scores will then be used to help better develop curriculum, and won't be used to decide school funding. There will be no comparison between students will help create the most amount of equity. 

Resources: 
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/why-are-finlands-schools-successful-49859555/

https://sites.psu.edu/bardcivic/2018/02/15/teacher-tenure-helping-or-hurting-education/

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/02/how-does-finland-s-top-ranking-education-system-work#:~:text=In%20terms%20of%20basic%20education,nor%20used%20to%20rank%20schools.

https://www.trade-schools.net/articles/issues-in-education]]> 2021-07-03 08:28:32 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635605065 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635610988 This TedTalk from Joe Ruhl sums up my points very well on what I believe is the most effective pedagogy approach. He summarizes that collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity should all be present. In order to achieve these things, the teacher need to first develop a strong connection and trust with the students. Additionally, it also ties to the UK study as it mentions the importance of listening to the students and being flexible in your teaching methods. ]]> 2021-07-03 08:46:28 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635610988 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635949684 My solution to solve the issue with standardized testing at my ideal school is to do what Finland is currently doing. In Finland, there is no comparison or ranking between students. All of Finland's schools are publicly funded, and every school has similar amount of funding and all have the same national goal. Additionally, each university trains and hires similarly qualified professors. Essentially, what this means is that students in Finland get a similar quality education, regardless of what school they attend. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Finland has the smallest difference between the best and worst student. Finland seeks to create equality within their education system. 

Resource: 
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/why-are-finlands-schools-successful-49859555/

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/why-are-finlands-schools-successful-49859555/

]]> 2021-07-04 01:01:27 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635949684 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635950200 If the standardized test is dismissed, there still needs some metrics to gauge students. As noted by the New York Performance Standards Consortium, a portfolio based assessment seeks to solve this issue. With a portfolio based assessment, the process of students are measured with a variety of projects, presentations, papers, and reports. This allows the student to get a variety of exposure to different medians of "assessment". With this method of assessing students, it makes sure that the assessment covers a large basis of styles to ensure that it tailors to all students. It allows for a more multidimensional piece of work that gives a better picture on the performance of the student. Some limitations to this solution is that even with the increase in types of assessments, there can be students that do not perform well with presentations or public speaking. This can be a large hinder as it can hurt them. To address this limitation, my ideal school needs to make sure that there is a broad spread of assessments that seek to test a variety of different things. This will make sure that not one skill is overemphasized.

Resource: 
https://otus.com/measure-student-progress-without-standardized-testing/]]> 2021-07-04 01:03:20 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635950200 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635950445 My ideal college admissions is similar to the portfolio assessment in that students are able to decide what they want to submit. I believe that the purpose of a college application process is to demonstrate one's best self and their most accomplished work. So instead of requiring students to submit a SAT/ACT, GPA, etc., I would have the students submit whatever they want. So maybe they helped work at their parents restaurant throughout high school and it is a big part of them. If the student wanted to submit a picture of the restaurant's menu that they helped design, I believe that they should be able to do that. A caveat to this is that for specific subjects (i.e math, engineering, etc) there should still be some requirement to submit something related to the major you are interested in. However, this can still be broad, and allow the student to have the ability to decide what they want to submit to demonstrate their best self. ]]> 2021-07-04 01:04:18 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1635950445 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636030720 As demonstrated by this Arizona State University study, there are many factors that make standardized testing problematic. The first is that standardized tests favor students that come from English speaking homes. Additionally, students that come from higher income families tend to score better. Overall, this chart clearly demonstrates the issues with standardized testing. That is why my ideal school and college admissions do not require standardized testing, because they are not a true representation of the abilities of the student. ]]> 2021-07-04 05:00:53 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636030720 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636047579 In order for a teacher to be able to connect with the students in my ideal classroom, the teacher needs to be able to know the students. In the class film, Jeff Duncan is a teacher at SF State that lives in the same neighborhood that he teaches in. He understands the violence, hardship, and difficulty that comes with growing up in that area. Therefore, Jeff is very understanding with his students. He is able to connect and sympathize with them. Furthermore, this type of connection creates a teacher student trust as the students see that the teacher understands the life that they are going through outside the classroom. The way that I will implement this understanding qualification into my school is requiring teachers to take a test in regards to the school neighborhood culture and socioeconomic status. That teacher needs to understand that some of the low income students go through on a daily basis. This is important because it makes the teacher more understanding of the students and better serves the students better.  I believe that a qualified teacher is someone who really understands the students that they are teaching. This is important because once the teacher has a strong understand of who their are teaching, it allows them to have a vision for what they want their students to become. Qualified teachers are able to connect with students, and through this connection it makes for a better vision for the student. As mentioned earlier, teacher training should consist of apathy trainings and understandings of the students' backgrounds. ]]> 2021-07-04 05:52:56 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636047579 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636050977 With a classroom that is so diverse in backgrounds, it is important that the curriculum is flexible to adjust according to the needs of the student. As discussed in a study conducted by Brown University, a student centered instruction is important as it reflects democracy. This syle of instruction makes sure that each child is reaching their full potential. Therefore, in my school teachers will be required to have a mission to maximize a student's potential. This can be achieved by being open to change the curriculum towards different needs.

Resource: 
https://www.brown.edu/academics/education-alliance/teaching-diverse-learners/student-centered-instruction]]> 2021-07-04 06:06:48 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636050977 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636051395 This is a very powerful scene in the movie Freedom Writers that really emphasize the importance of having the teachers facilitate open discussions within the classroom. Even though in Freedom Writers the school was integrated, the classroom was not. As seen in the scene, the classroom was strongly divided up based on race. Each race stuck together, and often disposed of other races. It wasn't until the teacher broke up the tension and really facilitated a deep discussion on the Holocaust that the students were able to grow to like one another. ]]> 2021-07-04 06:08:26 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636051395 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636053312 In order to uphold a constant high standard of teaching, in my ideal school teachers will be constantly assessed. Additionally, teachers will not be able to get tenure. This is important because as mentioned by the Penn State study, teacher tenures create complacency amongst teachers and some teachers lose motivation. Additionally, teachers will be annually tested on their understanding of the socioeconomic status of their students. Furthermore, the teachers are required to create an annual report that looks into the daily in a life of a low income or minority student (with the permission of the student). This report will get the teacher to have a better understanding of the student population, and have some more sympathy. 

Resource: 
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/why-are-finlands-schools-successful-49859555/]]> 2021-07-04 06:15:15 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636053312 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636058694 I believe that the best way to raise money for a school is to create incentives. As explained by Stella Kemp, a superintendent in the San Bruno Park School District, having businesses partner with schools allow students to experience the work place and see what opportunities lie ahead. Businesses always want to look for new ways to increase revenue. By partnering with schools, this will allow the school to raise money while still raising revenue for the business. This win-win cycle continues as the students can participate in this fundraising project. It will teach them how to manage money, as well as engaging with the community and getting the community support. Overall, having my ideal school have fundraisers with businesses in the community will allow for students to take responsibility and action, help local businesses, and have the community engaged about helping local schools. 

Resources: 
https://www.smdailyjournal.com/opinion/guest_perspectives/the-importance-of-school-community-partnerships/article_0320fcf4-cb3b-11e7-a8ee-83f57369e16c.html]]> 2021-07-04 06:32:26 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636058694 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636058944 Ultimately, my ideal school makes sure that the request of the students and parents are heard. Ultimately, they are the ones that the school is serving, so it is important that their needs are met. School administrates can make guesses on what students and parents need, but ultimately it is up to them to decide what is best in order to increase their education. The best thing that the school can do is to make sure that the demands of the students/parents always remain ahead of those of the school officials. ]]> 2021-07-04 06:33:11 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636058944 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636059078 Many low income families have to work jobs in order to support their families. This makes it difficult for them to find ways to participate in extracurriculars. However, one solution to that is the school partnering with the community to find work for them. This work can consist of cleaning of graffitied walls, picking up trash, and other work to help improve the community. This way, the students are able to get paid for their work, while also staying out of trouble. This community work can be exciting when students are able to work together. All in all, these tasks will increase the students' connection with one another, and hopefully integrate the classroom and school environment. ]]> 2021-07-04 06:33:38 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636059078 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636062614 In a study lead by Timothy Cavell that looked into the importance of mentorship for at-risk youth, it concluded that those who made strong relationships with adults made them less at risk of dropping out of school and falling into crime. Therefore, in my ideal school there will be a type of counseling that pairs up students with a mentor. This mentor can come in the form of a teacher, qualified alumni, or other community member that has a record of being a positive contributor to the community. This way, students are able to see what they want to become, and have someone to look up to.

Resources: 
https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1079&context=socwork_fac]]> 2021-07-04 06:44:12 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636062614 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636063270 My ideal school will make sure that there is a large focus on ethnic studies. As explained by research conducted by the National Education Association, teaching students about ethnic studies help foster cross-cultural learning about different ethnic and cultural groups. It breaks down prejustice and create a more inclusive environment. Ultimately, this is very important as it helps individuals understand what marginalized communities are going through. It create empathy for those that are oppressed and makes people seek to fight for justice. Ethnic studies in my ideal school would be taught both inside and outside of the classroom. Inside the classroom, students would learn from past examples of injustice and what is currently wrong with society. Outside the classroom, students would explore monuments, museums, participate in protests, and get a first hand experience.

Resource: 
https://www.nea.org/sites/default/files/2020-10/What%20the%20Research%20Says%20About%20Ethnic%20Studies.pdf]]> 2021-07-04 06:46:09 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636063270 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636063585 In closing, I don't think that my ideal school is far from what most reasonable Americans want: one that is equitable, inclusive, diverse, and educational. However, there is a multitude of issues that seem to arise. There will always be debate on the right ways things should be done. There will always be people with prejustice, selfish desires, or greed. However, I believe that a continued stride towards educating individuals is important in this process. Not only educating teachers and school officials, but students and parents as well. Having the students and parents fight for what they want is powerful as they are the voice of the community. The purpose of school is to educate students, so when the students rise up and demand change, it is a hard voice to silence. Continued persistence in fighting for one's rights is what it important. As judge Sonia Sotomayor said, "Until we get equality in education, we won't have an equal society". ]]> 2021-07-04 06:47:12 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636063585 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636087500 As demonstrated by a study conducted by Michigan Health, students with an household income of less than $60k have a drastic decrease in participation in extracurriculars. This can be due to the fact that their families cannot afford these programs, or that the student has other responsibilities that make them unable to participate in extracurriculars. ]]> 2021-07-04 07:56:56 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636087500 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636090870 As explained in the Vox article, school suspensions have a strong correlation to dropping out of school. This is problematic because the purpose of suspension shouldn't be to discourage students and make them leave school altogether. Suspension should be a punishment that the student understands that their behavior is wrong, and that they need to go back to school with a change of action. Therefore, in my ideal school, instead of suspensions there would be community service. As I mentioned in question 6 that one of the extracurriculars a school should have is cleaning up the community, I believe that this job will also be very enriching for a troubled student. This will allow the student the opportunity to do good, and redeem themselves for what they did. Additionally, this won't discourage them to drop out of school, rather it can allow them to feel more attached to their community and have a feeling to want to give back. 

Resources: 
https://www.vox.com//2015//2//24//8101289//school-discipline-race/ 

https://www.kickboardforschools.com/classroom-behavior-management/creative-alternative-strategies-to-school-suspensions/]]> 2021-07-04 08:06:58 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636090870 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636095463 Students in my ideal school will require some academic support. However, it is very expensive to offer all students tutoring services. Therefore, a solution I propose is to have an extracurricular where students that are performing well can help tutor students that have questions. This is a win-win as students that are performing well can put this on their resume, while the students that have questions are able to relearn what they do not understand. Additionally, this will increase the comradery within the student body as they seek to help one another succeed. ]]> 2021-07-04 08:22:13 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636095463 achiangusa https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636095741 Students in my ideal school should have counseling not only focused on college, but post high school plans in general. In my ideal school, counselors will propose students with a multitude of opportunities: trade school, job opportunities, college application process, etc. The purpose of the counselor shouldn't be to tell the student what their future is. The student should be able to see what options are available for them and decide what is best for themselves. ]]> 2021-07-04 08:23:17 UTC https://padlet.com/achiangusa/kprt7q2fn57wshhk/wish/1636095741