Sub Vision: Would Money Solve Education Problems?

The education system is being criticized by everyone; the politicians, the educators, the ‘wannabe’ educators, parents, students and teachers themselves… the complaints are as varied as the complainers, with one common ground – they are all unhappy with the end results… The recommended solutions are just as divided, and may have some truth to all of them…

I have written in the past about some of my proposition, and will probably write again as new ideas emerge. One question, however, keeps occupying my mind - would money solve all, or at least most, of the educational problems?

My initial response to a family discussion few years ago was that money is not the problem. I have changed my mind since, encountering instances where money does make a difference.

It is painful to see how budget cuts change the scenery in public schools. In the relatively short time I have been in education I saw positions being dissolved, full time positions become part time, others being combined. Academic coaches, librarians, textbook room operators and testing coordinators are just few on that list. For most of school occupations, work load have been doubled or tripled.

One area that seems almost untouched by budget cuts is the Special Education. Teacher-students ratio is still low, a full time assistant is still there, and with one-on-one aides, sign language interpreters, and other personnel, classes, often, have nearly as many adults as students.

In does amounts to a waste of resources sometimes, mostly when the adults are not doing their job, which results in time misused and students being idle. But at schools where the special education program is solid, and teachers and aides are doing their job, the results are remarkable. Students are engaged in learning, have access to real knowledge, assisted to strive and show true and incredible results.

Comparing the Special Education system to the General Education I can’t help imagining what could have been achieved with like resources; a teacher/student ratio of 1:10, or even 1:20, Instead of a 1 to 40, with an additional full time aide…

Looking back at my short career as a full time teacher, the difference could have been grand. Attracting the attention of 20 students rather than 40 could have been huge just for the fact that noise level would be cut in half. Applying and following up on discipline procedures, reaching all students and checking their understanding and progress, individualizing instruction when needed, could have been only part of the benefits. Help of an aide could have done wonders too - checking papers, tests… things that teachers wish they had more hours in the day to complete to their satisfaction…

Funds to accommodate smaller classes, presence of adult assistant, and additional out-of-class support, would make learning enjoyable for those who want to learn, would encourage those who don’t, and make learning feasible for the rest of the students, the majority,  in between…

Sub Vision: Movie Anyone?

Students always press for a movie day. Whenever a teacher, and especially a sub, seem not to be sure of the lesson plan, it is always – movie, let’s watch a movie…

It used to be the remedy for every space in instructions, but in the past several years the district have put some limitations on it, and schools became more critical of teachers who insert movies too often. Even substitute teachers have to be very careful; it has to be under specific instructions of the regular teacher. I, therefore, carry with me optional activities, in case a teacher had not left a lesson plan.

It looks like the rules are loosening again, though, and I recently encountered more and more instances where a movie was the educational plan. Over the past school year I have seen many pictures in class, too often, unfortunately, not the type I would consider a good choice for high school, let alone middle school, students…

Regardless of choices, one thing never ceases to amaze me; no matter what kind of a movie is being shown, students are not interested. As soon as the movie starts students are turning to their preferred occupancy – talking to a friend, styling their hair, putting on makeup, doing other work, and most often getting on their phones.

Help me, someone, understand… if a movie is such a sought after class activity, how come more than half the class doesn’t even watch it? Why are they tuned out as soon as the screen in the front of them becomes alive with pictures and words?

The teachers who do care prescribe some preventive measures. There are teachers who ask students to write a summary of what they have seen, others give a short quiz about the movie, or part of it, afterwards. One teacher had left me desperate instructions about forbidding any cell phones and turning off all the lights so students won’t be able to do anything else besides watching the movie…

    

But students are smart, skilled and experienced, and would do anything to defy the rules… so then, maybe, just maybe, teachers should be the ones to follow the rules… and not show any movies…