Thursday, October 22, 2009
The New Untouchables
Read the article and reflect: If you were to choose 3 emphasis areas for school improvement, what would they be and why? What is your plan for making yourself "untouchable?"
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I would say that a major focal point of education should be language skills. And I'm not talking just English classes where you read 10 books in one year and do an occasional project, I'm talking about how to effectively use the English (or whatever language one is using) effectively.
ReplyDeleteThen there's social skills, and once again I emphasize that this doesn't just mean how to properly talk to an adult, but more so how to adapt socially to different environments and different people.
The third should somehow implement an education of current events. Try to get students away from what the local and national news tell them each day; get the kids learning about what is REALLY going on in our world. Then, get kids to interact and form opinions about these current events and even pose solutions and/or alternatives to certain things.
Personally, I like not to think of myself as "untouchable," nor do I want to be entitled "untouchable," because that word, in my mind, is associated with being in deep poverty, which I hope to never be in. Let's just ;eave it at that I don't plan on sitting around and looking for a job after college. I plan on always having one foot in the door. Hopefully I'll be able to get a good internship in grad school, and then make a good impression on the company which I would be interning for so much so that they give me a real job! Far fetched: Yes; Impossible: Not even close!
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ReplyDeleteI agree with Garrett that language skills should definitely be a priority in the school system. Too many students today don't even know how to write a paper with proper grammar. Language skills are essential in the real world, and one cannot be taken seriously without them. Also talking about language, I believe a foreign language should be required in high schools, and various languages should be offered within the school. Communication is necessary in life and on the job. Schools should work on broadening the students' horizons and making them more worldly.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, it is clear that students are less motivated to learn these days. Schools should allow the teachers to incorporate more field trips into their curriculum. I believe that going to a place and learning its history, significance, etc. allows us to visualize what the real world is like first-hand, and it is more interesting and motivating.
Finally, all schools should require their students to take some sort of debate or reflections class. Learning about real issues and communicating possibilities for improvement will help develop critical thinking skills and the skills that are necessary to be an "untouchable". Blogs like these are even great ways to stimulate students' minds and get them to start thinking like inventors.
To become an "untouchable," I plan to be as worldly as possible and continue researching information to learn more. I will try to think critically and think of ways that issues can be resolved. I am determined to stay motivated and never pass on a chance to educate myself.
I disagree with Garett and Allison. Areas of improvement should be based on Science, Mathematics, and Economics. I can't think of a single time in American history when we've been in heated debate with another country over the topic of language. Meanwhile, we've been involved in the Space Race over science, and Barack Obama is considering instituting more school hours to compete with Asian students in math. These are the issues which best benefit the country, and though I personally love English, I'm worried about the future of America. How are we to compete if we can write books, but can't add? Maybe we'll become famous for a novel on the great American failure.
ReplyDeleteTo become untouchable? Is it possible? I don't believe so. Everyone is subject to the rising and falling tides of the country in which they live and the world as a whole. If I could become a powerful world leader, then maybe I'd be untouchable, but even great conquerers have been defeated...
Above post: Erika Alfieri
ReplyDeleteUntouchables have become those who have new innovative ideas, who are creative and imaginative.
ReplyDelete1)To have students become "untouchables", they definitely need a class like AP English Language, with a teacher like Ms. Walz. That's a class where you learn the language you speak, so you can communicate clearly. It challenges the mind with abstract questions and greater concepts, and goes into depth into every subject, because you can talk about and discuss anything. It would teach students to see the bigger picture when it comes to certain issues and think outside the box when it comes to problem solving.
2)One thing that makes the untouchables above and beyond is that they're just as smart as everyone else, just more creative. Thus, I'd take an art class, one that incorporates ceramics and in depth study of art, color, technique, and style. By bringing out your inner artist, you open your more creative and artistic side up, and if you let it influence your way of thinking, you can understand and influence people and their surroundings more, as well as see more than meets the eye.
3)Finally, I would definitely recommend a tech class of some sort, like programming. With all the new technology coming out, there are going to be so many jobs for people to create them, operate them, do routine check-ups to make sure they're running properly, and other things an average person has never thought about. If people don't learn their way around computers, they're not going anywhere far in their future.
Therefore, my plan to become an "untouchable" is to learn to communicate effectively and look at something from multiple viewpoints, ask abstract questions, understand it fully. I'll study art, learn why painters and sculptors created their art a certain way, to try and understand people more. And, of course, I'll learn to be completely computer literate, learning the ins and outs of the html language.
Former Republican Presidential Candidate(and hopefully future Republican Presidential Candidate) Mitt Romney said "America must remain, as it has always been, the hope of the earth." In today's America our entire history is being thrown out the window, our founding fathers has been belittle to some old guys who lived a long time ago. This needs to stop. We must, in order to continue being the hope of the earth, look to our founding, our everlasting principles. Strong families with Moms and Dads teaching good values and instilling discipline in our young people needs to be the first step. Providing a positive culture and society for our children needs to be emphasized. I believe the United States of America is the greatest country in the world, it stands for freedom and goodness, how about we teach our kids about our rich history and founding principles, then, we will in fact become Untouchables.
ReplyDeleteThe three emphasis areas for school improvement would be a high grade achiever, significant volunteerism, and creator of new activities.
ReplyDeleteThese are the three emphasised improvements because they make a better person. They would lead to new attitudes and a better community. Those who practice this will always be in demand and those that practice these three emphasis points will become the new "untouchables."
The bottom line is that in every vital subject, students tend to lack a strong foundation. The only subject today's public schools adequately teach is math. They've already churned out a generation of socially ignorant, malleable young adults that sure as heck know their calculus. The overemphasis on math is ridiculous. Students are being defeated before they even make it to high school. Foundations of the English language that assist people in an understanding for human interaction need to be laid in elementary school, reinforced in middle school, and polished in high school. State funding for arts programs needs to be increased to keep kids excited about and interested in school activities. Lastly, an understanding of our world from a political, social, and economic standpoint needs to be built as early as possible, much like that of language.
ReplyDeleteSchool is very important in shaping up a student to not only survive, but also to thrive in the "real world"; the competitive working world. A person's school experience reflects whether they will wear the commanding orange vest of a hunter or be the deer spotted by headlights getting shot down in the wild.
ReplyDeleteSchool's should put an emphasis in teaching students to follow deadlines, to organize their life to a "too bad, tough luck" enviroment. Many teachers in high school, though I understand they want to help as much as possible, oftentimes end up babying the student. Whether it be extending deadlines, curving tests, or accepting excuses on work, the attitude only gets students used to being able to get-by in life whether or not they finish certain tasks. A deadline is a deadline- have your work or suffer the consequences. Not many jobs will accept you not having your work completed. If it is not done, then tough luck, you have now become replaceable.
Vocational courses should also have an emphasis put on them. It is always good for a school to offer courses more specifically oriented towards certain careers. This might allow students to get an idea of what different things interest them or allow them to explore a few different career choices. Once a student reaches university level, they usually pick a major. A huge percentage of students end up changing that major atleast twice before finding the one they stick with. This change affects not only the time they spend in getting their education but their wallets as well.
A third emphasis should be put on dress code. At first, this seems like an odd issue to put importance on but think of it like this. School, for the first 18 years of your life is your job. You go in, learn, are held responsible for the material and assignments and are then graded according to performance. The only difference being that your practically in "no fail mode" as in no matter how badly you might perform you cannot get fired. Dressing appropriately is of much importance. One's main focus should not be how cute they look in the morning but how well they are going to perform. This is why many establishments have a set uniform. Following a simple rule such as dress code will have an influence on how well one might follow directions in the work place.
The idea of being an untouchable- though flattering, is not realistic. Some factor can always affect what occurs in the working world- whether it be correct of it to have an effect or not.
These days, school, to many, is seen as a complete joke. This attitude which is shared by many young people is incorrect. The structure, the rules, the benefit, they respect none of it. School is just a place where kids are either distracted by friends and social issues or skeem on ways to get out of attending school.
ReplyDeleteAn emphasis should be put on, or should I say, taken away from sports and/or extracurricular activities. Too many students are obsessed with either attending the next football game, how spirited to dress up, homecoming week, homecoming dance, field trips or ultimately prom. Many times, students will focus more on the upcoming pep rally than the test they have to take next period. This organization of priorities is wrong. School should be about your education, classes, and achieving your highest scholastic level.
An emphasis should be placed on discipline. Students must learn to listen, repect and follow the orders of a higher authority. Too many times have I noticed students talking back to teachers without any consequences; instead yelling fights arise. This situation is not realistic of real-world reactions or consequences which could include getting fired, a diciplinary action or sometimes even legal action.
A third emphasis should be placed on encouraging students to take-on higher level courses. Many students have the potential, if well-disciplined, to succeed in higher level classes they have just either not been given the guidance to take them on or don't have the confidence. Getting ahead should always be in the mind of the student, or be put there. Anyone can succeed as long as they try.
"untouchable"- the word has a negative and nonrealistic tone.I'd rather be "noticed" / "acknowledged".
The schools systems need to teach classes that will help kids in the future. Classes such as business interview skills, personal math (banking and finance), cooking classes, health classes. Classes for every day life that are going to be useful to kids. I never understand why we are forced to take some of these classes that I see as unuseful. For example to me, taking Spanish is a waste of time, or French, or Sign Language etc., unless you are going into that area. Those are classes we take just to get the high school credit, it is nothing that we ever remember later in life. Life Skills classes should take their place.
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