There are several factors that play a vital role in the level of negativity within schools and communities as it pretains to literacy development. Parental involvement, absenteeism, and teacher optimism rank among the highest on my list. Without a positive school to home connection between parents and teachers, students will continue to lag behind in regards to becoming highly literate. Consequently, when students exemplify chronic absenteeism from school then they are missing out on valuable information that is needed to build upon for a solid literacy foundation. Nevertheless, teacher optimism,takes precedence in regards to negative factors of literacy because teachers have the power to make or break students. Teachers are to be avid fans of all subject matter. If a teacher is not adequately prepared to teach literacy skills through a variety of methods or if they are unable to demonstrate high level of reasonable (reachable goals) expectations for ALL students then students are destined to display negative outcomes in literacy development. All of these factors lead to students who are unable to read, write, speak, compute and solve problems that are at levels of proficiency necessary to function in society. Therefore, hindering students from developing to their fullest potentials.
I agree with you 100%. The educational process should be an interaction and partnership between all faction of the educational arena. Students and teachers do not operate in a vacuum that is devoid of external influences that include parents and the surrounding communit.
I agree completely with you both. However, I think the primary factor that has negatively affected literacy is our inability to create a rigorous foundation for our youth. Most of the problems that are noticed in middle and high schools are problems that have been passed on by the previous teachers and administrators. We have to collectively place accountability on both parties. Because most in-class teachers know the strengths and weaknesses of their students, but due to the fear of the administration and its fear of the superintendent, nothing is done. We have all witnessed the rise of educational politics which has weakened the liberalism of our classrooms, but since no one has the courage to stand up for our kids, nothing will be done.
I agree. In addition there are underlying factors that are created from the issues that affect socioeconomic status which many has already mentioned in the above comments such as slack of the stakeholders involved in the learning process and illeteracy among parents and community. The learning cycle first begins with the home and is reinforced at the school. It takes a village to raise a child.
I feel there is a problem with parental invovlement, but, I feel, it's because of lack of education of the parents. A lot of parent are not capable of assisting students with reading, comprehension skills, etc. Therefore, the child is only receiving help at school and not at home. This causes the child to continue to fall behind because learning must take place at home also. Secondly, teachers and administrators should learn to work together and not as one. In order to improve the literacy problems, there should be a school culture in place. With a school culture of one common goal, there should be some improvements. It is not about the teachers, nor the administrators, but it is about the students.
I believe that socioeconomic issues have an impact on families ability to raise children in an environment that prepares them for academic achievement. In urban areas unemployment and poverty runs rampantly leaving parents with very little hope in providing a decent living for their children. Poverty creates a burden for students and they are less likely to perform at a level that is required of them academically. Parental involvement does play a major role in literacy however, until the social economic status of children improves significantly literacy will continue to be a problem in schools.
In light of the comments posted I can relate to some aspects of them all. However, I think that as educators we must face the fact that there are several contributing factors to the decline in literacy and the learning process "as a whole". Consequently, we must do all that we can do while the students are in our possession and not reflect on the discrediting outside factors. I have learned that once you build up students self esteem then you wouldn't believe the places that their minds could go. On that same note, Anatole France stated that nine tenths of education is encouragement.
During the past three years, what three factors or variables have negatively affected literacy in your school and its immediate community?
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ReplyDeleteThere are several factors that play a vital role in the level of negativity within schools and communities as it pretains to literacy development. Parental involvement, absenteeism, and teacher optimism rank among the highest on my list. Without a positive school to home connection between parents and teachers, students will continue to lag behind in regards to becoming highly literate. Consequently, when students exemplify chronic absenteeism from school then they are missing out on valuable information that is needed to build upon for a solid literacy foundation. Nevertheless, teacher optimism,takes precedence in regards to negative factors of literacy because teachers have the power to make or break students. Teachers are to be avid fans of all subject matter. If a teacher is not adequately prepared to teach literacy skills through a variety of methods or if they are unable to demonstrate high level of reasonable (reachable goals) expectations for ALL students then students are destined to display negative outcomes in literacy development. All of these factors lead to students who are unable to read, write, speak, compute and solve problems that are at levels of proficiency necessary to function in society. Therefore, hindering students from developing to their fullest potentials.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you 100%. The educational process should be an interaction and partnership between all faction of the educational arena. Students and teachers do not operate in a vacuum that is devoid of external influences that include parents and the surrounding communit.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely with you both. However, I think the primary factor that has negatively affected literacy is our inability to create a rigorous foundation for our youth. Most of the problems that are noticed in middle and high schools are problems that have been passed on by the previous teachers and administrators. We have to collectively place accountability on both parties. Because most in-class teachers know the strengths and weaknesses of their students, but due to the fear of the administration and its fear of the superintendent, nothing is done. We have all witnessed the rise of educational politics which has weakened the liberalism of our classrooms, but since no one has the courage to stand up for our kids, nothing will be done.
ReplyDeleteI agree. In addition there are underlying factors that are created from the issues that affect socioeconomic status which many has already mentioned in the above comments such as slack of the stakeholders involved in the learning process and illeteracy among parents and community. The learning cycle first begins with the home and is reinforced at the school. It takes a village to raise a child.
ReplyDeleteI feel there is a problem with parental invovlement, but, I feel, it's because of lack of education of the parents. A lot of parent are not capable of assisting students with reading, comprehension skills, etc. Therefore, the child is only receiving help at school and not at home. This causes the child to continue to fall behind because learning must take place at home also. Secondly, teachers and administrators should learn to work together and not as one. In order to improve the literacy problems, there should be a school culture in place. With a school culture of one common goal, there should be some improvements. It is not about the teachers, nor the administrators, but it is about the students.
ReplyDeleteI believe that socioeconomic issues have an impact on families ability to raise children in an environment that prepares them for academic achievement. In urban areas unemployment and poverty runs rampantly leaving parents with very little hope in providing a decent living for their children. Poverty creates a burden for students and they are less likely to perform at a level that is required of them academically. Parental involvement does play a major role in literacy however, until the social economic status of children improves significantly literacy will continue to be a problem in schools.
ReplyDeleteIn light of the comments posted I can relate to some aspects of them all. However, I think that as educators we must face the fact that there are several contributing factors to the decline in literacy and the learning process "as a whole". Consequently, we must do all that we can do while the students are in our possession and not reflect on the discrediting outside factors. I have learned that once you build up students self esteem then you wouldn't believe the places that their minds could go. On that same note, Anatole France stated that nine tenths of education is encouragement.
ReplyDelete