First thoughts of the Inquiry Project

I like the four goals of the inquiry project and I think we will benifit greatly from our findings. I haven't narrowed down what my question is going to be yet, but I'm thinking about it.

Annenberg Reaction

I found "Promises of Urban Schools" eeye openning. Sometimes coming were you come from you think the whole world is "peaches and cream" and it isn't. Not only did this reading have great examples of urban schools, but it also gave us some demographic statistics. This reading showed us that most urban schools host low- income families and families of color. I found that upsetting and if you read some of my previous posts you'll find out why. I liked the fact that the Senior Fellow were A) supporting the addition of music and poetry to instill some creativity in the students and B) Were looking for ways to correct the problems in Urban areas. Lastly, there was a quote that talked about how urban schools can't afford the same things rural and suburban schools can, so their students aren't getting the same caliber education. I believe that schools should be funded by the US government so that every single one of the United States's children has the same educational opportunites as the next! (Now I relize that this proposition might raise alot of controversy, so if you have any ideas comment on it.)

Parker Post and Question Answer: 4. What role should schools and schooling play in the US? In a democracy? #2

I believe that public schooling is the first step out of idiocy and as democratic as a setting as we have in the US! The public school isn't a private, closed minded, place like our homes were we just practice what we want and can exclude the realities of the world. It is a place of variety. Like Vivian Gussin said in the reading, " The children I teach are just emerging from life's deep wells of private perspective…variety doesn't exist at home, or in churches, temples, or mosques either. It exists in public places where diverse people are thrown together, places where people come from numerous parts private worlds and social positions congregate on common ground." This is so true! If we all think back to when we were in school (or when most of us started going to school) it was the first time we all saw people of different colors, races, and ethnicities, in the same place with a common goal. Now here is a question for the schools. Since public schools are filled with diversity why don’t they educate all of their students about the different kinds of people around them? If every student was more well versed on the different cultures of the US this would cut down the number of hate crimes in the school and essentially make us more “united”. The United States is the “Melting Pot” of the world. Shouldn’t we know what our own ingredients are? Our countries different ingredients are what makes us, us. It’s almost as if we are living in “mistery stew” right now. If we make our students more aware this will make them more understanding and more accepting. If they are more accepting at a young age then they will be able to preach and lead by example and eventually America will not fear what it doesn’t know anymore, it will accept it and want to incorporate it. This will make for more well rounded people and a more well- rounded democratic country. This is the easiest and most realistic solution to ending our American “Idiocy”.

Parker Post and Question Answer: 4. What role should schools and schooling play in the US? In a democracy?

I believe that public schooling is the first step out of idiocy and as democratic as a setting as we have in the US! The public school isn't a private, closed minded, place like our homes were we just practice what we want and can exclude the realities of the world. It is a place of variety. Like Vivian Gussin said in the reading, " The children I teach are just emerging from life's deep wells of private perspective: babyhood and family. Then, along comes school. It is the first real step to the outside arena. Boys and girls are both there. Jews, Protestants, Catholics, Muslims, Buddhists, and atheists are all there together. There are Africans Americans, Asian Americans, and many more. Immigrants from the world over are there in school.
This buzzing variety doesn't exist at home, or in churches, temples, or mosques either. It exists in public places where diverse people are thrown together, places where people come from numerous parts private worlds and social positions congregate on common ground."
Parker also said," Problems and diversity are essential assets for cultivating democratic students." If we produce more democratic students we will have produced more well rounded people that will help stear us out of "idiocy".