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Lesson Plans


Re: The future

From: Mark Alexander (malexander06)
Date: Fri Jun 02 2000 - 04:32:38 PDT

  • Next message: Kimberly Herbert: "RE: The future"

    There are numerous reasons why a person might need tutoring to pass a
    standardized test. Often students don't grasp the concept the first few
    times it's covered in the classroom, and then miss it in the review, too.
    This is frequently caused by identifiable learning disabilities, but that
    often is not the case. Sometimes an absence or two, poor eating habits or
    attitude problems will affect learning. Students who have learning problems
    often exhibit behavior problems, or may simply have a lack of ambition in
    the classroom. And sometimes the teacher just doesn't hit on the proper
    synthesis of a concept to enable a person to decipher it. These things
    happen everyday, probably to some degree in every classroom. Even mine.

    So yea, Reatha, there is something wrong. But it isn't JUST the teacher's
    fault. Not everyone can manage to get an average score on a standardized
    test. And while tutoring will help improve many scores, it won't ever cause
    everyone to be at or above average.

    It is my firm belief that the one largest factor for improving education and
    reducing the chances anyone will slip-through-the-cracks is class size. In
    my own experience I have found that regardless of the grade level, smaller
    classes do proportionately better, because in a smaller class, when there is
    someone in trouble, it's really easy to catch it earlier and nurture that
    person with the problem. In a small class, much more one-on-one tutoring
    happens as a normal, seamless part of the standard learning process.

    Most of my classes are about 15 students. The largest one is 26 students,
    and the smallest just got two new students and is now at 11. Those lucky
    enough to be a part of the smaller classes are more likely to succeed, to
    get the concepts and enjoy the experience. All of my classes are probably
    relatively small compared to many, but even my larger classes (16-26) are
    too large for ideal learning conditions.

    If a school system really wants to improve standardized test scores, and
    presumably student learning, they should hire more teachers and build more
    classrooms. But since that is considered too expensive, tutoring is thought
    to be a more affordable alternative. My suggestion, Reatha, when the core
    subjects get tutors, is to ask for an art tutor, to help those few students
    who don't grasp important concepts as linear perspective, color theory, or
    assymetrical balance.

    There's my take on the basic problem with public education.

    Mark
    malexander06
    Region One of northwestern Connecticut

    ---Original Message-----
    From: Batmom44 <Batmom44>
    To: ArtsEdNet Talk <artsednet>
    Date: Friday, June 02, 2000 5:45 AM
    Subject: Re: The future

    >We have BSAP here in SC plus the district has its own tests. I know that
    what
    >I am about to say sounds cold, but if the classroom teachers are doing what
    >they should be doing, why do students need tutoring? Something is wrong
    when
    >the students need special tutoring to take a test which probably addresses
    >average standards. I know that it is probably not their fault. But
    something
    >is wrong.
    >
    >---
    > 

    ---

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