We would like to construct a simulation/survey for prospective students of many ages to engage in, in respect to the type of school they would want to receive their education from. Society focuses heavily on the needed reform and social change in the Hartford Schools. This focused attention is primarily based on the influential factors affecting the children in the school system, neglecting the demands and opinions of the actual students attending these schools. School children must be comfortable in their environment in order to attain a valuable education and a successful academic experience.
These are five critical points we must examine about students. We would like to know from the perspective of the students:
1. Desired outcome (expected future achievement)
2. Curriculum based activities students would like to engage in
3. Form of instruction in classroom (Ex. Montessori, or testing prep. Etc.)
4. Role of teacher (amount of guidance)
5. Classroom setting: coed, same sex, etc.
Student Demographics are equally as significant to determine the appropriate schooling environment:
*Where one lives
*Transportation
*Parental/caregiver support etc.
Factors that could impede the potential success of this simulation would be:
*Early private school waitlists and public school space availability
*Family influences
*Economic situations
Readings:
We plan to share readings that will give insight on current educational practices in each type of school setting. Readings will include a range of educational inequalities, such as the reasons for drop out rates and school enrollment rates. Our objective is to enhance students’ input on their individual education in hope of promoting motivational incentives.
Web Project will include the following aspects of education:
1. Various types of schooling
2. Data base statistics (freely accessable form UNESCO)
3. Family economics
4. Student demographics
Helpful visuals will include (in video and photo form):
Classroom exercises and activities in different school settings.
Jessica and Louise, your idea for a student survey might be a component of your web project, but given the timing, it’s not your best way to fulfill the core goals of this assignment. Look back at the first question and ask yourselves: “1) What particular story about cities, suburbs, and schools do you wish to tell. . .?” It seems that you’re interested in hearing young people’s voices about cities, suburbs, and schools, which is a story worth telling. About ten years ago, CT Public TV produced a video documentary titled, “Young Voices on Sheff,” which the Trinity Library owns in VHS format. (http://library.trincoll.edu/voyager/shortcut.cfm?BIBID=265136). Most people have never seen this video, but we have the technology to digitize it, and the law allows us to show and comment on excerpts about it online. Also, there are many young people’s voices about the city-suburban Open Choice busing in the “40 Years of Project Concern” video (see our syllabus for link). Would you be interested in telling the stories from these videos, and encouraging other young people to share their stories by commenting online?