Emily Lipe

Posts

What does money really have to do with it?

When asked this question at the beginning of the module, I would have liked to think nothing right? The amount of money a person has shouldn't have to do with the kind of education their child is receiving. After reading more into this module, I realize this is not the case. Almost half of the funding for schools in the United States comes from local property taxes. This makes for a large difference between wealthy and poor communities. These differences can be seen among states, among school districts within a state, and even among schools in a district. Many people are aware of these inequalities within school funding but tolerate them. According to “Unequal School,” the reasons people tolerate this because of 3 factors, historical factors relating to how public schools have always “been viewed as institutions that serve their local communities,” flawed studies saying that “levels of funding do not affect student achievement,” and beliefs about the causes of poverty. These beli...

Is Schooling Equitable?

No, I do not believe schooling is equitbible. Being equitable means being “fair and impartial.” So, in order for schools to be equitable it would need to be fair to all students and impartial to all the different backgrounds students come from. This is not the case as seen in the article “New 'Segregation Index' shows American schools remain highly segregated by race, ethnicity, and economic status.” One sentence that I feel summarizes this article and proves my rresponseis, “White-Black segregation between schools within large school districts increased 35 percent, and segregation between poor and non-poor students increased by 47 percent over the past 30 years.” Studies are proving that there is still segregation in our school systems. As long as our schools remain segregated, they will not be equitable. Students at these segregated schools are receiving different opportunities and outcomes, it has been this way since the “separate but equal” schooling after the Brown v....

Stories: Whose are told and whose remain in the margins?

Throughout the course of American history, one thing has remained clear. The story of the white American male is what we hear. In school, we have heard countless stories about a white male making a change or inventing something, but oftentimes this is not always the case. For example, we may have heard of the inventor of the cotton gin in school to be Eli Whitney. But after doing research according to an article by the Smithsonian Institution, “others contributed to its making — including a woman, Catherine Greene, and African slaves, two groups that gained little recognition for their input.” This is just one example out of many in history, where the story of a white male is told above the stories of others. Another example of this disheartening phenomenon we experience in schools comes when learning about slavery. I was shocked to find out that most high school students don't accredit slavery as the start of the civil war. An article from the National Educational Associat...

What is the Purpose of Schools?

When asked to think about what is the purpose of school, immediately my mind thought of to better prepare children for their futures. I believe that schools teach fundamental skills that young developing children need to learn to be successful adults. In school you learn how to read, write, problem solve, socialize, and much more that you may not even realize you are learning as you are. A lot of people agree that this is the purpose of schools. But it cannot be this simple. In the article, What is the Purpose of School? Stephen Sawchuk, mentions how “students will face difficultly learning in they are not fed, clothed, and nurtured.” So then we must ask ourselves, how can schools meet all of these needs? I do not think the schools can do this alone, as they are constantly facing “more mandates and expectations from legislators,” (Sawchuk, 2021) and working with not enough money to face all of these issues. One solution to this crisis of schools having too much to try and help is throu...

Why Teach?

When asked why teach? I immedietly know my answer. I beleive it is my purpose in this life to be a teacher. I feel incredibly passionate about this carreer and have wanted to be a teacher rmy entire life. My mom is a teacher and has served as a big inspiration for me and shown me what kind of teacher I want to be. Teach because you care. Teachers are thetre to be a shoulder to cry on and to help pick you up when you don't succeed and celebrate you when you do. Teach because you want to make a difference. Teachers have the mosty important job! We walk into work every single day and have the honor of shaping the future of the world. Teach because you know how important children are. The way a child is raised and what they experience at a young age shape who they grow up to be. When I become a teacher, I know I want to teach elementary school. I am thinking of second or third grade. After teaching I do want to get a masters in administration and eventually work my way up to becomin...