Current Connection 3.2

"97 percent of  teachers in pre-K are woman" says Early childhood news article "men in early childhood: fathers and teachers" written by By Francis Wardle, Ph.D. Men in younger grades than middle school is almost unheard of. "The inclusion of men in early childhood programs has garnered considerable attention over the years. This interest is due to three related trends: 1) the lack of men—usually fathers—in the lives of many of our young children, 2) the dearth of men in the early childhood field, and 3) an increased interest in father involvement in early childhood programs."

Teachers in education are looked at highly by most. Especially when they stick with the traditions of their gender roles. Preschool through the elementary years everyone remembers the female teacher, the male principal, and a variety of equal male and female coaches. No one thinks that a male could be a educator in the younger grades.

According to Dr Wardle's article men want to break these gender role walls. "Male staff want to be treated equally in everything, including rules, expectations, and personnel policies." but women try to keep them in the old gender roles "Male staff want to believe they can have a career in early childhood education, if they so choose. Male employees don’t want to have to do all the heavy lifting. Ask any man in child care and one of the first complaints will be, “I always have to shovel the snow, take out the trash, and lift the child."

Male educator have many roles in the education system. But they should not be bound to them. Equal opportunities should be offered and given. Female educators try to conceal them in there gender roles. Educating should not be limited by sex by the age level.

Current Connection 3.1 Gender Roles on Male Educators

When thinking of "educators" or "school" many probably think of some teacher they once had or have. Thinking back on that how many teachers came to mind that were female? Now how many did you think of that were male? The ratio probably leans more towards the female side. In the article "why do students prefer male teacher?" written by D.C. McAllister tells how gender roles affect male educators.

Going through school males educators were looked at by most as coaches, history teachers, or administers or a combination of all. When you came into contact with these educators it was probably in your high school years. But is that fair to the male educators to be stuck in those positions? According to D.C. McAllister students actually work harder for a male educator. "My family’s views were confirmed by a study done in England, which found that students try harder for male teachers and that they’re seen as more fair. Of course, I think it goes without saying that women are probably just as fair, but something about them makes students perceive that they’re not as impartial as men. What is that? One answer might be that women tend to show their emotions more, and this subjectivity creates a less stable atmosphere." According to her article male educators are actually the way to go and more affective in the teaching process and over all the learning process of the student. 

But why are there so few male educators out there? Yes the world has put men in the gender roles of being leaders such as coaches and administrators in the educating field and that only women are able to teach and connect to students but that is not true. Men can connect with students just as well as women can, "sometimes calm leadership is more important than sympathetic collaboration." Men are usually more calm and have less emotion that women when it comes to some situations and thats just what some or most students need. Not someone trying to feel sorry for the student but someone to kick them in the butt and get them going like most male educators have to offer.

Educators vary from size, shape, teaching style, personalities, and attitudes. There are good teachers and there are bad teachers. Many students have the ability to adapt to the teaching style of most teachers and some do not. But for most students nothing measures up to the guiding hand of a male educator according to D.C. McAllister. "The strength of a man—the kind of strength only he has—is intrinsic to helping us grow up."

Current Connection: 2.1

In the article "After the Tuition Bill, the Fund-Raising Pitch"  posted at The NewYork Times, by Amy Zipkin, a reporter, reports that after getting to college and letting the tuition cost build up and begin paying on them colleges start hitting up for more money.

As every student goes through school from preschool all the way to their senior year they nor their families have had to pay for the students education. Education, setting students up for life, something our country labels as "free" is something that many surrounding countries are jealous of. How "free" is a education though?

As soon as the student leaves high school they make the big choice of what to do next. Some jump right into the work force, some run off to start a family, some skip to college but of course their is always the few that have a mixture of all. The ones who skip to college after the hard work of senior year and filling out the piles of paperwork realize that the "free" has ended and it's time to start giving in the big bucks.

When you get to college of course the bills start to pile. Student loans, room and board, books, and of course gas and food. Many colleges ask their alumni (graduated college students) to donate money to their facility and try to use a mixture of ethos, pathos and logos to get the freshly graduated alumni and alumni of all kinds to donate as much as they can get.

According to the article "Judy Marrazzo, an entrepreneur who runs GoCampusing, a college touring company on Long Island, said she received calls about four times a year to contribute to her daughter’s school, a well-regarded private university in the greater Philadelphia area that she declined to name while her daughter was still enrolled.

She said she gave $100 once. 'I think it’s terrible,' she said. 'I’m spending $60,000 a year and they are asking me for more money. Are they kidding me?" 

If all through preschool all the way to senior year not a single family had to pay for a child's education but why now in college you have to pay such a large amount then be hounded to pay more? Why do colleges need all this money when you're in lower grades you pay nothing? 

Where is all this money really going or is the high costs and hounding of donations to make up for the "free" education from preschool through senior year?

Current Connection: 1.2 Booked Up

The New York Times reporter Bruce Feiler in his article entitled "Overscheduled Children: How Big A Problem?" shares the rationale for such a decision.

Students in school have many responsibilities especially the really active students do for sure. Feiler in his article said, "Michael Thompson, a clinical psychologist and the author of 'The Pressured Child,' tried to put me at ease. 'As a general principle, there is a line between a highly enriched, interesting, growth-promoting childhood and an overscheduled childhood,' he said. "And nobody knows where that line is." Where is the line for students who are very active?

"Now that the school year is under way, my wife and I are busy managing our children's after-school schedules, mixing sports practices, music lessons, homework and play dates." says Feiler in his article. With the many different activities that children have it does not only affect the schedules of students but also their parents. Especially for students who can not drive and have to have their parents transport them to all the different extra curricular activities.

Also Feiler mentioned in his article, "'Is the child getting enough sleep?' he asked. 'Does the child have enough time to do his or her homework?'" Which goes on top of the extra curricular activities students have excessive amounts of homework along side of the activities of students.

This is a connection to myself because as a very active student like myself being involved in many clubs, school, and the community it is very stressful at times. With all the extra curricular activities and homework is does seem like as a student and a person I am "booked up."

In honor of Homecoming week this week at Batesville High School it really challenged my scheduling of all the extra activities and school work.

Current Connection: 1.1 Homework Overload

Education Articles reporter Johnathan Hardcastle in his article entitled “Do Kids Have Too Much Homework” shares the rationale for such a decision.

Do kids have too much homework? A basic question with an obvious answer to most students, but is this helping meet the goals of a true education? Some schools assigning this large amount of homework could be considered as over kill and ultimately being a saboteur to student’s educations and learning as a whole.

Are the stacks of various subjects of homework causing schools to not meet the goals of a true education? According to Johnathan Hardcastle In the article “Do Kids Have Too Much Homework” says that children and parents are overwhelmed by the amount of homework that it was finally destroying their family life and causing psychological damage. Over all this does not sound healthy or like a way to “learn”.

According to the previous article that a study performed in 1997 by Michigan State University showed that children at the time were spending just over two hours per week on studying. This study was performed over 15 years ago. Could anyone imagine the increase of study time that could have multiplied over 15 years with the class subject

I relate to this because on top of all the extra activities giving to myself and other students by the school, and the mounds and mounds of homework from various subjects like Algebra III, Spanish II, Oral Communications and many other subjects it is a little overwhelming at times. Usually not to overwhelming if organized properly. That is only the basic course it would be terrible to be in an advanced track courses.

Many students are put in these awkward and complicated situations. Many stumble through with stress and arguments, others keep their mouth shut and move on cause the educational system will never change. Is this sabotaging student of the true goals of an education?