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School, teachers, and the education system can be viewed from many different angles. Teachers can be seen as glorified babysitters whilst schools can be viewed as free daycare services. The education system can also be seen in a positive light. It can be a great place of knowledge and social development for children.
Nowadays, schools fill a lot of important roles besides just providing standardized knowledge. In the past, socializing was often not acceptable during school hours. As a child, I was often scolded for talking to my peers. It is much more common now for schools to be seen as a place of social and emotional development as well as a place of academic development.
In "What is the Purpose of School?" by Stephen Sawchuk, he states that services like school health centers, social workers, and nurses have proven to be popular in current times. The role of schools has expanded vastly over time, and it seems that most people will look at this expansion as something positive.
So, what is the purpose of school? The answer to this question will change with each and every person you ask. I believe that the purpose and role of the school system are ever-expanding. Schools should provide a safe and nurturing environment for all students where they can flourish not only academically, but also socially and emotionally. Schools should also be able to meet the needs of their students (i.e., providing food, a school nurse, disability assistance/programs). There are obviously budgetary limits that schools have, but I firmly believe that schools must meet at least the most basic needs of their students. The purpose of school is to not only prepare the students to succeed academically but also to prepare them to succeed in the real world by providing them equal opportunities to thrive.
Cayenne Frazier
Hello Cayenne, thank you for sharing your thoughts. I agree that school should be a safe environment for children to learn. I think safety is extremely important. If a child feels safe, they can better focus on learning.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that schools should be a safe place for children. Children attend school 8 hours a day,5 days a week. The majority of the time they spend it in a school building. With that in mind, schools should be able to properly care for all of the needs young children have, they are developing humans and need more than just basic knowledge. I think that schools should provide equal opportunities for every child while they are at school as their home lives are most likely very different.
ReplyDeleteHi Stevie!
DeleteI totally agree with your comment! Some students, unfortunately, have rough home lives and do not have the same opportunities as other students. This is why it is so crucial to meet their needs and uplift them!
Good Morning Cayenne!! I like how you right off the bat state your pointw in which you are going to discuss throughout this article and give many viewpoints. Yes, I do agree that teaching has become a double edged sword in which teachers ahve become glorified daycare services. Its hard to have this issue and what ways will change that in your classroom? You went on to discuss they article we read but what about the negative effects. What happens when their is too much policy in schools that hinders the ability to teach. What will you do? I do like how you show your hand and state each persons response will be different. I like your response to the purpise of schools and their importance.
ReplyDeleteHi Makenzie!
DeleteThank you so much for your comment and questions! In terms of being viewed as a glorified babysitter/day care service, I think it is extremely important to communicate with parents and set boundaries. It is important to communicate the importance of the child's education. When it comes to too much policy in schools, I think this is a genuine issue we are facing. This is something that I think would need a collective of teachers and parents to fight. I recently saw a TikTok about a law being passed in Tennessee that required all teachers to list and publish every single book they have in their classroom. The list had to go through the school librarian as well as administrators. While I do think it is important to have appropriate books, I doubt most teachers would own an inappropriate book. I also feel like cataloging every book you own is a lengthy process that teachers don't have time for. When it comes to overreaches like this and over-policy, I think teachers need to band together to combat it.
Hey Cayenne, I enjoyed reading your blog. It is very organized and right to the point. I also remember being in elementary and middle school and socializing being kind of limited. To where we could only socialize at recess. Actually during some time in middle school we had a new principal and lunch wasn't where we could socialize anymore. We couldn't sit where we wanted and we had a silent lunch, and it wasn't because we were in trouble. I have no idea why it was set up that way. Now, I do see schools endorsing more of the social and emotional development of students! It can be difficult to learn when dealing with issues like clothing, food, and nurture. In your last paragraph you mention schools needing to meet basic needs of students, what do you think are the basic needs?
ReplyDeleteJenn,
DeleteThank you for your wonderful comment! To answer your question, I would consider basic needs of children which schools can provide would include breakfast and lunch, a school nurse, necessary supplies, some sort of physical activity, and programs for students with disabilities and/or academic delays. There are many more things that schools can provide to create a welcoming environment, but I would consider these the fundamentals of a school.
Hi Cayenne! I really enjoyed reading your blog. You seem like a pro at this already! I completely agree that school is a child's safe place whenever they are not with their parents. These parents trust us with their babies, and it is our job to keep them safe. We should be able to guide our students with their creativity and help them blossom into who they really are.
ReplyDeleteHi Cayenne. I loved reading your blog! I love how you said school is also a place for emotional and social development. It is important that kids get to socialize with people their age, so they can feel comfortable around others and even speaking in front of others. I totally agree that school should be a safe place for the kids. Some kids are already on edge, because they aren't around their parents. I also agree that schools must meet the basic requirements that you listed! Great job!
ReplyDelete