Zero Tolerance and School Discipline

No school wants to deal with issues like bullying, cheating, and school violence; and frankly, I do not blame them. After all, you are dealing with kids and that can already be a very difficult job. However, when do we cross the line between school safety and long-term harm of students?

Young people are going to do ‘less than smart things’ (dumb things) from time to time, that is the nature of being young.  How we respond to the student who for example: brings the Swiss Army knife to school, can truly affect their lives forever. Do we slap handcuffs on that student and parade them out of school like a criminal and further ban them from learning for a year; or is possible to find out more about why the student has the pocket knife in school (perhaps they are a boy scout or they just forgot) and explain why they cannot have it school? Extreme example you say? Not really, this happens more often than we think.

“The laws and policies have been applied to students wielding weapons and to those sporting a smart mouth or a cell phone. The so-called zero-tolerance approach to discipline, once reserved for the most serious of offenses, has prompted the suspensions and expulsions of students in possession of butter knives and theater-prop swords. The federal Gun-Free Schools Act, enacted in 1994, ushered in an era of tough punishment for low-level offenses” (http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/01/10/16policies.h32.html?tkn=TSTF9WteFOPShHHYJn2PMuJnanEQVkbX6RoX&cmp=ENL-EU-NEWS2&intc=EW-QC13-ENL). Furthermore, advocacy groups—backed by research and by data collected by the U.S. Department of Education—say “the discipline machinery has a disproportionate effect on students who are black, Latino, or male and those with disabilities”.

This is not a new topic, and recent tragic events have brought out the ‘reaction machine’ again. School safety and discipline is important, but we must not forget that these rules are supposed to benefit kids not just punish them.

Let us figure this out because our students are watching us and counting on us to do the right thing. If do not figure this out, we could quietly lose more generations of kids and not understand why.

Dr Flavius A B Akerele III

The ETeam

Being Bilingual

I thought I would talk about some positive stuff today (not to mention that the topic fills me with pride about my own children). According to an ABC news article (http://news.yahoo.com/study-bilinguals-faster-brains-120105403--abc-news-health.html), “Speaking two languages can actually help offset some effects of aging on the brain”.

The excuses I often hear from people about not learning a second language are things like:

·         “I do not have an ear for languages”

·         “I am too old”

·         “It is too difficult”

·         “when am I ever going to use it”

These excuses are the type of excuses we hear from our students when we are trying to teach them!

Learning another language has so many other benefits such as learning about another culture, and getting outside your comfort zone. It is never too late to attempt to learn a language at the very least: so why don’t we as adults make more of an effort to do so in this country? If you are living overseas, you have absolutely no excuse not to learn! It is a great example for our kids, and it really will do us no harm.

Therefore, my sermon for today is if you do not speak a new language, make an effort to learn one, and if you already speak more than one, learn another.

Learning should never stop correct?

Dr Flavius A B Akerele III

The ETeam

 

Is there any positive news?

The various headlines today:

·         “Michelle Rhee's Group Grades States, And No One Gets an A” (http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/state_edwatch/2013/01/michelle_rhees_group_grades_states_and_no_one_gets_an_a.html?cmp=ENL-EU-NEWS2)

·         “Do Veterans Graduate?” (http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/01/08/new-effort-collect-student-veterans-graduation-rates)

·         “Controversy on Prof Who Disputes Newtown Killings” (http://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2013/01/08/controversy-prof-who-disputes-newtown-killings)

·         “ITT's $46 Million Settlement” (http://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2013/01/08/itts-46-million-settlement)

·         “Humboldt State, Mocked by Jimmy Kimmel, Invites Him to Campus” (http://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2013/01/08/humboldt-state-mocked-jimmy-kimmel-invites-him-campus#ixzz2HPAFThSB)

Does anyone have anything good to say? Why do the education headlines have to be full of made up controversy, negativity, rudeness, and just plain old bad news? There is good stuff in education, so why not lead with that?

Has anyone ever thought that the ‘tone’ of educational reporting could have a lot to do with the perceptions and lack of confidence that people have? As educators, students learn a lot from our examples and right now, the perception is that we are not setting a good example.

Keep the conversation going, but let us change the tone shall we? After all, we do want students to have the best example do we not?

Dr Flavius A B Akerele III

The ETeam

Physical Education in Schools Really?

If you are a parent or work in K-12 education, you probably know the realities of PE and sports in schools; or the lack of it I should say. My time as a substitute PE teacher in K-12 education personally taught me a lot about this issue.

Forget about obesity for a moment, (yes we know that is a national problem). Numerous studies have demonstrated the positive effects of physical education and physical activity on school performance. Quite a few studies have stated that providing increased time for physical activity can lead to better concentration, reduced disruptive behaviors and higher test scores in reading, math and writing (Satcher, 2005).

For a country that loves sports so much, why do we not provide more of it at an earlier age to all of our students? Why are parents, (myself included) forced to give up weekends and evenings to drag their kids all over the place to play sports (and we pay a lot of money). What happens to those parents who lack transportation and funding to provide this necessary extracurricular activity for their kids? Is sports and PE now for the privileged few?

When school budgets are cut every year, one of the first things to go besides music and the arts is sports. Could this be why we seem to be seeing increasing numbers of ADHD and kids acting out in school?

There needs to be balance in life, and it is common knowledge (or it should be) that the mind and body both need to nourished. When the mind and body are in balance then so are we.

We are currently out of balance in K-12 education; perhaps we should do something about it?

Dr Flavius A B Akerele III

The ETeam

Not your business!

I was reading an article this morning titled “Personal and Professional Boundaries” (http://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2013/01/04/essay-need-boundaries-job-interviews-and-departmental-discussions), and I was struck by how this topic has affected people I know, and me personally throughout my career in education.  

It is important that educators have a positive work/life balance because it prevents burnout. I personally am part of a motorcycle club, and I can remember my staff actually saying that I had a “split personality” because of this. I never gave it much thought, but I ask myself now, why would they think that? Riding motorcycles for me is a great stress reliever, and it is not as if I am breaking the law or something.

If we knew everything that every person did in their spare time, how would we truly look at them? Could we not be judgmental or is judging just part of working in education? I have mentioned this before; educators are notorious gossips, and we do not often think about how our words and actions affect peoples’ lives. We are capable of creating drama where no exists, and of spreading rumors like the plague.

Educators are paid to educate, but we often put so much of ourselves into our everyday work that it is no wonder the lines are blurred. However, perhaps we should start remembering we are human, and humans are flawed. Perhaps we can start working on these flaws, because in the end, it will make us better educators, and that is better for students.

It is about the student right?

Dr Flavius A B Akerele

The ETeam

What is the purpose of this…?

Do we often think of what we are really doing while attempting to “help” kids or do we often write it off as “simply for their own good”? Do we take the time to explain the politics of our nation to them, or do we simply impose our views upon the kids. I recently looked at an article titled “Sanitizing Children's Literature” (http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2012/12/12/14voelker.h32.html?cmp=ENL-EU-SUBCNT), and can you believe someone actually deleted two lines that referenced Santa Claus’ pipe from a poem “Visit from St. Nicholas”, because they hoped it would deter kids from smoking!

 

There is such a thing as too much political correctness (PC), especially when talking to our children. Children are smart and they can see through a lot of our BS (there goes the PC again). How can we teach the history of slavery when are afraid to talk about the history of racial bigotry? How can we teach the history of the world wars when we are afraid to show our children the full horror of war? How can we teach them anything when our own biases are so obviously in the forefront? Do not get me wrong, we do need some standards, but instead of saying, “such and such politician is bad because he does not love his country”, maybe you could clarify to the kids what exactly you mean, where your proof is, and that it is your own opinion.

Have you seen the young children at rallies holding up signs? Whether, you are for or against the issue, those children often cannot even read the sign so perhaps you should talk to them first or wait until they are old enough to understand (just saying). As a parent, I want my children to be better than me, but not a duplicate of me, so we do our best to explain our views or whatever question they ask; it is not easy.

 

Let us make sure what we are doing for kids, is truly for their own good and not just for our good.

 

 

 

Dr Flavius A B Akerele II

The ETeam

Testing in schools

As we contemplate another year, new goals, new semesters, etc, I thought I would chat a little about the subject of testing. This is an interesting topic because the conversation seems to be split down the middle amongst supporters and detractors. However, what is the true purpose of testing? Is it to exam what a student knows or does not know? Is it to limit the amount of eligible students for entry in an institution? Can testing results be solely what determines a successful instructor and there consequent job security?

The answer to these questions could probably determine the future of high stakes tests; but do we really want to know the answer to these questions? I recently read an article title “Tests With and Without Motivation” (http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/01/02/study-raises-questions-about-common-tools-assess-learning-college), and it seems to suggest that testing is not really for the students’ benefit, as much as it is to satisfy accreditors that learning is happening.  Is this why we test, to prove something everyone else, not the students?

The points I am raising are not necessarily for one side or the other, I am simply suggesting that the subject of testing, be looked at in a proactive manner and not in the reactive way it has and is being implemented. Also, take the politics out of it; politics has no place in this discussion. True educators are in the business of helping students, that is what educators are passionate about.

As for the students, they just want to learn in the best way possible; and that is what we are trying to do right?

 

Dr Flavius A B Akerele III

The ETeam