The Purpose of Public Schools
What is the Purpose
of Public Schools?
Hello readers, and welcome back to this week's blog. Today we'll be discussing the purpose of public schools. As you may be able to decipher on your own public schools when thinking of grades K-12 are made to provide free education for students while preparing them for the work force/college, encourage students to try different things, discover their abilities, learn important social skills needed for their future, and grow the students as a whole creating well-rounded citizens. As we know school districts can differ based on an abundance of factors including environment, income and social status in each area, but I believe that this is the base idea of public education and schools.
Although schools can differ some public high schools will place students into specific classes as freshman based on their career choice upon entering high school. These classes will focus on the basic aspects of what they plan on pursuing in college. Most public schools, varying from place to place, provide many opportunities for students looking to expand their knowledge or experience in different areas, providing extracurriculars, resources or clubs. Joining extracurriculars can be extremely beneficial to students while also teaching them lessons and expanding their social circle with others and bring new experiences. I believe public schools should also provide a healthy and positive support system for students which teachers play an important role in considering some students who are less fortunate may not have this at home. Aside from growing students as a whole, academic growth is vital. Students should learn skills that will benefit them in the real world, learn about the events that have shaped where they are from and bring attention to today's current events as well.
To summarize today's blog, I strongly believe public schools should not only be a place to grow the mind as far as academics, but the environment should be a space that encourages students in a healthy way. Public education is a way to freely let anyone, and everyone come together in a safe environment to further their education.
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ReplyDeleteI agree that public schools should provide a healthy positive support system. As teachers we do play an important part in creating that environment. I'm glad you pointed out that public education is so important to provide opportunities not only for learning, but also extracurriculars as well. The social capital received from extracurriculars is invaluable. Not to mention the lessons of perseverance derived from sports can really play into shaping someone's work ethic. I think learning skills like that really help student's with a rounded approach to learning and their education. When someone is really tired during a basketball game, but continues pushing through and putting their whole effort into that game that can be translated to studying for tests, or how they'll show up in the workforce later. What kind of skills do you think students should learn that would benefit them in the real world?
ReplyDeleteGood afternoon, Lauren! Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and provide feedback. I completely agree with your sports analogy and how it challenges our work ethic and ability to push through under tough circumstances. I believe that skills such as how to buy/rent a house, paying bills, handling finances properly, taxes and insurance would be extremely beneficial for students to learn in class and it's a shame they are not taught in here the US.
DeleteYou revealed many great and informational statements about public schools like how they prepare students for the workforce/college and growing the students as a whole to create well-rounded citizens, but I believe there is a deeper content than what you just portrayed. I do think some schools have positive support systems, although, most schools do not have supporting systems. Plenty of schools view the students as just another group of students coming from junior high or middle school. If i had any say in our school system regarding mental health and stability, I would change it all. I would advertise more help to students who have trouble with mental stability. People of this day do spread more awareness to mental health and sorts of that nature, but I feel it is simply not enough. It is more than posters put up and ads added to the website, it is a matter of action from the adult authorities.
ReplyDeleteHi Jeslyn, thank you for your feedback on my blog! I 100% agree with you about mental health awareness for students. Although some schools try their best, I do feel that there is a lot of work to be done as far as taking action and really making an effort to reach students who struggle with mental health. Students struggling may not always have the confidence to ask for help because they may feel like their problems aren't of great value or they might feel like a burden to others, so it is up to adult authorities to reach out and check up on these students. I really love how passionate you are about this topic and completely support your opinions/ideas!
DeleteI love how you mentioned the aspect of providing a healthy and positive support system for students. I feel that the school environment is just as important as the content and academics being taught. I also agree that students should be taught "real-world" skills in the classroom to prepare them for once they are out of school. For me personally, I felt overwhelmed with the amount I had to learn about finances, housing, etc. once I began paying for my own bills. Giving educators and school systems the resources to teach students this information with greatly benefit them and prepare them for other aspects of the "adult world" outside of academics and their future careers.
ReplyDeleteHi Sefora, thank you for responding to my blog and sharing your thoughts! I totally agree that this can all be extremely overwhelming and intimidating that schools send us students out into the world with no real knowledge that can give us an understanding of what our role is an adult. It's really upsetting that the education system has been around so long, yet no changes have been made to better prepare students for their lives after school.
DeleteHelping students to become responsible young adults by providing them with a healthy environment in which to learn is a very good goal and idea; but I want to ask what that idealized school is set up like to you?
ReplyDeleteIs the perfect school one in which there are mental health services are available to the students so they can succeed? Because, in fact, those already exist, students with learning disabilities like ADHD are able to get Individual Education Plans (IEP). Yet, some students struggle with learning disabilities who go undiagnosed and therefore don't receive the additional help they require. We, as future teachers, will have to face questions like these and must have some sort of plan to tackle the goal of "a space that encourages students in a healthy way."
Hey serena
ReplyDeleteThis is an important and touching topic. you talked about different views and they all important.
I totally agree on providing a healthy and support system for students. Most students go through hard times during school but they're scared to speak up because we were tough that we only go to school to get an education. we forget about the things we have to go through for us to get the education.
My question is what's support system would you bring to a school?
Thank you again for this topic.
Being able to create a workspace and a learning space is very important. Students need a place they feel safe learning in and teachers need a place to feel safe teaching in. Some students might be struggling in school due to mental health or things going on at home so as a teacher giving them the support they need is important for them to be successful in the classroom.
ReplyDelete