Shelby's Question

Shelby's Question: Are textbooks a boon or a hindrance in the classroom?

To me, textbooks can offer a great deal of valuable information. However, considering the misleading representation of history presented in textbooks designed by people who choose to leave things out, I do not feel that all textbooks are credible. I believe that textbooks can be a valuable supplement in the classroom, but I also believe that primary sources offer the best and most accurate information. If schools could discover more innovative ways to teach material in their classes, rather than studying out of a boring textbook, they may find that their students are more engaged and more interested in the course. Having a variety of teaching strategies could mporve grades and make students more passionate about learning, instead of growing bored with the same monotonous textbook routine. However, having said that I don't think we should completely discredit textbooks and the amount/quality of information they offer. Can you think of a subject in school that you may have been more engaged in had you used other sources besides a standard textbook?

Natural Needs in the Classroom

In class we discussed the necessity to address different learning preferences and the importance of differentiated learning. In this discussion, we mentioned the difficulty of measuring intelligence. Although we talked about multiple factors that need to be taken into account when measuring intelligence, we did not discuss the role that natural, biological needs play in the classroom. For example, many students in the public school systems come from low-income parents. These students may arrive at school hungry because their families cannot afford food. While some schools do have breakfast programs and all schools serve lunch, the quality and quantity of the food provided is not enough to sustain a growing teenager. Hunger can become an increasing distraction during the school day, and may result in lower scores and less effort.
Another issue regarding natural needs is the bathroom regulations that many schools have in place. For example, many students are expected to go to the bathroom during the three minutes in between class periods, but they must not be late to their next class. Students are then expected to stay in the classroom unless they have an absolute emergency. These natural functions can become extremely irritable and distracting when regulated at school. So my question is this: How do you feel about school policies regarding allowing students to go to the bathroom, and also, what are your thoughts on the food provided to students in schools?

Education and Students

In class, we discussed the role of students in their own education. Many believe that at a certain point, a child/adolescent must become responsible for his/her own educational successes. This requires a great deal of maturity. Eventually, students must learn to question things on their own and to maintain their priorities without the aid of a teacher or parent. Students who prove that they can be responsible for their own education will ultimately achieve more and go further than students who may be "lazy" or rely on others to tell them what to do. On the other hand, how does the role of the teacher or parent prepare students for this undertaking? If a teacher holds her students hands throughout the course, then she is not doing her students a favor by making them dependent. How does one teach responsibility to another? Does this concept relate back to critical thinking and maintaining an awareness of thinking to improve one's life? My question is essentially this: What role do parents and teachers play in teaching responsibility to students and preparing them for the realities of college?