Charter Schools

Charter Schools

          What is a Charter School? How is a Charter School different from traditional schools? How can traditional schools be improved to compete with the performance of Charter Schools? The answer to these questions and more may be what is needed to improve the public school system across the Nation.

          A Charter School is an independently run public school, both elementary and secondary, that has been freed from the rules and regulations in regards to curriculum guidelines that all public schools are required to follow (NEA). Because they are not required to follow the same guidelines as traditional schools, charter schools are held to a higher level of accountability (CA Charters). Charter schools are required to establish their mission, goals, methods of assessment and the ways in which they will measure success in a contract with the District (CA Charters). Charter schools are federally funded, just as traditional schools are, but most seek grants, donations and do fundraising to pay for their programs (CA Charters).

While charter schools are federally funded, they receive less per student than traditional schools. Also, they are privately organized, meaning that a group and/or organization are the main sponsors of the school. These sponsors are the creative minds behind the schools standards and decide which set of courses that will be used for instruction. Because Charter schools are not required to follow the same curriculum as traditional schools, they customarily take on a more rigorous program using different learning systems (CA Charter). This freedom from regulation allows charter schools to develop new and innovative teaching techniques (NEA). In addition to the difference in teaching and curriculum, charter schools develop a strong affiliation between parents, teachers and students (Public Charter). While many public schools also have this same relationship through PTA’s and PTSA’s, this membership and parental involvement with the public school system tends to dwindle as students progress from elementary to secondary schools.

There is a charter school in Arizona, BASIS, which has been ranked as the sixth best high school in the United States by Newsweek magazine (Kronholz). Their rugged academics are attracting students who admit they became bored with traditional schools. Students declare that there is an incredible amount of homework that they are required to do, but they push each other to succeed and acknowledge that it is “cool to be smart” (Kronholz). There is no tenure for the teachers at BASIS, but they do receive annual bonuses for student performance.

The heart of the charter school is that public schools should be held responsible for student education (Public Charters). They are closing the achievement gap and raising the bar of what is possible and what should be expected in the public school system (Public Charters). Businesses hold themselves to international standards, why not the public school system (Kronholz)? “The need for knowledge is in everybody. You just need to wake it up.” (Kronholz)

While many believe the charter schools are the best public schools available for students, there are others who would disagree. There is documentation that shows that only one in five charter schools can get remarkable results and the data that was presented in the movie “Waiting for Superman” was glorified and not completely accurate (Ravitch). While there are outstanding charter schools, there are also superb public schools. Privatizing the public school system is not the solution to improving poor performing schools.

 

Works Cited

California Charter Schools Association.

http://www.calcharters.org/understanding/what-are-charter-schools.html. Web 21 Apr. 2014.

Kronholz, June. “Hi scores at basis charter schools.” Education Next 14.1 (2014): 30+. 

Academic OneFile. Web 21 Apr. 2014.

National Education Association. http://www.nea/org/charter. Web 21 Apr. 2014

Ravitch, Diane. “The Myth of Charter Schools.” 13 Jan. 2011. Web 21 Apr. 2014.

What Are Public Charter Schools?

http://www.publiccharters.org/get-the-facts/public-charter-schools/ Web. 21 Apr. 2014.

 

Journal - Waiting for Superman

Waiting for “Superman”

This was a very interesting and informative movie regarding the school system across the United States.  I became an employee of the Duval County Public School system when my youngest daughter was in First grade.  Being such, I have seen firsthand some of the things that were portrayed in the video.  I think one of the worst is the fact that it is next to impossible to fire a bad teacher because of tenure and/or the Union.  I thought the way it was portrayed, the lemon dance, was pretty funny and very accurate.   A principal can surplus a bad teacher, but because of tenure and the union, that teacher is placed with another school.  The movie showed a district in New York that has what has been labeled the “Rubber Room” where bad teachers are assigned until the district is able to complete their termination papers which is said to take an average of 3 years.  I do not think that Duval has such a thing, but have seen teachers assigned to a school where they were not assigned classes or any other duties.  Another thing that I found informative was the Charter schools.  I actually learned something in regards to them.  I truly had a completely different idea of about these types of schools and would like to learn more about those in the Duval School District.

Body Image - Miss Representation

Body Image and the Media

            If one is to believe the Media and their portrayal of what the average woman looks like, then why are there so many women with eating disorders? Why does everyone, especially women have such a bad body image? What is the average, healthy size of a woman? In order to help women change their mindsets, one must look into these answers and more.

            We currently live in a world where the media portrays people as fake instead of real. The media uses photo shopping in advertising that portrays unrealistic images of models. Most models are underweight, but the media glamorizes them to the point that this is what one should achieve to be attractive (Woman). There are many magazines that use computer-modified compilations of models that are not realistic (Rader Programs). These modified images have such a negative impact on individuals giving the wrong impression of body image that is further enhanced by the fact that one is bombarded with thousands of ads on a daily basis. The media has enhanced a body size that is inaccurate and unhealthy (Woman). Everyone needs to be aware that it is impossible to look like the models in magazines, because that is not what the models look like either. The photo has been airbrushed and enhanced with computer graphics.         

With the barrage of thousands of ads daily, it is any wonder that eating disorders are a problem that plagues millions of people. These include both men and women of all age groups. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders of the millions of people suffering from eating disorders, only one out of ten will seek professional treatment (Don’t sweat). These disorders include anorexia, bulimia and binge eating (Don’t sweat). In addition to eating disorders, there are documented cases of self-mutilation (cutting) that has been linked to body image. In Miss Representation, one girl interviewed told of a younger sister physically hurting herself because she does not look the way others think she should and that she also gets bullied. Advertising is a million dollar business and their philosophy is that if they can make you feel bad about yourself, then they can sell you a product to fix your flaws (“Miss Representation).

From an early age, individuals are overwhelmed with the idea that one must be thin to be happy and successful (Rader Programs). The average model is 5’11” and weighs about 117 pounds, but the average woman is 5’4” and weighs 140 pounds. In addition, the average woman is a size 14, but many retailers cater to those who are smaller. It is estimated that half of the women in America wear a size 14 or larger (Rader Programs). Approximately ten years ago, so-called plus size models averaged between sizes 12 to 18. Now the average size of the plus size model ranges from size six to a 14. If the average woman is a size 14, how much does this contribute to the body image problem? In all fairness, magazine editors need to include models with more diverse body types not just the ones whose ribs are showing (Wilson).

Women and girls can rise above the falsehoods that the media tries to make them believe is the truth about how one should look, but they also must be willing to try (Miss Representation).  Women should always take pride in themselves as human beings by walking tall and proud.  Women have an obligation to themselves to be happy and healthy.

 

 

Works Cited

“Don’t sweat the photoshopping: Students promote positive self-perception in a world

of false media images.” UWIRE Text 26 Feb. 2014: 1. Academic OneFile. Web. 7 Apr. 2014.

Miller, Joel. “Ad Media: Media and Body Image.”

http://www.admedia.com/media-and-body-image.php. 7 Apr. 2014

“Miss Representation.” UWIRE Text 5 Feb. 2014: 1. Academic OneFile. Web 7 Apr.

            2014.

Our Bodies Ourselves: Health Resource Center. 2005, Boston Women’s Health Book

Collective. http://www.ourbodiesourselves.org/book/excerpt.asp?id=2.

2 Apr. 2014

Rader Programs: Media Influence.

http://www.raderprograms.com/causes-statistics/media-eating-distorders.html.

7 Apr. 2014.

Wilson, Eric. “The Triump of the Size 12’s.” New York Times 14 Jan. 2010: E1(L).

Academic OneFile. Web. 8 Apr. 2014.

Woman, Body Image, and the Media: Body Perception Among Young Adults.

            http://womenbodyimagemedia.weebly.com/body-perception.html 7 Apr. 2014.

 

 

Miss Representation

Miss Representation was a documentary detailing how the media influences women and girls with their self body image and how it affects our daily lives. Additionally, it documents the low number of women in leadership roles in companies and politics. The statistics that were presented were astounding. You can see how the media distorts how a woman looks by reading any magazine or watching TV. While I knew about photo shopping of images regarding facial features, I was very surprised to see that it is also done on the body (i.e. making models thinner and/or bustier). How do we fight this battle to change the way that the media portrays women when you have movies and TV shows that portray women as nothing more than a sex symbol?  The music industry is not any better. Besides many songs with down grading lyrics towards women, there are the music videos that have women wearing next to nothing and shaking everything they got for entertainment purposes. There was a young girl in the documentary who told of her sister cutting herself because of how she perceived her body image. It was her way of dealing with the emotional pain that she was unable to verbalize to others. That really saddened me that a young girl would do something so destructive to herself because of how the media has distorted everyone’s view on how women should look.

Dumpster Diving

Dumpster Diving

          “Dive! Living off America’s Waste” is a film that was created by Jeremy Seifert and some of his friends that details the amount of eatable waste that the grocery stores in his area of California throw away. Food waste appears to be a major issue across America where almost 100 billion pounds of food is wasted (Freegan). In addition to the United States, there are documented stories from “Global to the Edmonton Journal” that this is a problem in Canada also (Evans). It is estimated that more than half of the food that is produced in Canada winds up in a landfill (Evans). There is a new movement of individuals who scavenge for food from dumpsters. In the past, the individuals who would dumpster dive were the less fortunate or the homeless. Today there is a new generation of individuals who can be found dumpster diving who are not classified as less fortunate, nor are they homeless. They have labeled themselves as “Freegans.”

          What is a “Freegan”? The word freegan comes from a blend of free and vegan, but not all freegans are vegans. Freegans are usually a community of individuals who are anti-consumerism, and are trying to make a political statement about the wastefulness of society (Freegans). These individuals are not about being cheap or living off the waste of society. They are trying to make an impact and change people’s habits to the point that dumpster diving would no longer be possible (Kolowich). Another philosophical belief that freegans practice is called “couch surfing.” Through their group association, they are willing lend a couch, or another place to rest, to those in need or who may be traveling (Freegan).    

Dumpster diving has been a phenomenon for more than a decade. One individual, Julian Evans from Canada, began her dives in 2002 while residing in a “punk house” (Evans). The individuals who reside in this community house all live off of food that has been retrieved from dumpsters. While Evans’ mother worries about her health eating food from a dumpster, she was able to convince her mom to join her one night when she went to a local chocolate factory. What they retrieved was a bounty of sugary delights, many of which were her mother’s favorites. Another individual from Canada, Quincy Brandt, calls himself a seasoned trash forager who has over five years experience dumpster diving (Tibbetts). Brandt regularly meets with many of his friends on a weekly basis to dine on their dumpster diving rewards. These may range from king crab legs, fancy cheeses, dark chocolate, frozen hors d’oeuvres and pizza to fruits and vegetables (Tibbetts).

          One more person who practices dumpster diving, Jordan Myers, does not classify himself as a freegan but does believe in their viewpoint and values with regards to anti-consumerism (Freegans). Myers volunteers his time with a group called “Food Not Bombs” who help the less fortunate in Columbus (Freegans). This organization provides scheduled trash tours at night when businesses are closed. They bring their collection back to the foundation and prepare a potluck meal where the dumpster divers sit down and eat with the needy getting to know them (Freegan).  

          There are many downfalls to dumpster diving. Besides the health issue and the safety of the food itself, dumpsters are known to have bacteria and some companies spray their dumpsters with pesticides both of which can contaminate the food. Another hazard involves climbing in and out of the dumpsters, and the risk of being cut from sharp objects, i.e. nails, knives and/or glass that may be in the dumpster. While the perils involved in dumpster diving may seem too great to take a chance, it is obvious that others disagree by the numerous accounts that have been portrayed by the media. Freegans maintain that with the use of protective clothing and the proper handling of all food, washing and fully cooking, they have never been sick from their bounties (Tibbetts).  

           

           

Works Cited

Evans, Julian. "Dumpster diving with mom." Broken Pencil Apr. 2013: 8.

Academic OneFile. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.

"Freegans salvage food dumpster diving." UWIRE Text 24 Jan. 2011. Academic OneFile.

 Web. 23 Mar. 2014.

Kolowich, Steve. "Princeton Student Finds Passion in Garbage." The Chronicle of Higher

 Education 55.24 (2009). Academic OneFile. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.

Tibbetts, Janice. "Freegans risk the hazards of dumpster diving." CMAJ:

Canadian Medical Association Journal 16 Apr. 2013: E281+. Academic OneFile. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.