Problems of the Educational System - Essay Example

Introduction Addressing the dropout problem, discerning the causes and determining effective intervention strategies have become major concerns of our society today. Teachers and other educators are tasked to provide a learning setting suitable and appropriate to develop the strength and needs of the students. Student drop-outs, previously attributed to the failure of the student and the family, have now been associated with the failure of the educational system. Thus, teachers are now expected and required by law to be proactively engaged in applying teaching methods that suit the needs of everyone including those with disabilities. In this paper, I analyze the beliefs regarding the appropriate educational intervention methodologies in addressing the drop-out problem. The Reasons for Dropping Out The interview with Karen Wilson, Department Chair of the Special Education Division of Charlottesville High School, provided many valuable insights into the dynamics of student dropout. One of the goals of the educational system, especially the teachers, is to determine which student is likely to drop out and why. Ms. Wilson identified several possible reasons that could lead to dropping out as per her experience. Dropping out can be a result of belonging to low income families, absence of parental support, individual behavioural problems, school bullying, pregnancy and many other factors. While the factors are apparently independent and a single cause and effect event, it is very important to realize in that there is no single risk factor causing the dropping out of students. Ms. Wilson, while acknowledging that there are many factors, did not emphasize the combination of factors. Dropping out is actually a result of many situations that interact and compound the effects of each other ultimately leading to drop outs. This is also in line with the data provided by the Pearson education the findings of many researchers such as Jerald (2006) which stated that dropout can ensue from a combination of personal, institutional, systemic, economic and social reasons. The combination of these factors can be numerous but there is a single effect on the student that develops within him that ultimately makes him to decide to drop-out. Research indicates that the main reason why students drop out is because of the long process of disengagement rather than quitting due to a single event. Many students find themselves unable to learn further or have lost interest in attending school after repeated academic failure. Socio-economic factors also play a great role in making students disengage themselves from persevering in continuing their studies. The constant lack of money for tuition and allowances, association with people who dropped out and feelings of not belonging to the class also instil a sense of disengagement with the individual. Transitional experiences also appear to be critical as many dropout events occur in the 9th and 10th grades which correspond to the region identified by Ms. Wilson. With no sense of belongingness to the classroom setting and the sense of self-determination developed during the transitional stages of adulthood leads the student to drop-out. Realizing that dropping out is caused by a long process of disengagement, the solution should be simple then: make the learning experience more engaging. This is easier said than done as formulating methods and intervention strategies to address the disengagement issue is also a complex process. The uniqueness of the background and experience of the individual tells us that there is no unique solution to the problem. Nonetheless, many strategies are being applied now in the academic setting. Intervention Strategies Since each student with a disability is a unique case, how do we then determine the appropriate intervention strategies? The Special Education Chair identified four intervention strategies which she deemed appropriate to address the problem: a) combination of regular and special education teachers, b) a mentoring program, c) night schooling and d) online education. These are the intervention strategies that she thinks will provide best results. Her line of thinking follows the idea of calling on special education teachers to make sure that the identified information on the Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) of the students is sufficiently adhered to. Therefore, Ms. Wilson recognizes the educational theory recognizing that students do not learn in the same way. Some students learn more effectively when the educational material is visually presented while others may need hands-on manipulation to better appreciate the subject matter. Schargel and Smink (2001, p. 152) further widen our perception by stating that some students would prefer working in groups while some would prefer working alone. Other students prefer high-energy activities while others need stimulation. The important idea is that the best classroom instruction is one which empowers all students through a variety of activities. Teachers can fall into the mistake of associating learning difficulty with learning disability rather than learning differently. Traditional techniques harbour the notion that the intelligence of students can be determined through verbal and quantitative standard topics and examinations alone. Gardner (1999) contests this idea as he formulated the theory of ‘multiple intelligences’ where an individual is recognized to have his own set of ability, talent and mental skills which can make him perform poorly in some fields but excel in other areas. Gardner contends that student learning content should focus on determining the individual’s strengths and potential. Once identified, the educator can proceed in formulating effective intervention strategies. There is a Multiple Intelligence Survey now available for educators to determine the skills, talents and mental abilities of students. Tailoring the education program to address individual needs is indeed an appealing idea due to its logical nature but is remarkable to note that the Department Chair stated that students undergoing IEPs has a greater more probability to drop out of schooling. There are many possible explanations for this turn out with one being the inferiority complex developed by those taking the program while their friends do not need it. IEPs are therefore theoretically effective but there are significant issues associated with being made to undergo the program. An individualized learning package also requires tedious preparation and the meticulous supervision of a special education teacher. Interestingly, the Special Education Department Chair specified intervention strategies that focused on individualized instruction and failed to mention any strategy that is inclusive and encompassing. There is another approach called the ‘differentiated instruction’ which focuses on student choice, proactive strategies for learning and multiple approaches to teaching. This philosophy involves the teacher providing two or more learning options for the class and does not require them to provide individualized special instruction. This approach considers the diverse cultures, family structures and socioeconomic factors that each of the student have. The basic premise in this approach is that the teacher must provide a learning climate by knowing the learners and how they learn. The teacher then delivers content and skills through a variety of methods that deviate from the former chalkboard instruction. Differentiated instruction transforms the teacher into a facilitator rather than a dispenser of information. The methods of delivering content and improving skills involve a combination of mini-lectures, explorations, internet research and hands-on activities. Students are grouped based on tasks, abilities of students, learning preferences and common interests. Assessment is also made by a variety of methods that also deviate from the pen and pencil standardized tests and includes creation of a rubric and a scoring system to let the students get an idea of what is expected of them. Determining the most appropriate method to be applied as an intervention program is not a mechanized process replete with analytical tools used for formulation. Instead, the basic ingredient that has been found to be effective in dissuading students from dropping out and engaging them is the process of building a trust relationship with them. According to the research of Jensen (1998), trust is the basic foundation for a community of learners for it nurtures creativity, motivation and differentiation. The most effective learning setting we can provide as teachers is one which is provides positive support and emotions, minimizes any threats and enables students the freedom of choosing. Perhaps, then we can address the drop-out problem. References: Gardner, H. ((1999).   Intelligence reframed: Multiple intelligences for the 21st century. Basic Books. Jensen, Eric (1998)  Different Brains, Different Learners: How to Reach the Hard to Reach; Teaching with the Brain in Mind. ASCD Jerald, C. (2006). “Identifying potential dropouts: Key lessons for building an early warning data system.” (Washington, DC: Achieve, Inc.). Schargel, F. & Smink, J. (2001). Strategies to help solve our school dropout problem.  Larchmont, NY:  Eye on Education. Read More