A Drastic Change in the American System

Findings from a recent Ofsted report have shown that low-level disruption in the classroom is causing pupils to potentially lose up to one hour of learning each day, and that this may have a detrimental impact on their life chances (Ofsted, 2014). Difficulties managing behavior is a commonly reported source of stress and burnout among teachers, and is resulting in a substantial number leaving the profession within 5 years (Ford et al, 2012). Disruptive behaviour is not only stressful for teachers, but it can be unsettling for pupils, can hinder pupils enjoyment of school and can prevent pupils from fulfilling their potential (Gorard, 2010). Although there has never been a time when all pupils behaved well, all of the time (Viser, 2005), it is important that teachers have a good understanding of the challenges they may face in the classroom, and are equipped with effective strategies to help them manage classroom behaviour. After all, effective behaviour management and discipline in schools is a crucial to ensuring academic success and a positive and safe learning environment (Luisellia et al, 2005).

In the article by Franck Schultz, in the journal Classroom Behavior has Worsened. Schultz states that in the past few decades we have seen an increase in the number of children with behavior problems in classroom. He claims that lack of good parenting, increased use of technology, parental substance abuse, dietary changes and the economy are possible reasons for the increased children with behavior problems. Families these days have more demands on them, and both parents are often working. Parents are frustrated that their children are being abused these children. For example a child was punched in the face and hit in the head with a wooden block, causing bruising and swelling and very little is done to fix the situation. Then he says, “Some teachers agreed, off the record, that the number of problem children has increased in recent decades” (Pg.2). This means that teaching has gotten much harder which had made educating young people intellectually and to teach them to be

This is especially true for early childhood students who thrive on routines and procedures. Early childhood students do not always possess the problem solving skills required to adjust to an inconsistent classroom environment, often times resulting in over-stimulated children and misbehaviors. Children who have a negative world or self-view will likely carry those views into a classroom. Through transference students may push their experiences onto the teacher or peers creating obstacles that could interfere with normal routines, procedures, and time management. Teachers must try to interpret student behaviors in order to understand student needs. Consistent classroom rules should be implemented to ensure the safety of students at all times. Teachers should understand the varied levels of students and know that some rules may need to be applied differently in different situations. It must also be known to students beforehand that sometimes different situations require different approaches. Once a teacher learns student behaviors and has a better understanding of those behaviors, the better a teacher can approach the matter on hand. By learning about individual student needs a teacher may begin to be viewed as trustworthy from a student who may have a negative world view of adults, teachers, or

There are so many ways that we can change the world we are living in today. I think I would want to change the world by putting a stop on drugs, alcohol, and smoking and making this a serious thing. People have told me that some kind of drugs are good for you and I tell them “that is for the dogs none of that is true” and all I have to say about this is not one drug on this earth is going to help breathe when you wake up the next morning. The reasons people drink is for their own entertainment I have heard about how so many people have drunk to get something off of their mind. Not to be offensive but that is something that hurts other people and hurts you also.” Promising this is the best thing I will ever do” I will never drink any alcohol for the rest of my living days. Every time I turn on the news all I hear about is how people drinking and driving. We all know for sure they can put a ban on items like this but I don’t see it happening any time soon. When I turn on the news to see how people have got diseases from putting a cigarette in their mouth. How would you make a change in world?

Many teachers are faced with the difficult task of managing their student’s behavior. Even if we

At Fond du Lac High School, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, there are classes that each grade is required to take. For example, every student is required to take four English classes, one per year. In addition to that, every student is required to take three science, math, and social studies classes. This hinders a student’s ability to further themselves along a potential career path by forcing them into taking classes that aren't needed. In order to fix this policy, three things need to happen. There needs to be more trade high schools, fewer required classes, and differently formatted school days.

Change in America has constantly been occurring since we first colonized into this country. Since then, plenty of people have made tons of changes for the sake of our country to move forward as a whole. The changes made take a great deal of effort, and the people making these changes dedicate so much time and effort. The people involved in the changes want to help themselves, a group or section of people, or just want to change the society as a whole.

I think that part of this problem is that students go to school because it is what you are supposed to do when you graduate high school. Very few high school graduates attend college because they want to get an education and know what they

By the time September rolled around students have forgotten what classes they registered for. My school liked to move past things as quickly as possible. To elaborate, each student would receive a book with every class the high school had to offer, regardless of grade and prerequisites. Then, each student had to return a specific form with all the classes they would take within a week of attaining the book of courses. Knowing which class to take and how it would affect your next four years was a shared mystery to all the incoming freshman. While a flowchart detailing how the mathematics classes lead into each other was provided, all other classes looked as if they would never relate to one another. What the school failed to express to us is that once a student is put into a class, there is no switching out or dropping the class if the class proves too challenging or too easy, the class you take the following year has already been determined, and that if you want to try something new, you had better take the prerequisite early. As Rose wrote, “school can be a tremendously disorienting place” (127), and the absence of communication between students and the rest of the school verifies this disorientation. The illusion that students have a choice in how their education grows is perpetuated by a system that thinks it knows best.

I chose this area to focus on because, as a student teacher on a teaching placement, behaviour in schools is one of my biggest concerns and also

Upon examining the schools of America, one can find a plethora of issues within the system. This is proved time and again when students graduate high school unprepared for college, a lack of exposure to different cultures, and without basic life skills. Students are breezing through the years of high school and receiving a rude awakening when they graduate. The four short years of high school have an enormous affect on the next forty. So many things such as GPA, ACT scores, clubs etc. can mean the difference in thousands of dollars of debt from student loans or a free ride to college. The failure to prepare in high school directly impacts the future of America’s students.

Authoritative teachers will often “try to catch their students being good” and will reinforce the good behavior, rather than focusing on the bad. (Iannelli, 2004). It is critical that teachers praise their students for their efforts. A teacher can teach the entire classroom by recognizing one child’s positive action. Children desire praise and they will learn appropriate behavior when their fellow students receive praise. When teachers focus on bad behavior and make an example of a particular student to the entire classroom, it only makes the child that is being reprimanded feel alienated, ashamed, embarrassed, or possibly revengeful.

Why would you want to be forced to take a certain class you may not be fully interested in? Being able to choose what classes you want to take without having to choose within boundaries is what high school is about. Not being required to take a music, a drama , or an art class is better for students to express their interests and choose what other classes may catch their attention. Students like to have a choice of electives and to have options on what classes to take to further their knowledge. Not every student wants to take these classes and be forced to keep their grade in this class up when they aren't really interested in the subject. Being forced to take exams for a class they didn't want to take in the first place is awful.

In junior or senior year of high school, counselors begin discussing with their students to see if they have a set plan thus far, college-wise or military-wise. College names are thrown around, as well as what they offer and how much they will cost. The idea that is given in high school is that college is where you’ll finally be able to choose your school, choose your classes, and choose your major. But, when fall time comes around, it is soon realized that college life is not that simple. There are prerequisites that must be completed before taking the classes you want and need for your career. Common core classes should no longer be mandatory for all incoming college freshmen because they are causing students unnecessary stress,

Classroom management and classroom discipline share a correlation with one another yet; they are uniquely different issues and should remain a separate focus of the teacher. (Cantor, 2006) Behavior and misbehavior also share a connection but represent different degrees of infraction. (Charles, 2008) This essay focuses on the differences and similarities of these topics and their relation to the classroom.