Alternative Education : The Benefits Of Alternative Education

Malcolm Gladwell, the author of Outliers, a novel depicting success, provides different examples of how an individual can achieve success in every chapter of his book to show his audience that success, despite a variety of barriers, is in fact in our control. A very important chapter titled, “Marita's Bargain”, explains the flaws in today’s public school systems. He shows the problems with the solutions to fix them while showing the alternatives to the regular system such as the KIPP Program in New York. The KIPP Program (Knowledge is Power Program) is a new kind of middle school that selects students from less fortunate locations and uses unique teaching strategies to turn them around into fantastic learners. In the chapter, Gladwell is extremely descriptive by using visual words to paint the picture of the South Bronx in New York City. He describes the buildings that were built in the 1960’s as squat and bleak looking. Gladwell had an interest in this subject as it involves success, however he had no prior experiences to produce the piece. Gladwell establishes personal credibility through the use of knowledge, reason, and facts and figures. He comes across very knowledgeable on the subject presenting great data with excellent vocabulary. He is able to do this with no obvious bias as well. Gladwell shows authority because he is well known for writing novels that involve success. His intention is to teach and explain how schools need to change the length of vacation breaks

The essay ‘Against the school’ by John Taylor Gatto draws our attention on to all the cons of attending twelve years of high-school. Gatto has experience in teaching profession for twenty-six years in schools of Manhattan, he shares from his experience that he majored in boredom and could see that everywhere around him. He also points out the initial reason why schools came into existence and what the purpose it fulfils now. He also educates us on the fact that all the great discoverers never attended school and were self-educated.The main idea Gatto addresses in his article are that public schooling is doing the youth an injustice.He implies that the purpose of schooling, now is to turn children into good employes and someone who follows orders.

At Hazelwood High School, they do things differently than at my school. At Hazelwood, most of the people worry about themselves and nobody else. Most of the school doesn’t get good grades and the school does not do anything about it. One day in English class Andy walked out when they were reading Macbeth because it was too emotional for Andy to handle. His friends were concerned and told the school counselor. They said, “But… but… it seems like… like… he needs help or somethin’.” Then the counselor said, “Well, I probably shouldn’t tell you boys this, but he is getting some outside counseling… So you boys can relax and be assured that he is getting whatever help he needs”(100). At Harrisburg High School, if someone had an issue like that, the counselors and teachers would be concerned, even if the person was getting outside help. Another thing about education that is different than mine is the school. In Ronda’s English homework, she wrote, “Our school building must have been built about a million years ago, because it was brown and tall and raggedy-looking, but it fit right in with the rest of the day”(16). At my high school, we are very fortunate to have a very new building to learn inside of. At Hazelwood High, they were not fortunate enough to have a new high school be built. Culture and education are very important pieces of people’s

I am aware that there are better and worse high schools out there than Fremont High School. And yet, reading Kozol's account of the terrible conditions that are endured by these students made me feel more aware of the severity of improper or inadequate education that poorly funded schools provide. All of these problems, alongside my awareness of my fortunate years of education, make me wonder, just as Mireya did, as to why, "...[students] who need it so much more get so much less?" (Kozol 648). Interestingly, I have little to comment on Kozol's actual writing style, even though he wrote this account of his. I was just so attached to the characters within that school that I wanted to be able to reach out somehow; Kozol definitely achieved something very touching here.

Martia is a 12 year old that's on the poor side of the story. Marita got a Opportunity to go to a KIPP school a school that turns losers into winners, so she took it. Marita begins telling her story: “ I wake up at five-forty-a.m to get a headstart… I leave school at five p.m…Start my homework.And if it's not a lot of homework that day, it will take me two to three hours” (264). She does that every day, Marita has got an opportunity and is making the best out of it working her hardest. “Her community does not give her what she needs. So what does she have to do? Give up her evenings and weekends and friends.” (266). Gladwell says referring to Marita. Marita has really committed herself to the KIPP school and to her work. You see with one chance and opportunity that usually wealthy kids get, the poor girl, Marita made something out of it. If poor and wealthy kids get the same amount of opportunities and wouldn't be such a gap in test scores between the

On September 1, 2012, I walked into my fifth grade teacher’s classroom for the first time in my life. Mrs.Cullen was standing in the front of the door with open arms ready to welcome her new fifth grade students. As I made my way to my desk and sat down next to Charlie Schutt and Quin Timmerman, I got the feeling that middle school would be a time of talking to some of my best friends and cruising through classes. As the school year progressed, and classroom seats changed, my thought of how Middle school would be changed as well. On the first day Mrs.Cullen explained our schedule, Homework detentions, and demerits. After about fifty questions, she sent us off to our first class, and the first step of our Middle School journey. The fifth grade

It has a summer vacation problem, and that's the problem the KIPP schools set out to solve. They decided to bring the lessons of the rice paddy to the American inner city ”. One can clearly notice all the statistical evidences that he represented in the selection and understand that summer vacation has created an achievement gap between disadvantaged kids and privileged kids.

In the essay, “Marita’s Bargain,” written by Malcolm Gladwell he mentions KIPP Academy which is a school that focuses on helping students worldwide especially those with low-income families to succeed onto college. Also he argues how the Japanese school year is 243 days long and when their twelfth graders were tested on how many of the algebra, calculus, and geometry questions covered the subject matter that they had previously learned in class and the answer was 92 percent. They achieved a high score seeing as they learned more because of the amount of time they have in school. In comparison to Americans which was 54 percent. In hindsight, having longer school years will tire the brain which may become a problem.

In this week, we have concluded our second part of the New Kids book discussion. This section of the book continued on with the stories of the students at International High. Many students’ stories were developed and we were given a glimpse into some of the students’ lives and situations. Through this weeks discussion many thoughts and feeling regarding the students at International High School were talked about, many feelings which I too felt.

When children dread going to school, do you ever question why the child has already lost their eagerness for learning? In Chicago, Illinois, and numerous other places in the US, you can come across kids walking with their heads down and hands behind their backs in a single file line as if they are inmates. You’ll also discover that the cafeteria is dead silent to avoid the “overwhelming noise” of children enjoying their food and friends. With all of this being said, these schools sound more like boot camps than a place of learning. In the article, “Why some schools feel like prisons?” the writer, Samina Hadi-Tabassum, begins with a brilliant introduction, provides outstanding personal stories, and detailed examples to support their claim. The

There is no doubt that learning outside the classroom should be compulsory for all schools. Many of my own memories from Primary School are those in which I spent outside of the classroom making daisy chains and learning about birds at a local park. Nowadays, children are losing the opportunity to explore their natural world and have fun outside as advances in technology have caused them to play games on their tablets or iPads and the increase of cars means that it is safer for them to play inside. Many children do not go outside at all, apart from when they are at school, therefore it is extremely important that they are given as many opportunities as possible during the school day to have enjoyable experiences outside of the classroom.

Anaheim Schools have about 180 days in a school year. That is less than what other schools around the country have. This could be the problem resulting in less student success. In high schools, there are about six periods. Each period is about forty minutes long. This is a short amount of time for teachers to teach a lesson and help students out. It is also difficult when there are a few days of school left and students are trying to raise their grades up. In order to increase student success at Anaheim Schools, there should be more school days and fewer vacation days. Having more school days means that teachers can teach a lesson within two or three days without feeling pressured. It also means that students get to learn more and ask for help. In the essay Marita’s Bargain, by Malcolm Gladwell, states, “The only problem with school, for kids who aren’t achieving, is that there isn’t enough of it” (8). It says how there aren’t enough school days for students to be successful. He is pointing out that the school year should have more than 180 days. In Japan, there are 243 days in a school year. Mostly everyone knows that Asians are really smart, so having a longer school year could result in smarter students and better success. This essay talks about a school called KIPP Academy. The administration strongly believes that KIPP Academy helps every one of their students become successful. Students have to sacrifice many things to dedicate all their time to this school. On the

Education is one of the most important platforms needed for people to achieve their long term goals involving a career. Without education, people would not receive the right knowledge they need in order for them to get a job they are passionate about. Students working toward these goals are presented with many options of education including public school, private school, and homeschooling in order to learn the information they need. When parents choose homeschooling for their child, they are taking risks in many aspects because homeschooling is a much different environment and learning experience than attending a real school. As of right now, anyone in the United States is allowed to homeschool their child, but should the government allow

The overriding law governing all education of young people in Ontario is the Education Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.E.2. This act defines the boundaries of education that are legally acceptable and enforceable in the province of Ontario. The Education Act is often modified and adapted to the changing needs of the population. These modifications may be done by way of changes to the Act itself or by way of changes to the Regulations that support the Act. The most recent or current version has been in force since June 3, 2010. Other supporting documents generated by the Ministry of Education such as policy and program documents are developed in order to facilitate in the

Modern day education has been plagued by its past, and the only way to fix this issue is to find effective ways to bring education into the present. Many decades ago the problem of school, for students, was rooted behind work. Farming families relied on their children to help on the farm and to prepare for harvest. This instigated reform in schools nationwide, causing the school day to be shorter to allow kids to work. This narrative is becoming non-existent in today’s society, and student’s educations are negatively being affected. President Barack Obama also states, “We can no longer afford an academic calendar designed when America was a nation of farmers who needed their children at home plowing the land at the end of each day. That