Comments on: Give Peas a Chance

By: Wanda

Wanda — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:00:10 +0000

I don’t think students can learn same as all other students. That doesn’t exist in the real world. I may like peas but my friend may hate peas which I would consider normal. I have seen some students that are good in math but can’t read and just the opposite. I do think something needs to be done to see why it is that way and what can be done to fix the problem if anything can be done. If all things were equal then where would we be today? We wouldn’t have people that would be working at Wal-Mart. They would want your job or my job. I am not willing to give my job up just because someone else can do what I can do. I am not willing to give my job up to someone who can’t read. People can’t be equal because the world wouldn’t work because everybody would want the same things and that is not possible. Children are different and they are not going to learn the same no matter how hard people think that they are going to learn the same.

By: Angela McNabb

Angela McNabb — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 15:11:52 +0000

I feel like the others do here. While it is important to have something as a guideline of what to teach there has to be an expectation that not all students learn at the same pace and some may never learn the material at all. However, the teacher is held accountable for this. I find it very stressful that my students who need readers or writers will probably do well. Even on the standardized tests. Some of my students may even require prompting or cuing. But does this prepare them for what is out in the real world. When they go to the grocery and need to write a check is somebody going to write it for them? If they have to figure out if they have enough money to pay for something is somebody going to count it up for them? I understand they need some extra help, but what are the limits? Are we doing too much? Maybe somebody is getting spoon fed too many peas!

By: Jamie Peck

Jamie Peck — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 21:52:11 +0000

I agree with Diana that there needs to be a solid foundation. Each student will take with them what they need, but there should be a solid foundation. Each student needs to learn how to problem solve and search for their own answers. I try to focus on teaching these skills rather than the content. Content can be forgotten but they need to be able to find information when they need it.

By: Jason

Jason — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:59:04 +0000

This is a great post. You know so many of us have been fed core content on top of core content and then our students are tested on it during CATS testing. I agree with you that we aren’t always teaching the kids what they need to know instead some teachers teach the test because the standards almost force us to. I will never be guilty of teaching the test and I do try to focus on the things they need to know and I always tell them why they need to know certain concepts. I also agree with the fact that as teachers we can only expose them to the knowledge and give them opportunities to learn, they must accept some responsibility for learning. I think this is especially true at the high school and college level.

By: Amy Howard

Amy Howard — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 01:16:55 +0000

This makes me think of the conversation we had about setting standards on my blog. Standards limits teachers to what they can teach, becuase they have to teach what is tested. The idea is that the children have to learn this set of curriculum and pass tests in order for them to move on to the next grade. What happens if they don’t pass? Sometimes we hold them back and then maybe they catch up to our standards or we let them go on and whatch them flounder in what we expect. Like you said we need to offer the choices and let them have oppurtunity to succeed by individual set standards. And by individual standards I mean by what the children set for themselves. The only pitfall I see is they are use to having everything set for them and I wonder how they would react to the freedom of education by thier own standards.

By: Diana Jackson

Diana Jackson — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 22:23:18 +0000

In my opinion, it doesn’t really matter how many peas you eat…just similar opportunities. For equity to be possible, wouldn’t the peas need to have the same foundation? Not everyone will take from it the same information but the foundation is the same.

By: Elizabeth Freeman

Elizabeth Freeman — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 17:49:56 +0000

I think that it is impossible for all students to learn at an equal pace. Students are different. The amount they can learn is different and the pace they learn it at is different. I have a student right now they may never learn to read. He will get his modifications on the standardized tests, but there is no way even with those modifications that he will perform close to the level of other students. Equity for him is developing the skills he needs to make it in life it is not taking a stupid test to show how he compares to other students. How are all students suppose to be at a proficient level in writing by 4th grade? They are still babies and many of them have not developed the skills they need. Maybe it will take some students an extra year to fully develop writing skills. Is there something wrong with that? Education has these standards and when they are not met it means the teachers are not doing their jobs and the students are not learning what they should. It is ridiculous!!! We are pushed to give all students an individualized education, but still requiring them to learn the same thing at the end of the day.