Dana Ford
Professor Yerks
Comp 106-019
23 April 2010
Final Research Paper
Private Schools Serve a Better Education for Students
At the age of thirteen or fourteen students often make difficult decisions. Choosing the right school for high school is among a top priority. Parents alike need to determine the right educational path for their child for the next four years. There are many options for selecting the right schooling: public with a co-educational experience or private with a same sex education. Instead of debating between the two look deeper and see that a private school with a same sex education for a high school student is far more beneficial than a public school with a co-educational experience.
Most same sex schools are private schools. Parents should consider private schools because they foster academic excellence and high achievement. They provide children with a values-based setting, and prepare them for success. If parents are looking for a safe and secure environment that challenges students to exceed in academics then a private school and ultimately a same sex school education is a perfect fit. Private schools typically have more demanding graduation requirements than do public high schools. This insures that the student is well prepared for college. Statistics are shown in Private Schools: A Brief Report that students are more likely to complete a bachelor’s or advanced degree by their mid-20s by attending a private school than public (27).
Academics in same sex schools are more generally more prestigious and beneficial because boys and girls learn differently. In these types of schooling, faculty’s learning styles adapt to the learning styles of specific students. The article Why Private Schools discusses some of these benefits stating that “small classes allow the teachers to have a better sense of who your child is, and what his or her specific strengths and weaknesses are. Your child will also have more opportunities to speak up and participate in class discussions” (1). These schools deal with more advanced topics and subjects than a co-educational experience. Also, having this type of education will have students more prepared for college.
Public schools also encounter more serious issues that take away from the learning experience. The Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS), which is published by the National Center for Education Statistics, shows that 17% of students are disrespectful to teachers, 30% of students come to class unprepared to learn, and there is 24% lack of parent involvement. These problems all contribute to a lower lever of excellence for each child to progress in their education. Also, reports from the College Board show that same sex schools SAT scores are above average. The strict rules help pupils to strive and get higher test scores than public school students (NCEA 23).
Co-educational schooling may offer a more diverse environment and a chance to learn to socialize with the opposite sex. Also, when in a career path, co-ed students will excel because they have the proper socialization skills whereas same sex schooling students did not have such an opportunity. However, in a same sex school there are far less stereotypes and cliques than in a public school.
In the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the National Center for Education Statistics, 8% of students reported to being bullied at school, 12.7% said they have been a target of hate-related words at school, and 21.6% of students said that street gang members were present in public schools. There is much more safety in a private school. The State of Our Nation’s Youth, which is a report on safety and security in high schools, stated that 64% of private schooled students feel same in their school and 57% of private schooled students feel that teachers and administrators have taken all necessary precautions to ensure security and safety in school. Private schools have more of a chance to bond and build strong, healthy, and long-lasting friendships with fellow classmates. Same sex schools also have more of an opportunity to join unique clubs and religious retreats (NCES 23).
In same sex schools there are far less distractions from the opposite sex and less pressure to fit in. Everyone can be themselves and there is no need to impress. A little competition can be a good thing, especially when it comes to having students more involved in school. Private School Review expresses that “government [put] regulations on public schools prevent them from spending more than a certain percentage of school funds on the Arts. Private schools, however, are not subject to the same regulations, and they have more freedom to develop and expand these programs as they wish” (1). Same sex schools give boys a more competitive edge and get involved more into extracurricular activities without worrying about what a girl would think. For example, boys tend to take orchestra or poetry classes in same sex schools. Students in this setting break out of the stereotypical roles, are encourages to be fearless, and are enthusiastic about school. They become more of an individual, instead of in a co-educational school where students are more inclined to try to fit into a clique to feel a sense of belonging.
Sports are also a valuable element to a same sex school learning experience. Girls tend to be more outgoing and take more risks. They also are more competitive and play male traditional sports such as field hockey and soccer, without feeling like a tom boy. Co-ed schools seem more favorable because they have a traditional football and cheerleading team and private schools do not. On the other hand, same sex schools do offer more creative sports such as an equestrian team, bowing, and ice hockey that build leadership just as a football team would. Public schools appear to have more school spirit because of pep rallies; nevertheless same sex schools have just as much school spirit if not more. They have far greater bonding time for example spiritual retreats such as Kairos and field trips.
Private schools focus more on values and morals. Many private schools require students to participate in a community service project. These projects help students to learn respect for various cultures while opening an opportunity to grow and find their inner spirit. They provide students with a healthy background to have a complete and proper upbringing. The Schools and Staffing Survey asked principals of public and private schools to rate their top goals that are important to school’s success. The most important goal to a public school principal was basic literacy. Conversely, a private school principal’s most important goals was academic excellence, religious and spiritual life, and basic literacy. Private schools put academics foremost, but also believe religion and morals are highly important to students (NCES 23).
After looking at the positives and negatives it is very clear to see why a private school with a same sex education is more beneficial than a public school with a co-educational experience. Same sex schooling students are far more prestigious and have higher ACT/SAT scores for college. They are prepared more and receive a higher educational experience. These students go through fewer stereotypes and become individuals with great leadership skills. Students who attend private schools are more competitive to play the sports they love without feeling judged. A co-educational experience cannot get you the same perks. Students and parents choose private schools for a prestigious and well-rounded high school experience.
Works Cited
“Private schools: A Brief Portrait.” Private schools: A Brief Portrait. (2002).
<http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2002/2002013.pdf>. 6 December 2009.
“National Center for Educational Statistics.” Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS).
(2002). <http://nces.ed.gov/pubs99/199907.pdf>. 6 December 2009.
"Why Private School." Private School Review. Private School Review, 7 Dec 2007. 18
Apr 2010. <http://www.privateschoolreview.com/articles/1>.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Survey
When I conducted my survey I found it was interesting that 100% of the public school students replied saying they have stereotypes/cliques at their school. And I was disappointed that 100% of private school students replied that they were Christian. It was disappointing because I cannot say private schools are diverse in my paper now. I wouldn't change any question, but I would ask other questions regarding safety and environment and not focusing mostly on the academic view.
Here are the results for a question I asked private and public school kids. The results show that private school students scored higher on the ACT/SAT than public school students.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Interview & Photographs
(*The person I interviewed asked to be anonymous when posting information regarding her interview. For the sake of this assignment I have changed her name as well as certain people mentioned in my paper, all other information is accurate.)
My research topic deals with how private schools are more beneficial than public schools over the various decades.
It was an unusually sunny day, at least for Michigan’s standards, outside when I drove to *Laura Smith’s house. Her house was bleach white, with shrubbery and flowers scattered across the lawn, and a chocolate colored fence surrounding the house. The inside of the house was cat themed with pictures and little figurines of these adorable creatures. And as I looked on her bookshelf there were endless amounts of high school math books from the various decades.
Laura, being a retired math teacher, has kept Geometry books from the different high schools she has taught at. And even today, although retired, she often opens up a book and refreshers her memory on a few problems. Math has always been the love of her life, apart from her big family who coincidently are math teachers as well. One of her three daughters Barbara* is a math teacher at Brace Elementary School in Southfield, while her other daughter is now going back to school to obtain a teaching degree. In addition, her sister Eleanor* taught at an all girl’s elementary school in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Laura Smith’s early years were filled with catholic private all girl’s schooling up until she was a freshman in college. I had no problem getting Laura to open up about her childhood because she had so much to share dealing with her personal experiences with single sex schooling. Religion and single sex schooling was important to her family as she explained “my mother believed in no other way than Catholicism; she felt that children who attended public schools were out of control”. After high school, she attended Xavier University in Louisiana for her undergraduate years and then moved up north and completed her Master’s degree at the University of Michigan.
“My goal was to become a compassionate female teacher and help girls in a single sex school setting”, Smith states. Her upbringing in a private catholic school made her motivated to work at a junior high school for delinquent girls for two years. However, after this experience Smith soon realized that maybe a single sex educational environment was not suited for her. She then ventured out into the public school world and taught at various high schools such as Chadsey, Central, and Detroit Barbour High school. When I asked her about switching to the public school setting she quickly replied with saying “there is such a distinct difference between private and public especially back in the 1950s. Authorities at catholic schools have the right to refuse admittance to anyone that they feel would be disruptive, but public schools let any delinquent child in”.
While sipping on hot chocolate and chatting with her about her teaching career, Laura Smith went on to discuss how adolescents were better behaved in catholic schools than in public. She strongly gave me her opinion on why she believed private schools would be not only better to teach at, but would be better suited for adolescents to attend for their high school years. She also explained how public schools did not offer as many different sports as did at the private schools she taught at. Smith revealed that “catholic schools gave girls more of an opportunity to express themselves”. Smith vigorously explicated about how there were very little discipline problems at catholic schools and on the other hand numerous amounts of teen pregnancies at public schools even back in the 1950s.
Laura Smith’s interview helped to clarify why private schools are more beneficial than public schools even decades ago. Despite the many decades and changes throughout the world, the same issues from the 1950s reoccur in 2010 with teen pregnancies, bullies, and unruly teenagers. From a teacher who taught at both a private and public school, it is clear to see why private schools have prevailed. In Laura’s own words, “the world needs a combination of the two however private schooling will give students that extra push towards success”.
This is the person I interviewed on why private schools are more beneficial than public schools even decades ago. She is a retired math teacher.
She had numerous photographs of her family, especially the ones who became math teachers like her proudly displayed in her dining room.
This is a picture of some of the countless amounts of geometry books she still keeps from the high schools she taught at.
My research topic deals with how private schools are more beneficial than public schools over the various decades.
It was an unusually sunny day, at least for Michigan’s standards, outside when I drove to *Laura Smith’s house. Her house was bleach white, with shrubbery and flowers scattered across the lawn, and a chocolate colored fence surrounding the house. The inside of the house was cat themed with pictures and little figurines of these adorable creatures. And as I looked on her bookshelf there were endless amounts of high school math books from the various decades.
Laura, being a retired math teacher, has kept Geometry books from the different high schools she has taught at. And even today, although retired, she often opens up a book and refreshers her memory on a few problems. Math has always been the love of her life, apart from her big family who coincidently are math teachers as well. One of her three daughters Barbara* is a math teacher at Brace Elementary School in Southfield, while her other daughter is now going back to school to obtain a teaching degree. In addition, her sister Eleanor* taught at an all girl’s elementary school in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Laura Smith’s early years were filled with catholic private all girl’s schooling up until she was a freshman in college. I had no problem getting Laura to open up about her childhood because she had so much to share dealing with her personal experiences with single sex schooling. Religion and single sex schooling was important to her family as she explained “my mother believed in no other way than Catholicism; she felt that children who attended public schools were out of control”. After high school, she attended Xavier University in Louisiana for her undergraduate years and then moved up north and completed her Master’s degree at the University of Michigan.
“My goal was to become a compassionate female teacher and help girls in a single sex school setting”, Smith states. Her upbringing in a private catholic school made her motivated to work at a junior high school for delinquent girls for two years. However, after this experience Smith soon realized that maybe a single sex educational environment was not suited for her. She then ventured out into the public school world and taught at various high schools such as Chadsey, Central, and Detroit Barbour High school. When I asked her about switching to the public school setting she quickly replied with saying “there is such a distinct difference between private and public especially back in the 1950s. Authorities at catholic schools have the right to refuse admittance to anyone that they feel would be disruptive, but public schools let any delinquent child in”.
While sipping on hot chocolate and chatting with her about her teaching career, Laura Smith went on to discuss how adolescents were better behaved in catholic schools than in public. She strongly gave me her opinion on why she believed private schools would be not only better to teach at, but would be better suited for adolescents to attend for their high school years. She also explained how public schools did not offer as many different sports as did at the private schools she taught at. Smith revealed that “catholic schools gave girls more of an opportunity to express themselves”. Smith vigorously explicated about how there were very little discipline problems at catholic schools and on the other hand numerous amounts of teen pregnancies at public schools even back in the 1950s.
Laura Smith’s interview helped to clarify why private schools are more beneficial than public schools even decades ago. Despite the many decades and changes throughout the world, the same issues from the 1950s reoccur in 2010 with teen pregnancies, bullies, and unruly teenagers. From a teacher who taught at both a private and public school, it is clear to see why private schools have prevailed. In Laura’s own words, “the world needs a combination of the two however private schooling will give students that extra push towards success”.
This is the person I interviewed on why private schools are more beneficial than public schools even decades ago. She is a retired math teacher.
She had numerous photographs of her family, especially the ones who became math teachers like her proudly displayed in her dining room.
This is a picture of some of the countless amounts of geometry books she still keeps from the high schools she taught at.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Reading Assignment #2
Chapter 5 "And Yet"
1.) The following sentences are where the author refers to the views of others.
• Marx and Engels wrote: "Society as a whole is more and more splitting up into two great hostile camps, into two great classes directly facing each other - the bourgeoisie and the proletariat" (10).
• Oh, it's not the middle class that's disappearing, he said, but the working class. His definition: if you earn thirty thousand dollars a year working in an assembly plant, come home from work open a beer and watch the game, you are working class; if you earn twenty thousand dollars a year as a school teacher, come home from work to a glass of white wine and PBS, you are middle class.
• The average American will tell you he or she is "middle class."
These sentences are where the author refers to views of herself.
• I find myself not knowing what class I'm from.
• But I always felt that we were in some no man's land, suspended between classes, sharing similarities with some and recognizing sharp, exclusionary differences from….”
• In my days as a newspaper reporter, I once asked a sociology professor what he thought about the reported shrinking of the middle class.
• As an historian, I seek the answers to these questions in the specificity of my past.
Signal phrases used:
• Marx and Engels wrote…
• He said…
• If only that were true…
• But I always felt…
• His definition
• I find myself…
• In my days…
• As a historian, I seek…
2.) From my essay on Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory.
a) I engaged in 4 perspectives.
b) I could have included other perspectives besides the Bible and my own personal view.
c) I distinguish my views from others by using signal phrases such as…
“I believe that…”
“The passage in the Bible says…”
“Psarev states that…”
“The author shows evidence of this in his essay…”
d) Yes, I used clear voice-signaling phases.
e) The option that is available for clarifying who is saying what is voice markers and voice signaling phrases.
f) The options that were best suited for this particular text was voice signaling phrases.
1.) The following sentences are where the author refers to the views of others.
• Marx and Engels wrote: "Society as a whole is more and more splitting up into two great hostile camps, into two great classes directly facing each other - the bourgeoisie and the proletariat" (10).
• Oh, it's not the middle class that's disappearing, he said, but the working class. His definition: if you earn thirty thousand dollars a year working in an assembly plant, come home from work open a beer and watch the game, you are working class; if you earn twenty thousand dollars a year as a school teacher, come home from work to a glass of white wine and PBS, you are middle class.
• The average American will tell you he or she is "middle class."
These sentences are where the author refers to views of herself.
• I find myself not knowing what class I'm from.
• But I always felt that we were in some no man's land, suspended between classes, sharing similarities with some and recognizing sharp, exclusionary differences from….”
• In my days as a newspaper reporter, I once asked a sociology professor what he thought about the reported shrinking of the middle class.
• As an historian, I seek the answers to these questions in the specificity of my past.
Signal phrases used:
• Marx and Engels wrote…
• He said…
• If only that were true…
• But I always felt…
• His definition
• I find myself…
• In my days…
• As a historian, I seek…
2.) From my essay on Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory.
a) I engaged in 4 perspectives.
b) I could have included other perspectives besides the Bible and my own personal view.
c) I distinguish my views from others by using signal phrases such as…
“I believe that…”
“The passage in the Bible says…”
“Psarev states that…”
“The author shows evidence of this in his essay…”
d) Yes, I used clear voice-signaling phases.
e) The option that is available for clarifying who is saying what is voice markers and voice signaling phrases.
f) The options that were best suited for this particular text was voice signaling phrases.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Reading Response #1
Chapter 3
1. Having boys and girls learn in the same teaching environment might not lead to gender equity in education but in fact might accomplish the opposite, according to Dr. Leonard Sax. Sax, who founded the National Association for Single Sex Public Education, is also conducting professional development workshops with Tulsa Public Schools faculty members who teach in gender-segregated classrooms. Sax states that the "lack of recognizing gender differences reinforces gender stereotypes". Sax also claims that "boys don't want to study poetry and art because they think those are girls' subjects. Girls don't want to study computer science or engineering because they're boys' subjects."
This is the article I found on the benefits of same sex schools. The author used the introductory phrases “Sax states that….” and “Sax also claims that.” which frames the quotation into the paragraph making if flow easier. The author introduces Dr. Leonard Sax at the beginning of the paragraph and then uses a quote by him to emphasize the importance of same sex schools. I think that with continuing this paragraph there needs to be more on the author’s opinion of what Sax says in their own words. By blending the author’s words and Sax’s commentary it will sound a little more persuasive to the reader.
2. I feel that Aquinas was truly an intellectual individual who always found ways of discovering new ideas. William of Tocco, Aquinas’s first biographer said “Thomas Aquinas raised new problems in his teaching, invented a new method, and used new systems of proof. To hear him teach a new doctrine, with new arguments, one could not doubt that God… gave him the power to teach, by the spoken and written word, new opinions and new knowledge.” I really love this quote because it sums up Thomas Aquinas’ life. He spent his life living out God’s works. In my opinion, I think that Saint Thomas Aquinas was inspired by God to create his marvelous works, such as the Summa Theologica, Summa Contra Gentiles, and hymns that are used in liturgical churches. Only a talented individual could master and create these intricate ideas.
This paragraph is from a paper I wrote regarding Thomas Aquinas, a theologian. I used a quote to show how Aquinas was extremely intellectual. I used an introductory phrase “William of Tocco….said…” to blend in the quote within the text. After, the quote I explained the purpose of it being in the paragraph. I used the quote to express how Aquinas was a talented individual by providing a source that had studied and written about his life.
1. Having boys and girls learn in the same teaching environment might not lead to gender equity in education but in fact might accomplish the opposite, according to Dr. Leonard Sax. Sax, who founded the National Association for Single Sex Public Education, is also conducting professional development workshops with Tulsa Public Schools faculty members who teach in gender-segregated classrooms. Sax states that the "lack of recognizing gender differences reinforces gender stereotypes". Sax also claims that "boys don't want to study poetry and art because they think those are girls' subjects. Girls don't want to study computer science or engineering because they're boys' subjects."
This is the article I found on the benefits of same sex schools. The author used the introductory phrases “Sax states that….” and “Sax also claims that.” which frames the quotation into the paragraph making if flow easier. The author introduces Dr. Leonard Sax at the beginning of the paragraph and then uses a quote by him to emphasize the importance of same sex schools. I think that with continuing this paragraph there needs to be more on the author’s opinion of what Sax says in their own words. By blending the author’s words and Sax’s commentary it will sound a little more persuasive to the reader.
2. I feel that Aquinas was truly an intellectual individual who always found ways of discovering new ideas. William of Tocco, Aquinas’s first biographer said “Thomas Aquinas raised new problems in his teaching, invented a new method, and used new systems of proof. To hear him teach a new doctrine, with new arguments, one could not doubt that God… gave him the power to teach, by the spoken and written word, new opinions and new knowledge.” I really love this quote because it sums up Thomas Aquinas’ life. He spent his life living out God’s works. In my opinion, I think that Saint Thomas Aquinas was inspired by God to create his marvelous works, such as the Summa Theologica, Summa Contra Gentiles, and hymns that are used in liturgical churches. Only a talented individual could master and create these intricate ideas.
This paragraph is from a paper I wrote regarding Thomas Aquinas, a theologian. I used a quote to show how Aquinas was extremely intellectual. I used an introductory phrase “William of Tocco….said…” to blend in the quote within the text. After, the quote I explained the purpose of it being in the paragraph. I used the quote to express how Aquinas was a talented individual by providing a source that had studied and written about his life.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Screen Capture Asignment
As I look at this screen capture of my desktop, I realize that technology has advanced greatly over the various years. Composing in a digital space makes everything easier. Handwritten work can easily be lost and is not organized into one location. Composing in a digital space, organization is simpler. For example when using internet explorer, it is accessible to group the windows into one tab for easy access.
I think the best way to better understand digital composing processes is to use them often. Some older generations may not understand digital processing because it was not used in there time. However, more recent generations can digital processing them with ease because they learned how to use it at an early age. These generations have begun to use digital processing in school and the more often they practiced it, the easier it becomes to understand it. Technology changes often so the more we use it the better ad more knowledgeable we will become.
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