A lot of politics and contention bedevils urban education debate and implementation. There seems to be no consensus on the best step to take and how to run the sector. Some of the problems are historical with others emerging in the recent years. To address urban education issues amicably, there is need to understand the historical perspectives and what has shaped the debate so far.
The challenges of metropolitan areas differ by far with those of rural areas yet the regions receive similar attention. Teachers and educator in rural areas are in no better position than those in metropolitan areas. Their challenges are unique only that they are not similar. However, the challenges of major cities far outweigh those of rural areas yet they are easily ignored. This affects the learning environments and outcomes from the process.
Student population is a major concern for educators in metropolitan districts. This large population has caused overcrowding in schools. It translates into reduced contact with students for teachers. There is also a lot of competition for the few available resources. This affects learning outcomes with the situation being made worse by lack of space to expand facilities or build more schools. However, there is always a way to maximally utilize the facilities available. This will require allocation of more resources and their creative use.
Funding remains one of the most contentious issues for educationists. Despite knowledge of the challenges facing city schools, policy makers refuse to allocate the resources required. It is traditional thinking that has seen a continued funding gap. This is why the challenges persist. Governments at local and federal levels need to allocate more resources to solve these challenges.
Urban schools bring together diverse student population. This means that the students require dynamic resources to meet their learning needs. Their areas of origin and expectations are diverse. Even with a standardized curriculum, it is impossible to ignore the diversity of learning needs. With a diverse cultural background, you need more resources to meet their needs.
One of the issues that policy makers fail to appreciate is that metropolitan kids start their schooling at a higher pedestal than those from rural schools. While the curriculum is standardized, it fails to appreciate and recognize this fact. For teachers, it feels insulting to be forced to start teaching rudimentary elements that your students already understand. Policy makers need to find a bridging point.
What about working with a multi-lingual class? This is similar to working with the multi-cultural class. You have a mixture of languages and are expected to use uniform vocabulary and teaching aids. Their understanding of words and phrases differ. It feels as though you are teaching several classes in one yet are expected to produce the same results.
The challenge of ownership is a historical one. It begins with federal governments failing to take full ownership. Local governments also refuse to give then the attention and resources they require. This leaves them torn in between authorities. The more such issues continue to bedevil the sector, the wider the rift grows. Unfortunately, it is children and the future of the nation that suffer.
The challenges of metropolitan areas differ by far with those of rural areas yet the regions receive similar attention. Teachers and educator in rural areas are in no better position than those in metropolitan areas. Their challenges are unique only that they are not similar. However, the challenges of major cities far outweigh those of rural areas yet they are easily ignored. This affects the learning environments and outcomes from the process.
Student population is a major concern for educators in metropolitan districts. This large population has caused overcrowding in schools. It translates into reduced contact with students for teachers. There is also a lot of competition for the few available resources. This affects learning outcomes with the situation being made worse by lack of space to expand facilities or build more schools. However, there is always a way to maximally utilize the facilities available. This will require allocation of more resources and their creative use.
Funding remains one of the most contentious issues for educationists. Despite knowledge of the challenges facing city schools, policy makers refuse to allocate the resources required. It is traditional thinking that has seen a continued funding gap. This is why the challenges persist. Governments at local and federal levels need to allocate more resources to solve these challenges.
Urban schools bring together diverse student population. This means that the students require dynamic resources to meet their learning needs. Their areas of origin and expectations are diverse. Even with a standardized curriculum, it is impossible to ignore the diversity of learning needs. With a diverse cultural background, you need more resources to meet their needs.
One of the issues that policy makers fail to appreciate is that metropolitan kids start their schooling at a higher pedestal than those from rural schools. While the curriculum is standardized, it fails to appreciate and recognize this fact. For teachers, it feels insulting to be forced to start teaching rudimentary elements that your students already understand. Policy makers need to find a bridging point.
What about working with a multi-lingual class? This is similar to working with the multi-cultural class. You have a mixture of languages and are expected to use uniform vocabulary and teaching aids. Their understanding of words and phrases differ. It feels as though you are teaching several classes in one yet are expected to produce the same results.
The challenge of ownership is a historical one. It begins with federal governments failing to take full ownership. Local governments also refuse to give then the attention and resources they require. This leaves them torn in between authorities. The more such issues continue to bedevil the sector, the wider the rift grows. Unfortunately, it is children and the future of the nation that suffer.
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