This site is a class blog space for new Career and Technical Specializations and Heathcare Science teachers enrolled in the New Teacher Institute (NTI) at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
A school for everyone...I think...
In Columbus, the high schools operate on a "magnet system". Meaning that all of the high schools offer some magnet program the others do not. This allows the students of the county to "choose" where they go by applying to different magnet programs. My understanding is that all of this was put into place after Columbus High School wanted to become a "liberal arts magnet academy". In order to make it okay for Columbus High to basically operate a private school in a public system the school district made it mandatory for all of the other schools to create magnet programs (or so the legend goes). I cannot complain too much as I have the magnet system to thank for my own job. On the surface this system seems to work, giving students different options to suit their different needs. But, by making all of the schools open to all of the students of the area many other problems are created. One problem I find especially troublesome is the lack of the schools as a community institution. Students can leave the school they are attending to attend their "home school" (the school to which they are assigned geographically) from year to year. This makes school spirit and parent involvement hard to come by. Students are often attending school at the opposite side of town from where they live, making it difficult for parents to attend functions, or, for the students to arrange transportation to any after school function requiring outside transportation. Schools should serve as a place for communities to come together, decide what is important for their children to learn and have those values taught to the students effectively. While all schools in Columbus work hard to meet state standards and exceed in achievement levels, the community atmosphere is missing in many of the schools (the magnet system also extends to several middle and elementary schools). The school should be a place where learning is not the only thing of value that is taking place. Being an integral part of the community makes the students/faculty/staff experience at a particular school more enjoyable for all involved.
Bruce,
ReplyDeleteI am all behind you on this one. In high school as well as college, a lot of the learning is done outside the classroom. The community bonds that are created from extracurricular activities such as sports, chorus, band, and drama are vital parts of a student's learning. My little boy is played football and is now playing t-ball for his elementary school. I cannot tell you how exciting it has been to meet people that we live three houses down from for over five years and never knew it. There are bonds that my son and daughter are making with neighborhood and community friends that will last them through high school. I love hearing the stories from my students when they talk about that they have been in class together since they were in kindergarten. I am with you Bruce. Your county is missing out on a vital part of student life.