What is the Purpose of Schools?
I remember talking about the importance of school in one of my classes in high school. It became this big discussion between my class and many students brought up different points in the conversation. Schools provide an environment for their students to help grow as individuals and develop skills needed to succeed in their future. School teaches you how to read, write, add, subtract, etc. but it also teaches you valuable lessons like how to work with others, time management, responsibility, and communication. Most kids spend around eight hours a day, 5 times a week in a classroom. School is supposed to be a place where a child can go to further their creativity, a place where they can feel safe and enjoy what they are learning. Schools "play an important role in protecting children" (Sawchuk, 3). Health is another big topic of conversation. Teachers have to adapt to certain learning styles for each child. Every kid learns differently. Some may understand quickly while others may need more explanation and help. However, teachers don't have enough money to give every child the help they may need, if needed. When the pandemic hit in 2020, and schools started going remote to social distance, which caused teachers and students to struggle with moving online. Not being able to have that face-to-face interaction became the new normal. Kids starting school were having their first ever class through a screen. It was a learning process for all trying to work zoom and submitting online assignments. The purpose of school shifted due to the pandemic and set a lot of students back, but school will always have the purpose of helping students as they go through phases of life. This will not be the last major event that happens to put schools into a tough spot.
References
What Is the Purpose of School. (n.d.). Google Docs. Retrieved January 25, 2023, from https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eC-qTip7lHfN0eqa95RxeZM5fB21Ulv6rBpv0mTGaeo/edit
Hi Kirsten! I really liked that you mentioned the shift of purpose schools went through during Covid-19. I agree with you that teacher and students both struggled during this time period. I think that because school went online and students/teachers were not going into a classroom, the learning aspect of school started to fade. As a person who went into freshman year of college during Covid, all my classes were online and it was hard to actually learn. It put me in the mind set that school was just about getting the work done instead of actually taking in the information being taught to me. You did an amazing job explaining the purpose of school and pointing out that there has been a strain of purpose in the past! Great job!
ReplyDeleteHi Sophie! Thank you for commenting! My junior year of high school was online, and it took me a while to adjust to everything. Covid-19 had a major effect on students and teachers, and it became a learning process for all. In the beginning of the year, I never had the motivation to sit on a computer screen all day and learn through PowerPoints. Covid-19 is still affecting learning environments but if something were to happen again hopefully the school system will be better prepared for it.
DeleteHi Kirsten, you made excellent points in your blog about the purpose of schools and how it effects people. Since we went to the same high school, I also remember having a similar class discussion over the purpose of schooling. Many students feel like school is pointless, however if you use your time wisely and pat attention school can teach many things besides the basic common subjects. Students need to respect all that schools do for its students instead of taking this learning environment for granted. I also enjoy how you brought Covid-19 into your blog. Covid-19 had a major effect on the schooling system and during this time teachers had to adapt to different ways of teaching to help get students in a learning environment. Having to go from learning in a classroom to having to learn from a computer caused many people to have to adapt to this new way of learning.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your blog, great job!
Hi Carly! I agree that we have to have more respect for teachers and the learning environment as it goes through changes. That is something that we all could be better about. We, as students, had to learn new ways to learn through a screen as it is much different than being in a classroom. Thank you for reading and commenting!
DeleteThank you for reading and commenting! I would agree it was more difficult for low income margined schools to transition to online learning. Not many had the resources to provide technology for their students outside of the classrooms. My mom is a kindergarten teacher, and she would tell me how hard it was for her students to learn online because she had to find new resources to teach her kids with.
ReplyDeleteHello! I like how you used the Covid pandemic as an example on how the purpose of schools requires change. When situations arise and the needs of children shift, it is really impressive how schools are able to find unique solutions to difficult situations. Teachers are very underappreciated in this aspect. Being able to adapt was not an easy task, especially since the way of teaching had not previously been altered to this extent. Teaching was regularly done face-to-face. I think people in education must be prepared for these changes in the future, as there is no guarantee that education will stay the same.
ReplyDeleteHi Ashley! I agree, teachers are very underappreciated and don't get the recognition they deserve. That is why this job requires people who are willing to adapt and be okay with changing their teaching styles, if necessary. Education is constantly evolving, and schools have to be equipped for anything that may happen.
DeleteHi Kirsten! Love your blog! Yes, school teaches students more than just what they need to know academically. It teaches them life lessons such as, working with peers, time management, responsibility, and communication. Schools do play an important role in protecting our children, it is their safe space. Unfortunately, because of Covid-19 a lot has changed. However, I believe that the goal has remained the same. We all want success for our students as they go through every phase of life. This is what schools promote.
ReplyDeleteHi Love! Thank you for your comment! School is a very important part of a student's life because of all lessons it teaches them. It is a safe space for kids, they spend 8 hours there most days. The pandemic caused difficulty for schools and students, but they adapted the best they could in that scary time. Thank you for reading!
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