Central Park East Video Reflection

EDC 336

“Central Park East” Reflection Questions

1.     According to the documentary, what are the problems in education today?

According to this documentary we can see that the problems in education today include an adherence to outdated traditions and a public-school system/ curriculum that is failing to reach students and make them feel involved in their education.

2.     What do you believe are the root causes of low-performing schools? What do you believe should be done to improve them?

I believe that the root causes of low-performing schools are a lack of funds required to create an effective educational environment and a failure to create a sense of connection to education in our students. To fix these two problems we would need to redistribute or rework the current funding provided for public education and create a stronger sense of community and involvement in our schools through our actions.

3.     Describe the philosophy behind the curriculum and methods used by the teachers in CPE.

Their philosophy is definitely progressivist in nature as they tend to see the teachers as facilitators, they want the students to be responsible for their own learning so that they can feel involved and committed to their ongoing education.

4.     Teachers and the curriculum are a main factor behind student success or failure.  How is the curriculum and philosophy of schooling observed in the video different from your own observations in schools? 

The system in the video values student involvement above all else and does not feel tied to the traditions that tend to dictate how all of my school environments functioned. Central Park east created a place for students to have a voice in their own learning compared to all my schools where we were told what we were going to learn.

5.     How should we change the curriculum in our secondary schools to focus on 21^st century learning of essential skills & knowledge?

We should add more life skills to the curriculum or change the way that we teach current subjects to reflect how the skills learned in the classroom can be applied to the real world.

6.     Describe how parents and families can partner with teachers for student success?

Parents and families can work with their schools to make sure that their students voices are heard and that their concerns are addressed. They can also get involved in the schools that their students attend to be an active part of the learning community that their children are a part of. This will encourage involvement and commitment and ultimately create an environment that helps students succeed.