BlogPost 4: A Letter to the Senator

Dear Senator Tom Sawyer,

It has come to my attention that the Ohio Supreme Court has found Ohio's system of school finance to be unconstitutional not once, but five times. If the Court ordered a complete systematic overhaul in order to remedy the unconstitutional education system, then why is the current system still in place? According to School Funding Facts and Principles, "The first order of business for the [Blue Ribbon Commission on Financing Student Success] is to determine what educational opportunities must be available in the classrooms and school buildings of Ohio and what is expected of students upon graduation." Students are expected to graduate as well educated, competent individuals, with the hope of finding success in the workplace and in life. Therefore, it would make sense to give students the resources they need to be successful: mainly, decent and efficient systems of public education. In order to produce affluent individuals from the Ohio Education System, we must provide students with an adequate education; Students should be given quality work environments and current educational resources.

By giving children the proper education and work environments that they deserve, we are helping to foster a better future for everyone. How can we expect students to become successful individuals and flourish in the work environment if they are given a less than adequate education and learning space? The unconstitutionality of Ohio's current system of school finance largely influences the lives of children today. We must address this problem if we wish to be prosperous in society.

Thank You,
Ashley Cantor

Field Post 1: Noble Observations

Upon walking into Noble Elementary School, all of my senses heightened and I observed everything with great detail. I noticed the physical aspects of the building, such as the single blue wall and the four windows in the room I was observing. I also noticed what was happening in the rooms themselves. I noticed who was talking and who was responding, I noticed the characteristics that the children were presenting, and I noticed the different learning styles that were being used. 

I decided to focus on one child in particular, named Jack. Jack was very excited about learning; his hand would shoot up every time the teacher would ask a question. He was constantly fidgeting and playing with his shirt, bringing it up over his mouth and biting the collar. He would also tap his pencil on his desk and cheek, and bite on the ends when we was told to be quiet. 

I found it interesting how much Jack, as well as the other students, felt the need to constantly be moving. In fact, in the middle of the lesson the teacher let the students have a five minute dance break. The students were more focused on learning after they had a chance to move around and dispel some of the left-over energy from their bodies. 

The biggest thing that I discovered about myself was how closed-minded I had been going into our site visits. I had never stepped foot in a public school before and I had so many predisposed thoughts on what it would be like. I thought I was going to hate the experience and that it was going to be a huge reality shock for me. I was pleasantly surprised after my first visit, though, and I may even consider teaching at a public school one day.