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.
Educators in cities and highly populated areas deal with challenges that are not faced by those in rural or less populated areas. It must not be assumed that working in rural areas is nobler than cities. Each teacher and administrator faces an equal share of challenges. The point is that there are unique challenges in cities that rural folks do not have to deal with.
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.
City schools do not receive the share of funds that they deserve. Though the challenges of schooling in cities are known, resource allocation has failed to appreciate these challenges. Capitation does not recognize these challenges. It is known that schooling in urban areas requires more resources yet capitation is still pegged on traditional thinking. Despite lobbying from educationists and administrators, the challenges still remain.
The population of students in urban areas is the most diverse imaginable. This presents challenges to teachers and the learning environment. It should not surprise you to encounter students from different nations and language backgrounds. However, the expectation is for teachers to treat them like they are locals. Bringing their mindset into a single file becomes one of the most difficult challenges to deal with. This is not factored in policy making or resource allocation.
There is no denying that students in metropolitan areas start learning at a higher pedestal than their counterparts in rural areas. Standardization of curriculum almost makes it a bother to start them off at the basic level. In some cases, a teacher will find it almost insulting to begin teaching at rudimentary level yet the students have already self-learnt beyond that point. It is an issue of curriculum standardization without considering foundation of these students.
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.
Urban schools face the challenge of ownership. Local communities take pride in their schools and institutions. Metropolitan communities are fluid and will be done with a school immediately their children leave. Local and national governments are also engaged in a tussle over who takes what responsibility. This is a debate that is definitely far from over yet it needs to be settled with sobriety.
Educators in cities and highly populated areas deal with challenges that are not faced by those in rural or less populated areas. It must not be assumed that working in rural areas is nobler than cities. Each teacher and administrator faces an equal share of challenges. The point is that there are unique challenges in cities that rural folks do not have to deal with.
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.
City schools do not receive the share of funds that they deserve. Though the challenges of schooling in cities are known, resource allocation has failed to appreciate these challenges. Capitation does not recognize these challenges. It is known that schooling in urban areas requires more resources yet capitation is still pegged on traditional thinking. Despite lobbying from educationists and administrators, the challenges still remain.
The population of students in urban areas is the most diverse imaginable. This presents challenges to teachers and the learning environment. It should not surprise you to encounter students from different nations and language backgrounds. However, the expectation is for teachers to treat them like they are locals. Bringing their mindset into a single file becomes one of the most difficult challenges to deal with. This is not factored in policy making or resource allocation.
There is no denying that students in metropolitan areas start learning at a higher pedestal than their counterparts in rural areas. Standardization of curriculum almost makes it a bother to start them off at the basic level. In some cases, a teacher will find it almost insulting to begin teaching at rudimentary level yet the students have already self-learnt beyond that point. It is an issue of curriculum standardization without considering foundation of these students.
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.
Urban schools face the challenge of ownership. Local communities take pride in their schools and institutions. Metropolitan communities are fluid and will be done with a school immediately their children leave. Local and national governments are also engaged in a tussle over who takes what responsibility. This is a debate that is definitely far from over yet it needs to be settled with sobriety.
About the Author:
To resolve the urban education issues that communities are currently facing, come and join us at the next meeting. Find out more by visiting our blog at http://www.godhasspokenministries.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment