Running Head: THE IMPROVING PRESENT 1

The Improving Present:

Title

Itzel Jimenez

Lewis University
THE IMPROVING PRESENT 2

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to emphasize the conflicts that are occurring in the American

education system. From there, there is a need to propose an education reform in order to

enlighten students who are bored of doing the same, monotonous, futile tasks every five days

during each week. Also, with teachers, they need to grasp grit in order to earn success and

focus from students who are forced to learn liberal arts classes. Throughout several weeks of

research, many resources that have been gathered are presented to emphasize that there is a vital

action to propose that many teaching methods and curriculums tend to cause students to lose

attention to any subject they are required to learn for their high school graduation.
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References

Belcher, C. L., & Herr-Stephenson, B. (2011). Teaching harry potter: The power of imagination

in multicultural classrooms. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.

Belcher has a PhD in secondary education as she works with a non-profit organization that

improves schools in the Los Angeles education system called LA’s Promise. With Herr-

Stephenson, she focuses on the educational media as a researcher and writer in the same Los

Angeles area. The two authors emphasize that when it comes to teaching literature with

ethnically diverse students, it can be difficult for them to understand the knowledge politically

authorized books. In this scripture, the indication that children should read literature and novels

should be based on their own choices and not based on decisions from government officials who

have no experience in professional teaching. From these authors, it is conclusive that they can be

paired up with chairs of curriculum development to encourage students to find their passion. The

text itself resembles one of the philosophies Tomlinson would agree since her article is based on

why teachers should understand that adjusting their curriculum should be based on children’s

desires. For my paper, Belcher and Herr-Stephenson’s educational philosophy would apply to the

topic that will discuss on the reasons that support the need to modify curriculums in classrooms

that have students who are incompetent in their classes.

Conley, D. (2017). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist (5th ed.).

New York, NY. W. W. Norton.

Dr. Conley earned a PhD in sociology from Columbia University as he is the dean in National

Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). The overall text book goes over how a certain society
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functions as well as looking into different branches of sociology such as stratification, race,

authority, education, etc. Primarily, the selected and observed section of the textbook is more

into analyzing sociologically an education system, specially the American system. The chapter

also depicts facts, not assumptions, about how education system fails students with ethnicity and

socioeconomic statuses. Based on these facts, these alarming reports will be presented in the

paper to indicate that having standardized testing is unfair for students who do not have the same

knowledge as a student who attends an elite private school. Based on this fact, students cannot

receive feedback from teachers who already know the knowledge which explains the reason that

principals should be less oblivious to their students’ situations. From listening to students’

backgrounds, Cutshall would follow Conley’s facts on the education system because smaller

sized classes succeed better because teachers can further acknowledge each student’s strengths

and weaknesses without having the barrier to memorize every student’s name in a classroom of

thirty or more students.

Cutshall, S. (2003). Is smaller better? When it comes to schools, size does matter. Techniques:

Connecting Education & Careers, 78(3), 22–25. Retrieved from

http://ezproxy.lewisu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&

db=ofm&AN=507815831&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

In Cutshall’s educational background, she received her Publication Specialist Certificate from

The George Washington University as well as her Teaching Credential from University of

California (Berkeley). During her research, Sandy Cutshall has published many peer-review

articles on education, especially on foreign language development and learning since she has

experiences in teaching with adults. From her article, Cutshall not only discusses on the reasons

on why schools should cut class sizes, but mentions the origins and provides evidence of growth
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in learning in American schools that would agree with her educational reform. From her article,

more educational developers would lean closer to her ideology since having small class sizes

would improve test scores and competency. In my essay, the mind of Cutshall shall be presented

in the paper to identify factors (like having diverse resources for accessible learning) that would

benefit schools. Kahn, agreeing with Cutshall, would claim that it is necessary to have

professional individuals visit students in public secondary level schools because the students can

easily incline to learning subjects that are taught by people who have experience in that field.

However, Kahn would then take a step back and believe that having a smaller class size is not

the only solution. The other solution he would propose is that Cutshall should consider having

technological sources available to help students with a particular problem of an assignment and

project instead of traveling to the school multiple times to receive feedback.

Duckworth, A. L. (Psychologist), & TED (Producer). (2013, April). Grit: The power of passion

and perseverance [Video file]. Retrieved from

https://www.ted.com/talks/angela_lee_duckworth_grit_the_power_of_passion_and_perse

verance?language=en.

Duckworth was previously a middle school math teacher until she gained her Ph. D. from the

University of Pennsylvania in Psychology. Duckworth during her TED talk video discusses the

significance of the psychological term grit in different situations. The term grit refers to idea of

placing effort and perseverance into long-term objectives. Based on the term, many

psychologists who are into the field of education or mental development, as well as many

professors who are teaching methods on how to teach in classrooms. Especially since there are

teachers lurking in schools that only want to teach for income as their sole reward. For my paper,

grit will be seen as an instrument to ensure thinking from teachers about whether their teaching
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job or profession is being taken seriously as a desire to educate children on their personal,

mental, and spiritual development. As a math teacher with students who have no native

knowledge of the English language, Vilson is one of the exemplary figures that would believe

Duckworth’s significance of grit. Especially when it comes to fighting for the education they

deserve since ESL students are not fully integrated into the American culture when it comes to

learning a foreign language for less than four years.

Kenkel, S., Hoelscher, S., & West, T. (2006). Leading adolescents to mastery. Educational

Leadership, 63(7), 33-37. Retrieved from

http://ezproxy.lewisu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&

db=ofm&AN=507879259&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Kenkel is currently a principal at Davison High School in Michigan, while Hoelscher is in charge

of Michigan Middle Start (a program that enhances teaching methods in Michigan secondary

schools). With West, she is in part of the Academy for Educational Development as a Program

Officer. In the early 2000s, a large percentage of students would fail multiple classes in Bendle

Middle School at Michigan. In response, the staff thought of a new curriculum that increased

engagement in learning from both teachers and students called the ABCI program. Throughout

my paper, the effects of the curriculum shall be provided to further assert that teachers need to

change their teaching methods based on their student’s interests and development in learning.

Vilson would also agree with the three writers of the article since it is unfair to give standardized

tests to students who have insufficient fluency in the English language. Instead, these ESL

students should have the right to take a certain test that should enhance their knowledge instead

of an exam that justifies their incompetence in the modern American society. From this article,

there could be a high chance that the Common Core curriculum can be repealed by politicians.
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Khan, S. (Educator & Social Entrepreneur) & TED (Producer). (2015, November). Let’s teach

for mastery—not test scores [Video file]. Retrieved from

https://www.ted.com/talks/sal_khan_let_s_teach_for_mastery_not_test_scores#t-623413.

Salman Kahn received his Bachelor’s from MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology in

electrical engineering and computer science as he found an educational tutoring website, Khan

Academy. From the TED Talk video, Kahn informs teachers who observe student learning based

on letter and percentage grades is an incorrect way of measuring success. Kahn also reaches out

to educational developers that whenever a pupil takes an exam and receives a score below 100%,

the percentage left to earn that 100% should be revisited by the student so that way the student

would not have a headache learning new material based on the material of a past lesson or test.

In agreement, Conley would declare that Kahn’s thought on personalized learning can come

from learning a new math subject easily on a computer. On the other hand, Kahn would need to

understand from Conley that there are students out there who do not have the portable and

accessible resources to clarify a confusing topic they learned in school. Throughout my writing

process, it will relate to the topic that liberal arts (or general education) classes need to focus not

only on the topic itself, but the opinions and facts gathered by students.

Riczo, S. (2004, January). Educational interventions: possibilities for improvement? "It certainly

would be legitimate for taxpayers--who foot the bill for the 90% of students who attend

public schools--to ask why, after three decades of reform, there is no measurable

progress". USA Today, 132(2704), 54+. Retrieved from

http://bi.galegroup.com/global/article/GALE%7CA112022305?u=uiuc_lewis&sid=summ

on.
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Based on his credentials, Riczo holds his Master’s in Healthcare Administration from Xavier

University as he is a freelance writer in the magazine, USA Today. Within the article, Riczo

points out certain factors that contribute to why the education system reformation is failing many

students who attend at public schools. The factors are well supported as he cites sources for his

research from governmental sites such as the U.S. Department of Education and the Centers for

Disease Control. From these concerning issues, government officials would halt funding on other

projects and instead fund for the future of America by investing their money into schools and

education. Cutshall would agree with Riczo in a perspective of having the government fund

education more than anything else. From the same agreement, Cutshall would indicate that

students that have parental problems should be acknowledged by teachers to prevent suicide

attempts or dropouts. From this article, the factors that cause the education system to fail will be

introduced in my paper when I am discussing on assertions why it is necessary to gather teachers

once in a while to ensure that they are aware about the student’s external conflicts outside of

school. The reason is that when students have conflicts that are not easily manageable to resolve,

they tend to fall behind in their educational learning and tasks.

Tomlinson, C. A. (2017). Let’s celebrate personalization but not too fast. Educational

Leadership, 74(6), 10–15. Retrieved from

http://ezproxy.lewisu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&

db=ehh&AN=121747401&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Carrol Ann Tomlinson is a Jr. professor at William Clay Parrish and chair of Educational

Leadership with a Ph. D. in Education from the University of Virginia back in 1991. Throughout

her article, she defines her term, personalization, is a doctrine that each teaching style is different

because it should be based on the student’s desires. From the newly term, she then interrogates
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teachers and superintendents to think about their curriculum with questions that cause them to

reflect their current teaching styles and methods. Similar to Cutshall, her article would agree with

Tomlinson because they emphasize the vitality of recognizing a student’s ability in order for the

student to succeed in the track to their college or trade profession. For my paper, the questions

being portrayed in her article will be presented to depict that having changes in the curriculum

can create a sense of obtain grit from learners or students.

Vilson, J. L. (2015, September 17). How common core hurts my students. National

Journal. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.lewisu.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-

com.ezproxy.lewisu.edu/docview/1716969233?accountid=12073.

Jose Vilson, from his credentials, received his Master’s in mathematics education from the City

College of New York as he is a National Board-Certified Teacher. In his article, Vilson learns

that many ESL students are negatively impacted due to constant standardized tests that are based

on the Anglo-American culture. Conley would follow Vilson’s statements on standardized

testing being a nightmare due to the lack of assimilation from students who have different

ethnicities and language preferences. From his sociological textbook, his text would prove that

standardized testing is not meant to measure knowledge of a student, but it utilized as an

instrument to compete against other schools to observe the quality each school has. From these

two authors, government officials would think about their grandchildren and children who go to

school and the future. In my paper, the complaints on standardized tests on ESL students will

support my topic of personalized learning is the essential tool to obtaining greater educational

skills in order to succeed.

U. S. Census Bureau. (2017). Figure A-4. Event dropout rate of 10th to 12th grade students, by

grade, 1967-2017. United States of America. Retrieved from

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https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/visualizations/time-

series/demo/school-enrollment/FigureA-4_2017.pdf.

The U.S. Census Bureau is a governmental database of the U.S. Department of Commerce that

takes statistical evidence on the amount of people and the economy in America. The U.S.

Department of Education is warning superintendents in school districts throughout the nation to

be aware about student attendance. The assertion for having their eardrums and eyelids open is

that even though there is a decrease of sophomore and junior high school dropouts, there has

been a sudden increase of senior high school dropouts from 2016. For my research paper, this

will indicate that secondary level students are more likely to leave high school without their

diploma due to lack in perseverance for learning. From the Census Bureau’s statistics,

Duckworth would prove that not only grit is not found in the student’s mind, but must come from

the teacher as well in order for students to feel inspired to learn for their future as well as the

American nation. From there, it can prevent the high percentage rates of dropouts from

increasing and ensure that students can have grit if they have perseverance to follow their

aspirations and desires.