RIP Merce Cunningham

Get Them Hooked: The Benefits of Extracurricular Activities in Middle School

Transitioning to middle school is a difficult task for many young adolescents. The foreign territory of middle school can prove treacherous to unadjusted students. How are middle schools creating supportive and all-inclusive environments for students to thrive, grow and learn? Are middle schools effectively “hooking in” students, giving them reasons to become part of the culture of the school? The time spent in middle school has a huge impact on the future success of students; if students flunk even one class during this time, it projects their chance of dropping out in high school to 50%. Surveys have found that up to 80% of students who drop out do so because of frustration and boredom in school. These statistics are alarming, and serve as a wake-up call to our educational system. Through the implementation of extracurricular activities, students have the chance to connect, find purpose, and become part of the fabric of their school’s culture.

With dropout rates so consistently high in America’s schools, finding ways to engage students is more important now than ever before. Teachers can have a positive influence on levels of engagement by the way they teach their classes. By using methods such as authentic learning, student-designed curriculum, and curriculum integration, teachers can engage their students in the classroom. This, however, may not be enough. Research has found that keeping students engaged outside of the classroom is just as important. Without a focus on engagement, classrooms can become rigid and disjointed, causing students to feel disconnected and lost. If students find themselves in these types of “standard” classrooms, they have the opportunity to become connected through structured extracurricular activities; these activities include clubs, sports, drama, music, and are either academic/non-academic and take place during or after school hours (Akos, 2006). This extracurricular participation can “save” students, as it provides a chance for students to become part of a community. These activities also aid in learning, as students learn in an informal environment how to get along with their peers, and operate in “real-life” activities. Research also shows that the more activities students are a part of, the better their grades are and the less likely they are to drop out of high school (Cairns, R. & Mahoney J, 1997).

To Philip Glass, to Virginia Woolf, and to Michael Cunningham

The music of Philip Glass has moved me more than any music I have ever heard. I recently obtained a copy of Glass’s music to the movie, The Hours, and in the CD booklet is an essay by Michael Cunningham. This essay has explained to me my unexplainable and odd fascination with Glass, and in addition, with the work of Virginia Wolf. I guess I am one of the “wild and lonely ones,” because I often listen to Einstein on the Beach (and any other work of his that I have collected) on repeat, especially while writing.

Technology & the 21st Century Classroom

Part 1

It’s a typical day at an American high school campus. Groups of students walk around wearing earbuds, or sneaking looks at their personal digital assistant (PDA), formally known as the cell phone. They check their Facebook and Twitter pages, they send off a dozen text messages, they blog, and they read updates on their favorite musical group, all in less than a few minutes. However, it is inaccurate to say that all students are “plugged in.” A typical day in an impoverished high school would not the same level of technology use. The digital divide is real and it is an issue educators must mindfully consider. By prohibiting technology educators miss opportunities to model their practices and teach context-specific skills. Furthermore, the students who do not have access to technology at home are completely cut off from learning these necessary skills needed to operate in the 21^st century global marketplace. It is because of this digital divide that educators must accept students’ use of technology. Educators should also work for funding to make technology available to all students, and find ways to implement all forms of technology into the classroom.

We are teachers, and mere human at that.

We are teachers, and mere human at that. We do not have all the answers, and no matter how much theory we undertake and no matter how many books we read about the impoverished kids living in depilated neighborhoods in the ghettos, or the over-parented children of American Beauty-esque families, we will never really know what it’s like. The best we can do is notice, be aware, and give each student the most encouragement and attention we possibly can.