'Features a of Successful School Essay\r'

'The r proscribede in which U. S. check days ar ran today be non adequate for the growing collects of students in the twenty-first century. According the Darling-Hammond (2010), if these trends continue, by 2012, America leave behind devote 7 million jobs in science and engine room fields, â€Å"green” industries, and other fields that put forward non be bring up by U. S. workers (p. 3). Other nations imbibe figured out how to educate their youth, and those students will take the jobs of their U. S. counterparts if the U. S. does not heighten the miens in which we educate our youth.\r\nDarling-Hammond (2010), found that laid-backer-achieving nations atomic number 18 to a greater extent focused on quality t to each oneers, and maturement of course of instruction and assessment that encourages continuous reflection of coners and students (p. 8). in that location is a pick up for change in the certain maturation system, which was designed to educate st udents in the twentieth century. According the Darling-Hammond (2010), â€Å"At least 70% of U. S. jobs straight require specialized recognizeledge and skills, as compargond to save 5% at the dawn of the run low century, when our flow system of directing was established (p. 2).\r\nNow that a unavoidableness for change has been identify, it is up to the districts, trains and nurtureers to implement the changes. with much research Darling-Hammond (2010), has identified quint infixed features of raising that rent to be changed to religious service throw students for success in elementary though college. These five features imply: small nurture size or learnedness communities within the nurture, personalization and strong relationships among teachers and students, challenging and applicable instruction, performance based instruction, and quislingism of teachers (p. 244).\r\nFeatures Defined The survey of small school size and learning communities be strategic t o schools success, because it allows students to feel outstanding in the school system. Studies have been do by Darling-Hammond (2010), and have identified that on that point is less violence in little school compargond to big schools, because everyone knows each other and there is more account index for a student’s action (p. 245). When the school and or class sizes atomic number 18 smaller the teachers condense to know each of their students and have the ability to identify with each student, where as jumbor schools the students just ecome a number with little to no individual attention. Darling-Hammonds research landed estates: These experiences underscore evidence store over several(prenominal) decades that suggest that, overall, smaller high schools are associated with greater safety more positively charged student attitudes about(predicate) school, higher levels of student elaboration and attendance, much lower dropout rates (p. 245). The reduction of sc hool size alone will not sack the command problem our nation is facing, but except an verbalism that will attend to with the problem.\r\nThe second fount to a successful school according to Darling-Hammond (2010) is the accept for â€Å"structures that allow for personalization and strong relationship” (p. 244). The way that teachers and students hit these strong relationships is done an advisory class, teachers are condition a small number of students and in some(prenominal) cases these students stay with the same teacher over a number of years. Because of these factors of small class sizes and extended fourth dimension with the teacher, teachers are able to off strong relationships with their students. By knowing students easily, teachers are more able to reduce instruction to students’ strengths, necessitys, experiences, and interests” (Hammond & Friedlaender, 2008, p. 17).\r\nAccording the research done by Darling-Hammond: … we found that strong relationships between and among students and might were central to participants’ views of what enabled them to succeed. Students often compared their school to a family and cerebrate their doing to their caring relationships with teachers (p. 248). Another equally important aspect to a successful school touched(p) on by Darling-Hammond (2010) is â€Å" intellectually challenging and pertinent instruction” (p. 44). Since the beginning of time teachers have taught curriculum and given students assignments based on what was taught, but is the assignments germane(predicate) to the students learning? Darling-Hammond, (2010) says teachers should be annoyting away from fill in the blank worksheets and having students produce more meaning(prenominal) work such as research reports, discussions of problems, and unrestricted questioning to challenge students more (p. 249). These types of challenging assignments service prepare students to compose precise t hinkers, and get them pull in for college.\r\nSuccessful schools also ensure that teachers are gift performance-based assessments, Darling-Hammond (2010) states: All of the schools engage students in completing interlocking projects and investigations of various kinds, and near of them require the completion of portfolios for graduation, which include high-quality work illustrating disciplinary inquiry in each of the major subject areas (p. 257) These types of assessments are dowry piss students that are critical thinkers, rather than just reminiscence and memory, which were previously performed.\r\nThese high-quality assessments are beneficial to students in helping them be more prepared for success in college and beyond. The final aspect of Darling-Hammond plan to improve education is â€Å"highly capable teachers who collaborate in supplying and problem resoluteness” (2010, p. 244). The idea of collaborationism allows teachers and students fundamental time to di scuss, problem make and create rich lessons. If teachers were just left to their give means they could teach lesson with little to no results. at that place is the need for collaboration to identify ways in which they can teach lesson to burst help their students. When time for professional development is built into teachers’ work time, their learning activities can be ongoing and sustained and can focus on particular issues over time (Wei, Andree & Darling-Hammond, 2009, p. 39).\r\nIn the U. S. very few hours are build in to the work week for teachers to plan and many times the planning is done individually and not cooperative with other educators. Many high achieving nations provide the hazard for continued staff development as well as a wide-range development to teachers, where as the coupled States give one day workshops with little to know follow up (Wei, Andree & Darling-Hammond, 2009, p. 1). The small cadence of time by U. S. teachers spend on collab oration has an adverse effect on students achievement. Prioritizing the Essential Aspects The most important of Darling-Hammond’s aspect is providing students with highly competent teachers that are given the probability to collaborate with their peers. As addressed by Darling-Hammond and Richardson (2009): Current research suggests that providing intensive, content-rich, and collegiate learning opportunities for teachers can improve both instruct and student learning.\r\nWhen schools support teachers with well-designed and rich professional development, those teachers are able to create the same types of rigorous and harming opportunities for studentsâ€a foundation for student success in school and beyond (p. 52). Teachers are one of the secernate features to the important of student’s education, therefore they need to be given the opportunity for collaboration with their peers to gain the knowledge needed to reflect and plan to beat better at their profession .\r\nResearch done by Darling-Hammond shows that professional communities are an aspect that is important to schools that are achieving high levels of student learning (2010, p. 261). The next important aspect is providing instruction that is challenging and applicable to instruction. Teachers need to have high exceptions of their students and give students experience through task that are relevant to the real piece and future success. Students are placed in internships and offer up work as young as el level(p)th grade to provide students with real- populace experiences (Darling-Hammond, 2010, p. 257).\r\nAccording to Darling-Hammond (2010): Students reported that, even when they found they did not like the work or setting they had chosen, or when they experienced conflicts on the job, their internships do them feel more capable, responsible, and confident about solving problems and succeeding in their world beyond school (p. 256). These skills that students are learning from th eir internship are helping them become more prepared for their future. Keeping instruction relevant helps keep students interested in learning. Just as important as instruction is on education is the types of assessments used.\r\nIt is important that the school system gets away from memorizing and gives more performance-based assessments, where students are involved in the revision of their work. Students need to be given more authentic assessments that are relevant to their learning and then have the opportunity to present their portfolios to communities of students. In the study by Darling-Hammond (2010) â€Å"…a deep sense of accomplishment from their experience, and, having repeated it several times before graduation, a growing sense of confidence” (p. 260).\r\nThese types of assessments are giving students the skills needed to be successful in life. Schools that allow for personalization and strong relationships are important to students’ growth in school. Today students are cranking through each day like an assemblage line (Darling-Hammond 2010, p. 250). Teachers know very little about the potential of each of their students, and therefore the students suffer. Students from the study by Darling-Hammond have said that they feel like teachers premeditation about them and their work as well as pushing them to perform at their ability (2010, p. 50). The last aspect is also related to personalization of students, it is small coat school and or classes. With the small class sizes teachers are better able to know each of their students to help tailor their learning to meet those needs of the students.\r\nIt is not a surprise that smaller schools have the ability to have a focus on safety. These smaller schools have an increase in safety a decrease in incidents, because the adults know the students in the school and hold them accountable for their actions (Darling-Hammond, 2010, p. 45) Implementation The changes that need to be make to sc hool system are something that is not going to happen over night by one teacher. These changes need to start-off at the state level with help of the district, schools and teachers. Teachers cannot implement all of these changes on their own. The aspects that teachers can control are changing the way that they teach to create students that are more critical thinkers and provide students will more meaningful assessments. Teachers can also help guide students to assess their own learning.\r\nAnother aspect that teachers can control is the total of time they are spending collaborating with colleagues to share strategies, and solve problems. Teachers can so also try to get to know each of their students, but this a scare task with such large class sized. There are many changes that need to be made that are out of control of the teacher’s hands. One of these changes is the amount of time they spend collaborating with other teachers. The district and school site needs to make thi s a priority and give those teachers the time they need to become more effective teachers.\r\nThe district and school also needs to implement more meaningful staff development training. As teachers can start implementing more meaningful assessments for students, it is the district that will need to set graduations requirements associated with these assessments. To more effectively tailor students learning it will be the districts responsibility to lower classes sizes or implement an advisory period. Teachers can try to get know each of their students’ strengths, but with such large class sizes it is very difficult to individualized instruction. The aspect that teachers have no control over is the school size.\r\nIf the district wants students to feel safe and accountable for their actions, this is something they will need to implement. Conclusion The traditional model of education that was designed for the 20th century is not working to educate the youth in the global world o f the 21st century, and changes need to be made to better reach the needs of the students today. Some schools have already implemented and embraced these changes and have seen great results in achievement of students. By making the necessary changes to the education assist students will become better prepared with skills to help them be successful beyond high school.\r\n'