02/22/2018

It's the 21st century and public education debates are quite common.  With conversations ranging from private versus public charter schools to magnet versus baccalaureate schools, the conversation rarely includes the underlying issues of race and class in education in America.  School choice has become a welcomed addition to the capitalistic society in which we live. This leads me to question whether all children, despite their race, class, gender, or socioeconomic status, should have high

02/01/2018

As an undergraduate at the School of Education at Samford University, I was required to learn about the process of child development. I assume that this knowledge is expected at other institutions of higher education across America, however, I question whether the additional knowledge as to the roles that environments play in a child’s development is also widely explored. I wanted to look at the effects that social constructs have on the development of children and adolescents to gain a better

01/18/2018

In a world where the value of education is often debated, there is no doubt that jobs are becoming more globalized.  When compared to students in other countries, American students are no longer the leaders in knowledge.  "The U.S. education system is mediocre compared to the rest of the world," according to Julia Ryan's 2013 article, American Schools vs. the World: Expensive, Unequal, and Bad at Math.  Alabama's students are included in the reports given about America's test scores.  As Alabama

01/04/2018

I am the product of the Birmingham City School system, an urban school district in Birmingham, Alabama. Upon my graduation from Samford University, I secured a position as a teacher in the same system.  Because of my history as a student in and a faculty member for the system, I have a vested interest in the education of not only its students, but also its educators.  My desire to learn more about how to best serve those labeled as “disadvantaged” and “inner city” students drove me away from the

09/18/2017

I love Whitney Houston; she was an amazing singer, to me.  One of my favorite songs is “I Have Nothing.” These lines are so powerful, “Don’t walk away from me.  I have nothing, nothing, nothing…If I don’t have you…” I can’t help, but to relate that to education.  We educators would have nothing if it weren’t for our students, education, resources, parents, and passion.         Students Students are like customers, to us. We have to serve them, meaning, answer their questions.  We should model