Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Open Post-So Much to Do

As spring break approaches, I realize how much stuff I have to get done and how little time, not to mention that senior year brings with it a lot of dates and deadlines which put more pressure and stress on an individual. I'm starting to feel it. And this flu/cold thing going around sucks and needs to go away.

But anyways, to prepare for a huge interview that I have on Friday, I was sent a lot of new articles and studies that I have to read and be prepared for. Although I don't know exactly what the form of the interview is going to be, I'm thinking it's going to be some form of question and answer session where I have to think on my toes and be prepared for what they ask.

Thus, I am reading and re-reading these articles, trying to prepare myself. But they are not the most up-lifting. Many of the articles consist of closing the gap between the poorer, minority children and other younger kids. What baffles me is how a gap like this can still exist in schools today in America, in which government money is being frivolously spent and politicians preach to solve such problems, but once elected into office, seemingly have their hands tied.

Thus, we've come to the day in which schools that have the highest performance go private and even the best teacher's potential is wasted in a low-funded, un-controlled environment in which children already feel as though they will amount to nothing. It bothers me that in a society seemingly so connected, we ignore the fact that those who aren't connected are those that need help the most.

But anyhow, the educational gap is something that many people have not only been struggling with, but have been trying to solve for years before my time. One blog post by me just seems to belittle the problem, which I know has a lot of causes and involves so much more that a quick-fix. Yet in some ways I believe that it is our responsibility as soon-to-be grads from UW-Madison to help out and become active in such a problem. As computer networks grow, so too is the educational network growing. How can we turn it into a network that is more successful for everyone involved in the system?

1 comment:

Sam said...

I think you bring up some good points in an open post! When you mention that "once elected into office, seemingly have their hands tied" is so true. Politicians really run on idealized campaigns, and then once in office, the only way they can do anything is if the majority of all parts of the legislature are the same party. Otherwise, people always stymie each other and nothing worthwhile ever gets done. I'd be interested in hearing some ideas you have for closing educational gaps, as I have little knowledge in the area and do not really know what can be done.