KIPP Schools: Do They Make The Cut?

In my previous post, I examined how the economic stimulus bill passed by President Obama will affect the current education problem in America. With the huge budget cuts during the economic crisis, schools have been hit the hardest. Teachers are being laid off, children are not able to learn to their fullest potential, and many schools are closing. President Obama budgeted $100 billion towards education. While this seems like a large sum of money, it will not even put a dent in the current problem. The first blog that I read by Jim Horn, Ph. D discussed how KIPP schools (Knowledge Is Power Program) are cutting out recess from their daily schedules. There is strong evidence linking this decision to be problematic because physical exercise and being out in nature typically increases a child’s ability to focus in the classroom. People are unable to focus to their maximum potential if they do not have a break during the day. The article also argued that not having recess takes a toll on the teachers by not giving them a break during the day. The second article that I read by Clay Burell again addressed KIPP schools, but looked at the pros and cons of charter schools. President Obama is putting millions of dollars towards renovations and reforms, but how much of this money will actually help and make a change. The public school system is working its hardest to stay afloat during these tough times. Instead of just temporarily slowing down the problem, lawmakers need to look to make a greater change because the children are the future. Every child needs to be put in a situation where they have a chance to succeed. Right now, it seems as though, the youth in America are being set up to fail because people are not willing to stand up and fight for them. Education is one of the essential pillars in a person’s life. Lawmakers need to step back and evaluate how to make schools more successful, especially schools in lower-income neighborhoods. While it seems a daunting task to try and change how the education system works, if it is broken down piece by piece, the cracks can be fixed and higher learning can be established.

"School Matter: Why Play Comes Naturally and KIPP Doesn't"
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In reading your article, I completely agree that taking out recess from a child’s daily routine is a detriment to their overall academic success. Is the removal of recess in KIPP schools because of lack of funding or desire for more control? Recess is the only time when children are freely allowed to socialize and I believe that the removal of this will stunt social development. Children are scolded when they socialize during class, so I think that taking away recess only further encourages them to act out during class. Do you think that the manipulation of recess is successful for teachers such as removing recess privileges when a child misbehaves? As an educator, do you believe there are more useful methods available? What long-term effects could you see occurring if schools removed recess altogether? It is interesting to note that in all major studies recess and physical activity have been helpful to student learning, yet schools are so quick to cut out recess and cut back on physical education programs. With the current increase of children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, it seems as though it would be crucial for recess programs to remain. The Journal of School Health reported that, “The more physical tests children passed, the better they did on academic tests. The study of 1,800 middle school students, suggests that children can benefit academically from physical activity during gym class and recess.” With all of the evidence found supporting recess and physical activity it is disturbing that the government and school districts can so quickly disregard all of this information. According to Tara Parker-Pope in your blog, “Direct attention is a limited resource. Long hours in front of a computer or studying fro a test can leave us feeling fatigued. But spending time in natural settings appears to activate involuntary attention giving the brain’s directed attention time to rest.” After reading your blog and the New York Times article I am a firm believer that recess is crucial to a child’s overall development and future success. It is of the utmost importance to let a child remain a child.

"WaPo Urges Caution re: Matthews' KIPP Book"
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Thank you for this in-depth look at issues regarding KIPP charter schools. In recent years, KIPP charter schools have become a popular choice in public schooling. While I was mainly aware of more popular programs such as Teach For America, it was interesting to read about other teaching options for low-income communities. With the economic crisis at hand, it is unfortunate that the education system in America is suffering. I believe that the longer school days and longer school years will definitely have a negative impact on the children. With KIPP schools having an application process, do you think that it “weeds out” children who might need the program more because their parents are unaware or unable to complete this task? What implications come with having a child apply to the KIPP schools? Will they be more successful? In the article it discussed how many KIPP schools have more middle class than lower class students. Do you think that KIPP schools have unintentionally furthered segregation between social classes? While the KIPP schools have been flourishing in recent years, I found it disturbing that 60% of the children leave the program. Why do you believe the drop out rate of the program is so high? Does the accountability of the charter schools have an impact on the type of education a child receives and the type of teacher that is hired? Teachers are playing a larger role now more than ever with overpopulated classrooms. I feel that it is extremely important for the teachers in the KIPP schools to be well educated and properly trained to overcome the huge deficit in the student to teacher ratio. Hopefully, the KIPP schools will be able to provide this type of teacher to the students so that they can ultimately thrive in society and in life. Education in low-income communities has been a constant problem in American society. With the new economic stimulus package, it will be interesting to see if the money will make any impact in the lower tiers of the education system.