April 25, 2009
This article is talking about the legal ramification of strip-searching a student for contraband. The article details a case where an honor student was suspected for dealing drugs and she was thoroughly searched for these suspected drugs. None were found. However, the severity of the search led the suspect to feel extremely violated and vexed. The feeling of shame and vexation has led the family to get a lawyer and sue the school board.
So now, here are the million-dollar questions. What liberties does the school system have at its disposal to search for illegal substances? Would the principal of Columbine have been within their legal ramifications if a severe search could have prevented the incident many years ago? What about if a search could prevent several students from getting hooked on drugs and dropping out of school? Does a student’s enrolment in an honors class mean that the students is not guilty of crime, or just smart enough not to get caught? What about evidence? Is someone telling a teacher that a particular student is a drug dealer sufficient evidence? If not, would several students making such a claim be sufficient? At what point would enough students be sufficient? What about the severity of the drug? Would a strip search be ok if you found prescription drugs, marijuana, cocaine, a gun? These all represent questions make it very difficult for administrators to do their job.
Where to draw the line is what administrators deal with this all the time. Often the information that administrators have to go on is sketchy. If examined under a microscope it may not stand up in court as justifiable evidence for a severe search. Yet most administrators know their students. They often times know if a student is telling the truth or not. But no one living today is infallible, even the best administration make mistakes. So what are the options?
On one hand we can support the principals. They have a difficult job and cut them slack. On the other hand we could say that their actions were overstepping their boundaries. It is much like the debate going on in the political realm. The Obama administration is vehemently against the use of torture. The Bush administration allowed this practice. By allowing it you prevent tragedies but you violate human dignity. So what extent of tragedies is worth violating human dignity? This is what it breaks down to. Strip-searching students at school would be a violation to many of these students. However, at some point the reward of prevented harm from the found contraband would be worth the risk. What is that point?
Now finally, how does this relate to curriculum and instruction? Personally I fail to see how it relates to the curriculum unless you need to set a day off in your yearly planning to strip search the students. However, I see several ways that is can indirectly relate to the instruction of a class. First should intensive searches be allowed and become commonplace in school, then teachers safety should increase. With this there should be a decrease of teacher stress and in increase of teacher performance. Another, indirect positive result of allowing the invasive searchers would be to either remove some of the students who bring contraband or curb their behavior. Usually these students cause trouble in class and make it difficult to teach students who want to learn.
I always find this kind of letter difficult to write. What can I say about the second years that has not already been said? This program tends to attract positive, outgoing people with a desire to help and possessing the naivety that they believe they can actually change the system. I love this kind of person. Although some get jaded, all succeed in changing a few lives. To survive the madness that is the Mississippi School system you have to be a little bit crazy and have a good idea on how to survive. You are all been extremely helpful and supportive and I can not say enough about that. A good bunch of people and I firmly believe that you all will succeed at whatever endeavor you undertake next. I enjoyed getting to know those of you I did and would have like to get to know the rest of you more. Cheers to Y’all!
I will leave you with some key memories of the second years. These are but a succinct snap shot of the many great memories I have of this unique crew.
A. Sam William’s zeal for MVC
B. Singing along to Ace of Base with Scotty Jimenez after watching a hockey game
C. Shooting skeet at Austin Walker’s farm
D. Observing an energetic Pet Nelson commanding attention teaching during the summer
E. Getting introduced to the southern mega church by Eleanor Mathis
F. Getting some homemade Goldwasser soup when I was sick during the summer
G. Watching Ole Miss Football Games with the majority of the second years
Student 1 Grade 12 Female in my Biology 1 Class (Student has failed each term)
From my perspective, Mr. Kopanke is a good teacher. He makes us write too much, but I enjoy coming in here. He sometimes talks weird by deepening his voice. He always eats some kind of fruit, and he stays drinking water. He also eats these humongous carrots as well. He is a very healthy man I believe. Once he even ate a whole apple, core, seeds and all. It must be a Canadian thing. Over all he is a good teacher even when he makes the students write a billion lines. I enjoy coming in his class looking forward to the Biology world of Mr. Kopanke.
Student 2 Grade 10 Female in my Biology 1 Class (Student has failed one of three terms)
It is actually a joy to be in Mr. Kopanke’s class. His teaching style is more of the strict but its for the better. He has us work from bell to bell to prepare us for the big test that we will have. Mr. Kopanke is very determined to help his students work up to their potential. In the class the student are usually quite and doing their work being that we don’t really have time to play or talk because of the amount of work that we have. Sometimes they might try to act up but after while they get in line because of the consequences. I really appreciate this class and Mr. Kopanke!
Student 3 Grade 12 Male in my Biology 1 Class (Student has failed each term)
I think it is a nice class, but it can get rough at times, like when we have a lot of homework. Now don’t get me wrong he’s one of the best teachers at the school, but it’s just so much we have to do. Then at the same time its stressful to me because, one minute I would be passing the class and before you know it I’m failing. Now, as far as, the class as a whole, we have fun with Mr. K like when we have group activities and everyone is working.
Student 4. Grade 12 Male in my Biology 1 Class (Student has failed each term)
Mr. K’s teaching style is very unique. He makes teaching fun and interesting. Im a senior and its very important to me to have a great teacher. Mr. K helps us when we need it. Some of the other students likes Mr. K as well. The classroom is very quite and professional. Mr K’s teaching style is very professioal and neat!
Student 5 Grade 10 Male in my Biology 1 Class ( Student has failed one out of three terms)
It is very comfortable being in MR.KOPANKE’S class. Every since I been taking his Biology class, my peers and I have been learning a whole lot. MR. KOPANKE’S class is what we all (students) need to pass the state, district, and every other test that we face this school year. He make’s the student do writing assignments when they are be disrupted, which make them receive even more knowledge when their doing punish work.
Student 6 Grade 12 Male in my Biology 1 Class (Student has failed each term)
While being in Biology it is comfortable. He is a out standing teacher who is well enough to teach biology class because he is helping us to reach our goal in biology class. I have learn a lot about his class getting us ready for the state test. He know that we can do it and he believe in us. He also is a professional teacher to one to another.
Student 7 Grade 12 Female in my Biology 1 Class (Student has failed two out of three terms)
I like being in Mr. Kopanke’s class he break things down to make you understand it clearly. But he sometimes make you sleepy by talking a lot. He also knows a lot about biology.
Student 8 Grade 10 Male in my Biology 1 Class (Student has passed every term)
I think that Mr. Kopanke is a good teacher but he is sometimes hard to understand. Being from another country so I guess that’s the way they teach. He keeps his class under control and if we get out of hand we have to write definitions. He have a class just for science. He also have pictures of ducks.
Student 9 Grade 10 Female in my Biology 1 Class (Student has passed every term)
In Mr. Keponke’s class it is always so live and the students are almost always prepared but he has a few like me that are thrilled on A days when they have his class. Each day in biology he his always so thrilled about teaching, he never has a bad day and seems as though he is never tried. I can say that I appreciate his thrill for teaching. The students that want to learn he is liked by them and they just don’t get their work done but understand what is taught to them unlike other classes that just make the students do work.
Student 10 Grade 9 Female in my Science Skills and Reasoning Class (Student has failed two out of three terms)
I think that Mr.k is the best teacher in the world, I also love the way he teaches his class room too.Mr.k is the best teacher that I have ever gotten to know,and his teaching skills are the best even though I don’t always understand he makes it were I will not leave until I learn something Mr.k is a very fine man and I know that he takes his work very serisly ,Mr.K is a wounderful teacher and I wouldn’t have any teacher then Mr.K teaching me biology he is the best.
Authentic assessment, alternative assessments, application based learning- these are three different names for the same things. The concept behind these learning strategies is instead of giving the traditional facts based test a project can be more beneficial. Proponents of this method of learning believe that the student buy in will be greater. Therefore students will put forth greater effort on the assigned tasks and learn the core subject as well as the intangible life skills often missed in the traditional test style education.
In theory I fully
agree with this concept. In an ideal world I would be a full backer of this
style of learning. However, I think it can only work well in
a school full of keeners. I believe that alternative assignment is an excellent
tool to use after the students have mastered the basics of acceptable behavior, reading, writing and arithmetic. Once the student
has a baseline understanding, you can excite their interest and let them run with it.
Studies have shown that the new emphasis on standardized tests has increased teacher's enthusiasm and effort levels (Kornhaber, 2004). This would
not necessarily happen if classes fully adopted the alternative assessment
method.
What assessments look like in my class now…
What would I like my assessments to look like in the future…
Challenges
of implementing an alternative assessment into my classroom
I believe that
alternative assessments would be an administrator’s nightmare. Lets say that in
a good school the traditional method produces students who grasp on average
around 80% of the material. Now if an alternative method assignment could bring
that average up to 95% or drop it down below 50%. This form of instruction is
easy to mess up, but if designed properly, with high performing students, will
results in very successful learning results. The key to success of failure of
this project would be in the design of the experiment.
Kornhaber, M. 2004. Appropriate and Inappropriate Forms of Testing, Assessment, and Accountability. Educational Policy, 18:1 pg 45-70
