Reforms for K-12 California Education System - Essay Example

 Reforms for K-12 California Education System Context and Relevance Today, California schools serve around 5.6 million students as kindergarten using the K-12 grade system. Sadly, about 1.4 million students have Limited English Proficient (LEP) (Banks, 1993, 5); these students fail to understand English well enough to grasp concepts in class with equal similar speed with the counterparts. This is an integral problem that bedevils California schools currently despite existence of programs to alleviate this problem. However, there have been two programs institutionalized by both the schools and the State department of Education policy framework. These two programs include bilingual lessons, meaning offering lessons in the native language and English. Secondly, using special teaching and learning materials that are designed for LEP students. Rationale for the Proposal Despite concerted efforts that have been put in place to address this language barrier, this proposes note with concern that there still exists an overt gross violation of basic rights of the LEP students. Evidently, the findings of this report are founded on three key pillars. Firstly, 40% of LEP students access and utilize special learning materials, similarly about 30% of these students are taught some of academic content in their native language. Based on these findings, it is certain that the rest 30% of LEP students remain submerged within the popular culture of monologue classes. We argue that the existence of special teaching resources, bilingual classes and a massive 30% of culturally diverse communities remain disadvantage by K-12 education system (Bresser, 2009, 175). Looking at a wider picture of California schools, the population of the students with English difficulty is that a better approach that is culturally diverse should be adopted. With the growing pursuit of education, it will be unfair for California schools to continue enforcing systems that subject innocent students to a hidden discrimination in schools. It is our conviction that schools are institutions where societal inequality is bridged. In addition, schools are a remarkable platform that children have an opportunity to exercise full intellectual potential. There is no doubt that language is a link between a teacher and student. While systems and regulation might have existed, this proposal has established that students with limited proficiency in English continue to be prejudiced through the K-12 education system. Overview of the Causes of Education Disparity Based on statistic from California State Department of Education, it is certain that reckless policy that do not put into consideration equal opportunity to learn has been a major cause of the continued skewed education system. While attempts have been made to address language barrier, some classes continue to use English throughout its sessions despite the existence of knowledge of these students who come from diverse cultures with no knowledge in English. Negligence is the second cause of the disparity in educational outcome (Friend and Loyce 2013, 387). In addition, some schools, According to the surveys conducted do not offer any special attention to LEP students. It is unreasonable for a state with at least 88% of schools with one child with LEP and 71% of schools with over 20 students with LEP to lack policy framework to address the multiplicity of culture in the education system (Garcia, 2012, 110). K-12 System Failures Many efforts have been put to address multiple language students. A number of inconsistencies that remains deeply entrenched within the inefficient system. Firstly, parents are left to determine whether a child should be taken to a bilingual class or not. Of course, this is the greatest undoing of the California system because parents do not understand the fundamental principles of learning. In addition, leaving the decision entire for parents is a sign of a failed system because it pays no attention to the child’s abilities. Secondly, appear to lean towards western traditionalist ideology as compared to the modern multiculturalist’s approach in education (Friend and Loyce 2013, 367). One of the key issues that the system fails to recognize is the existence of rights of a student to be taught in a language they understand. In contrast, we find that this partial implantation of multicultural education systems captures the Norton of sympathetic westernized tendencies. In reality, the schools are failing in enhancing systematic education training using the right channel. Studies show that many Asian students have poor scores, not because they have limited potential but because teachers and California State Department of Education has failed to develop a comprehensive policy and provide necessary special facilities that is adequate and appropriate to the student’s needs. The future of multiple culture approach remains bleak with this K-12 system if the system of purposeful discrimination based on language difference continues to grow. In this proposal, we note with uttermost concern that the western traditionalists mindset is slowly cropping back to education system in California as the globe grows towards globalization. With total disregard of sympathetic ideologies, multicultural shift is superior because it recognizes the unique ability of each student. On contrary, western traditionalist concludes that inability to express academic content in fluent English depicts a poor student. This is misleading because intellectual development does not occur in English world, many Chinese, Korans and Japanese continue to shock the world through high technological discoveries while they remain dump in English. The bilingual approach is not working because it is taught in some classes. Although the stipulations states that English should be used when all students have mastered the language coherently, the law remain in paper. A massive 30% of LEP students remain passive learners (Gutstein, 2003, 430); this is a sham system that practices racial and ethnic discrimination in modern institutions. Besides, the benefits of using special learning aids in teaching a multicultural class can have deleterious effects because different cultures link different objects to different meanings. Using this approach is not appropriate. Using the debate between western traditionalist and multicultural proponents, efficient resources to address language barrier is archaic method. Today, many schools either private or public in a multicultural catchment area in Australia and some parts of America have embraced a multicultural staff development (Friend and Loyce 2013, p. 366). In modern institutions, studies have proven that students have the ability to learn a new concept if they understand the language used in context and time, thus its findings of this proposal that teachers should focus on a number of proposals we suggest so as to ensure both native and foreign students find a level ground in academic disciplines. Based on our findings, we argue that the current partial implementation of LEP policies coupled with westernized ideologies would not be helpful in developing equality in education. Besides, we find a shift towards a multicultural approach as an ideal step in bridging continued academic disparity caused by the language barrier, but not academic deficiency. Proposed Strategies The first proposal is a policy change that should be institutionalized from the California department of education to the classroom implementation. The policy should encourage multicultural staff development unlike the current reluctance of institutionalizing existing LEP laws. We argue that staff based on multiple languages within the catchment of the schools. Because it is impractical to teach using multiple languages, these teachers should have knowledge in English so that they help kindergarten students to systematic transit towards English proficient. Secondly, the K-12 education system should create special classes in the first years of schooling that teach English to LEP students. The basis of this exclusive language acquisition is to ensure that before introducing academic concepts and terms, the students are first acquainted with the language. Using special teaching aids to pass important academic, technical content later in middle and high schools are misleading and unfounded (Ngo and Le 2013, 419). Students ought to learn in a supportive environment where the teachers recognize individual strengths and challenges. In order to foster supportive educational programs for linguistic minority group, the teachers ought to form an all-inclusive community oriented program that spearhead a joint approach towards institutionalizing language transition from native to English. This is achieved by recognizing home environment of the students and drawing plans of education of kindergarten students together with the parents. Parents should not be used to stamp authority on what language their children should be taught, however, we find that parents can be useful at home in helping young children in preschools to master required language. In California, English is the basic language, but education institutions should not impose it. Instead, teachers, parents and community should recognize existence of diversity (Onchas, 2001, 92). Based on types of knowledge, we argue that learning institutions should be transformative academic platforms. This means that facts, paradigms and explanations should put in a way that expand academic knowledge and revise existing canons. Through this approach to knowledge, many teachers will recognize that multiple cultures can be strength in classroom teaching rather than the western stereotype knowledge that they are academic burden when schools have not given them a level ground (Scanlan and Deborah 2009, 95). Moreover, we propose the special teaching session for non-native students be extended during initial language acquisition at the elementary level. While recognizing the benefits of developing uniform language, Equity for Language Learners recognizes that those students with high proficiency in language have an advantage over those with difficulty in mastering languages in both language and mathematics. In addition, it recognizes of mastering instructions and subsequent putting them into practice as important steps required in mathematics. Based on this we suggest a comprehensive teaching of English lesson in multicultural schools for a period of two years before introducing academic concepts. Moreover, we suggest a multicultural staff in schools with a potential multiple cultural catchment area. Sadly, studies show that teachers confuse nationality for language. Besides, students have suffered racial discrimination because of language disparity. Both voluntary and involuntary immigrants have been incorporated into US education systems. Today, the US present with the most diverse racial combination education systems, while western conservatives will find this a challenge, we argue that multiple culture should be developed through an inclusive education policy. The state of California should embark on training and employing teachers from multiple cultures. In our proposal, we argue that this will eliminate existing racial and ethnic stereotyping that has over a couple of years crippled education. However, we recognize the need of establishing uniform curriculum and establishing a common language of teaching. Conclusion In California and entire US education system, managing multiple cultural backgrounds has been overwhelming. As evidenced by the California State Education Department, Limited English Proficiency has been a stumping block towards attending tot individual student needs. However, in our proposal, we find the current LEP stipulation substantially sends, but implementation is only partially and limited in coverage. Based on this, we make a number of recommendations to address disparities and stereotype that have coined non-native speaker’s weak students. Drawing from multicultural education system and realty-life examples we observe that language deficiency should not limit a child’s academic goals. We suggest a development of multicultural staff and establishment of special English classes to bridge the gap between the native and non-English speakers in California. Besides, we dismissed the use of special teaching aids as a sympathetic approach, rather than a purposeful strategy of promoting equal access in education. Works Cited Banks, James A. "The Canon Debate, Knowledge Construction, and Multicultural Education." Educational Researcher 22 (1993): 4-14. Print. Bresser, R., K. Melanese, and C. Sphar. "Learn how ato focus mathematical language on concepts to accommodate the needs of the 10 percent of US students whose first language is Not English." Equity for Language Learners (2009): 171-77. Print. Friend, Jennifer, and Loyce Caruthers. "A Journal of the America Educational Studies Association." http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00131946.2011.647152. Council of Educational Studies, 13 Aug. 2012. Web. 3 Sept. 2013. 366-88. Print Garcia, O. "Countering the Dual." Transglossia, Dynamic Bilingualism and Translanguaging in Education (2012): 100-16. Print. Gutstein, Eric. "Teaching and Learning Mathematics for Social Justice in an Urban, Latino School." (2003): 421-45. Print. Ngo, B., and S. J. Lee. "A Review of Southeast Asian American Education." JSTOR: An Error Occurred Setting Your User Cookie. American Educational Research Association, Dec. 2007. Web. 4 Sept. 2013. 415-53. Print ONCHAS, GILBERTO Q. "Structuring Failure and Success: Understanding the Variability in Latino School Engagement." (2001): 475-92. Print. Scanlan, Martin, and Deborah Palmer. "Race, Power, and (In)equity Within Two-way Immersion Settings." The Urban Review (2009): 94-110. Print. Read More