Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Five ways to improve inner city schools

By Derek Randel

President of Stopping School Violence LLC

From 50% graduation rates to 20% reading at grade level and with almost one million weapons brought to schools in the United States daily. What can be done to realistically help inner city schools?

Improve reading skills

If a 2nd grader cannot read at 2nd grade level, he should not move up to third grade. The same goes for each grade level through 7th grade. Moving students up when they cannot read is plain wrong. It is time for implement tutors for these students. These tutors can come from many places including the school, parents, grandparents, retirement homes, or companies giving their employees two paid hours a week off to sit in a school library and tutor. If we keep promoting those who can't read, then by middle school, they will be completely lost. How can we expect students to behave if they can't read in math, science, history or English classes? We are setting these students up for a lifetime of failure.

Hold students accountable for their actions.

Public schools are not for everyone. We need to convert more schools to alternative schools and move the troublemakers out of the regular schools. If a student is not in school to learn or conduct themselves properly, then they need to be moved out. Nobody should be allowed to take education away from his or her classmates. Sadly, this is what is happening.

Parenting Skills

In every district, rich or poor, a lack of parenting skills are affecting the schools. In order to elevate the student we need to elevate their family. Schools need to offer classes for parents on parenting, anger management, stress, conflict resolution, how to say no, computer skills, English, listening and friendship. Unfortunately many parents do not show up to these types of helpful classes. One solution is to connect government assistance with attendance at these classes. To receive your check, you would need to pass the class and show proof of this. Is this asking too much?

Improve teacher training

What is the difference between horseplay and bullying? What does a teacher do if there is a fight in their class? How does the school provide proper supervision? Should teachers and hall monitors be in the hallway during passing periods? Teachers, at no fault of their own haven?t been trained on how to handle different and difficult situations. Too often teachers are blamed because they are an easy target.

Secure the physical building

Cameras are a necessity inside and outside the building. Entrance to schools need to be through the main doors only where armed security is waiting. Outside doors need to be locked down with a push of a button. Stop using portable classrooms where the students are isolated from help. All doors on the classrooms must be able to be locked from the inside incase outsiders enter the building.

Many more issues can still be addressed including teaching social skills, respect and responsibility; conducting random searches; using drug sniffing dogs; distributing passports for students; removing doors on restrooms; enforcing dress codes; and providing school resource officers in all schools.

I also believe school board members must spend at least one day a month in the schools. Too many board members are making decisions without any first hand knowledge or having spent any time in the school building.

Let?s face it what we are doing is not working. These schools are failing their students and need changes. Now with all educational issues, the first thing we hear is how are we going to pay for this? I believe, as with any governmental institution the first place to look has to be cleaning up the waste and corruption. If corporations can spend millions on commercials then maybe we need to give them incentives to invest in schools. There are solutions. It is simply up to us to find them.

Derek Randel is a former teacher, who is now considered one of the nation's leading authorities on violence in our schools. He is an experienced speaker who travels the country speaking to both parents and educators. Additionally he is the author of five books. If you want to know more about Derek, his programs, please visit www.stoppingschoolviolence.com or contact him at Derek@stoppingschoolviolence.com.