Thursday, October 14, 2010

Harlem Zone & Bad Apples

In chapter 6 of Whatever It Takes, Tough elaborates on more of the challenges Geoffrey Canada faces as he tries to help raise the test scores of the Promise Academy middle school, a major component of the Harlem Children’s Zone.

Tough points out that one problem that stakeholders in the Promise Academy discussed were children at the middle school displaying troubling behavior and inadequate parental support. These young people were referred to be some as “bad apples,” and people wondered how much they were holding the school back.

If you were involved with the construction of a learning environment, an environment with both "good" and "bad" apples, so to speak, where would you be inclined to direct your attention and energies—toward trying to address the problem of troubled children or trying to find a ways to expand the impact of the highly capable ones? Why?

Discussions about "good" and “bad" apples, by the way, can sometimes lead to problematic comments. We'd like to move beyond the typical, condescending talk.

17 comments:

Mitchell Martineau said...

When responsible with creating a learning environment, I'd find myself most likely addressing the problem posed with the troubled children. While focusing on expanding the opportunities of capable students, it remains the issue that if you don't concentration on underprivileged students, they will left behind, or worse have a negative impact on the overall learning environment. Reducing the "holding-back" forces, seems to be be reasonable when compared to ignoring them or fight them the whole way

S. Neeley said...

I think I would focus more time on the students who were having trouble. Because the students who are excelling could always be better, but it would just make the students who weren't feel even futrher behind. I would try to figure out why the so called "bad" apples were acting out. If you could find out why then you may be able to change something and make things better. In the same sense I wouldn't spend all my time with the troubled students becasue I would want the students that are excelling to continue to do so.

Sydney Nulsen said...

I guess it depends on the environment and purpose of the school. If it were an academy for gifted students, then teachers would automatically focus more on the attentions of students who show potential and who show interest in learning. However, in the situation of Promise Academy whose purpose is to bring underpriveledged students up to par, energy should be focused on those who need a little bit of energy to not "fall through the cracks". Students who show promise and a willingness to learn might succeed in a normal school environment, so those kids who wouldn't should be focused on more in this particular situation. If I were a teacher, I personally would focus on those students who may or may not be naturally gifted but who WANT to learn. You can be from a bad background but if you show you are willing to change that, then you deserve to have that opportunity.

Kevin Oliva said...

I would direct my attention to the so called "bad" apples. By helping out them out and increasing their grades, it would also help out the schools overall grade point average. The "good" apples are already doing fine by themselves and are more than capable of directing the future of their own lives. The troubled children are the ones that need the attention.

Robyn Rhone said...

I would try my hardest or love to give both the good apples and bad apples equal attention because spending too much time focusing on one group versus the other would then possibly lead to the set back of the other. But in reality i would have to give the bad apples more of a push to help them become self motivated. If possible i would try to get the good apples to help the bad apples on their work because they might learn better from one another.

Mercedes Pineda said...

To be perfectly honest, I do not know what I would do. I think I would go straight to the "good apples" because it would be easier to help them. On my part, teaching would be not be as hard to help the "good apples" that are already doing well.
However, I would want to help the "bad apples" because my heart goes out to them. They may not have a support system at home. Therefore, they may not have family and friends that are patient with them to help them out. It would be difficult and frustrating at times, but I would help the "bad apples" work through their problems.
I think it is going to be a challenge for me to give all kids my equal attention. I just gravitate toward some kids who are "good apples" and "bad apples". So, it will be a good challenge to help all kids out.

Christen Maul said...

Instead of focusing on either the "good" or "bad" apples, I think I would try taking a different approach with the troubled students. Maybe they learn a different way or need an extra push. I feel it would be unfair to give more attention to one or the other, so I would try finding out how they respond to different study methods and take it from there. Not to make them feel that they are abnormal, but some of us need more encouragement than others.

Adriana Romo said...

I also would focus on the children that are doing poorly in school. They are the ones that need the most help, not those that are doing very well. Those that are doing well will continue doing well always, they obviously do not need any help.

Helping the ones that are the "bad apples" without being demeaning would be the best way. Making them not feel intelligent would only make matters worse. In most cases, that is not even true. Most kids that struggle in school do not struggle because they are not smart, instead, they might have problems at home or in their community that prevents them from doing their best.

These students might just need someone to talk to. Perhaps having more counselors to help them cope with school and their personal life would help their grades go up, too.

Steven Robinson-Holman said...

Usual what people try to do is split the good from the bad apples. What I would do is mix the good with the bad. To help improve the bad ones. This would be called socializing the bad apples. But I would also run the risk of socializing the good apples to be bad apples. I believe that if I create a great learning environment that the worse situation will not happen.

Tricia Johnson said...

Attention should always be directed towards all of your students, but special attention should be given to those bad apples. Being a student teacher right now I see it every time I go to my current placement. I’ve noticed as time has passed and I've bonded with these children that I find it easy to understand them; part of being a good teacher is having a relationship with your students and making sure that they are comfortable in the classroom environment. Also part of being a good teacher is knowing how and when to make the necessary adjustments if they do become disruptive, such as sending them to another class with a note for time to calm down.
The highly capable children can be used as tools to help the children that may be lower functioning or have behavioral problems. Children learn from each other just as much as they learn from the teacher whether it is academically or behaviorally, and they are influenced by one another. It's very challenging when the class may be having a bad day as a whole and there are a few children that are bouncing off the walls, but the key is having control over your students. Part of being a good teacher is having good classroom management skills, and having methods already prepared for these kinds of issues if they arise. Teachers also have to be flexible and be able to make the changes needed to make sure all of the children have the same learning experience.

Phillip P. Leatherman said...

Without being too convoluted, I would divide my time between the “good” apples and the “bad” apples. From what we already know about the Harlem School Zone, most of the students can be classified as “troubled”. That said, in many cases educational solutions are being applied to social and emotional problems. It is wonderful that there are children excelling. I ask you though, are they the exception or are they the rule?

Canada’s mission is all about helping the neediest of the needy to have a shot at a quality education and therefore, a chance at a better life through said education. Attention must be given to the “bad” apples; they are the ones who, if not for Canada and the Harlem School Zone, would almost certainly fall through the cracks.

Now, I have to admit something at this point, I believe that some forms of educational tracking have merit. Those that are on the educational express train, let ‘em roll and those that need help in understanding why an education is important, then allow some time for “group therapy” and give them the attention they need. I know resources are finite and a balance must be reached, however, a balance must be reached.

Amanda Monla said...

I would focus more on the "bad" apples. I would try to find out why they were the troubled students. Whether it be because of their home life or because they do not understand the material in school. However, I would not give all of my attention to the troubled students because it would not be fair to the students that excel.

Kamrey Mcnutt said...

I would focus more of my attention on the struggling students, or in other words the "bad apples". I would not completely ignore the students that are excelling and doing well, but I would have higher expectations for the capable students. Most of my energy would be directed towards motivating the struggling students and helping them get to levels in which they should be. The struggling students would need that extra attention, for lack of attention is probably the reasoning behind their struggle.

Laura McCulley said...

I would focus on those students who were having trouble while still making sure those who already excel do not get behind. Addressing those trouble makers in the class will hopefully change the classroom environment to a place where everyone is learning and understanding the material. A lot of students have outside issues that cause them to be disruptive in class so figuring out what their issues are would be of the utmost importance. It would have to be a way to still focus on those students who are doing well while helping those who are not at the same time.

D.A. Pongo said...

My first thought would be to try to address the issues concerning the "bad apples." On the other hand though, when I was growing up, it always seemed like the bad students got the most attention and support from the teachers. It kind of discouraged me back then and I used to feel overlooked.

Now I see why they got that extra attention and I agree with it. To keep the balance however, I would suggest also implementing other programs or incentives to keep the "good apples" encouraged. In HS, they gave Bulls tickets to the good students. Small things like that kept me going.

Charnelle M said...

In this situation, I would dedicate most of my attention and energy toward trying to address the problems of the troubled children. Expanding the impact of the highly capable would prove that children can be very successful in the learning environment I have provided and also go on to achieve greater accomplishments; but the goal is to encourage all students to work to the best of their abilities. It would not be fair to them to spend more time working with children who do not need as much help and may discourage them more. Besides, the quality of a learning environment is determined by the success of all the students not just the "good apples."

Glennda Lyles said...

If I was responsible for creating a successful learning environment, I would direct most of my attention towards the troubled students. If these students are already struggling, I think that it is only natural to focus on helping them more. Their "troubled" status is showing that they need more time and guidance. I would try to design programs to assist them academically such as tutoring and mentoring. I would also create social programs to help keep them out of trouble such as after school activities and sporting events. If these children are already displaying "troubled tendencies" then I think it is especially important to do anything possible to ensure their success. I would also do things to make sure that the "good" apples continue to do well such as creating rewards programs. This would encourage the students already doing well to continue their work and it would motivate those who are not to try and do the same.