The Knowledge is Power Program Essay examples -- Education, KIPP Schoo

The Knowledge is Power Program (hereafter referred to as KIPP) has been the recipient of much praise. In the recent documentary, Waiting for Superman, KIPP was lauded as one of a handful of educational programs for poor children of color that is making a difference in closing the achievement gap. Diane Ravitch wrote in her recent book, â€Å"[T]he charter schools with the most impressive record of success are the KIPP schools† (Ravitch, 2010, p.135). Washington Post Education Columnist, Jay Mathews wrote an entire book on the schools, calling them â€Å"the most promising schools in America.†(Mathews, 2009) So, why is KIPP garnering all of this attention and is it really narrowing the achievement gap? KIPP was started in 1994 by Teach for America alumni David Levin and Michael Fienberg, who had been working in inner-city Houston schools. KIPP was created with a singular goal in mind; to get low-income students of color to college. The data would suggest that these schools have been successful in achieving that goal. During the 2008-2009 academic year, KIPP enrolled 21,831 students, 95% of whom were African-American or Latino (KIPP Foundation, 2009). Of those students who finish 8th grade at a KIPP school, 95% graduate from high school and 88% of them matriculate to college. These compare to national rates of 70% high school graduation and 40% college matriculation for low-income students (KIPP Foundation, 2009). According to a recent study of 22 KIPP schools, within three years, half of all KIPP schools in the study closed one half or more of the black-white achievement gap in math, and one third of the black-white achievement gap in reading. In these KIPP schools, student gains are equivalent to 1.2 years of additional growth i... ...the tools to significantly close the achievement gap, but they won’t likely be responsible for a radical upward mobility of low-income students of color. So, what role can KIPP play in the larger picture? Diane Ravitch offered sage advice in a recent speech at Rice University when she challenged KIPP co-founder Mike Fienberg in saying, â€Å"Don’t compete. Collaborate with public schools. Share whatever you know that works. Work with public schools. Help them get better. We all share the same goal and that is to ensure that every child in America gets a great education† (Ravitch, 2010). Perhaps KIPP schools are best utilized as â€Å"laboratories† where methods are tested, refined and readied for export to the public school system at large and utilized by all students. This collaboration could contribute to real public school reform and be the lasting legacy of KIPP.

Adult Education Essay

Adults don’t learn in the same way as children do because their personality structure is almost fully developed at that stage in their lives, along with a series of habits and practices that have been acquired during their lifetime. Therefore, the learning process must take into account how an adult perceives not only what is being taught, but also themselves; this includes, but is not limited to: considering their previous learning experiences, considering their temporal perspective – especially when it comes to short term application of what is being taught, and matching education to their problems, needs, interests and expectations. The principles of adult education are: 1)Adults will only learn when they want to. Simply put, no adult will learn under pressure. They must be motivated to want to acquire new knowledge or skills that will help them in their work or day-to-day life. Thus, their desire to learn can decrease or increase depending on the approach and methodology that is being used. 2)Adults only really want to learn that which will help them in the short term. Adults will only learn when they feel they need to. Basically, any attained knowledge will only â€Å"make sense† if the adult can see the applicability of what is being learned 3)Adults learn by doing. No adult enjoys being fed vast amounts of theory with little or no practice. As we grow older, we much prefer a â€Å"hands-on† approach to things. The learning will be much more effective if we can take an active role in the learning process. Thus it’s important to encourage objective discussion both in analyzing the problem and coming up with a solution. 4)Adults will only learn by solving problems they can associate with their reality. They focus on â€Å"real world† problems and practical assimilation of what is being taught. 5)Experience will interfere in adult education. Thus, any new information being presented must be integrated with their own experience. 6)Adults learn better in an informal environment. They require a more relaxed atmosphere; one that will stimulate them to participate, 7)Adults need feedback. it’s important that learning process provide adults with constructive feedback, through self-evaluation questionnaires and activities. 8)Adults require a variety of teaching methods. The use of audiovisual materials is highly recommended with use of interactive activities such as role-playing, mock classes and presentations from the students.

Homelessness Among American Veterans Research - 2029 Words

Homelessness Among American Veterans Research Paper An issue that has been around for decades which still remains in the United Sates today is homelessness among veterans. Vanessa Turner has a story that needs to be heard by many. As a homeless veteran, Turner joined the U.S. military in 1997 and later, proudly advanced to the rank of a sergeant. In 2003, Turner suffered from a traumatic injury while serving in Iraq. In suffocating 130-degrees fahrenheit heat, Turner fell into a coma and nearly died of heart failure. Immediately, she was brought to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C., treated, and released with a pending medical discharge. After Turner’s release, both her and her daughter had no residency and no permanent health care plan. In attempt to make a stable living to sustain herself and her daughter, they often temporarily moved between family to friends’ apartments, never actually having a place to call home. In an effort to receive help from the Veterans Affairs Medical Center was very fr ustrating; she was told she had to wait months simply to get medical attention. Again when Turner requested for her belongings to be shipped back from her unit’s base in Germany, they told her she had to obtain transportation to Germany at her own expense, which she was unable to do because of the amount of money that it would cost, unfortunately resulting in not getting her property back. Vanessa Turner is just one of many homeless veterans who areShow MoreRelatedHomeless Veterans Are Becoming More Prevalent Of The United States886 Words   |  4 PagesINTRODUCTION American homeless veterans are becoming more prevalent in the United States. 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