What about giving the school financial resources to provide adequate, updated materials needed for students? I graduated from East in '97. I had to get into honors classes to get teachers who wanted to teach and students who wanted to learn. I had classes with not enough desks, dilapidated class materials, outdated computers. Every time I read about state funding it always goes to suburban schools. If more money was allocated to the schools directly and not to the RCSD administration, I think more can be accomplished.
Consider the schools physical appearance. It looks like a prison. It looks like a place the city and neighborhood expect students to end up. The city provides unattractive environments of course you will create low student morale and decrease incentive to learn.
Also, many students in the city only know a life of instant gratification. Many students do not know what it means to work for a reward and the school offers few incentives to work towards a longer, rewarding education. There needs to be more encouragenent about where an education will lead students and how it will improve their life. The few teachers who try work effortlessly to convince students there is a better life outside of Rochester or even the ghetto.
Another fact, students are told to not go into local businesses during school hours because a few bad apples have ruined the schools reputation for all. Right away they are being told no one wants them around, they are treated as worthless people so why should the students come to school?
Instead of giving up on the school give it financial resources for updated, technologically current tools, incentives and reasons to achieve higher education, a physically attractive place to learn and just maybe student attendance will increase and teacher morale will improve.
Re: “East's problems mirror an unstable district”
What about giving the school financial resources to provide adequate, updated materials needed for students? I graduated from East in '97. I had to get into honors classes to get teachers who wanted to teach and students who wanted to learn. I had classes with not enough desks, dilapidated class materials, outdated computers. Every time I read about state funding it always goes to suburban schools. If more money was allocated to the schools directly and not to the RCSD administration, I think more can be accomplished.
Consider the schools physical appearance. It looks like a prison. It looks like a place the city and neighborhood expect students to end up. The city provides unattractive environments of course you will create low student morale and decrease incentive to learn.
Also, many students in the city only know a life of instant gratification. Many students do not know what it means to work for a reward and the school offers few incentives to work towards a longer, rewarding education. There needs to be more encouragenent about where an education will lead students and how it will improve their life. The few teachers who try work effortlessly to convince students there is a better life outside of Rochester or even the ghetto.
Another fact, students are told to not go into local businesses during school hours because a few bad apples have ruined the schools reputation for all. Right away they are being told no one wants them around, they are treated as worthless people so why should the students come to school?
Instead of giving up on the school give it financial resources for updated, technologically current tools, incentives and reasons to achieve higher education, a physically attractive place to learn and just maybe student attendance will increase and teacher morale will improve.