Thursday, August 11, 2011

PBS: Are these schools really "drop-out" factories? And what would help?

An intelligent, probing video below from last night's PBS' News Hour of several NYC high school struggling to survive.  Schools examined include Flushing HS, International HS at Prospect Heights, and Robeson HS, which DOE is phasing out.  Full transcript here.  Excerpt:

ROSIE FRASCELLA (teacher): Computers and spending a billion dollars on technology and infrastructure is not going to stop kids from dropping out. Human beings stop kids from dropping out, calling their parents, having that human conversation, that interaction.

SIOBHAN SEN: Fazya couldn't agree more. She thinks having an adult who listens would help kids in school.

FAZYA BACCHUS (student at Flushing HS, where most class sizes average 30-34 ) : And when I talk to somebody, it helps me. I feel better, and I go to my classes. I do what I have to do.



Watch the full episode. See more PBS NewsHour.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Maybe the NYTImes conference on 'Schools for Tomorrow' will generate some educationally relevant innovations for our poor kids crammed in overcrowded schools. The speakers are all experts in education, provided you don't consider teaching experience or advanced education degrees as having expertise.

http://www.nytschoolsfortomorrow.com/speakers.html