Today I filled out the most savage survey about the MYP to finalize the debate on whether or not we should keep such a thing. No. And I love it how the only time IB wants to act like they actually care about "the CP kids" is when they are all required to complete a giant essay of some sort during their sophomore year. Not everyone lives in a two story house with a white picket fence and a green lawn; many kids that come to high school just want to graduate. They don't want to go to college, and there is nothing we can do to change their mindset because of the lack of educational support at home. Stop thinking that we all come into high school with an AB average, and stop forcing programs on kids who barely have the effort to pass classes. Stop ignoring the fact that there will continue to be "that generation" of kids who go straight into the workforce and live the rest of their lives working minimum wage jobs. Forcing more graduation-irrelevant work on these kids will create a mental block on their education; increasing the dropout rates in high school.
In addition to that survey, there was a nice section about the Diploma Program, but it failed to even ask questions about the Certificate Program and how it actually exists. There's such a huge gap between those two that it seems illogical to claim that you were in the IB Program, regardless of whether you took 7 IB courses in addition to 150 CAS hours or just 3 IB classes and an infinite amount of free periods. I also love it how you threaten magnet kids to go for Diploma or you'll send them to their zoned schools. Stop terrorizing the freshmen; if you want more people to do the Diploma, start telling the whole truth about it; don't just leave the argument one-sided. Many people drop from Diploma to Certificate because of the continual lying that you do over the course of three years, and that ends up hurting your statistics (since we're all nothing but numbers).
On that note, stop keeping the Certificate Program all hush-hush. The Certificate Program is the basis of the blending and unification of our school because it allows the cross over between "the CP kids" and "the IB kids." The fact that you glorify IB kids over zoned kids is revolting; the students are put in that mindset too (see previous rants for exhibits A-C). You treat "the CP kids" like they are the dumbest apes in the world, yet you try to use them as a means of gaining more percentages of people in the IB Program through the MYP. And judging people based on their appearance or everyday language is just wrong; you can't assume that they're not going for Diploma because of the way they may present themselves. You can't just assume that they'll be happy with their junior year schedule that's set up for a Certificate Candidate.
I understand that the IB Program is a separate education system from regular high school education, but what I don't approve of is the way it is carried out like it is the most superior education system in the history of education. Instead of priding yourself on what you already boast about, start opening the door to the middle ground; allow kids to go for Certificate without intimidating them. Allow zoned kids to participate in the IB Program by choice, not by force. Stop believing that we will eradicate those students who drop out and let their lives fall apart; they will always be there unless the educational support at home is provided from an early education, not just during high school. We don't live in a Utopian society, and trying to make the IB Program just that will never work.
Makes sense. And BECAUSE they didn't grow up with the same privileges, they're entire mindset is completely different. I've seen some intelligent and respectful kids mess up their life because of the things they go thru so they decide to do something illegal with the goal of gaining something, specifically money (which to me is the biggest cause of stress). They turn to selling drugs or stealing things they could sell and end up getting caught and regretting their decision but knowing they would've done it regardless because of their circumstance. Sure anyone can put enough work in and get to the top of the chain, but some need a lot more. Everyone has potential, but not everyone has the same amount. Someone might argue saying, "If someone from poverty can get a full ride scholarship then there's no excuse that someone else in the same situation couldn't do it." NOBODY is the same. Not everyone can write a great five page essay, have the patience to stay up all night to study, or even memorize some vocab terms, and that's how it's always been no matter how equal we all are as humans. "Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by it's ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it's stupid."
ReplyDeleteActually, not that everyone has a different amount of potential, but a different type.
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