Alyssa D’Onofrio
Reflection
EPSY 640L256
During the start of this semester, I have learned a great deal about education: education
and equality, morality, and the relationship within all of these aspects. While reading my
textbook regarding equality and opportunity, I have learned that society is in need of finding the
best education for their children. Before this class, I would have liked to think that children had a
chance to show their potential in the world, which means that all members of a society are given
equal chances to pursue wealth and enter any occupation or social class (Spring, 57). Our class
textbook outlines certain models for education that outline different views on the way education
should provide equal opportunity for society: the Common School Model, Sorting Machine
Model and High Stakes Testing Model.
The Common School Model illustrates how everyone receives an education of all social
backgrounds in order to prepare them for the economic system. In this model, educators believed
that different social classes can have an equal chance of receiving equal education. Although I
would like to think our society believes in this, not all families are fortunate to afford education
for their children or be able to afford services for their children to receive in school. For
example, children with parents who read to them and expose them to a variety of cultural events
will be better prepared to learn than children with parents who are illiterate (Spring, 60). There
are families that can afford services for their children such as a private tutor that will be able to
assist their children in the near future to pursue college. Unlike the Common School Model, the
Sorting Machine Model provides more opportunities for equality of opportunity.
The Sorting Machine model attempts to overcome the influence of family background
and equality of opportunity is guaranteed by decisions made by the teachers, counselors, and
standardized tests. In some ways, this model provides more opportunities for equality of
opportunity in terms of job positions taking place in schools, when students are taking
intelligence tests. In the school I work in now, my students are assigned to counselors that they
see on a daily basis to assist them with problems in school or out of school. Counselors
frequently follow up with my head teacher to conference about strategies to assist students with
stress or anger. However, this model also suggests that Early Head Start programs can aid
students to provide for the poor children in reading instruction. These types of programs are
beneficial for students who are from families from a low socioeconomic status because they will
improve throughout the year in reading and can better prepare students for further schooling.
Unlike the Sorting Machine Model, the High Stakes Testing Model refers to the future for the
student.
“The High Stakes Testing Model is a variation on the sorting machine model, high stakes
test refers to an achievement examination that determines a person’s future academic career and
job opportunities” (Spring, 63). With this model, students are all given a chance to learn and
determine their desired occupation. Throughout schooling, students are required to take New
York State Assessments from grades 3-8th grades. In the elementary level, these assessments are
used to show their future teachers their skills in English, Math, and Science, in order for teachers
to plan the curriculum for the school year. Our society has come to rely on tests rather than
students’ performance in school. From a young age, students are constantly tested on their skills
to see if they are functioning cognitively in order to prove that they are getting the best education
in New York. Although New York state mandates testing from a young age, could a test
determine a child’s academic performance for the year? This is a question raised frequently
based on children’s academics and well being.
Children are being faced with pressures in their lives: coming from a poor family or
wealthy family and thinking about what career to pursue. This stems from children’s morality,
which determines the child’s self. In order to create a positive learning community, teachers need
to think about how to provide instruction for all in order to reach all students and keeping in
contact with parents. As a teacher, I can assist all of my students, from poor or wealthy homes, in
becoming successful by making sure their psychological needs are met such as feeling loved,
belonged, and safe in the classroom. I will also make sure to assign work that pertains to
technology in the classroom to let students have access to it. If students are struggling, I will also
hold after school tutoring sessions in order for them to succeed. The school administration also
has to think about how to provide the services and extra assistance that students from a low
socioeconomic status needs. In order to ensure that the services my students are being given, I
will follow up with students’ counselors, occupational and physical therapists to see my students’
progress.