Public Service Announcement (PSA)
Timeline
Freshman Year: (2012-2013)
- Co-founded the Social Justice club after school
- Started High School
- Scored a high score on my CAHSEE
- My Social Justice club ended
- Took my SAT and ACT, and other AP Tests
- Went to Egypt through American Field Service (AFS)
- Got accepted to and going to attend University of California- San Diego
- Started working on the school farm and began to renovate it with Britt Browne
Senior Thesis
Los Angeles Leadership Academy
Steven Garcia
AP English Literature
Nicholas Steed
Period 1&2
May 20, 2016
“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” ―William Arthur Ward. The feeling one gets from going to a class, taking a seat, and listening to the teacher talk about the day’s lesson is not the same as looking at a screen and writing down notes. Sitting down and looking at the teacher instruct through a screen while writing down notes might seem like the same thing one does when attending a class, but it is not the same. A computer screen will not be able to answer the questions that arise suddenly and should have been answered on the spot. A computer screen does not ask a student how their day went in a way that indicate that the two have a healthy bond. More importantly, a computer screen does not ascertain whether a student has truly learned the subject or material. According to Cable News Network, “Research confirms that great teachers change lives. Students with one highly effective elementary school teacher are more likely to go to college, less likely to become pregnant as teens and earn tens of thousands more over their lifetimes,” (Wendy Kopp, April 8, 2013). Without real teachers, there will not be educational growth for either the teacher or the student. The student and instructor teach each other and formulate a unique and healthy bond that can only exist with the traditional style of teaching.
According to Rasmussen College, “As employers demand more skills from employees, the demand of online degree programs has increased in popularity. In fact, within the United States, 6.7 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2011—an increase of more than 500,000 students compared to 2010,” (Kendall Bird, February 19, 2014). The main reason why students are beginning to enroll themselves in online classes is because society is telling them that taking these courses are more important to be able to have a successful life. The increasing requirements to obtain knowledge through a computer screen peer pressures the student into taking these online classes even if they do not want to. These courses might not even be that easy. Many courses challenge the student so much that they begin to stress and get held up with what else they might have. Another thing is that with online class, the student needs to motivate themselves in return of having their own schedule. Having these online classes might seem like an adult or independent thing to do, but if a student can not motivate themselves and be responsible enough to complete the online classes on time, then the flexible classes will not benefit them in any way. When one takes classes, there is a teacher telling the student that there will be an assignment due on a certain date, which makes the student feel obligated to complete the assignment and turn in it in on said day for a grade in the class. The student does not get the same sensation when taking an online class because they can learn the material on their own accord.
These online courses are making students feel like going to university is of any worth. Because online classes are not as expensive, students believe that they will be in less debt rather than paying so much for university. Online classes might cost less, but the going to a university gives many more benefits. Part of paying the large quantities of money to go to university is for the rooming, dining, parties, friends, and communal activities just to get the college feel. Going to a university allows a student to make bonds with important people that might have opportunities later on for the student. Having those connections leads to better experiences in which a student can take. According to Skilled Up, “Being in constant physical proximity to people who might help you get a job is a huge advantage. Even after you graduate, you carry your network with you whether it’s contacts from the career center, other alumni, or even professors. Traditional college networks also help you get internships, which often lead to jobs”, (Joseph Rauch, January 15, 2015). Talking to professors or bosses at an internships creates a bond that might lead to beneficial chances that one might not have been able to get had they done online classes. Even if a bachelor’s degree might not acquire a student a job, a student’s diploma symbolizes the effort one made to pass their classes and earn credits. In some careers, there is critical need for a student to have a hands on experience in order to fully grasp the knowledge. According to Skilled Up, “Athletics, Biology, Chemistry, Clinical Psychology, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing — You will need certain facilities and equipment to gain experience in these areas, things you probably won’t have lying around your home”, (Joseph Rauch, January 15, 2015). To become a doctor, a student needs a few years of training in order to get their license to practice on people on their own. Online classes do not give the hands on experience that some careers require for the student to gain. Not only do some careers require experience in the field, some ask for bachelor’s degree. Some jobs that require a bachelor’s degree from a student include: banker, biologist, dentist, engineer, lawyer, etc. Jobs like those have to have the student obtain a bachelor’s degree in order to pursue their higher education and become something that involves said careers. With an online education one might not have many career options, and ultimately, online education is for those who can be or are self-directed.
Both students and teachers can agree that online teaching requires more motivation and discipline from the student rather than traditional classes. According to a peer reviewed journal, “Students also agree that online courses require more personal responsibility and motivation, as well as greater time management skills, than do face-to-face courses”, (Bork & Rucks-Ahidiana, 2013; public Agenda, 2013). Teachers expect online students to have a responsible mindset to complete the work without the teachers having to exemplify these skills. Some students feel unsatisfied or unclear of what they have learned. Having to take online classes requires a lot of mental input from the student. Taking these classes does not teach the student in learning the skills to succeed, just the knowledge the class offers.
Jobs and future opportunities will be able to see the rigorous experience one faced when they went to university allowing for a higher want and even maybe a higher raise. Having personal experience also allows for a student to write in more slots for skills in their resume that they give to businesses and programs. Corporations and other programs want to see the many talents and attributes an employee can offer them. A college education is already a great start to have when applying to a job, but having other skills that would be obtained from past events will ensure a compromise with a business somewhere. Taking online classes will not allow the personal growth and skills that business might want to see and have. According to another peer reviewed journal, “At the same time, for financial reasons, employers will be more reticent to allow personnel to apply for degree courses in regular universities. Instead, shorter programmes of studies will be preferred”, (Frank de Langen and Herman van den Bosch, 2013). Even if there are businesses that allow online classes or seek people that have taken them, it is still recommended to have some sort of education from a university, even if it is just for a few classes. For those who are not used to the classroom environment, shorter periods of studying will account for the learning process because taking virtual classes is still not enough to prove the capacity of one’s knowledge.
In schools, online teaching is very isolated and distant. According to a peer reviewed journal, “In addition, a local on-site adult serves as a facilitator. The role of the facilitator is to troubleshoot computer and software problems, distribute instructional materials, answer questions, and communicate with the online instructor (de la Varre, Keane, & Irvin, 2014). There is typically one online instructor who is not even in the campus, and one on-site coordinator that mediates the connection from the online teacher to the students. The facilitator serves to basically supervise the children and fix any glitches the computers might have. Another thing that the supervisor does is talk to the teacher that is instructing the students, and there is a high chance that neither of the teachers ever meet in person. The supervising teacher has to do all the things a normal teacher would except actually teaching the students. The facilitator still has to contact the parents of a student and report them if they do something horrible.
In conclusion, traditional classes should not be replaced by online classes because it not only stunts the growth of the student, but of the teacher’s as well. A student is more likely to succeed in life if they attend school. Connections will be made and better opportunities will arise if the student creates those bonds. Most professions nowadays require that a student have a bachelor’s degree and a lot of experience, which is something not obtained through online classes. Though univeristy might cost a fortune, the time spent there is worth every penny. Online classes require a lot of self-motivation and self-discipline in order for the student to truly achieve something from it. With a traditional classroom setting, work would be much more consistent and would encourage the student to do their work, instead of taking their time with an online course.
Works Cited
Bird, Kendall. "Online vs. Traditional Education: The Answer You Never Expected." Rasmussen
College. N.p., 19 Feb. 2014. Web. 19 May 2016.
de Langen, Frank, and Herman van den Bosch. "Massive Open Online Courses: Disruptive Innovations Or Disturbing Inventions?." Open Learning 28.3 (2013): 216-226. Academic Search
Premier. Web. 21 May 2016.
de la Varre, Claire, et al. "Reasons For Student Dropout In An Online Course In A Rural K–12 Setting." Distance Education 35.3 (2014): 324-344. Academic Search Premier. Web. 21 May
2016.
Di, Xu, and Shanna S. Jaggars. "Performance Gaps Between Online And Face-To-Face Courses: Differences Across Types Of Students And Academic Subject Areas." Journal Of Higher
Education 85.5 (2014): 633-659. Academic Search Premier. Web. 21 May 2016.
Donor's Choose. "The 50 Most Inspirational Quotes for Teachers." Curated Quotes. N.p., 6 Mar.
2015. Web. 17 May 2016.
Kopp, Wendy. "Computers Can't Replace Real Teachers." CNN. N.p., 8 Apr. 2013. Web. 6 May
2016.
Rauch, Joseph. "Online Education Vs.Traditional Education: The Pros and Cons." Skilled Up.
N.p., 15 Jan. 2015. Web. 20 May 2016.
Reflection Essay 1
Los Angeles Leadership Academy is the best thing to have happened to me so far. Ever since my mom was deciding which alternative middle school I should attend. Nightingale was going to be the school I was initially going to go after elementary because attending Nightingale after sixth grade seemed to be a tradition. My mother attended Nightingale Middle School when she first came to the United States and knew what happened in the school areas that the teachers did not supervise and did not want the same fate for me. The notice for this new school called LALA was found on the doorstep of my house just a few weeks before school was about to start and I knew that this new option was going to make my future a brighter one. Going to the early orientations before school started made me excited and anticipated the upcoming school year. As my journey at Los Angeles Leadership Academy began I knew I was going to be able to do amazing things in my community and truly make a difference in my life and the lives of those around me. Though middle school was a very important part of my academic growth, I felt that my true transformation happened when I attended high school at LALA. I wanted to do something for my community, so I co-founded the Social Justice group at my school. This after school club was so interesting and fun. I loved interacting with students of different grade levels and seeing their perspectives and solutions to problems happening in our community. This club definitely changed my perspective and made me feel like there should be a time to fight back and not let oneself be stepped on no matter the difficulty or how the odds might seem totally against one. With the helpful counselors and teachers, the mindset of going to college was implemented heavily that the students already had an idea as to what they wanted to be or what school they wanted to attend. As a creator, I have written a plethora of analytical essays and articles that I look back at and feel proud that I was able to construct those writings. Writing essays seemed like a thing of nightmares but with the help of the amazing staff, essays seem so easy and fun to write. The small classroom size helped me focus better and retain the information given to me. Being acquainted with teachers is very critical in personal and academic growth for both the teacher and student. LALA provided the perfect environment where students can truly learn the material taught by the caring teachers. The teachers truly care about the student even if it is exemplified in nagging, but the teachers at LALA truly push their students to amount to greater things and be the best individual they can be. The close connection LALA had with several study abroad programs allowed me to study in Egypt. Going to Egypt changed my perspective immensely and I saw all the stereotypes that I had heard previously break right in front me. After coming back, I shared the information I gained with my friends and family and seeing their interest and fascination twinkle in their eyes showed me that I just culturally educated them. This new perspective I gained was now translated onto those around me, making them activists as well. LALA was able to grant me a life-changing experience that truly made my personality change as well. Going on this trip thanks to LALA made me feel less afraid to try new things and take a risk for once. I now learned that fear should not impede someone from learning or experiencing new things. This new knowledge was spread to the people around me, which I feel is a great way of contributing.
Reflection Essay 2
Had I not attended Los Angeles Leadership Academy, I would not have been the creator, activist, and scholar this school has made today. As a creator, I feel like my confidence in writing essays would not have been acquired had I not met the amazing and helpful teaching staff at LALA. The teachers that instruct at LALA have made my writing skills improve immensely, formulating essays a bit easier. Had I not gone to a school where the teachers actually care for the student and record their progress, I do not think I would have improved academically. The thing I love most about LALA is that the teachers sincerely care about the personal and academic growth of the student. The teachers push their students to not give up and keep them motivated with their constant presence. If I had not attended LALA, I do not think my strong bond with a teacher would have been possible because of the large amount of students the other teacher would have to instruct. At another school, the teacher would not be as motivated to help the student achieve greatness. The teacher would just teach and not even worry if the student failed or not, and my successful fate at LALA would be nonexistent had I attended a public school near my community. If I did not go to LALA I am sure that my analytical essays and articles would need so much more improvement than how they are now.
Going to Egypt made me feel like such an activist when I came back. Spreading the new knowledge I had gained from my study abroad trip made me feel like activist because I was sharing all this newly gained information with those around me, and I believe that knowledge is power. If it were not for LALA’s close connection with study abroad programs such American Field Service (AFS) or the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y), my time in Egypt would have never happened. Egypt was the most amazing experience of a lifetime that I was lucky enough to partake in, and it is all thanks to LALA. With all the events that happened in Egypt, I was fortunate enough to come back safely and tell my fascinating tells with my friends and family. If I had not gone to LALA, I am positive that the opportunity for a study abroad program would not have been mentioned nor heard of.
In terms of scholar, I feel like the standards for a charter school like LALA were definitely met and exceeded expectations. The marvelous reviews of the school were constantly made when board members came and visited the school. A lot of the material taught at LALA is based under an appropriate curriculum that ensures success for the students. A lot of my success is not to be solely blamed on my teachers but to my friends as well. Meeting different kinds of people really opened my eyes. By going to LALA, I learned that friends can also teach valuable lessons and one can learn from them as one would from a teacher. If I would have never gone to LALA, I would not have met the awesome individuals I am lucky to call my friends. I used to think that friends were the people one hangs with because they similar interests but I learned that friends are the ones that can teach you something that you will not need to have repeated because you memorized it immediately. Friends are the ones that teach one valuable lessons that they will keep in their mind or hearts for the rest of their lives. Had I not attended LALA, I would never have gotten to meet my wonderful friends.
Going to Egypt made me feel like such an activist when I came back. Spreading the new knowledge I had gained from my study abroad trip made me feel like activist because I was sharing all this newly gained information with those around me, and I believe that knowledge is power. If it were not for LALA’s close connection with study abroad programs such American Field Service (AFS) or the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y), my time in Egypt would have never happened. Egypt was the most amazing experience of a lifetime that I was lucky enough to partake in, and it is all thanks to LALA. With all the events that happened in Egypt, I was fortunate enough to come back safely and tell my fascinating tells with my friends and family. If I had not gone to LALA, I am positive that the opportunity for a study abroad program would not have been mentioned nor heard of.
In terms of scholar, I feel like the standards for a charter school like LALA were definitely met and exceeded expectations. The marvelous reviews of the school were constantly made when board members came and visited the school. A lot of the material taught at LALA is based under an appropriate curriculum that ensures success for the students. A lot of my success is not to be solely blamed on my teachers but to my friends as well. Meeting different kinds of people really opened my eyes. By going to LALA, I learned that friends can also teach valuable lessons and one can learn from them as one would from a teacher. If I would have never gone to LALA, I would not have met the awesome individuals I am lucky to call my friends. I used to think that friends were the people one hangs with because they similar interests but I learned that friends are the ones that can teach you something that you will not need to have repeated because you memorized it immediately. Friends are the ones that teach one valuable lessons that they will keep in their mind or hearts for the rest of their lives. Had I not attended LALA, I would never have gotten to meet my wonderful friends.