Jamie Asaka

Assistant Middle School Director, Lakeside School (Seattle, WA).

Blog

Left and Right Join Forces to Fight School Changes

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On the surface, Emily Mitchell and Rick Womick are complete opposites.  She is a democratic elementary school teacher who is the president of the Tennessee Education Association—the state’s largest teacher’s union.  He, on the other hand, is a conservative Tennessee State Representative.  However, according to an article recently completed by The New York Times, these two, and many other left and right wing opponents, are teaming up to fight policies trying to force themselves into the public education system. [Read more…] about Left and Right Join Forces to Fight School Changes

Ruling in Proposition 2 for Michigan Fails to Acknowledge Asian Americans

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Recent decisions made on both California Proposition 209 and Michigan Proposition 2 have sparked a bit of controversy in the field of education.  Both Propositions ban factoring in racial preferences in matters of public programs and the most noted industry addressed has been higher education.  The Supreme Court has ruled that both Propositions will hold.  The decision was not an easy one, as several judges disagree to what degree it should be considered constitutional.  In a fifty-eight-page statement submitted by Justice Sonia Sotomayer, the concept of minorities struggling to be accepted into prestigious colleges and universities was discussed at length.  However, in this entire directive, Asian Americans were not mentioned once.  An article recently completed by Forbes addresses the lack of consideration for this particular minority and the affects it is having on the nation. [Read more…] about Ruling in Proposition 2 for Michigan Fails to Acknowledge Asian Americans

Asian Success in NYC Public Schools Increase Racial Stereotyping

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The statistics on the general population of New York City public schools broadcasts the wide diversity the city holds. However, there is a certain sense of segregation setting in amongst typical public schools when compared to elite public schools. While the population of a general public school in New York City is roughly seventy-five percent African American and fourteen percent Asian, the student body attending an exclusive school tells an entirely different story. [Read more…] about Asian Success in NYC Public Schools Increase Racial Stereotyping

Why Does Family Involvement Matter In Urban Education?

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“It takes a village to raise a child”

No one knows exactly where the proverb above originated from but studies show it’s relevant regardless of it’s origins. Students with parents who are actively involved in their educational development see a decrease in disciplinary actions, an increase in performance through the achievement of higher grades and better attendance overall. The advantages of family involvement are also seen  by educators who understand how parental involvement can assist children in adapting and succeeding in educational environments. If much of this is proven, statistically, why hasn’t there been a significant change in urban education involvement? [Read more…] about Why Does Family Involvement Matter In Urban Education?

How Colorado Senator Mike Johnston Changed Education

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Mike Johnston is a state senator from Colorado who loved teaching so much, he decided to become the principle of a school for challenged kids in Colorado. While this may seem like a giant misstep for a politician who advised President Obama on education policy, Johnston actually began his career as a teacher with Teach for America in 1997. From Mike’s experience he wrote In the Deep Heart’s Core, a book about the challenges teachers face in the Colorado education system. [Read more…] about How Colorado Senator Mike Johnston Changed Education

Sir Ken Robinson Challenges U.S. Education

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Sir Kenneth Robinson is an internationally renowned expert in creativity and education. In the spring of 2013 he delivered a TedTalk where he highlighted 3 key principles necessary for the human mind to flourish– and how our current culture of education works to achieve to the opposite.

While Robinson’s talk breaks down the issues causing a rise in national dropout rates, he also accentuates the problematic misconception that education is a mechanistic system that can be corrected through data analysis and testing rather than a humanistic system that focuses on diversity and creative development. At the core of Robinson’s talk, he urges the audience to reconsider the professional development of teachers because without them the education system fails.

“There is no system in the world or any school in the country that is better than its teachers. Teachers are the lifeblood of the success of schools.” – Ken Robison