Curricular Changes in Teacher Education

 

 

India is a developing country. We have thousand years of Tradition and Culture. Different types of people are living in India. In olden days the educational institutions were called as ‘Ashramam’ and teacher was called as ‘Guru’. Guru is a respectable person in the society after mother and father. According to our Vedas Guru is a third God. In olden days they were given importance for shravana, Dhyana and Asana. All types of information are there in Vedas. Yoga is a greatest gift of India to the world. Yoga has its origin in the Vedas, texts that were heard by ancient sages in their state of meditation, and hence are known as srutis. The great sage Vyasa organized the Vedas in a systematic manner. Hence he is known as Veda Vyasa.

Now we are living in the technological world. Vast changes are occurring in day to day life of human being. The effect of Television, Telephone, Radio, Computer, Internet and Mobile is very much in our daily life. Even today also teacher is a role model for the students in the society. Teaching profession is a respectable job in the society. But there are enormous changes were occurred in the system of education.

Western culture is increased. Because of globalization we see everything in the form of commercial. But it is not good. Teacher is a nation builder. The development of any country depends upon its educational system. Any type of development is possible through education.

The concept of curriculum can be perceived as a connective link between teacher and student, organized in such a way to achieve goals previously set by the teacher, the learning organization or by the curriculum specialists.

            Curriculum is a means to the education. While education is learning, curriculum signifies situations for learning. While education deals with ‘how’ and ‘when’, Curriculum deals with ‘what’ education is a product, curriculum is the plan.

Teacher Education

Teacher education is an integral component of the educational system. It is intimately connected with society and is conditioned by the ethos, culture and character of a nation. The constitutional goals, the directive principles of the state policy, the socio-economic problems and the growth of knowledge, the emerging expectations and the changes operating in education, etc. call for an appropriate response from a futuristic education system and provide the perspective within which teacher education programmes need to be viewed.

When India attained freedom, the then existing educational system was accepted as such because it was thought that an abrupt departure from the same would be disturbing and destabilizing. Thus a predisposition to retain the system acquired preponderance and all that was envisaged by way of changes was its rearrangement. Consequently, education including teacher education largely remained isolated from the needs and aspirations of the people. During the last five decades certain efforts have been made to indigenize the system. The gaps, however, are still wide and visible. The imperatives for building the bridges may be as follows:

- To build a national system of teacher education based on India’s cultural ethos, its unity and diversity synchronizing with change and continuity.

- To facilitate the realization of the constitutional goals and emergence of the new social order.

- To prepare professionally competent teachers to perform their roles effectively as per needs of the society.

- To upgrade the standard of teacher education, enhance the professional and social status of teachers and develop amongst them a sense of commitment.

Scenario of Teacher Education

The need for improved levels of educational participation for overall progress is well recognised. The key role of educational institutions in realising it is reflected in a variety of initiatives taken to transform the nature and function of education — both formal as well as non-formal. Universal accessibility to quality education is considered essential for development. This has necessitated improvement in the system of teacher education so as to prepare quality teachers.

Various Commissions and Committees, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Commission (1948), Secondary Education Commission (1953), Kothari Commission (1964-66) etc., are appointed by the Central and the State Governments in recent decades have invariably emphasised the need for quality teacher education suited to the needs of the educational system. The Secondary Education Commission (1953) observed that a major factor responsible for the educational reconstruction at the secondary stage is teachers’ professional training. The Education Commission (1964-66) stressed that ‘in a world based on science and technology it is education that determines the level of prosperity, welfare and security of the people’ and that ‘a sound programme of professional education of teachers is essential for the qualitative improvement of education.’

India has a large system of education. There are nearly 5.98 lakh Primary Schools, 1.76 lakh Elementary Schools and 98 thousand High / Higher Secondary Schools in the country, about 1300 teacher education institutions for elementary teachers and nearly 700 colleges of education / university departments preparing teachers for secondary and higher secondary schools. Out of about 4.52 million teachers in the country nearly 3 million are teaching at the primary/ elementary level. A sizeable number of them are untrained or under-trained. In certain regions, like the North-East, there are even under- qualified teachers. As far as in-service education is concerned the situation is not very encouraging. It is estimated that on an average 40% of the teachers are provided in-service teacher education once over a period of five years. Regarding non-formal education, though a number of models are in vogue in various states in the country, much more needs to be done to prepare teachers and other functionaries for the system.

The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) as a non-statutory body (1973-1993) took several steps as regards quality improvement in teacher education. Its major contribution was to prepare Teacher Education Curriculum Framework in 1978. Consequently, teacher education curricula witnessed changes in teacher preparation programmes in various universities and boards in the country. A similar effort was made in 1988.

During the last decade, new thrusts have been posed due to rapid changes in the educational, political, social and economic contexts at the national and international levels. Curriculum reconstruction has also become imperative in the light of some perceptible gaps in teacher education. Teacher education by and large, is conventional in its nature and purpose. The integration of theory and practice and consequent curricular response to the requirements of the school system still remains inadequate. Teachers are prepared in competencies and skills which do not necessarily equip them for becoming professionally effective. Their familiarity with latest educational developments remains insufficient. Organised and stipulatory learning experiences whenever available, rarely contribute to enhancing teachers’ capacities for self-directed life long learning. The system still prepares teachers who do not necessarily become professionally competent and committed at the completion of initial teacher preparation programmes. A large number of teacher training institutions do not practice what they preach. Several of the skills acquired and methodologies learnt are seldom.

 

 

Definitions of curriculum, from Oliva (1997). 

Curriculum is:

      That which is taught in schools

      A set of subjects.

      Content

      A program of studies.

      A set of materials

      A sequence of courses.

      A set of performance objectives

      A course of study

      Is everything that goes on within the school, including extra-class activities, guidance, and interpersonal relationships.

      Everything that is planned by school personnel.

      A series of experiences undergone by learners in a school.

      That which an individual learner experiences as a result of schooling.

Flexibility of the Curriculum

            In India there are large number of communities living in the hilly area, the plateau area, the dessert area, plain area and costal area all having their own peculiar individuality, environment customs and needs. There fore, the same curriculum can’t be forced upon all, irrespective of their needs and environment. It must differ from locality to locality and from society to society.

            “The destiny of India now being shaped in her class rooms”. In the world based on science and technology it is education that determines the level of prosperity, security and welfare of the people (Education Commission 1964-66).

Different types of Curricula

There are eleven types of curricula

1.      Overt, explicit, or written curriculum

2.      Societal curriculum

3.      The hidden or covert curriculum

4.      The null curriculum

5.      Phantom curriculum

6.      Concomitant curriculum

7.      Rhetorical curriculum

8.      Curriculum-in-use

9.      Received curriculum

10.  The internal curriculum

11.  The electronic curriculum

Teacher Education Curriculum at Different Stages – NCTE

Teacher Education at the Pre-Primary Stage

 Objectives

·         Enabling student teachers to inculcate among children a desire to know their immediate natural environment, to love and respect it;

·         Preparing student teachers to use local resources and local contexts. 

 

Curriculum Content and Transaction

Teacher education curriculum at this stage need to develop awareness about literacy programmes, community dynamics, national and local customs, fairs and festivals and community mode of social living. It may also develop awareness of forces affecting environment including pollution, appreciation of places of historical and cultural significance and special educational features and developmental tasks contained in policies and programmes. 

Teacher Education at the Primary Stage

Objectives

·         Developing among student teachers skills for teaching integrated environmental studies, integrated social sciences and integrated science and technology;

·         Enabling student teachers to inculcate among children a desire to know their immediate natural environment, to love and respect it; 

Implications for Pre-service Teacher Education

 Curriculum Content and Transaction

It is necessary that student teachers be sensitised to the need for reducing curriculum load, organise appropriate learning experiences which are joyful in nature and related to immediate environment of the learner and help them develop and imbibe desirable values.

Teacher education programmes at this stage shall have to provide subject based orientation. Teaching and learning of mathematics would be woven around the environment of the learners so that environmental concerns are properly integrated. The activities would focus on local culture and environment using the local specific contexts and resources. Student teachers shall have to be provided with experiences to help children develop socio-emotional and cultural aspects. A realistic awareness and perspective of the phenomena occurring in the environment will have to be linked with social or scientific events. This may be accomplished by emphasizing observation, classification, comparison and drawing of inferences, conducted within and outside the classroom. 

Teacher Education at the Secondary Stage& Higher Secondary Stage

Objectives

·         Developing among student teachers awareness and sensitivity towards environment concern and promoting skills for meeting environmental challenges; 

Implications for Pre-service Teacher Education

Academic Stream

In addition, concerns like ecological imbalances, environmental degradation also have to be studied in their socio-cultural-economic context. 

 

 

 

Addressing Special Educational Needs of Learners

Education of the Gifted and Talented: Major Thrusts

Objectives

·         Enabling student teachers to develop among the gifted and talented students social responsibility and commitment to the society and the environment; 

In-Service Education of Teachers

Objectives

·         Enabling teachers to be sensitive to gender and environment-related issues. 

Need of Curriculum Changes in Teacher Education

            India has thousand years of tradition and culture. Educational institutions were called as Ashramam and teacher was called as Guru. A tremendous change was occurred in our daily life. Due to globalization now the educational system is affected totally. Now the educational institutions give importance for technical education. Teacher is a national builder. He has a capacity to change the society. By knowing the importance of technology, communication skills, National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE) introduced a separate subject on technology known as ‘Educational Technology’ at both B.Ed and M.Ed levels. Computer Education, Communicative English, Personality Development are also introduced at B.Ed. level. Now we are facing so many problems like terrorism, poverty and high-population. We want such type of curriculum which improves peace, non-violence, positive attitude and values in the society. By inculcating these things in teacher education curriculum, we will get positive change in the society. Our National Education Policy (1986) and other Education Committees and Commissions were also given importance for quality teacher education. But it is our duty that to follow such type of curriculum. By conducting national seminars, workshops and conferences it is important to collect eminent scholars attitude towards importance of curricular change in the present scenario. There are many recommendations about curriculum change, but they are not in practice.

Guidelines/Suggestions

Ø      The present curriculum format of teacher education at different levels, pre-primary, elementary and secondary education is generally based, apart from others on Foundation Courses, which includes philosophical, sociological and psychological perspectives of education. The intention is that the teacher must have a conceptual understanding of the field of education, its significant concerns which are relevant for political, social and cultural development of the nation so that the teacher is just not responsible only for performing “knick knacks” of the task of teaching but is also imbued with the perspectives of creating individuals who can apply their minds to the diverse situations that obtain in the field of education. It is the Foundation Courses which provide a lot of scope for being recast to lay focus on discussion on the issues listed in the preceding chapters. Apart from others, it can re-look at the existing curriculum and divide it into appropriate cluster of topics which include the core elements of the NPE and the Constitutional concerns related to non-discrimination. Other areas of equal relevance for development of the ideas are the internship in teaching and working with the community.

Ø      The type of exercises for developing the values related to non-discrimination as given in the chapters on sex/gender, caste/tribe, disability, etc. could become the central themes of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities of the teacher education institutions. It is not the intention to repeat the listing of those activities here in this chapter; a reference can be made to these activities in the appropriate chapters in which they have been listed.

Ø      It could also be helpful to plan orientation programme on teacher education on this theme. The seminars could familiarize the teacher educators with strategies for operationalizing the teaching-learning dimensions relevant to the theme. An effective way to institutionalize the concept is to incorporate it in the elementary and secondary pre-service teacher education curriculum. This could be supplemented by a suitable co-curricular programme which should aim at offsetting some of the shortcomings in the curricular approach especially in terms of attitude and value development.

Ø      What is needed is a vigorous advocacy with state educational agencies, teacher education institutions and university departments of education for conscious inclusion of such components in the curricula.

Ø      In order to overcome the disadvantage of fragmented treatment of the theme, it is suggested that an independent comprehensive unit comprising familiarization with the Constitution of India and its concerns as impinge on education should be incorporated in the elementary and secondary teacher education courses.

Ø      In India, evaluation system influences the educational process especially the quality of classroom teaching significantly, and as such a separate unit of educational imperatives of Constitution will ensure due importance and weightage to the theme in the classroom teaching.

Ø      A great deal depends on the ingenuity and dedication of teachers and teacher educators in achieving anything substantial through education. If the concerns are handled with sincerity and purpose, they could definitely bring about the desired transformation in the educational system through teacher education.

Conclusion

Today we are in a technological world where things are happening fast. Parents and teachers would like to be getting results fast. India has kept pace in science and technology with forward nations but we have shown slower pace in our value system even when we have a strong heritage of human values.

An overview of the context and concerns as discussed earlier, teacher’s profile and general and specific objectives would define the boundaries of a curriculum framework. The perceived characteristics of the envisaged curriculum framework would include the following:

- Reflects the Indian heritage, acts as an instrument in the realization of national goals and fulfills aspirations of people.

- Responds to the latest developments in the field of education.

- Establishes integration of theory and practice of education.

- Provides multiple educational experiences to teachers.

- Enables teachers to experiment with new ideas.

- Ensures inseparability of pre-service and in-service education of teachers.

- Sets achievable goals for various stages of teacher education.

According to Swami Vivekananda Teacher gives knowledge and bright future to his students. He always trying to help students and encourages good habits not only in the students but also in the society. Teacher is a backbone for country’s development. The influence of teacher is more in the student life. Any type of social development depends upon its educational system. So it is very important to give prime priority for Teacher Education Curriculum. It is very important to give place to science and technology in Teacher Education Curriculum. Then surely India will become powerful and rich country in the world.

References

1.      Saxena N.R., Mishra B.K., Mohanthy R.K. ‘Teacher Education’, Surya Publications, Near Govt. Inter College, Meerut, First Edition, 1998.

2.      http://www.ncte-in.org/

3.      http://www.aponline.gov.in/

4.      http://www.ncert.nic.in/

 

*****

 

If you really want to pursue your dream of going to college or university to get the education you need to advance your career, but you dont have the necessary funds, there are education loans available from lenders. The cost of education has increased dramatically over the years in the UK, which means that taking out such a loan could be a financial burden you have to bear when you first start working. However, without an education, you are faced with the prospect of having a low-paying job. If you have the ambition to succeed, then you owe it yourself to look for an education loan that best meets your needs.

An education loan is one that will help pay the costs of tuition, books and living expenses while you are studying. This is very helpful because it doesnt mean you have to spend years saving for your education nor does it mean you put a burden on your parents in trying to find the funds necessary to pay the high costs involved. Tuition and books are not the only high ticket items involved in getting a post-secondary education. If you have to move away from home, you will have to rent a flat or live at the university dorm and depending on the university you choose, the cost of living in a city can be quite high. Added to this you have to consider the cost of traveling expenses when you want to come home for a visit, the cost of getting to and from your classes each day, clothing needs, food and entertainment , as well as the cost of having a computer and the tools you need to attend class and do assignments.

The interest rate charged on education loans is very low. You can choose to work part-time while you study to help defray part of the costs and reduce the amount of money you have to borrow. You can also choose to study part-time so that you can still continue in your regular job. There are a number of lenders who do offer low cost education loans to students in order to help them succeed in their career goals. These lenders also vary in the interest rates and repayment terms, so you should shop around for an education loan when you decide to attend a post-secondary institution.

When you graduate, most lenders have a grace period for students before they start making repayments. This will give you a chance to look for a job and get settled before you have to think about your monthly payments. Lenders do this because they know that when they approve an education loan, they are gaining a new customer who will likely have a well-paid job after graduation and will be returning to the lender to open a savings account and apply for a car loan or a mortgage.

Compare the range of education loans available online to find one that best meets your needs. This doesnt take up a lot of your time and you can do it from your home computer rather than having to contact each lender in person.

Education in Pakistan

Education in Pakistan is divided into five levels: primary (grades one through five); middle (grades six through eight); high (grades nine and ten, leading to the Secondary School Certificate); intermediate (grades eleven and twelve, leading to a Higher Secondary School Certificate); and university programs leading to graduate (undergraduate) and advanced (post-graduate) degrees.

All academic education institutions are the responsibility of the provincial governments. The federal government mostly assists in curriculum development, accreditation and some financing of research.

Pre-school

A child may begin his/her schooling at a pre-school at the age of 3. Over the last few years, many new kindergarten (sometimes called montessori) schools have sprung up in Pakistan.

Primary Education

Formal education in Pakistan starts from around age 5. The first 5 years of school are referred to as Primary. Thereafter, the next 3 are referred to as Middle and the 2 after as Highschool.

Secondary Education

At the completion of Highschool or 10 years of schooling, students are required to sit for board examinations referred to as Secondary School Certificate examinations or more commonly as ‘Matric’. These are administered by area boards. Those that receive passing marks (normally 33%) on this examination are awarded a Secondary School Certificate or SSC. Students may then choose to undergo 2 years of additional schooling (offered both a school and some colleges) after which they sit for the Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC), more commonly referred to as ‘Intermediate’ exams. There is a wide choice of subjects that students can choose from during their ‘intermediate’ years many of which are technical subjects. Students normally read about 5 subjects in a chosen stream such as pre-medical, science, humanities, pre-engineering etc. and then sit for the Higher Secondary School Certificate exam in those subjects which are also administered by area boards. Those that receive passing marks (normally 33% of all subjects cummulative) are awarded a Higher Secondary School Certificate or HSSC.

Technical Education

Students can enter a plethora of technical institutes for technical certificates and degrees. The entrance requirements for these courses vary greatly with some such as carpentry requiring the applicant to be literate whereas others such as B.Tech in automation require HSSC.

Post-Secondary

Pakistani education system

Students can then precede to a College or University for Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Science (BSc) or Commerce/Business Administration (BCom/BBA) degree courses. There are two types of Bachelor courses in Pakistan namely Pass or Honours. Pass constitutes two years of study and students normally read three optional subjects (such as Chemistry, Mathematics, Economics, Statistics) in addition to almost equal number of compulsory subjects (such as English, Pakistan Studies and Islamic Studies) whereas Honours are three or four years and students normally specialize in a chosen field of study such as Biochemistry (BSc Hons. Biochemistry). It is important to note that Pass Bachelors is now slowly being phased out for Honours throughout the country. Students may also after earning their HSSC may study for professional Bachelor degree courses such as engineering (B Engg), medicine (MBBS), vetrinary medicine(DVM) law (LLB), agriculture (B Agri), architecture (B Arch), nursing (B Nurs) etc. which are of four or five years duration depending on the degree

Some Masters Degrees also consist of 1.5 years. Then there are PHD Education as well in selected areas. One has to choose specific field and the suitable university doing research work in that field. PhD in Pakistan consists of minimum 3-5 years.

Pakistani universities churn out almost 1.2 million skilled graduates annually. The government has announced a $1 billion spending plan over the next decade to build 6 state-of-the-art science and engineering universities. The scheme would be overseen by the Higher Education Commission.

Owing to the failure of public schools to provide quality education to the children of Pakistan, many parents have enrolled their children in private schools. Although traditionally, private schools have been a luxury only the rich can afford, this is not necessarily the case in the current reemergence of the private sector in Pakistan’s education system.

Nationally, overall private school primary enrolment (as a percentage of total primary enrolment) is 13 percent in Pakistan.

A recent survey in urban Pakistan found that 59 percent of households earning less than Rs 3,500 had children who were enrolled in private schools in the city of Lahore. Similarly, in the low-income and economically-deprived Orangi district of Karachi, a surprising 60 percent of all enrolled children went to private primary schools.

The findings of this study are given added support by a 1996 study conducted in the urban areas of five districts in the province of Punjab. This study found that even among low-income households, there was a private school enrolment rate of 50 percent.

More than 36,000 private institutions attend to the educational needs of 6.3 million children.

There is a parallel education system in place in some private schools, i.e. the ‘O’ level and ‘A’ level system. These curriculums are set by the University of Cambridge of the UK. Students studying in this system do not follow the syllabi set by the Pakistan government, but subjects such as Islamiyat and Pakistan studies are still compulsory for most high school students. The ministry of education also keeps an eye on what is being taught in these private schools. Generally, these schools are accessible to the elite few due to the high fees charged by O/A levels schools. However, during recent years, the phenomenon of appearing for the Cambridge exams “privately” has been rising. Students attend private tutoring sessions, register for the British exams via the British Council, and do no attend any school to prepare for their exams.

Criticism

An issue of National Geographic conveys the adversity poor families must face. Some schools are run so badly that few kids attend.

It’s not unusual in Pakistan to hear of public schools that receive no books, no supplies, and no subsidies from the government. Thousands more are ‘ghost schools’ that exist only on paper, to line the pockets of phantom teachers and administrators.Ever since the start of the War on Terror, the attention of the world’s media has been focused on the madrassa’s operating in Pakistan which are mainly attended by children living in rural areas. Popular worldwide beliefs are that a significant number of students in Pakistan are a part of these religious schools. This myth was debunked by professor Khwaja of Massachusetts Institute of Technology whose research examined statistical data to determine more precisely the enrollment in madrassas in Pakistan. The findings were that enrollment in Pakistani madrassas is relatively low, with less than 1 percent of all students enrolled in a school attending madrassas. There are as much as 100 times as many children in public schools as there are in madrassas and almost 40 times as many children in private schools as there are in madrassas. For the average Pakistani household, the choice of going to a madrassa is simply not a statistically significant option. Even in areas which surround Afghanistan, which are considered to be hotbeds of madrassa activity, madrassa enrollment is actually less than 7.5 percent.

Outside this region madrassa enrollment is thinly, but evenly, spread across the rest of the country. There was no evidence of a dramatic increase in madrassa enrollment in recent years. Examining time trends it was found that madrassa enrollment actually declined in Pakistan from its creation until the 1980s.It increased somewhat during the religion-based resistance to the invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviets in 1979 and the subsequent rise of the Taliban. However, in the last few years, the data does not suggest that there is any dramatic increase in madrassa enrollment.

Among other criticisms the Pakistani education system faces is the gender disparity in enrollment levels. However, in recent years some progress has been made in trying to fix this problem. In 1990-91, the female to male ratio (F/M ratio) of enrolment was 0.47 for primary level of education. It reached to 0.74 in 1999-2000, so the F/M ratio has improved by 57.44 percent within the decade. For the middle level of education it was 0.42 in the start of decade and increased to 0.68 by the end of decade, so it has improved almost 62 percent. In both cases the gender disparity is decreased but relatively more rapidly at middle level. But for whole of the decade the gender disparity remained relatively high at middle level, despite the fact that for the duration the F/M ratio for teachers and F/M ratio of educational institutions at the middle level remained better than at the primary level.

The gender disparity in enrolment at secondary level of education was 0.4 in 1990-91 was 0.67 percent in 1999-2000, so the disparity has decreased by 67.5 percent in the decade or at the average rate of 6.75 percent annually. At the college level it was 0.50 in 1990-91 and it reached 0.81 in 1999-2000, so gender disparity decreased by 64 percent with an annual rate of 6.4 percent. The gender disparity has decreased comparatively rapidly at secondary school. The gender disparity in educational institutions at the secondary level of education was changed from 0.36 in 1990-91 to 0.52 in 1999-2000 with a 44 percent change. The same type of disparity at the college level was 0.56 in 1990-91 and reached at 0.64 in 1999-2000 with 14 percent change in the decade. The disparity at the college level has improved much less than that at the secondary level.

Cheating in exams is a big problem plaguing the Pakistani education system. Every year there are accounts of large scale cheating at various exam venues? Invigilators have been known to encourage cheating not only in public schools, but in foreign exams such as the SAT as well.

NEED AND CONTEXT

It has been observed that the recent economic growth in the Asian cities indicate that there has been a breakdown of traditional support systems such as the family because of rapid urbanization and modernization. Moreover, a large number of people are living below the poverty line in impoverished environment in urban and rural communities. Their acute needs for housing, food, health, education, and incomes are the very forces that push adolescents to look for a means of livelihood on the streets, engage in prostitution, be hooked up with crime/drug syndicates, or become victims of sexual and physical abuse. It is a battle of bare struggle for daily survival and contributes in every ways they can. Any measure to penalize parents of such children will only result in further abuse and oppression of people who are already disadvantaged. Such children struggle hard in getting the most essential requirements to meet the basic needs of life and such children need special attention and educational intervention. These disadvantaged adolescents are generally malnourished and often anemic; many of them physically stunted, suffer psychologically from undue family pressures and abuses and are neglected at home. They tend to develop low self-esteem from broken families, single-headed households because of the death, separation, or labor migration of one of their parents. Moreover, they live in slums and squatter communities, sub-human conditions and are susceptible to crime syndicates and gang conflicts, substance/drug abuse, and gambling.

In the developing and under developed countries like India and Thailand a large percentage of population live below the poverty line and adolescents from such environment face difficulties in getting access to good education. It is therefore felt that in both the surround adolescents are of in the process of development and failure to meet their developmental need have lend to safe and serial destructions behaviors. Adolescents lack necessary life skills for cape up in to the realities and challenges of life. Adolescents accords for the largest portion of the world’s population and have been on an increasing trend and there are “230 million Indian adolescent in the age of group of 4 to 19” that (Population and Health IndoShare, 2006). Moreover, it is expected that this age group will continue to grow reaching over “214 million by 2020” (United Nations (UN) 2000) due to has traditionally been a male dominated society and has a strong son preference in most part of but Indian girls tend to be discriminated against by their families and also demographic trends indicate deep-rooted gender discrimination. In India, the condition of disadvantaged adolescents resembled that of their centers pail Thailand. Indian Young adolescents are facings serious problem of lack of access to reliable knowledge on the process of growing up reproductive health practices and value system. There has been a need to provide education on the developmental changes and needs during teenagers. This may reduce the risk of future.

Today, almost every Indian and Thai whether rich or poor, young or old, is exposed to much that is foreign, largely because in the last two decades India and Thailand has become one of the region’s most popular tourists destinations. At times, the growing economy and favorable investment opportunities have also attracted many foreign multinationals, which continue to add to the already fair large expatriate community. However, despite the intensity of their exposure to “foreign” influences, particularly western cultures and lifestyles, Indian and Thai culture remains a solid influence within family life and early childhood. From birth, Indian and Thai adolescents are still much more deeply immersed in culture than they are exposed to foreign influences despite the fast-paced changes that have been affecting Indian and Thai adolescents. The adolescents of deferred families are emotionally disturbed and driven adrift as wanderers, delinquent children with im-permissive behaviors such as loitering, gambling, drug addiction, crime, truancy, prostitution, and begging, illegal dealings. As the consequence of these adverse behaviors, cases of illegal pregnancy, baby abandonment, and HIV/AIDS infection are becoming more and more severe.

There also reported, “Thai Children are spending more time in talking and chatting on the phone and the trendiest models of mobile phones, love hanging out with their friends at night, the drugs problem and the loss of Thai identity and shopping for brand name products. The latest fashion among the hobbies of many of today’s Thai children is they are becoming increasingly violent and blaming society and their own families for their behavior and involve in premature sex, drugs and aggressiveness”. “The study found that despite the well-to-do family backgrounds of the teens surveyed, most of them shared a common problem of loneliness, depressive tendencies and a need for love”. The gap between parents and children is greater than ever before, arising from broken families or from families which faille to inculcate morals in their children because they havenless time for their children and had left them to the peril of sick and violent society in Thailand (Aphaluck Bhatiasevi, Thongbai Thongpao 2002), (Tong Thum Struggles, 2006)

With the best intention and efforts of the education as a social instrument, it is possible to promote the complete welfare of disadvantaged population. Among the several types of disadvantaged adolescents, Adolescents forced to enter the labour market, adolescents affected by HIV/AIDS and adolescents affected by narcotic drugs need special attention. They have trouble in getting proper guidance to overcome personal problems and require proper guidance and counseling to become aware of the ill effects narcotic drugs, labour market and HIV/AIDS. It may not be possible to develop awareness in the expected manner through normal school curriculums. Hence, a separate educational intervention, which is nothing but a planned programme of educational guidance, organized to meet the scientific and psychological needs of disadvantaged adolescents in the age group of 13-16. Hence, in this study, an attempt will be made to study the educational adjustment of disadvantaged adolescents and to find out the impact of a structured educational intervention programme in developing proper awareness and attitude towards reproductive health, drugs, sexuality and values.

The present study examined the impact of an educational intervention programme on the knowledge and attitude on disadvantaged adolescents in Northern India and Thailand. The study intends to assess and compare the knowledge about the process of growing up, HIV/AIDS awareness, values and attitude of teen-age students staying in the schools. Reproductive health education is a key strategy for promoting preventive measures among teenagers.

METHOS

The sample for the study consisted of 225 disadvantaged adolescents who included 125 adolescents from India (Chennai Himmat Slum area, Jammu region) and Thailand (Yong People Develop Chiang Mai and Teresa Anusorn Foundation (Ban Teresa) Chiang Rai, Province). The sample populations of disadvantaged adolescents are residents of orphanages and slum area and studying in high school classes in the age of groups from 13 to 16 years. Data was collected by administering knowledge test consisted of items on process of growing up HIV/AIDS, reproductive organs and their functions family planning and parenting and attitude scale to measure beliefs and practices about sexuality and abstinence. An experimental design consisted of experimental and control group was formed. Questionnaires were translated from English to Hindi and Thai, (mother tongue of the respondent), then back in to English to ensure that no meaning was lost in translation. There were use two groups of learner: both the groups were given Pre-Test as well as Post-Test, where experimental group were given intervention programme and control group was not be given any intervention programme.

Control group: - there were in two states: ten administrators conducted face-to-face interviews and Focus groups with disadvantaged adolescent in India and Thailand.

First state, in India country; 10 Indian administrators were called the Indian disadvantaged adolescents from there house at Slum area (Jammu), meeting for data collected were an adjustment questionnaire in each of person and groups by Hindi (mother tongue of the respondent).

Second state, in Thailand country: 125 questionnaires in Thai (mother tongue of the respondent) were administered to the Thai disadvantaged adolescent of two orphanages, I collected later the questionnaires.

Intervention / Treatment Programme

Experts: Facilitators who were willing to participate in the study were invited for receiving community sensitization, booklet distribution, and CD training;

Experimental group: 200 students (and also inmates) belonging to Channai Himmat, Slum area (Jammu, India), Teresa Anusorn Foundation (Ban Teresa), and Yong People Develop (Thailand) who had got least scores namely, were given one day training programme on intervention or treatment as;

In the morning: the orientation and participants programme concentrated on basic issues such as general framework of adolescent growth, and consisted of discussions and demonstrations. The training programme practiced the activities to develop the knowledge level and the attitude about HIV/AIDS, drug abuse and reproductive health education

In the afternoon until evening: the revised questionnaires were administered to the experimental group in 3 sessions as: (a) the personal details. (b) The knowledge level and attitude were administered to find out themselves and whenever they had doubt in understanding the items, the administrators made them easy by giving supplementary examples. In addition, (c) group discussed for preparation of suggestive measures to improve and policies.

Design of the study

An educational intervention programme consisting of awareness activities presented through media presentation, discussion and interaction was presented to the experimental group. Universals and multivariate analysis of the data were used to assess the impact of interventions and to identify the predictors of change in knowledge and attitude. Significant changes in terms of gain between pre-test and post-test was observed.

Analysis

The completed questionnaires were collated and entered into the computer. The data was entered and analyzed using SPSS. After verification and reduction of data, descriptive frequencies were completed. This was followed by uni-variate and multi-variety procedures to assess the impact of the interventions and to identify other predictors of change in knowledge and attitude. Analysis was stratified by *** shown how responses to the variables of knowledge and attitude, differ boys, girls, age, and education. Descriptive statistics was used to profile the study population. Knowledge and attitude was then used to explore the demographic variables associated with HIV/AIDS, drug abused and reproductive Health Education. The following statistical techniques were applied in the present project: Paired Samples “T”-test and “F”-test.

FINDINGS

The demographic profile of the 250 Indian and Thai respondent questionnaires is shown the relationships between demographic characteristics of Indian and Thai were founds Indian boys (54.40%) less than Thai boys (56%), and Indian girls (45.60%) more than Thai girls (44%). In the same age group of Indian and Thai 15 years old, and the same of the secondary school of Indian: (Standard: 9) and Thai: (Grades 3), had significant .05 is shown in Table 1.

Answers were grouped in comparing scores from Indian and Thai disadvantage adolescent after received a treatment on knowledge and attitude about HIV/AIDS, drug abuse and reproductive health education, all participating (N= 200) were group interviewed and after the intervention had significant difference is (0.05), are shown in Table 2-16.

The findings also revealed significant differences between boys and girls in knowledge and attitude towards reproductive health education. Implications of the study for the awareness programmes were suggested.

DISCUSSION

In many Northern states of India and Thailand, the HIV/AIDS, drug abuse and reproductive health needs of Indian and Thai disadvantaged adolescents are either poorly understood or not fully appreciated. Evidence is growing that this neglect can seriously jeopardize the HIV/AIDS, drug abuse and reproductive health education needs and future well-being of them.

The policies addressed the effectiveness of the programmed to highlights what there needs to be done to promote and protect to the disadvantaged adolescent in India and Thailand in the future as: all schools should develop textbooks making learning interesting by following extensive community sensitization in support of adolescent reproductive health education appropriate in Indian and Thai cultural and tradition. Because of Indian and Thai culture and tradition, adolescents kept learning by them long time ago that, made them grow up in the wrong life and have been against morality.

Indian and Thai adolescent problems erupt from families and by themselves after they have been sexually abused or because their families could not understand adolescent behavior and teach them about reproductive health education and sexual health education. Such as should improve in knowledge and attitude among school-going adolescents with the media modern of families. In addition, it was found that sexually abused violated in Indian and Thai adolescents should learn and practice self-protection and should gather knowledge of the Child Rights and much more.

India disadvantaged adolescents

1. Indian disadvantaged adolescents are neglected from home, school and there country of the knowledge. They tend to undeveloped of the confidents and very poorly of the knowledge, attitude about Reproductive Health, drug and HIV/AIDS. Thus as, should to improve and increase and learn the knowledge attitude and understanding of disadvantaged adolescents

2. In India, the responsible organizations both governmental and non-governmental of India have to develop policies for adolescent and should to include HIV/AIDS education and health programme in schools curriculums. In addition, those reproductive health educational services for adolescent girls are especially needed in schools and families.

3. Parents, families, teachers and administrators in orphanages or schools should be encouraged to discuss or give guidance and approval about reproductive health education, drug and HIV/AIDS with their disadvantaged adolescent.

Thailand disadvantaged adolescents

1. Should to improve and increase the knowledge attitude and understanding of disadvantaged adolescents in Northern about reproductive health education and sexual health education.

2. Especially, in Northern, Thailand having spread of higher Drug and HIV/AIDS, thus as should to teach or train to get about the knowledge attitude and understanding of reproductive health to adolescents and parents more then other.

3. The reproductive and sexual health education should be included in the curriculum for the second level – primary education (Grades 4-6), Third level – secondary education (Grades 1-3) and Fourth level – secondary education (Grades 4-6). It is too late to start from Third level – secondary education (Grades 1-3) in Thailand thus; the Ministry of Education has to prepare a new policy to put this subject at the Basic Education Curriculum Standard as soon as possible.

4. It appears that in Thailand media has caused a change in *** related values among adolescents. With the misuse of Internet in getting information on *** related issue supplemented by the use of Cell phone, TV, VCD, DVD and booklets is increasing Crime problems of sexually abused. Thus, the qualities of the textbooks or booklets to be distributed to the adolescents.

TABLE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I thank to Dr. Y. N. Sridhar, Guide of Research for me. I would like too many helpful and thank the following students, Mr. Kasame Sakonllapap, Mr. Santi Jongkongka, Mr. Prasarn Ruansang and people for their supported. I thankfulness to Father Carlo Luzzi, Mother Elisa Cavana, Father Niphot Thiengwiharn and my family, for contributing to this study by providing funding.

REFERENCE

1. Aphaluck Bhatiasevi. Youngsters want love in the family; 2002 January 7,- Thailand. Available from: URL: http://www.thailandlife.com/ Thaiyouth_67.html/

2. Arundhati Mishra. Enlightening Adolescent Boys in India on Gender and RSH. 2002. Available from: URL: http://www.jhuccp.org/igwg/ Presentations/Monday/ Plan/

Enlightening.pdf

3. Arunee Hongsiriwat. A comparison of errors in forecasting Educational time series data with stationary and no-stationary data using ARIMA model, ARIMA intervention model and regression model, Bangkok, Thailand (dissertation). Chulalongkorn Univ.; 2000.

4. APPENDIX A: Country Summaries, Health and Education needs of Ethnic Minorities in the greater Mekong, sub region in Thailand. p. 10-11. (Copyright)

5. A.G. Sathe and Shanta Sathe. Pune, India. Available from: URL: http://www.

medind.nic.in/jah/t05/i1/jaht05i1p49.pdf

6. Child Help Foundation. Available from: URL: http://www.centralsingapore.org.

sg/site/ volunteer/expedition2004/chf.htm

7. C.P. González-Camacho (Mexico), J. U. Quevedo-Torrero (USA), J.M. Loaiza Moreno, M. Larios-Rosas, V.C. Ocegueda-Hernández (Mexico), and S.H.S. Huang (USA). A Complete Referral-Intervention-Identification-System for Special Education: RIIS. Available from: URL: http://www.actapress. com/PaperInfo. aspx? PaperID=26281

8. Chaturon Chaisang. Road map for expediting Education Reform for the forthcoming Quarter; Education Reform: Next Step Forward. Press Conference. Meeting Room of the Ministry of Education, Bangkok, Thailand. 2005 November 6. (Copyright).

9. Children in Need. Available from: URL: http://www.mercycentre.org/ helpess.

htm1#orphanages.

10. CSC. A Civil Society Forum for East and South East Asia on Promoting and Protecting the Rights of Street Children. Civil Society forum report, Bangkok, Thailand. 2003 March; 12-14 (Copyright).

11. Dilok Sritong, The disadvantaged children in Jammu. 30 March 2007. (Not copyright).

12. Disadvantaged Home. Available from: URL: http://www.cssr.or.th/Work/

HTML/pattaya03.asp.

13. Education Commission Education in Thailand. Bangkok: Amarin Printing and Publishing, Ministry of Education, Thailand. 1998. ISBN 974-8086-30-5,

14. Education in Thailand. Number of Disadvantaged Students in OBEC Schools by Type and Gender: Academic Years 2002- 2003. Office of the National Education Commission Education in Thailand, Bangkok: Amarin Printing and Publishing, Ministry of Education, National. 2004: ISBN 974-241-733-4, p: 20-34.

15. Education in Thailand. Past Development of Thai Education. 1998. Available from: URL: http://www.edthat.com/publication/edu/1998/chapter/1page.7htm

16. Education in Thailand. The National Education Plan (2002-2016). Office of the National Education Commission Education in Thailand, Bangkok: Amarin Printing and Publishing, Ministry of Education, Thailand. 2004 ISBN: 974-8086-30-5, p: 19. (Copyright).

17. ECPAT. Available from: URL: http://www.ecpat.net/eng/Ecpat_ inter/projects/monitoring/online_database/countries.asp?arrCountryID=1

18. Eastern Child Welfare Protection Home. Available from: URL: http://www. geocities.com/houypong_home/

19. Father Carlo Luzzi. The Hill Tribes Disadvantaged in Northern, Thailand. 9 October 2007. (Not copyright).

20. Father Komkrit Anamnat. The disadvantaged students in Nuchanat Ansorn School. Available from: URL: http://www.nuchanat.com/documents/ Management%20

structure.htm

21. Father Niphot Thiengwiharn. Yong People Development. Doi Sa Kuat, Chaing Mai, Thailand. 10 December 2006. (Not copyright).

22. Foundation for the Better Life of Children (FBLC). Available from: URL: http://www.citizenbase.org/crtools/helement.html

23. Global March Against Child Labour. Children’s World Congress on Child Labour. 2004. Available from: URL: http://www/globalmarch.org/ Worldcongress/ gaw

2004.php.

24. International Bureau for Children’ Rights. Making Children’s Rights Work: Country Profile on Thailand. 2004 p: 3-4. (Copyright).

25. Kittisak Ketunuti. A development of a parent education program providing Home-based early intervention for Cerebral Palsy children, Bangkok, Thailand, (dissertation). Chulalongkorn Univ.; 1997

26. Government of Rajasthan. 1995. Available from: URL: http://www.

policyproject.com/pubs/countryreports/ARH.India.pdf

27. IIPS. National Family Health Survey (NFHS-2). 2000. Available from: URL: http://www.nfhsindia.org/nfhs3.html

28. Kasame Sakonllapap. Yong People in Bangkok, Thailand. 9 November 2006. (Not copyright).

29. Laddawan Chanvititkul. The Effectiveness of Counseling Intervention as Health Education Program on Self-Care Behavior among Hypertensive Patient Attending Service at Charoenkrungpracharak Hospital (dissertation). Bangkok (Thailand). Mahidol Univ.; 1995.

30. Ministry of Social Development and Human Security. A target of Society, Bangkok, Thailand. 1999. Available from: URL: http://www.dsdw. go.th

31. Maha Chakri Sirindhon, H.R.H. Princess. Education of the Disadvantaged: a lecture, the 15th Annual Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Day, (Prasarnmit branch), Bangkok, Thailand, Srinakarinwirot Univ.; 2001 November 12, p: 7-29

32. Mother Elisa Cavana. The Hill Tribes Disadvantaged in Northern, Thailand from Teresa Anusorn Foundation (Ban Teresa), Winag Pa Pow, Chaing Rai. 20-30 October 2006. (Not copyright).

33. National Statistical Office. Report of the Labor Force Survey Whole Kingdom (Round 4: October-December), Bangkok, Thailand. 2003. (Copyright)

34. Niklaus Steiner. Available from: URL: http://www.ucis.unc.edu/resources/pubs

/development/Moon.pdf#search=%22Knowledge%20and% 20attitude%20HIV%2FAIDS

%20%22

35. Nichet Sunthornpitak and Kanokkorn Phruksakit. Troubled teens cannot turn to teachers. 2003. Available from: URL: http”//www.Thailandlife.com/thaiyouth_95.htm

36. Patcharaporn Panyawuthikrai. Evaluation an Educational Program on dispensing behavior between Intervention and Control groups of drug stores in Bangkok (dissertation). Bangkok, Thailand. Mahidol Univ.; 1999.

37. Patong Street Children Shelter. Available from: URL: http://www. phuket.

holiday-inn. .com/ foundation.htm

38. Parwej Saroj, Kumar Rajesh, Walia Indarjeet, Aggarwal Arun K. Available from: URL: http://www.ijppediatricsindia.org/article.asp?issn=0019- 5456;year=2005;

volume=72;issue=4; spage=287;epage=291;aulast=Parwej/

39. Population and Health IndoShare. A Socio-Medical Assessment of the Sexual and Reproductive Heath of Adolescents in Bihar. 2006 March. (Copyright).

40. Project of Jaipur’ Government, Rajasthan India. January, p: 1. (Copyright).

41. Prasarn Ruansang. The disadvantaged children in Channai Himmat, Slum area (Jammu), Jammu & Kashmir State, India. 19 February 2007. (Not copyright).

42. Suwat Srisorrachatr. Domestic violence: Socio-cultural perspective and Social intervention in a Thai community, Bangkok, Thailand (dissertation). Mahidol Univ.; 2001.

43. Santi Jongkongka. The disadvantaged children in Jammu. 29 March 2007. (Not copyright).

44. S.D. Gupta. Adolescent Reproductive Health in India. Status, Policies, Programs, and Issues. Indian Institute of Health Management Research. POLICY 2003. (Copyright).

45. State of the World’s Children. Childhood under threat. 2005. Available from: URL: http://www.bangkoktourist.com/Bangkok.php and phishare.org/documents/PRC Pantana/4107

46. Thai Basic Education Curriculum. BE 2544 (AD 2001). Available from: URL: http:// cilab.ied.edu.hk/clprogram/icp/Curriculum_and_Learning_ Reform_in_ Thailand. pdf#search=%22 Thai%20Basic%20Education%20 Curriculum.%20BE%202544%20

(AD%202001)%20%22

47. Thai Education History. Available from: URL: http://www.school-portal.co.uk/groupHomepage.asp?GroupID=66561

48. Thai Post Newspaper. Thai’s family crisis, the moment has arrived to appoint of Government of Thailand. 2005. Available from: URL: http:// www.thaipost.net// index.

asp?=thaipost&postdate=27/Much/2548& cat id=501

49. Thailand. Library of Congress – Federal Research Division. 2005. Available from: URL: http:www.//lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles/Thailand.pdf

50. Thongbai Thongpao. Save our youth from sin. 2002. Available from: URL: http://www.thailandlife.com/thaiyouth_83.html

51. Tong Thum Struggles. Thailand *** and Drug. 2006 February 20. Available from: URL: http://www. thailand-blog.com/

52. The Bangkok Post, Newspaper. An Economic review, mid-year, Thailand. 1998 July 1. (Copyright)

53. The Bangkok Post, Newspaper. An Economic review, year-end, Thailand. 1998, December, 31. (Copyright)

54. The Express Transportation Organization of Thailand. Department of Provincial Administration. Population Record. 2005. Available from: URL: http://www. dopa.go.th/ stat/y_ stat48.html

55. The Nation, Newspaper (daily). RCA tops list of Bangkok nightspots for young students. 2005; Saturday, February 10. (Copyright).

56. The Post Newspaper. An Economic review, year-end, Thailand. 1997 December 31. (Copyright).

57. The Thai Health Promotion Foundation. Available from: URL: http://www. Thailand life. com/thaiyouth_67.html

58. The Office of the Education Council. Education in Thailand. Bangkok: Amarin Printing and Publishing, Ministry of Education, Thailand. 2004 ISBN 379-5930-32-E, p: 23-26

59. The Office of Welfare Promotion, Protection and Empowerment of Vulnerable Groups. Thailand’s Second Report. Available from: URL: http://www.thaiembdc.org/

pressctr/announce/ThaiYouth2UNGA62.pdf

60. The Office of the National Education Commission Education in Thailand. Bangkok: Amarin Printing and Publishing. 1998. ISBN 974-8086-30-5, p: 154

61. The World Bank (Thailand). Population by age and ***. Youth in Numbers: East Asia and the Pacific, Children and Youth – Human Development Hub, Children and Youth, HDNCY, Washington DC, USA. 2004 November, p: 4-5

62. Teacher Chantana Rangsome. Street Children at Khon Khen, Thailand. 5 December 2006. (Not copyright).

63. United Nations (UN). UN medium population projection. World Population Prospects, the 2000 Revision, into the POLICY Project’s, SPECTRUM Model and projecting the population to 2020. 2000. (Copyright).

64. UNICEF House. Working Children’s Report. 3 UN Plaza, New York, NY 10017. 2004; ISBN: 92-806-3817-3, p: 2. (Copyright).

65. UNDP/ UNFPA/ WHO/ World Bank Special Programme of Research. Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP). Progress in Reproductive Health of Adolescents. Department of Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland. 2003; Document Number: 64, p: 1, 3. (Copyright).

66. UNESCO. Education and Training strategies for Disadvantaged group in Thailand. 2001 December, International Institute for Educational Planning, p: 55-70.

67. UNESCO. Early Childhood Care and Education and other Family Policies and Programs in South-East Asia: Working for Access quality and inclusion in Thailand, Philippine and Viet Nam, Bangkok, Thailand. 2004 p: 4-5. (Copyright).

68. UNAIDS. HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections – Update Thailand the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, World Health Organization (WHO). 2004 November. (Copyright).

69. Vosburg, Jill. Preschool Children’s Classification Skills and a Multicultural Education Intervention to Promote Acceptance of Ethnic Diversity. (Statistical Data Included). 2000. Available from: URL: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_ hb1439/is_ 200003/ai_n5870666

70. World Health Organization (WHO). Promoting and safeguarding the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents. Department of Reproductive Health and Research & Department of Child and Adolescent Health and Development, Geneva, Switzerland, March; p: Implementing the Global Reproductive Health Strategy. Policy Brief No. 4. 2006; Document Number: 312300. (Copyright).

71. World Health Organization (WHO). Population by age and ***. Available from: URL: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/2006/RHR_policybrief4_eng.pdf

72. Yuan-Hsiang, Chu. Sexuality Education Intervention Effects of Teacher (dissertation). Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Shu-Te Univ.; 2005.

73. Yi JK. Vietnamese American college students’ knowledge and attitudes toward HIV/AIDS (dissertation). J Am College Health. 1998

74. Y. N. Sridhar. The disadvantaged children in India. 29 July 2007. (Not copyright).

Pressure, pressure, pressure. Students in all grades can be under an enormous amount of pressure to succeed while in school. Kindergartners must learn to read, add, and subtract before they finish their first year of school. In some places, students must pass certain state tests in order to be promoted to the next grade level. More and more emphasis is being placed on the importance of a rigorous academic program for middle- and high-school students, with the end result of attending a college or university. Is all this necessary? Well, legislators, the president, and local district officials believe so. Many parents also agree that kids need to graduate from high school ready to go on to college. Leaders of Pittsburgh Public Schools and of Pittsburgh itself plan to institute a new plan to motivate even more students to seek out a college education.

The Pittsburgh Schools have issued what it calls “The Pittsburgh Promise,” pledging that starting in 2008, all graduates who meet certain Pittsburgh Schools standards will have the means of getting post-secondary education. Wow! What a great idea! There are most likely some Pittsburgh Schools students who don’t even dream of going to college, simply because their families can’t afford it. Imagine, if you will, a Pittsburgh Schools family of blue-collar workers who have not had any of its members attend college. It is their dream for their children to go to college and have a better life; if this new program is indeed successful, this dream will most likely become a reality!

The Pittsburgh Schools district and the city hope to raise $5 million to $7 million a year to make college or other post-secondary education affordable. To access the money, Pittsburgh Schools students will have to attend one of the Pittsburgh Schools, do their work, stay out of trouble, and graduate. It’s truly admirable to see that the city leaders, community leaders and the Pittsburgh Schools leaders recognize the difficulties that lay in the path of some of these students to actually attend college.

More and more, even some “blue-collar” jobs are requiring a minimum of a 2-year degree. Firefighters, carpenters, even cosmetologists can attend a community college where they receive the training their prospective employers are looking for. The students of Pittsburgh Schools who are on the vocational path will now have the opportunity to go to college, no matter what their family’s financial situation might be. What a wonderful graduation gift Pittsburgh Schools students could receive upon leaving high school! Since society and the government are forever clamoring about how far behind our students are as compared to other students around the world, kudos to Pittsburgh Schools and the city of Pittsburgh for doing their part to get more kids in college.

There are about 1.5 million elementary school teachers and 1.1 million secondary school teachers in the United States, and the amount spent, by average, on home schooling per child in the United States is about $450. (Source: Charity Navigator.com)

- Between 8 and 15 million children nationwide are unsupervised at the end of each school day;

- An average deaf child isn’t introduced to English until age six, upon entering school.

- About 87% of Americans aged 18 to 24 have completed high school with a diploma or an alternative credential such as a General Education Development certificate;

-The school districts in the U.S. with the highest child poverty rates have $1,139 fewer state and local dollars to spend per student than the wealthiest districts; and

- When among 18 to 24-year-old Americans are given maps, 70 percent cannot find New Jersey and 11 percent cannot find the United States.

This country is in a sad state of affairs when it comes to the education of our youth and based on these statistics, it will take the political and philanthropic community to continue dialogue around educational, social, and humanitarian needs of disadvantaged children and families in the future to help resolve the problem.

Although public education has always played an important part in politics in this country, it has also been subject to continual political scrutiny.

Local politics and education are inseparable, as every city’s local school system is an organization with a political culture. Various groups from both within the system and outside the system compete for power. Typically there are very limited budgetary resources.

Yet our local school systems are devoted to children and tax dollars — two of our most important resources. Often times, limited resources cause varying degrees of funding ability for most local school systems, which in turn creates a lot of competition for existing resources.

Because of this, special interest groups compete, and funding priorities become the object of political debate - local, state and national.

Education is often a major part of both national political party platforms as well as local community discussions. The focus in the news surrounding our country’s recent elections.

But just in case we have forgotten, our country’s Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution delegated authority over education to the states. Each state varies from highly decentralized local education systems to more centralized state systems like Hawaii. However, the most recent trend has been movement toward increased state standards with new accountability systems.

Interest in Education at the Federal levwel has long been part of our culture, and in 2001, under direction of President Bush, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was renewed and renamed No Child Left Behind Act (2001). This was a critical step in bettering our country’s public education - the objective being - to increase the accountability of schools that needed improvement. The ACT also called for “highly qualified” teachers in every classroom.

Of all the localized special interest groups - from football supporters, planning and zoning committees, business, boards and various other local agencies, there is also the idea that diverse communities can become divided on school issues in areas of socio-economics.

Religion and political affiliation can also play a role in the politics of our local education, while public education advocates and privatization groups often differ on local policies.

Even community business groups can also be divided regarding the money required for facility improvement projects such as stadiums or school facilities. That is why effective local school leadership lies in balancing these diverse special interest groups.

The reality is that politics are part of every local school system. Local school leaders must learn to work within the unique political reality of their local system to accomplish the goals of an organization.

Living in the U.S. is unique in the ways of bettering your living situation through higher education. The culture doesn’t frown on shifting gears and getting taking on a different career path, even if you are in mid-life. Americans have jumped on this option, especially since the economic conditions have ebbed and flowed from boom to bust in the last few decades. When there is a lull or drop, you’ll see folks hitting the books — and now, logging on.

An new industry of secondary education has been made, almost solely, through a virtual learning landscape. The internet have provided a medium for teaching where students can visit a school site, pay, and start selecting course material. There are legitimate accredited colleges that can maintain this format, but some have proven to be false, misleading or worse, a sham. The following information will be about the phenomenon called “college mills” and what are some of the signs to watch out to avoid them.

Non-Accredited Warning Signs

First and foremost, simply having nationally recognized accredited colleges is the first sign you will want to verify with the school. Accreditation means that the teachings are considered professionally sound by national standards, whereas if a potential employer chose to check on the school they would see that it meets standards accepted across the board with educators and their fellow peer acceptance.

College mills work a grey market of education, where they are never nationally accredited, and may simply issue diplomas or degrees that are built on false endorsements.

Another sign to look for is, are they on the map — where is the base of operations centrally located? You want to see if they have a base of operations that can at least be visited with staff to help you. It’s simply a system of staying transparent enough where there would be no reason to hide the intent of their operation as a business.

Keep in mind that accreditation can be falsified too. If you have any proclaimed accredited colleges that state they are accredited, make sure that they are directly endorsed by legitimate academic institutions. That is, they can be verified with the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

Here are some other signs to beware of when researching online schools, or any other telecommuting course offering:

- Look to see if the URL has a .edu designation (although this domain restriction hasn’t been policed too stringently until recent)

- Take any schooling outside of the U.S., offering “legitimate” courses, with a grain of salt

- Watch out for pressuring sales, such as offers that say they should be opted now before “tuition rates rise,” as an example

Secondary teaching jobs are posts for teachers who teach secondary or high school students. What is special about secondary teachers is that they need to specialize in a specific subject. Each secondary teacher should choose from amongst the different secondary school subjects. From the teachers’ own education and training itself, they already have to focus on a certain subject that they prefer to specialize in.

The secondary school teacher plays an important role in students’ overall training. Their primary role is to teach students about the different subjects that they specialize in. However, that is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the roles that secondary teachers play. It is also their responsibility to mold the students in the crucial point of a student’s consciousness. At this point, the students are at a crucial point in their psychological development, as they begin to make independent decisions. As an authority figure that the students are in close contact with, secondary teachers should not just teach the lessons, but also connect the concepts that are learned from the subjects and teach the students how the concepts make sense in real life. The objective is not really to build scientists or mathematicians, but to educate the students in all aspects of life. A secondary teacher is in a very good position from which to teach students how to make informed decisions, and to think critically.

To be able to fulfill his duties, a secondary teacher should have certain characteristics. First of all, a secondary teacher should have extensive knowledge about the subject that he is teaching. This can help boost a teacher’s confidence when it comes to teaching a class composed of independent students. They should also have excellent planning skills, because they would have to plan lessons and activities that can effectively relay the lessons to the young students. Planning skills will also come in handy when they set class goals and prepare end-of-term exams. They should also have a lot of patience, especially since they will be dealing with a diverse mix of personalities that are fueled with the eagerness and enthusiasm of the young. This developmental stage can be a bit hard to deal with so a secondary teacher should also be adaptable. The most important skill needed by a secondary teacher is communication skills. This will help them properly explain the lessons, and expound on the concepts to make them meaningful to the students. Also, they need such skills to help them communicate with parents and work closely with them for the development of the students.

The special qualities of secondary teaching jobs are the reasons why before a person can become a secondary teacher, he should have prior teaching experience and sufficient academic training, especially that of a more focused nature, specifically on the field selected for specialization. They should also be prepared and eager to pursue higher education to update their knowledge and skills.

In exchange for the heavy responsibilities, a secondary teacher is faced with a lot of new and bright opportunities. They can pursue further studies, and attain a higher level of study, which will, of course, carry over to the level of their salary and value as an educator. As challenging as it may seem, a secondary teacher job is also very beneficial, enriching and empowering.

Boston-area student marketing company, Effective Student Marketing, introduces a new student recruitment marketing system, Education Alerts, at the Annual Career College Association Convention, held June 26-27 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Career College Association Convention and Exposition is the only one of its kind for the career college community..

Andover, MA (PRWEB) June 26, 2008–Boston-area

Student marketing company, Effective Student Marketing (ESM), introduces a new student recruitment marketing system, Education Alerts, at the Annual Career College Association (CCA) Convention, held June 26-27 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Education Alerts

Education Alerts is ESM’s online student marketing system for career schools and continuing education unsts of colleges and universities. Education Alerts is a dynamic content engine designed to produce an ongoing dialogue to excite and engage students and prospects. Through a consistent flow of relevant content, Education Alerts helps schools generate new leads, maintain a dialogue with existing prospects and build a strong market presence, ultimately leading to improved enrollment revenue and profitability of student marketing programs.

“We needed a way to reach the students looking for schools electronically. We had experience with other media, but didn’t know where to start with the internet and email. Education Alerts generated targeted ads, produced relevant content, and crafted direct response emails to reach students we previously didn’t know how to contact. We’ve definitely seen an increase in enrollments since we began Education Alerts.” says a California beauty school President.

Effective Student Marketing, Inc.

Effective Student Marketing, Inc. is a strategic marketing organization specializing in student lead generation programs, student marketing and student recruitment, designed exclusively to help career schools, colleges and continuing education units reach the right students at the right time. The management team has many years of combined senior level experience working exclusively in education marketing on the school side. Although ESM utilizes internet marketing tools and techniques, including cost per lead and search engine advertising, ESM’s staff of education marketing specialists have the experience, skills and knowledge to provide client schools with a full range of marketing services.

Career College Association Convention & Exposition

The Career College Association Convention & Exposition is the only one of its kind for the career college community. It consists of breakout sessions led by experts from a variety of different educational tracks, exhibits from business partners and servicers, and networking opportunities for industry associates. The event concludes with the Imagine America Foundation Gala where recognition and awards are given to members who have positively impacted business.

This year’s convention ‘Made in America: Education for a Global Marketplace’ will feature Conservative Political Visionary and Thought-Leader, Newt Gingrich and IBM Corporation, Innovation and Technology Executive Vice President, Nicholas M. Donofrio.

Attendees are typically presidents, owners, directors and administrators of career colleges – privately owned and publicly traded, certificate and degree-granting, credit hour and clock hour – from across the United States and Puerto Rico. The majority of the institutions are members of the Career College Association (CCA currently has nearly 1,200 member institutions). These convention attendees are the decision-makers and the most influential purchasers of products and services designed specifically for the private, post-secondary education industry. Typically, there are nearly 1,000 attendees who register for the CCA convention each year.

Career College Association Mission

The Career College Association (CCA) is a voluntary membership organization of accredited, private post-secondary schools, institutes, colleges and universities that provide career-specific education programs. CCA has nearly 1,200 members that educate and support over one million students each year for employment in over 200 occupational fields. CCA member institutions provide the full range of higher education programs: master and doctoral degree programs, two-and four-year associate and baccalaureate degree programs, and short-term certificate and diploma programs. Visit CCA at www.career.org.

Dotty Zukoff, Communications Director

Effective Student Marketing, Inc. Tel: 978-475-0880

http://www.effectivestudentmarketing.com/contact.html

One hundred and fifteen years ago, a scholarly group of men released the Report of the Committee of Ten. The Report of the Committee of Ten was a comprehensive document detailing the spirit and substance of secondary school education. Twenty five years later, in 1918, the Committee’s thorough and cohesive report was refuted by the Department of the Interior Bureau of Education in a proclamation titled Cardinal Principles of Secondary Education. Though not overtly stated, the Cardinal Principles was a contested response and re-direction to the Report of the Committee of Ten. While the Committee sought to enable and empower all students through education, the Cardinal Principles aimed to train boys and girls in prescribed roles and set values that would perpetuate the status quo. This article will discuss the polarity between the Committee of Ten and the Cardinal Principles as a contest between educating the student, and training the student.

The Committee of Ten wanted to enlighten the “immature mind of the school student”, (J.M. Taylor, 1894, p. 194) namely, both boys and girls, with an education that would last a lifetime. The Committee aimed to do this through a “continuity of study”. This “continuity of study” would develop in two ways. First, the “school student” would receive an in depth education in nine “principal fields of knowledge” and their respective auxiliary subjects. (The Committee of Ten: Main Report, Section 46, 1893) Secondly, the Committee having a concern for a student’s complete education and knowing only a small proportion of students would stay to the end of secondary schooling at eighteen years of age, wanted also to have this continuity of study commence in the elementary grades with the introduction to the nine “principal fields of knowledge”. For the Committee, it was vital to develop “all mental habits, which the adult will surely need …before the age of fourteen.” (The Committee of Ten: Main Report, Section 16) Ultimately, the Committee of Ten believed that educating the student meant opening the intellect to thought and knowledge. (The Committee of Ten: Main Report, Sections 46 - 50) The Committee believed that this development of the intellect was the main purpose of education.

In response to the Committee’s view of education, the Cardinal Principles boldly retorted “its protest against any and all plans” of the Committee of Ten’s “formalism and sterility” because it resulted in “divorcing vocation and social-civic education.” (Cardinal Principles of Secondary Education, Chapters V – VII, 1918) The writers of the Cardinal Principles presented seven principles that were intended to re-organize secondary school education from the Committee’s intellectualism to “vocation” and “social- civic education”. These seven Cardinal Principles would replace formalized, developmental academic knowledge with training in life tasks, and, moral values for boys and girls.

By eradicating pedagogy and curriculum that would allow students to think in the abstract and replace this with training in concrete life skills, the writers of the Cardinal Principles hoped to maintain and sustain the current American economy and democracy. A boy was to be equipped with the ability “to secure a livelihood for himself and those dependent on him…” (Cardinal Principles of Secondary Education, Principle 4 Vocation, Section 7) A girl was to be trained in the “household arts…because of their importance to the girl herself and to others whose welfare will be directly in her keeping.” (Cardinal Principles of Secondary Education, Principle 3, Worthy home membership, Section 6) With boys and girls trained to employ their proper places in society, it was expected that the American economy would prosper.

Of equal importance in secondary school instruction, was the immersion of boys and girls in moral values. These values were expected to “permeate the entire school –principals, teachers, and pupils”; this infusion of moral values would shape the primary ingredient needed in a democratic society, namely, “Ethical character”. (Cardinal Principles of Secondary Education, Principle 7, Ethical character, Sections 9 & 10) For the writers of the Cardinal Principles, without the seven cardinal principles, secondary education was frivolous and wasteful since it did not prepare boys and girls for “the needs of life”. (Ravitch, 2000. p. 129)

While the Committee of Ten was intent on intellectualizing the student; the Cardinal Principles was fixed on training the student. The Committee of Ten believed, given an education, a student would develop the thinking processes necessary to make right decisions in adulthood. The writers of the Cardinal Principles held an opposing view. They believed that only through practical rote skills and values could the “right attitude”, “sterling character”, and “right principles” guarantee the right workings of adulthood. (Cardinal Principles of Secondary Education, Chapters I - XX)

The effects of the Cardinal Principles are imbedded in the systems of education today. It is the skills and training that a student garners by the end of Secondary School which are of most importance; not the development of his or her independence of thought. Given the turbulent times of today, it is debatable if the Cardinal Principles of ninety years ago can ensure an American society that is secure and sustainable tomorrow.

References

Elliot, C. W. (1893). Report of the Committee of Ten. Retrieved October 23, 2007 from http://tmh.floonet.net/books/commorften/mainrpt.html

National Education Association. (1918) Cardinal Principles of Secondary Education.Retrieved October 23, 2007 from

http://tmh.floonet.net/articles/cardprin.html

Ravitch, D. (2000). Left Back, A Century of Battles Over School Reform. New York:Simon & Schuster.

Taylor, J. M. (1894). The Report of the Committee of Ten. The School Review 2(4), 193-199. Retrieved October 23, 2007 from http://www.jstor.org/journals/ucpress.html.