Petition
THIS IS TENTATIVE!!
Repeat, this is simply a tentative draft, and is not final in any way, shape or form. I would still like to meet with a few administrators and teachers to find out the intricacies and details of this new policy before any major action is taken. I would like everyone's opinion of who reads this, regardless of if they comment regularly or not. Any questions, comments or suggestions are encouraged. Thanks.
Due to the recent rule changes at Mishawaka High School, this petition was formed in an attempt to alert the administration that the student body does not agree with the current seminar policy. The overall goal of this petition is to change seminar back to how it was in the years prior to the 2005-06 school year. Last academic school year this very same issue was brought up and at that time a solution was thought to have been agreed upon. That was obviously not the case. During the summer the issue was brought up once again, and hence a new policy was set forth. The three blocked seminar format is simply ineffective and more of a hindrance than a help. In the following paragraphs, this petition will outline the major problems with the current seminar format.
Seminar has always been viewed as a privilege. The fact of the matter is that the majority of students do not abuse this privilege. Those who do abuse it are the most conspicuous. The ones who socialize in the hallways, the ones who don’t proceed directly to their next class listed on their pass, the ones who alter their pass stand out above the rest. The ones that don’t get caught are the ones who follow the rules. They are the ones who are in their classrooms getting the help that they need in order to maintain their GPAs and continue striving for excellence. Those are the ones that are hurt by this policy, because 20 minutes is simply not enough time to get what they need to get accomplished.
If a student is absent on a Maroon Day, how can they be expected to get all their make-up work? With only three blocks of seminar and four classes, this becomes an impossibility. The solution given by the administration? Go in before or after school and speak with your teacher. Several problems occur with this. First, students are not allowed to visit teachers before school unless they have a pass. How can they obtain a pass if they are absent? After school may be a problem for some too. Students may be involved in extracurricular activities, sports, or may need to proceed home right away. Students are therefore forced to pick which three classes are of most importance to them and which ones they would like to get their make-up work for.
Seminar time is to enhance student learning through individual study or group study with the permission of the teacher. Students may also use this time to obtain assignments for days missed, to pursue research in the Media Center, or to utilize the “open labs” in English, Math, Science, and Business. Students may be restricted for failing grades or for violating seminar procedures.
- Page 51, MIHI Guide, 2005-06
It becomes problematic for students to “enhance learning” when they are forced to remain in the same class for 20 minutes even if it is to pick up a single worksheet. On the other end of the spectrum, at times 20 minutes is not enough. In many cases a whole lesson will be missed. A student is expected to learn a lesson in 20 minutes and then proceed to two other classes? It’s simply not possible.
This new policy is simply ineffective. The majority of students use their seminar time wisely. They follow the rules and use seminar as a time to expand their learning and enhance their abilities. The new seminar format restricts that. Those who have chosen to sign this petition agree to follow the aforementioned rules about seminar stated in the current issue of the MIHI Guide in exchange for the seminar policy to be reverted to what it was during the 2004-05 school year. We thank you in advance for taking the time to consider our request.
Repeat, this is simply a tentative draft, and is not final in any way, shape or form. I would still like to meet with a few administrators and teachers to find out the intricacies and details of this new policy before any major action is taken. I would like everyone's opinion of who reads this, regardless of if they comment regularly or not. Any questions, comments or suggestions are encouraged. Thanks.
Due to the recent rule changes at Mishawaka High School, this petition was formed in an attempt to alert the administration that the student body does not agree with the current seminar policy. The overall goal of this petition is to change seminar back to how it was in the years prior to the 2005-06 school year. Last academic school year this very same issue was brought up and at that time a solution was thought to have been agreed upon. That was obviously not the case. During the summer the issue was brought up once again, and hence a new policy was set forth. The three blocked seminar format is simply ineffective and more of a hindrance than a help. In the following paragraphs, this petition will outline the major problems with the current seminar format.
Seminar has always been viewed as a privilege. The fact of the matter is that the majority of students do not abuse this privilege. Those who do abuse it are the most conspicuous. The ones who socialize in the hallways, the ones who don’t proceed directly to their next class listed on their pass, the ones who alter their pass stand out above the rest. The ones that don’t get caught are the ones who follow the rules. They are the ones who are in their classrooms getting the help that they need in order to maintain their GPAs and continue striving for excellence. Those are the ones that are hurt by this policy, because 20 minutes is simply not enough time to get what they need to get accomplished.
If a student is absent on a Maroon Day, how can they be expected to get all their make-up work? With only three blocks of seminar and four classes, this becomes an impossibility. The solution given by the administration? Go in before or after school and speak with your teacher. Several problems occur with this. First, students are not allowed to visit teachers before school unless they have a pass. How can they obtain a pass if they are absent? After school may be a problem for some too. Students may be involved in extracurricular activities, sports, or may need to proceed home right away. Students are therefore forced to pick which three classes are of most importance to them and which ones they would like to get their make-up work for.
Seminar time is to enhance student learning through individual study or group study with the permission of the teacher. Students may also use this time to obtain assignments for days missed, to pursue research in the Media Center, or to utilize the “open labs” in English, Math, Science, and Business. Students may be restricted for failing grades or for violating seminar procedures.
- Page 51, MIHI Guide, 2005-06
It becomes problematic for students to “enhance learning” when they are forced to remain in the same class for 20 minutes even if it is to pick up a single worksheet. On the other end of the spectrum, at times 20 minutes is not enough. In many cases a whole lesson will be missed. A student is expected to learn a lesson in 20 minutes and then proceed to two other classes? It’s simply not possible.
This new policy is simply ineffective. The majority of students use their seminar time wisely. They follow the rules and use seminar as a time to expand their learning and enhance their abilities. The new seminar format restricts that. Those who have chosen to sign this petition agree to follow the aforementioned rules about seminar stated in the current issue of the MIHI Guide in exchange for the seminar policy to be reverted to what it was during the 2004-05 school year. We thank you in advance for taking the time to consider our request.