FIRST CLASSMATE
Discussion Question #1
Public schools face a myriad of challenges that prevent them from operating at the optimal level. The problem facing public schools that I would like to explore in this course is budget cuts. Budget cuts are the most pressing issue that public schools have been facing in recent years (Woods et al., 2019). The main reason for choosing to explore this problem is because budget cuts are a source of many problems in public schools. Any stakeholder in the education sector is likely to be part of the conversation about budget cuts. This is a topic worth exploring since budget decisions affect all stakeholders of public schools. Jackson et al. (2021) noted that budget cuts are one of the factors that might bring education to its breaking point in the United States. Many schools are yet to recover from the effects of the 2008 financial recession. The decision by schools to reduce their budget implies that learning outcomes are likely to worsen. Adequate funding is one of the factors that play an important role in improving the academic performance of learners. Research has shown that there is a positive correlation between funding and academic performance (Woods et al., 2019). Budget cuts for the school also imply that there will be fewer resources to meet the learning needs of all the learners.
Solving budget issues will bring considerable benefits to the school. Increasing budgetary allocations for the school will go a long way in improving learning outcomes for the learners. Increasing funding implies that the school will have enough resources to run programs that are part of the success of learners. Further, increasing funding for the school means that the school will be in a good position to hire enough staff to support its academic programs.
Reference
s
Jackson, C. K., Wigger, C., & Xiong, H. (2021). Do school spending cuts matter? Evidence from the Great Recession. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 13(2), 304-35.
https://doi.org/10.1257/pol.20180674
Links to an external site.
Woods, P., Jeffrey, B., Troman, G., & Boyle, M. (2019). Restructuring schools, reconstructing teachers: Responding to change in the primary school. Routledge.
SECOND CLASSMATE
Discussion Question One:
Considering your position, what challenges in your workplace would you consider most relevant to address?
Many challenges come in the workplace that is considered most relevant to address. For example, lack of communication is essential at all levels and aspects of the workplace, and a lack of communication is a common workplace problem. It is vital to create a safe space for honest discussion, feedback, and an exchange of opinions. Encouraging regular meetings and allowing colleagues’ input help improve the need for more communication. However, a lack of communication should be considered most relevant to address because communication is the key to success.
What are the reasons supporting your interest in addressing the topic?
I chose a lack of communication because it is vital for everyone to understand the purpose of communication. For example, the leader says, in a meeting, “Team, you all failed to turn your monthly report in on its due date. Suddenly everyone starts saying, “When was the due date? You did not give a specific date.” The leader replied and said, “Oh! That is right! I was supposed to have mentioned the due date in the last meeting. As a result, they should not be held accountable for not having their report in on time. Therefore, when you do not effectively communicate, it could lead to obstacles.
How would it benefit your organization?
Communication would benefit my organization by ensuring employees have the information they need to perform well, building a positive work environment, and eliminating inefficiencies. According to Randall (2020), Communication accurately conveys information while maintaining or improving human relationships (p.12).
Reference
Randall, T. (2020). Communication issues in your workplace. Journal of Effective Communication, 5(12), 10-15.