Education nation Part 2: Our Country, Our Future

Tom Brokaw does a decent job laying out the ground work for the atrocious graduation rates, namely identifying the dismal fact that of 100 high school students about 25 drop out and of the 75 who manage to graduate only 38 are actually ready for college. WHAT? Is that not enough to wake students out of their stupor? Do parents feel any pressure from that statistic? Geoffrey Canada of Harlem Children Zone is all over the Education Nation videos and discussions and he says something rather significant, but VERY overlooked. He says we used to have the great students! He states rather passionately that we, as a nation, have lost our way. It's the "great student" slip that I'd like to focus on for now.

In the seventies education was peaking and what kids were getting was what we would consider old-fashioned plain old teaching. That was my generation in elementary school. So what went wrong between 1970 and 2000? That's only 30 years and we somehow got caught in a landslide and it's been shitty ever since. The humorous part about this video-info-gram is that teachers have known this for years and no one listens; not principals, not school boards, not anyone. Somehow the actual art of teaching got lost, the society got lost, people got lost...

Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education, says that American businesses are already lamenting the fact that there will not be enough educated Americans to fill the jobs within their companies. WTF America? Do we want more American jobs shipped off over seas or filled by foreigners on work visas because our kids are too stupid to do the job? That probably ruffled some feathers and I hope it did. I hope every parent gets a fire up their arse to do something. And you know what? It's about time. Geoffrey Canada made the correct statement: great students. Yes, where are they? Are you guys keeping them at home, hiding them in closets, or maybe you just opted for the private school, like our President. 

It seems to me that kids are much more interested in being "cool" or "bad ass" or reveling in their own lack of intelligence by claiming anarchy and clinging to the popular culture of American idiocy. Look at what young people watch on television, track on tweeter and Facebook. Nothing but a bunch a out of control assholes and bitches talking smack and acting like their shit doesn't stink. Guess what you young people? Your shit stinks to high heaven. You just can't smell Snooki through the television, thank God! As a student, you need to bring something to the learning process. Not just a pencil and paper, but your freaking BRAIN! When you lay your head on your book because you're bored or tired from staying up till all hours on your computer, the words and information in the book don't jump into your head. Teachers for the most part do try many ways of engaging teens and younger students, but kids are not always bringing their best self to the desk.

If you're a parent of one of these kids, don't kid yourself that it's all the teachers' fault. The fact is there are so many reasons why the system is not working that there is no easy answer. I liked this thought about the "great students" because we used to have them. If you're 35ish and older you probably used to be one. If the thought of talking back to a teacher never occurred to you, then you went to school in an entirely different era. Your education might as well have been in outer space. Today's "Great Students" talk back, tell teachers and fellow students to "fuck off" and don't think twice about ruining a classroom environment for everyone else. They love the attention from their peers, you know the attention you don't give them at home. I tell you honestly, that if I could remove a few kids from every class (the ones who take up time with constant discipline, could-give-a-shit-attitudes, and the ones who just want to take a snooze) I would have a PERFECT learning environment in every period for all the rest of my students, and one of those might be yours!

Before you get ready to bitch at me for being honest, I would like tosay that I am one of the innovative, caring and work hard teachers. I really care about all my students and I am worried sick that so many of America's high school graduates are not prepared for college. Reality is what it is. There are kids who just suck the air and life out of a classroom. I'm sick of it, the other kids are sick of it and you should be making sure your kid isn't one whose absence is a blessing for the rest of us.

Our Country, Our Future

Education Nation Part 1: Tony Danza

Watching Tony Danza talk about his experience teaching was probably one of the more reality based expositions for teachers. He hit the nail on the head when he said that in his several years of teaching 10th grade English he realized that respect for teachers is paramount. As an educator myself, I live with the daily struggle of surviving the sad home lives, the tragedies, the disparities and unfairness manifest in the home lives of the students I teach. Teaching is so much more than just lesson plans and the current "flavor strategy" administrators are salivating to see. Tony stated quite unequivocally that perhaps a "little respect would go a long way." He meant respect for what teachers must grind through on a daily basis.

In a class period (anywhere from 45 to 55 minutes)a teacher must teach the curriculum, instill values, develop character, teach self-discipline and self-control and counsel students all day, everyday. That was Tony Danza's take. He joked that perhaps he needed another period to squeeze all that in...I'm sure he didn't get it. This is something we teachers are all too familiar with.

As a parent, do you ever wonder who your child turns to when you get a divorce, can't afford groceries, or get put in jail? When your dating life spills into your home and your kids are all confused, did it ever occur to you that your child might be coming to me for parental support that you should be providing? Teachers are second parents, away from home, and in some cases doing a better job at connecting with your children than you are.

When asked about how to get rid of bad teachers, Tony's comment was encouraging. He said that he wasn't sure there were bad teachers per say, just frustrated ones. He got that right. And yes, we do cry...sometimes it's the only way to get through the day. OK, a glass of wine helps:)

I'll be commenting on the Education Nation Summit every day. Keep posted. I wish Tony good luck and thank you.

http://news.bostonherald.com/entertainment/television/general/view/20100930whos_the_boss_in_the_classroom_tony_danza/srvc=home&position=also

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