Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Raising a Bunch of Pussies...

We're behind the rest of the world in mathematics and science. Our college student's cannot string two sentences together. We are dependent on immigrant labor to harvest our crops each year. Etc...etc...etc...

Let me tell you what I see in the schools and you can decide if you don't think this is contributing to America's major problems:

1) A student is asked to complete an assignment. After each and every problem they are asking if it is being done correctly. No patience to wait until the class reviews. They need instant gratification.

2) A class is assigned a project. As the teacher is going through the directions students are asking questions that the teacher has yet to get to.

3) Directions are written on the board and nobody reads them

4) A due date is given and nobody writes it down.

5) A student is failing for turning in nothing - and instead of telling the child to get their act together, they have conferences asking the child what more can the teacher's do to help them.

They want, want, want, now, now now but without having to lift a finger to get what it is they want. Instead of intervening and telling the child they are in dire straights and may not graduate, they pass them onto the next grade without having to make up the failed credit. These kids have been given everything they want, when they want it - and because of it they think they are owed everything...now. Including grades.

I'm worried.

WHAT is going on???

6 comments:

Andrea said...

Yeah, why is that? Kids are really needy theses day. Maybe we should take away indoor plumbing and make them feed chickens before they have to go to school. I really think they need to appriciate things more. They have really gotten selfish.

The small town school where my kids go still allow paddling. I think it's good for those kids who really need it. Good old southern schools.

I was visiting my friend in Ohio, she is my best friend, and her daughter said something rude to my son so I told her that she shouldn't say rude things. She rolled her eyes at me. Her mother said nothing, so I told her not to roll her eyes at me that she was being very disrespectful. Her mom got mad??? Uhmmm??? Maybe the mom should have stepped in there and told her she shouldn't act like that to adults.

It's all about slacker parents. I love that in the south every kid says, Yes Mamm and No Sir. They are all really polite to adults. Well, most kids.

But now I am writting a novel and I need to be getting my kidos into the car. I have to go to the feed store!!

AJ said...

I try to be a strict parent. I find myself slacking sometimes, and my kids get a lot more than I did. We make more than my parents did, there are more conveniences like Netflix and so many more toys, and it's easy to just give your kids things you didn't get.

But, in all reality, I think I'm fairly strict compared to parents of other kids Ava's age that we've met at ballet, catechism, summer softball, etc. I mean, we spank our kids when they're naughty...how many parents still do that? Not many, they'd rather be 'friends' with their kids. That's for later in life, when they're young, they need parents to teach them limits, they don't need parents to be their friends.

I'm big on learning, too. I buy Ava workbooks and flash cards and all the kindergarten-y stuff, and she LOVES it. She loves to learn, you can see it. I do contribute a lot of it to the fact that her parents are both engineers, and I'm proud of that. But I see a lot less parents pushing their kids these days because they're afraid.

Now I wrote a novel, too, but I agree, I'm with ya' and the world needs more strict parents and teachers!

YGS said...

Good luck! Being a teacher sounds really tough.

Cheryl Ann said...

Hey, I hear 'ya. I even write the page number of the assignments on the board and my kids ask, "What page?" Huh? I ALWAYS write the page number on the white board for them. I mean, REALLY, how BRAIN DEAD can mine be? Yes. I think this generation is so coddled and SPOILED and LAZY...these are future voters, for crying out loud!

Diana said...

You hit the nail on the head. Instant gratification. People (kids and adults) don't want to work for something. Want a new car? Use credit-why save....I can go on with the examples. It's really a shame. I totally agree with AJ. Parent first then worry about being their friend after they've been accepted into college!!

BrownEyed Cowgirl said...

I stumbled over here from Andrea's blog, but just have to comment...

I only substitute teach at school and I am really starting to hate it. I want to crack these kids in the head and make them have some manners...then I want to hunt down their parents and crack them in the head too. Why the hell does everyone think they are soooo entitled anymore?

Teachers have to spend most of their time making sure that everyone feels special and fulfilled NOT teaching. These kids don't think they have to put any effort into it, much less feel responsible for completing homework assignments. It's their parent's fault. Manners, respect and responsibility start at home, but no one wants to take the time to teach their kids that anymore. Probably because they don't have any manners, respect and are not responsible themselves.

I live on a reservation, so anything that is said or any action is immediately labeled "rascist". I am so sick of it and so are a lot of other people. This whole politically correct movement is destroying our society. It's time for the pendulum to swing the other way and as teachers-you guys need to start making waves with the administration. As a whole unit, you can force the administration to start putting some of the responsibility back on the parents. Your job should be strictly to teach the required core and assess whether certain kids actually do need extra help, you should not have to tolerate disrespect, disruption and/or fear physical violence from students.

I feel for you teachers though. It's a job I would never want to do full time(not sure if I want to even do it part-time anymore). Rather than lowering standards of requirements-we should be expecting more kids to rise to the occasion.