Thursday, October 20, 2005
E-duh-cation
I don't know what has happened to the ability to verbalize in America. It seems that instead of giving care to logical thought processes and fluid writing skills, we have given over to shallow thinking and infantile expressions. If you don't believe me, simply read the side of the "Double Duty Box" from Burger King, (the drink holder you get in the drive-thru).
I know that the educational system is not what it used to be. However, learning to read and write are free, and although these things are not accomplished as quickly in our public schools as they used to be, I am fully aware, (having been both a teacher and a parent), that parents play the largest role in their children's education. Children learn "facts" from the classroom, but if those facts are not backed-up in the home, the child loses them, or finds enough disinterest in them that he never uses them later in life. A Lack of reading interest is one of my pet peeves. There is no reason why kids can't take an active interest in reading. My father has always told me, and I've heard him tell my children, "books are your best friends." My other pet peeve, of course, is lack of interest in creative writing. Parents blame the teachers for this, but to tell the truth, I am acquainted with many teachers, and have attended many workshops, and know that most teachers issue "journal writing activities" (and homework assignments) in their classrooms. As a music teacher, I did as well. However, I stopped counting the bad grades I had to give out for incomplete or missing homework. Don't get me wrong, there are parents out there who CARE DEEPLY about their children's schoolwork, but, honestly, most parents don't care at all. (Unless you say something "controversial" in class--i.e. religion/politics). I have seen normal, well-adjusted sixteen-year old students unable to put the "logical story sequence" pictures in order. These are given out in the first grade! So, what's happening with American education isn't so much the educational system, because, no matter how you look at that, it will fail. The problem is in how a student is taught to reinforce and utilize the information he has learned.
Our society is so impatient nowadays, that it is difficult for some parents to understand the need to SIT DOWN WITH a child and watch as he completes his homework, and assist if necessary. (This does not mean to DO the homework for him.)
Our children need our support. There are so many resources out there for them of which they are completely unaware because of...dare I say it...LAZY parents that it scares me to think about the future of our young people. Every generation gets a little bit "less", and if the generation that is raising children now can't help their children's education, then the NEXT generation (that would be my grandchildren's time) will not have any education at all.
Therefore, if you are a parent who is active in the learning process of your children, I say THANK YOU for the sake of your children and for society. THANK YOU for taking the time to make sure that those precious babies can think on their own without having to be dependent on other people. Most importantly, THANK YOU for loving your children enough to make sure that they have the tools that eventually enable them to teach themselves.
