School Teachers continue to Molest Our Childen-Map of incidents/stories (2008-2011-Shocking!)

reply to post by tncryptogal


You know, as a parent, I think that we push kids so hard in this country from such a young age that by the time they reach the higher grades, they have started to have their limit. Other countries push kids as well and are more successful, but I don't think the methods are the same. For one, America has a problem with parental involvement. You have parents who don't care, are too busy, yada yada, but we also have schools who seem to deter parental involvement as well. One district in my area has made it so hard for parents to participate due to mandatory fingerprinting and criminal screening(at the parent's expense-yes they are already paying their tax dollars and still have to pay for this) that most parents don't even bother. The whole education system needs reworked from the bottom up.
As a teacher's aide, my best advice to you is to teach enthusiastically and really let the students know you care about them personally and educationally. If you respect them, they will respect you, but don't be a push-over. Some of them have no one to care for them, and they seem aloof, but they hear you. If I were a teacher right now, I think I would probably be reprimanded, but I would teach as little as I could get away with from the required text and curriculum, and use other methods to make learning more enjoyable for the students. I would never be beyond dressing up like a historical figure and encouraging the acting out of historical events. These are the things that stick in young minds. I'd research with them, not lord over them. In the end, I think I could die knowing I really made a difference.

Originally posted by tncryptogal
I will ask you for your input.

My two cents Not sure how many will agree but here it goes...

Education starts with parents. Teaching the kids between right and wrong is the parents responsibility regardless of what the institutions and external forces might tend to influence the children. Strong values and moral can withstand external forces which most children are often victims of.

With respect to schooling system, the curriculum is way too low in US. It has to be matched up to the international level especially Mathematics & Sciences (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) regardless if the parents or students feel that it will not be useful down the road. It is the thinking pattern that is harnessed along with training the mind with the intense subjects such as mathematics. Prohibit the use of Calculators & Computers for homework in the classroom when it comes to Mathematics. Computers should be used for other majors and only to submit homework if required electronically. How many children or adults do you know that can write/spell or read properly? Computers correct mistakes using spell checker and there is no writing since it is typing. Calculators perform the complex calculations which can otherwise also be performed by hand though it might take few minutes. The use of technology although the norm and often helps in the industry, it actually handicaps the students and their brain upto certain extent as they do no use the basic skills which are only designed for a good thought process all throughout their life.

There should be more hands on education and more lab work in addition to classroom theory and exams.

If possible, promote dress code so that everyone is equal under the classroom (just like the military). This avoids competition of the negative kind (looking cool or possessing the coolest of gadgets or clothes or shoes etc etc) and helps focus the energy more into the positive direction. Remember kids are full of energy. Channeling the energy into positive direction is a challenge but it is very effective since they can be pushed, molded for their own future and for good.

Many parents are complacent and against the idea of kids being burdened with lot of homework. There is no choice except to load the students with more homework. If a country has invested extensively into technology then it should also produce enough students to sustain the technology. Lack of graduates will only result in the outsourcing of jobs (though this is a two sided sword where most of the time its the profits that the corporation is after and not necessarily the right skill for the right position).

Competion should be encouraged with classroom activity and grades along with athletic events. A Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body

The clothing industry thrives and makes a fortune off the Kids and Women's apparel and accessories. It is mind boggling but that is the sad reality. Uniforms should be introduced and casual wear for Saturdays (half day school). This would definitely help the parents with the expenses and worries as per what to buy every season for their children.

Tonnes of toxic garbage is dumped from Chinese factories into the mainstream market with absolutely no learning value from it (though there are few toys). Parents should not invest in useless toys.

Parents should be encouraged to provide more direct input in a school district by a voting process rather than following the laws established by beurocrats affiliated with the public schools and the budgets.

Teachers should be allowed to lightly punish the students upto certain extent upto the 10th grade.

TV channels such as Disney, PBS etc should introduce more curriculum specific competitive shows instead of entertainment alone shows. Subsequently the Parents should be coached and encouraged to limit the amount of Television/Computer and Video games the childrens should be allowed to watch/play in a day.

Ofcourse in the US there are complex laws that governs and controls everything and thus it limits the effectiveness of strict discipline even if we wanted to. But it can happen if the parents are serious about it.

Originally posted by Komaratzi11
reply to post by tncryptogal

 

You know, as a parent, I think that we push kids so hard in this country from such a young age that by the time they reach the higher grades, they have started to have their limit.

Pushed in which direction? The human body can handle 10 times more than what it can think. Its mind over matter if you believe in it. I agree that in the US as well, the kids are certainly pushed and under lot of pressure but i think they are not pushed in the right direction and it is the peer pressure that gets them. However as parents it is our job to teach just that to the kids which is to face the problems, decide and choose between right and wrong and move forward without getting lost in the crowd.

reply to post by hp1229


I think you are spot on with the things you were saying in your post about education. Yes, I think peer pressure is a very large problem in this country and it disrupts the learning process for many. Unfortunately, from my experience working in a school, I see so many parents who seem to be too busy or distracted to help their children learn and guide them in ways to resist peer pressure. Many even promote it by buying the latest and greatest whatevers for their kids so they appear to be "cool". I wish parents could understand that their kids really want them to care about what they are doing. Just last week, our high school held senior night for the winter athletes. Every senior had at least one parent with them out on the gym floor except for one boy. The coach stood up with him. How sad. His parent(s) could not even show up for one important night even for a few minutes. My daughter told me his mother never comes for anything. I'm proud of him, because in spite of it, he is a good kid and he participates knowing he has no support at home. Unfortunately, there are so many others who don't figure out how to overcome that disappointment and walk a path to success.
I think we push kids in this country hard to learn starting them early in life, but the methods just don't encourage them to like learning or to see any real reason to do so. They seem to get bored quickly and sometimes it seems that they simply shut down after a point. There seems to be a delineation between school and life. I've actually met parents who feel that it is the school's job to teach their kids and they should not have to participate in that learning beyond taking the child to the building. Personally, I have always tried to incorporate learning into things we do at home or on vacation. Not blatantly, but I like to work in learning where I can. Sometimes it's a "Hey, add this up for me real quick." when they are no where near a calculator. We cook together which is a great learning tool. And I always try to include some interesting topics and questions occasionally in conversation. My in-laws are taking us to Cancun for vacation and I thought they were going to flip when I told them my son and I were going to spend a day touring the Mayan ruins as opposed to lying on the beach. (I couldn't live with myself if I went down there and failed to do this) And that brings me to why I think our society fails to help kids see learning as important. There is a kind of "why would you want to waste your time learning when you could be ......" mentality. I don't think education should be pushed down anyone's throat, but if a love of learning is nurtured young, it becomes life long. My son is so excited about Cancun because he is going to have an "Indiana Jones" adventure, he can't wait to go and he's been imagining how big the temple is and what kinds of things we might see there. He asked if he can wear his fedora. Of course I said yes. In the meantime, we are having fun researching our destination and the Mayans. I wish every kid could be so excited!

Originally posted by Komaratzi11
reply to post by hp1229

 

I think you are spot on with the things you were saying in your post about education. Yes, I think peer pressure is a very large problem in this country and it disrupts the learning process for many. Unfortunately, from my experience working in a school, I see so many parents who seem to be too busy or distracted to help their children learn and guide them in ways to resist peer pressure. Many even promote it by buying the latest and greatest whatevers for their kids so they appear to be "cool". I wish parents could understand that their kids really want them to care about what they are doing. Just last week, our high school held senior night for the winter athletes. Every senior had at least one parent with them out on the gym floor except for one boy. The coach stood up with him. How sad. His parent(s) could not even show up for one important night even for a few minutes. My daughter told me his mother never comes for anything. I'm proud of him, because in spite of it, he is a good kid and he participates knowing he has no support at home. Unfortunately, there are so many others who don't figure out how to overcome that disappointment and walk a path to success.
I think we push kids in this country hard to learn starting them early in life, but the methods just don't encourage them to like learning or to see any real reason to do so. They seem to get bored quickly and sometimes it seems that they simply shut down after a point. There seems to be a delineation between school and life. I've actually met parents who feel that it is the school's job to teach their kids and they should not have to participate in that learning beyond taking the child to the building. Personally, I have always tried to incorporate learning into things we do at home or on vacation. Not blatantly, but I like to work in learning where I can. Sometimes it's a "Hey, add this up for me real quick." when they are no where near a calculator. We cook together which is a great learning tool. And I always try to include some interesting topics and questions occasionally in conversation. My in-laws are taking us to Cancun for vacation and I thought they were going to flip when I told them my son and I were going to spend a day touring the Mayan ruins as opposed to lying on the beach. (I couldn't live with myself if I went down there and failed to do this) And that brings me to why I think our society fails to help kids see learning as important. There is a kind of "why would you want to waste your time learning when you could be ......" mentality. I don't think education should be pushed down anyone's throat, but if a love of learning is nurtured young, it becomes life long. My son is so excited about Cancun because he is going to have an "Indiana Jones" adventure, he can't wait to go and he's been imagining how big the temple is and what kinds of things we might see there. He asked if he can wear his fedora. Of course I said yes. In the meantime, we are having fun researching our destination and the Mayans. I wish every kid could be so excited!

Well I hope you enjoy the trip and make more memories that will last a life time for both you and your son. Most kids (atleast teenagers) try to find an identity for themselves after certain age. We're all looking for answers in life. The teenagers should be made part of something special. They should not be left to wander alone in the world or to fend for themselves when the parents are alive. I agree many parents are either just too busy, tired or plain old lazy to participate or promote their children's activities. While some of them do cost money and time, there are few that only costs time but not money. If the ideas come naturally to a parent if they themselves were taken care of the right way, then they will surely treat their kids the right way. Many parents themselves are victims of circumstances or bad parenting that the results are often realized after couple of generations. There is also a big CULTURAL VACUUM in the US (not sure about other countries). This leaves room for several external forces to appeal the wandering mind of the youth.