stressed about the handcuffed kid? worried about the state of education?

[ulysses]

Where are we on *really* doing something to help the kids and the schools? Where are we on *really* doing something about the poverty and despair that kids in the city bring to the classroom? Where are we on bettering labor conditions so that a mother *can* take time off work to deal with a troubled kid?

[havocmom]

1. You hit on a lot of the problems

And compassionate conservatism is not making things better. How is the climate where you all work? Instilling fear and loathing or making things more comfortable and responsive to the needs of human beings?

Yep, capitalism run amok is a big part of the problem. Parents are working more, enjoying it less and nobody is giving youngsters anything but lip service. We are not raising human beings anymore, we are producing more cogs for the machinery that eats us. More and more of the kids will be ticking time bombs.

[ulysses]

2. can't speak for others

but the climate in my school is largely one of hopelessness. Much fear directed at kids who've already had more than enough of it in their young lives, even more directed at teachers.

[dsc]

3. I am with you man

My school is just unbelievable. I have worked in the MS Delta and Cleveland and this school is actually worse run than those. The sad thing here is that we do have a decent number of really smart kids but the place has run so amok that in all but our highest level classes it is all but impossible for students to learn anything. My algebra 1a class is unreal. It is very likely that 2/3 will fail or get a D.

[ulysses]

5. I'll be interested to see

what my admin is like next year, since they've already told my principal he's not coming back. It needs to get a lot better, but it could easily get a lot worse.

[dsc]

8. Ours will be there for one more year

then he retires. I am only staying put due to the fact I will have a stats class next year. In addition to my advanced functions and modeling classes that gives me an upper class schedule for the most part (we have only 3 classes per day). I will likely have a 1A class again but with 2 upper level classes that is bearable.

On edit I hope you get a good principal next year. As you point out things can get worse but they also could get better. Maybe you will be lucky and get an up and comer who really does a bang up job.

[Just Me]

4. Frankly, until we change the "face" of leadership,...NOTHING,...

,..will be accomplished.

Look, listen, absorb.

We have fascist corporacrats running our country right now.

All of us who fall below the top %5 will get NOTHING, PAY ALL WE HAVE TO BUY INTO FALSE FREEDOM. FALSE HOPE, FALSE "AMERICAN DREAM" and "OWNERSHIP SOCIETY", as long as the corporacrats are in charge.

Can we survive their abuses of our resources? Sure. Slaves have always survived.

However, this time, we are ALL slaves,...equally treated as "gadgets" to spend and "consumers" to buy,...in order to empower the corporacrats.

It's true,...it's real,...it's happening.

(Dictators NEVER discrimate,...except to incite division, increase power. Ever noticed that?)

[ulysses]

7. corporate education is a huge problem, yes.

Privatized "reform" initiatives essentially run our curriculum here.

[lastliberalintexas]

6. That's too much work

The problems we face in the public education system are very complex, societal, and can't be cured overnight. Money is needed (badly), but alone is not enough. We need people- PARENTS- to actually care about the education their children receive. We need students able to show up for school ready for the day, rather than sleepy because they had no supervision the night before and stayed up late watching tv, or hungry because no one made them breakfast or there was no breakfast to make. We need parents who make living wages so that their children are supervised on schoolnights by the other parent or competent nannies/sitters. We need parents who make living wages so that they are able to buy the students' supplies, lunches, and proper healthcare. I could certainly continue as to the responsibilities being ignored by the parents and students, but I won't for now.

We also need competent, professional teachers who are paid appropriately. We need more teachers, since the easiest way to improve education is to improve the student teacher ratio. And we need administrators to either lead or get out of the way.

Ok, so that last one is a little vague, but I guess you can tell I don't care much for administrators. :)

But that isn't the plan. So long as the public education system and its employees and students are discredited, certain groups feel they can garner increasing support for voucher programs. And they're right. The destruction of the public education system is a long term goal of certain elements, just as the destruction of Social Security is for many of the same people. And it is working. I'm sure you know many teachers who've had enough and have left the profession entirely, as do I. I'm sure you also know some people who've pulled their kids from the public schools- th eones who can afford to do so anyway. And I'm sure you know many who can't afford it who are grousing about vouchers. The public only hears that our system is failing, white flight has made dire situations even worse, and funding is being slashed at every level. Remind me again who said it is easier to govern an uneducated populace? Hitler you say? I'll be darned!


And on the labor issue- not anytime soon. We're actually getting much, much worse on that front. While we're not back to the times of a throwaway workforce yet, we're mighty close.

[Yupster]

12. But my question lastlib is

what's changed so much?

When I went to school, the schools had much less money than today even inflation adjusted. Teachers made a fraction of what they make today inflation adjusted.

Thirty five years ago teachers had much less training than today, and many fewer degrees.

There was a much smaller number of support staff in the schools, and no specialists. There was no security at all, and kids routinely carried knives to class and no one thought anything of it.

Class sizes were bigger than they are today.

There was no air-conditioning, no free breakfasts, and very limited free lunches.

There were no behavior modifying drugs to give the one quarter of boys who act up.

And yet kids sat in their chairs, the teachers taught and the kids learned.

So, what's gone so terribly wrong with our society that today classes are out of control and discipline has completely broken down in many schools.

[Horse with no Name]

9. The thing is that it doesn't have to be a parent

I work from home now so I am available at the drop of a hat.
7 or 8 parents have asked if there is an emergency at school and they are unavailable, would I please go in place of them.
And I have done that. When the children are sick, or disruptive, or forget their lunch money, or need a ride home, etc.
Everyone can network with their friends--and make new friends--and just be there for each other in that regard if they don't already.
You can volunteer at the schools. Offer to help at risk kids do their homework after school. Advocate for after school programs in your community. If you know a single mother who works long hours, volunteer to take her child a couple times a week if you time, or a few hours on the weekend. Surprise her with making an extra casserole for her family one night. Give her a break. Heaven knows that working and raising children without any help can be a huge burden, and when parents reach the breaking point, it generally trickles down to the kids.
People are struggling all around us. It is up to us to help pick up slack where we can--and basically to love thy neighbor.

[ulysses]

11. these are all good things to do

but they aren't going to go all that far in helping the kids I teach.

[ulysses]

10. !

:kick: