He said that IQ matters, but other things are also very important: motivation, emotional stability, self-control, and sociability. I found myself agreeing with his logic. I think the gene pool is getting dangerously shallow. The people with the least to offer children are having more of them, and those with the mental and emotional wherewithal to raise successful children are having fewer. A case in point was also in my paper. A young mother was arrested for leaving 3 of her 4 children alone while she went to a party. The children were 7, 5, and 3 weeks old! One article said a 4-year-old was at the party with the father. The mother was arrested with a blood alcohol level 4 times the legal limit for driving. What are the chances that these children will be successful in school? And there's nothing the kids can do about it; they have so much to overcome. I know several children of drug-addicted parents who have missed so much that is good, and know too much that is bad.
Goodness, this post is a real downer, but I am very worried about the future. I'll try to be upbeat and silly tomorrow. Any of you still teaching feel free to weigh in with your opinions.
11 comments:
After a particularly difficult week of teaching, my husband bought me a painted board that read, "The Gene Pool Could Use a Little Chlorine".
I've met far more dreadful parents than dreadful teachers. In my opinion, there are struggling schools and poor teachers; however, they are far fewer in number than incompetent parents.
If a parent hasn't done their job at home, it is very difficult, and sometimes impossible, for the education system to compensate.
There are so many factors involved in having a successful school career and life. I've said that children do come hardwired with their own personality traits and abilities. However I've seen children who come in with everything stacked against them but managed to do very well with school (teacher-surrogate parent) support. Once they lose that teacher who will love and protect them, it's hard to keep things going if their family life and social network gives up on them. There should be workshops for all prospective parents.
I always saw the special needs kids. It seems that it is the expected job of the school to do everything because we supposedly have such well paying easy josb. Wish they could have come into my inner city classrooms...
I think that there are more cases of kids not being parented than there are of kids not being taught.
The parenting part of seeing that the kids get enough sleep, eat breakfast, and checking their homework/backpack to model that school is important is 50% of the education process. And that doesn't even take into acct. the emotional aspects of the family dynamics.
I agree about the news...very depressing.
I used to have a sign in my classroom that said, "Don't let the turkeys get you down!"
so we as grandparents can maybe make up for some of the slack by involving ourselves with our grandchildren on a personal level-giving them books and reading with them, getting them to write stories to put on our blogs, etc. etc.
I agree with kay some kids will rise despite their poor parenting and others in spite of good parents will fail or fall through the cracks. I had a son who dropped out of high school when a sophomore and they let him, tried alternative schools and correspondence schools etc. He later got his ged certificate and has graduated from college in computers but it looked bleak for years.
So as they say don't throw out the baby with the bath water. let's do what we can where we can. think of all the kids in poor world countries with no schooling.
Lisa, you know I agree with you.
Kay, Good idea, I'd like parents to have to take classes and pass a test before becoming parents. Surely it is more important than driving.
Michelle, Don't you think that some of the kids with special needs are the way they are because of their poor parents. Many I saw didn't really have disabilities, they just had gaping holes in their learning.
Mare, I think you're in my life raft too; I agree totally.
Lin, A few survive in spite of their parents, but it's a mighty tough road. And the fact that so many children are being born without access to any education is part of an enormous, growing problem. What kind of life will they have to offer their children? There will always be kids who stumble along the way, but more and more have no one to help, to model, to learn from.
You're right... this post is a sad one. Even more so because it has so much truth in it.ally don't think that it is. Teachers seem to be the target of blame waaaay too often. You're right on the money.
My husband taught, "Parent Effectiveness Training" classes for prospective Foster parents, and in several other venues for years. They were wonderful. Just a few basic skills. ie: teaching morals and responsibility to children, discipline techniques, coping skills. The class had rave reviews from everyone who took it. Not just because of the tall, handsome, and extremely clever instructor...ahem, an obvious word from the sponser, there... but, the cirriculem was very usable. He was a therapist before retirement and taught the material to many of his clients (actually,his client's parents... he was a youth therapist) as well. The downside of this is, that the people most likely to be interested in taking the class and in using the knowledge they received from them, were those who had the least need for them.
Good post... get's the old brain chugging. It will linger with me for a while, I think. Thanks.
I love this post. It is so dear to my heart. I agree with what everyone has said.
My main concern and the primary reason I retired is the "morality" part. I don't think it is inappropriate for teachers to try to instill "basic" morality in kids. HOWEVER, many parents are against it.
You have to fight them (students and parents) just to teach the difference between right and wrong. And, heaven forbid if you should try to shame them or make them feel guilty - neither of which has ever killed anybody.
Jo, I am extremely worried about the future as well. when I read of all the stupid stunts people are doing now a days.
Teachers are doing the best they can.that sad part is that the children are not getting the positive reinforcement that we got as kids. Mom and Dad both said what can we do to help the kids get better grades. Now a days I do not think that is done.
It would seem that parents now a days want to be their kids friends in stead of being parents. theaching a little one to be an adult it priority ONE. after that are grown that you become your childs friend. That is my take on the world.
Hugs and God's Blessings and love. Mike G. said that! (Its an A.A. thing)
Great Photo! Such a blue sky! Happy SWF!
Hi Jo,
I agree with you 100%. I tire of news reports, both in written form and on TV, that blames teachers and schools for everything from poor academic achievment to kids being overweight. Hardly ever a word is written about parents, parenting, homelife etc. causing any problems for these children. As a teacher I've seen so many children who are raising themselves. I am interested in reading the article you quoted, thanks for sharing!
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