School violence, Newsmedia, Hollywood
When I first heard the news of the latest shooting at a school in Colorado, reports were the hostage was in critical condition. What a tragic ending to hear she died. That is so very sad. There are no words to express the feelings.
When I worked at a large inner-city high school, and met people, they would say something like,
"oooooohhhh, scary! High school! Aren't you worried?"
To be honest, no. Schools are safe. Even "bad" ones. Never did I ever feel unsafe or scared. In fact, I used to chuckle at people for having such predisposed attitudes. I can say unequivically that schools are one of the safest places to be!
But get real, parents! If your kid dresses like a gangster-gothic-criminal-type, watch out. I am amazed at parents in the news who's kid has been arrested or killed saying how they were such good boys (or girls) and they were not gangsters. No, maybe not. But if you are not forcing your child to dress responsibly, you are taking your chances. Dress like a criminal, get treated like a criminal, get mistaken for a criminal. Wake up and smell the gun powder. The world does not need wannabes! And get a friggin' curfew! Their is no need for any kid 18 or under to be out and about after 9pm. Nothing good is EVER going to happen to kids driving around at 1am.
On another note, I also laugh at hollywood. They make public schools look like prisons that have been taken over by the inmates. Fantasy. I have never seen nor heard of any school today that is like the ones in the movies and TV. AND....if you are a teacher, thinking this IS reality, and that if just walk into a classroom, say a few clever words and do the right actions that you ARE going to change the world. That's a fantasy too. Doesn't happen. Maybe that's why quite a few teachers quit after a year or two. They are depressed that it, "..just aint like the movies."
This is not to say that you can't reach a few lives. I did it all the time and it makes it worthwhile. But you are not going to reach everybody at the high school level. That, dear reader, is a sad reality that is never shown on TV.
Homework?
News reports recently have questioned the effectiveness of homework. I have always thought homework was overrated. Your kids are in school 6 to 8 hours a day. It's a full time job for some students. Then they are asked to do 2 to 4 hours more. Hmmmmmmmm...Would you like working a full day, then taking home 2 hours of work to finish ? I think not.
When I taught I realized the best place for students to do work was in the classroom. They have instant help! They have instant guidance! We are not talking about college students here. So, if you are sending them home with work they will struggle with, rethink it! If you are sending them home with work that is so easy it's just "busy work," rethink it! What is the value of homework?
Here is what homework should not be:-a punishment.
-a burden.
-a daunting task to be struggled with.
-the hardest problems in the book.
-mindless work just to get "homework" assigned.
-a hated word that creates a distaste for school.
-a waste of time that serves no purpose.
-given to kindergartners. Ridiculous!
Here is what homework should be:-an enrichment activity.
-easy if one has paid attention in class.
-very little effort for the average student.
-a joy, somewhat fun!
-enticement to learn more!
-worth doing!
-a rewarded activity!
-avoided unless absoultely necessary.
If your school does not have any rules for homework, forget it!
Besides, not only does it create more work for your students, but it
creates a TON of more work for you! Or at worst, compomise!
Give homework only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Give one
assignment on Monday, due on Friday. Or get creative!
Teachers need to be at the forefront of taking negatives out of education.
Think:
Some kids get up by 6 or 7am to get the bus, and because of extended daycare,
can come home as late as 5 or 6pm. If they relax for 1/2 hour, eat dinner,
maybe do chores, it is 8pm. Then they are going to do 2 hours of homework?
Teacher Education
A study was just released in the newspapers telling how teacher prep classes are very distanced from what actually goes on in a classroom. NO KIDDING!!!! I have sat, ..um suffered? through plenty of teacher classes. I can't remember the name of any. I can't remember what the class was or what it was about. What do I remember? I remember the instructor spending time giving their life story and how they are a career teacher who WILL tell you how it is. How if you follow their techniques, you too can have a perfect class. Each instructor had their own slant as to what was important by their background or specialty. I know each class was supposed to teach a specific topic, but boy did that ever get lost. I also remember that virtually all of these classes were self-taught. Or should I say, "Group Taught." We would break into groups, read a section of whatever book we had, then give a presentation to the class. What were we paying top dollar for? Maybe online classes have worth after all. These teacher prep classes were completely bogus. The people in colleges and universities have no clue as to what a real world classroom is. Teaching is something to be learned on the job. Maybe that's why internships are popular.
Oh yeah. I forgot the torture of going around the room and introducing yourself to all classmates. What a croc. What a way to waste the first class meeting. I don't care who these people were around me! I'm paying to be taught!!!!!!!!!
And the last thing I remember about these classes was the idiots who wanted to "What if.." the instructor to death. Lets also not forget those in the class who wanted to tell their own war stories. These people many times would prolong a class that was on the verge of leaving early.
Bottom line, teacher education is completely useless. Period. They do nothing. Absolutely nothing to prepare one for a large public school. Nothing.
School Improvement!
Here in California the state released the data yesterday. You hear schools brag about how they had 51% of their schools improve, or 9 out of our 40 schools improved, etc. Let's put this in perspective. How about this:
"My child does 51% of his homework!"
"I work 51% of the hours I report to my boss!"
"My child behaves 51% of the time!"
"I tell the truth 51% of the time!"
"9 of my 40 friends are criminals!"
"9 days out of 40 I brush my teeth!"
Think that's unfair and not in context?
Okay, how about:
"My child used to talk back to me 15 days out of 40. Now he only does it 9 days!"
Would YOU accept that??????
Pity we take this double-talk from public education and fall all over it as if it is some great success!
