A teacher reaches for the white flag | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com I couldn't agree more! -Matt
The writer makes some excellent points that I completely agree with. However, we also seemed to have lost our way in this country in regards to public education. Last year, I had a very heated parent/teacher/principal meeting with my son's 3rd grade teacher, who was a dishrag that allowed a certain few students to completely disrupt the classroom, and was also more concerned with teaching diversity, tolerance, and multiculturalism than reading, writing, and mathematics. I very clearly explained to her that teaching those subjects are the duty of my wife and I, so she needed to concentrate on prepping her students for the MCAS (Massachusetts standardized test to assess academic performance).
I couldn't agree more. This I just don't get. Our nation is clearly lagging behind its economic competitors in the basics, but all people seem to want to teach are these fluffy extras that don't bring a child closer to being able to read the book on the desk or add a few numbers.
During the meeting, I handed (tried to hand...she wouldn't take it) a copy of the MCAS standards to the teacher, asking her to please point out where tolerance, diversity, and compassion were listed.
Wouldn't those things fall under the broader banner of citizenship, which is certainly a function of public schools? Tolerance and diversity are explicitly cited in the History and Social Science Curriculum Framework developed by the Massachusetts Department of Education. As well, the Massachusetts Education Reform Act mandates that educational standards be designed to "inculcate respect for the cultural, ethnic and racial diversity of the commonwealth and for the contributions made by diverse cultural, ethnic and racial groups to the life of the commonwealth."
We do have to teach about tolerance as part of the social studies curriculum. However, it depends from state to state. Take Virginia, for example. We do not have specific "black history" standards, though we do cover elements of black history throughout the year. However, in our community if we do not do something for black history month, we get ripped apart by the community. Even if I were to do my job and teach the actual standards, if I got enough complaints from the community because I didn't participate in some special curricular program, I could get reprimanded for that. (That's why I'm in the VEA!) I can't speak specifically to Bruce's issue, but a teacher could EASILY teach tolerance, diverstity, etc. while teaching reading and writing. It's just a simple cross-curricular activity. I do that all the time in my history classes. Of course, it makes the kids mad! (WHY ARE WE DOING ENGLISH IN HISTORY CLASS?!!?!?!) hahaha -Matt
It's never the teachers fault. Matt, what percentage of a role do teachers have in the success of the kids they teach? 20%, 30...40? Here's what I get from this article and every other one like it. Teaching most kids is too difficult for teachers. They would rather have the kids prepared fully by the parents before he ever steps foot in a classroom. They want little A and B students who stand in line and sit at their desks like good little robots.....er I mean children. Here's what I want. I want all of my customers to know exactly what they want and I want them to pay top dollar for what I am selling. I do not want to have to "sell" to people they should just be prepared for me to come in and collect the money.
