for quite a while now. We have so many demands placed on us from every different direction. Our administrators expect us to perform magic in our classrooms with very little money. Some parents expect us to teach their children the subject matter, discipline, self control, character, manners, etc., etc. Then we have the students. Some of them really want us to teach them and some of them would really rather not learn anything at all. I feel like the school system is constantly changing to try and reach those who are in the latter catagory. I realize that it is important for us to try to reach those who are not interested, however, I sometimes feel that we do that at the expense of the other students. We try so hard in high school to make school enjoyable that we are creating a society of people who don't do anything that they don't "want" to do. These kids expect that college is going to be the same way. WRONG! Not only is college not like that, but the real world is not like that. In the jobs that I've had, no one has ever catered to me so that I would do my job. I hate to say it, but to be successful, sometimes (a lot of times) you have to dig in and do things that you might not enjoy doing.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Super Schools
I have been thinking about the expectations placed on teachers and schools 
for quite a while now. We have so many demands placed on us from every different direction. Our administrators expect us to perform magic in our classrooms with very little money. Some parents expect us to teach their children the subject matter, discipline, self control, character, manners, etc., etc. Then we have the students. Some of them really want us to teach them and some of them would really rather not learn anything at all. I feel like the school system is constantly changing to try and reach those who are in the latter catagory. I realize that it is important for us to try to reach those who are not interested, however, I sometimes feel that we do that at the expense of the other students. We try so hard in high school to make school enjoyable that we are creating a society of people who don't do anything that they don't "want" to do. These kids expect that college is going to be the same way. WRONG! Not only is college not like that, but the real world is not like that. In the jobs that I've had, no one has ever catered to me so that I would do my job. I hate to say it, but to be successful, sometimes (a lot of times) you have to dig in and do things that you might not enjoy doing.
for quite a while now. We have so many demands placed on us from every different direction. Our administrators expect us to perform magic in our classrooms with very little money. Some parents expect us to teach their children the subject matter, discipline, self control, character, manners, etc., etc. Then we have the students. Some of them really want us to teach them and some of them would really rather not learn anything at all. I feel like the school system is constantly changing to try and reach those who are in the latter catagory. I realize that it is important for us to try to reach those who are not interested, however, I sometimes feel that we do that at the expense of the other students. We try so hard in high school to make school enjoyable that we are creating a society of people who don't do anything that they don't "want" to do. These kids expect that college is going to be the same way. WRONG! Not only is college not like that, but the real world is not like that. In the jobs that I've had, no one has ever catered to me so that I would do my job. I hate to say it, but to be successful, sometimes (a lot of times) you have to dig in and do things that you might not enjoy doing.
I have students ike this too. Some do not care in the least about learning. They are up all night on their computers, cell phones, watching tv(or worse). We cannot take them home and tuck them into bed every night but we be are expected to keep their heads off the desks every minute of the day. Sometimes I just want to let them sleep while I teach the ones who want to hear what I have to say.
ReplyDeleteIt looks to me like we have to work within the constraints of our times. We just have to do the best we can under trying circumstances. If kids stay up all night watching movies, then there is very little we can directly do about it at school. In some way we have to try to modify their behavior in ways that are accessible to us. If we could do something in the classroom that can make the kid learn that staying up and not doing school work results in the denial of certain likable things, then there lies the key to behavior modification, which teachers can implement in the learning environment to good effect. There is ample evidence in research studies that show that behavior modification principles and practices are not only possible but also VERY effective.
ReplyDelete