For those of you who have been following the story of what is going on at Eight Mile Rock High School you will know that this situation is a potential powder keg. If this situation is not handled carefully it could become major blemish on this administration's tenure. I do know that there is blame enough to go all around.
It is my hope that calm heads will prevail and that the problem is brought to a speedy solution before the education of the students at that school is adversely affected. God knows they can ill afford to miss the days of school that they have already miss much less more days.
Since it is the responsibility of the government to educate all children between the ages of 5 to 16. I think that it is time that the government takes a serious look at ways of procuring additional financing to equip and maintain the schools. It may well be time to ask parents to help by paying some sort of "fee." Everybody knows that there is no such thing as "free lunch."
As a teacher, each year I spend my own money to purchase the necessary tools to prepare me to do my job. I wish I didn't have to, but the reality of it is that if I don't I will go without. So the choice is clear.
It pains me when a parent who hasn't yet purchased the required workbooks shows up at my door with manicured nails and coiffed hair to "explain" that she is not working and cannot purchase the books and could I please make copies of the pages for her child. It is high time that parents begin to take more responsibility for the children that they have decided to bring into this world.
I welcome your thought.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
This Probably is Long Overdue...
While reading my Facebook page I came across a comment that my nephew made that got me thinking. Well to be honest, before it got me thinking it got me a little bit angry. Here he was this little whipper snapper making a judgment call on the profession in which I have been engaged most of my adult life. So I commented on this comment and he fired back two lengthy responses to my comment. And that was what got me thinking.
So below is the transcript of the whole dialog that took place between my nephew and me.
What follows is the text of a conversation that began on Facebook between me and my nephew Michael after reading the comment below. He like his father, my brother, is in business for himself so he is in a position to make the statements he is making. His comments are in bold, mine is italicized:
(Original Comment) Michael wants to know who is directly responsible for the continuation of an outdated and failing educational system that our children are in?
Michael your assessment of the educational system is a bit harsh. Believe you me, we are doing the best we can with the little we have...
"Don't take what I said the wrong way. I'm not being too harsh. I maybe even understating. I understand that you may get defensive because of your vantage point...We have a real crisis. When I interviewed for an entry level position and the most competent person I could find was my 11 year old, we have a problem. We are not preparing our kids for today's environment we're still in 30 years ago mode. We still have a system that thinks everyone has equal abilities and interests. We still teach - go for white collar first and if you don't make it then do something else by default. We still say go work for someone else first instead of start your own and have someone come work for you as a first option. And here is something that is clear to me (we aren't unique in this either). We barely teach, we are preparing for exams and going through the curriculum. NOT the fault of the teachers. It's the fault of those that set policy."
"I see it everyday. We get all up in arms every July/August when exam results come out and the results aren't favorable. I see many holes in my own child one does okay by grade standards but because she is able to handle the curriculum and pass exams but she still has deficiencies. But I combat that by trying to focus on her strengths and ensure her in those areas that she's truly interested in."
In an attempt to get a dialog on this topic going I sent out this same text to teachers on my emailing list, and invited their comments. So far I have only received one reply and it came from a cousin of mine who happens to be a teacher. Her comments, which I edited as she used the names of her children, follow:
We are doing the best we can with what we have but we are so ill equipped to do it. Not to mention , we're held hostage by a ministry that wants to see academic results. We force 3rd graders who cannot read to take national exams because it is a ministry policy. And, the teachers' names go on these exams.
I agree that we're teaching to white collar jobs first followed by the next best thing. This is so entrenched in us from G.C.E. days that we forget that only the top 10% is truly academic. Example, my daughter wants to be a beautician, she’s no brainiac, but she can hold her own. No problem; its an honest living and if she's determined to return to the cat, she’ll have a practically uncontested market. Same with my son who wants to be a chef. Again no problem BUT mummy wants to have a fit
I remember a comment your brother made some years ago. He said something to the effect that we like degrees too much even if they don't afford us a good living.This is one of my pet peeves.
What is so sad is that the powers that be are not listening to those of us who are in the trenches and as a result there is chaos all around. What I do know is that something needs to done and soon. I invite your comments on this subject.
So below is the transcript of the whole dialog that took place between my nephew and me.
What follows is the text of a conversation that began on Facebook between me and my nephew Michael after reading the comment below. He like his father, my brother, is in business for himself so he is in a position to make the statements he is making. His comments are in bold, mine is italicized:
(Original Comment) Michael wants to know who is directly responsible for the continuation of an outdated and failing educational system that our children are in?
Michael your assessment of the educational system is a bit harsh. Believe you me, we are doing the best we can with the little we have...
"Don't take what I said the wrong way. I'm not being too harsh. I maybe even understating. I understand that you may get defensive because of your vantage point...We have a real crisis. When I interviewed for an entry level position and the most competent person I could find was my 11 year old, we have a problem. We are not preparing our kids for today's environment we're still in 30 years ago mode. We still have a system that thinks everyone has equal abilities and interests. We still teach - go for white collar first and if you don't make it then do something else by default. We still say go work for someone else first instead of start your own and have someone come work for you as a first option. And here is something that is clear to me (we aren't unique in this either). We barely teach, we are preparing for exams and going through the curriculum. NOT the fault of the teachers. It's the fault of those that set policy."
"I see it everyday. We get all up in arms every July/August when exam results come out and the results aren't favorable. I see many holes in my own child one does okay by grade standards but because she is able to handle the curriculum and pass exams but she still has deficiencies. But I combat that by trying to focus on her strengths and ensure her in those areas that she's truly interested in."
In an attempt to get a dialog on this topic going I sent out this same text to teachers on my emailing list, and invited their comments. So far I have only received one reply and it came from a cousin of mine who happens to be a teacher. Her comments, which I edited as she used the names of her children, follow:
We are doing the best we can with what we have but we are so ill equipped to do it. Not to mention , we're held hostage by a ministry that wants to see academic results. We force 3rd graders who cannot read to take national exams because it is a ministry policy. And, the teachers' names go on these exams.
I agree that we're teaching to white collar jobs first followed by the next best thing. This is so entrenched in us from G.C.E. days that we forget that only the top 10% is truly academic. Example, my daughter wants to be a beautician, she’s no brainiac, but she can hold her own. No problem; its an honest living and if she's determined to return to the cat, she’ll have a practically uncontested market. Same with my son who wants to be a chef. Again no problem BUT mummy wants to have a fit
I remember a comment your brother made some years ago. He said something to the effect that we like degrees too much even if they don't afford us a good living.This is one of my pet peeves.
What is so sad is that the powers that be are not listening to those of us who are in the trenches and as a result there is chaos all around. What I do know is that something needs to done and soon. I invite your comments on this subject.
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