OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS - THE NEXT GENERATION

As a teacher I say that the situation is already rather bleak. I blame the parents; they are too busy to be involved. I believe that most schools are doing the best that they can under the circumstances. Teachers are expected to do the parenting.

We do need to recruit excellent teachers, well trained.

Leo: Thank you for commenting. I must say you are very brave and dedicated. I find that many parents find the situation hopeless and have given up. Is it all the parents fault? Or is it society in general - has religion failed? What about the media? television, big business? Are there no more standards? How can even the very best teachers teach under these circumstances? What do you see for the next generation?

Thomas: I am not all that certain the public school system is all that bleak. Now that is not to say there isn't room for improvement. However, I do see many, many young people who are dedicated students, good citizens who do get involved in community and volunteer service projects. I think all generations have their own way of expressing their lives; when the Beetles first arrived, there many who thought the world was ending - dang hippies; long hair, omg! can't tell a boy from a girl; bell bottoms and duck-tail haircuts - oh my word; heavy metal - those kids don't appreciate music; kids of all ages experimented with beer and pot, not that is particularly right but it is something of a rite of passage that needs to be placed in perspective. I jsu don't see the over-all bleakness. We do live in a world where in many cases, both parents need to hold full time jobs just to make ends meet. That takes away a lot of time and energy from parenting. So perhaps, some of the woes can be placed on an economic system where some are paid mega-salaries, while workers struggle? Just a thought...are we trying to save those drowning and not looking at building stronger dams? Is the larger problem economic? You got me thinking....

Greg: Thank you for sharing your observations. Yes things are very bad and getting progressively worse with each succeeding generation. The social decline creeps up on us slowly so that many of us do not notice it. Thank God there is still that remnant of decent young people that you speak of. I am acquainted with both extremes.

I came out of public school in another country. The main difference between the elementary school I went and American schools I've seen though the eyses of my children, is the level of respect given to teachers as well as parents. Physically speaking, it was hard work for me to go to school from 8 am to 4 pm and 1/2 day on Saturday. After school on weekdays, I went to jyuku (after school class), then went home to eat and bathe, and did my homework until late, and went to bed. We did not have much time to play because of homework, but did not complain because we were all in the same boat. If we did not study, you did not get into good college, which is a ticket to finding good career and job.

When I came to America, after completeing 5th grade, I was way way ahead in math and science. I learned algebra, chemistry, and physics in the 5th grade, and in this country, 5th grade was still doing fractions, natural science, and simple stuff. Summer vacation was only 6 weeks. I daresay that kids in this country are not pushed hard enough. They should give competition to kids in foreign schools.

Jeff: Thank you for sharing your experiences and observations.

Ways to quickly fix the education problems now are:
1. Unfund all non-academic course except for PE, art, and computer practicum
2. Pay teachers at least 50% or more to attract better quality instructors, and stop making seniority a factor in keeping/laying off teachers. Tenure is not healthy.
3. Have all teachers mandate a one-on-one parent / teacher conference once every 3 months. That's what's required in most industries.

Jeff: These are all good ideas, but not the ultimate solution. The foundation underpinning our social structure is rotten beyond repair. A whole new social order based on sound spiritual principles is the only solution. This will come about. The immediate future is very bleak; the distant future is unimaginably glorious.

My feeling is that a journey starts with the first step. "A whole new social order based on sound spiritual principles" is a good concept, but one must:

1. Realize that problem exists
2. Figure out A solution
3. Plan and convince others what you plan to do
4. Face the right direction
5. Take the first step
6. Track the steps oulined
7. Keep making minor corrections
8. Reach the goal deliberately

Overthrowing the current system and leaving a vacuum is a quick way to reach the first failure. And you don't want to be a "Voice in the Wildermess."

Jeff: Your plan is a good one. No, I do not advocate leaving a vacuum. Peoples hearts must be changed, and that is done one heart at a time.

We can collectively do something. We must voice our concerns to the political leaders, and make them get off their rut, have them be more accountable, and throw the lobbyists out with big money. Big voice can change the direction of our economy and country. If we need to, throw the rascals out by voting for term-limits, denying comfy careers for both Congress so we can see fresh and novel ideas instead of making decisions in stodgy, deceitful, back door, good-ol boy circles.

Jeff: Thanks for your considered comments.

Anything is possible, I suppose. However, with a bleak and despairing attitude, it is unlikely that changes will be made. You laid out the problems that are already occurring in our public schools today. How about another post where we brainstorm or even simply discuss what can be done to bring about change? So much can be done, and if we take the steps to considering and bringing about change rather than harping on that which is not right, I feel we can really make a difference.

The present system is beyond repair. The only thing that can save us from total collapse is a whole new system based on spiritual principles. This will come about when the people demand it.

Thomas,

I see the situation as neither hopeless nor as bad as your scenario would indicate. First, I no of no apathetic parents in my immediate acquaintances. I currently have six grandchildren in school of some kind, and while three of them are being home schooled, the other three are doing equally well in the public schools.

I do think there are problems and some of them are directly traceable to the parents, even though the parents may be anything but apathetic. One thing is that our society has become so urbanized and many children are raised essentially indoors. They do not get the exercise most children used to get.

They do not get into any activities that are not planned and orchestrated. When I was a kid we played for hours without adult supervision, allowing us to develop our own societal structure, choose leaders and invent activities. Children no longer get to do this.

Second, is that kids are given far too much time in front of a TV screen, using an Ipod, or watching a computer screen, to have the interest generation known in earlier years. They are growing up to "text" on a continuing basis if they are awake. I would hate to be a school teacher competing for the children's attention with the diversions of today's youth.

As far as concealed weapons, there are those, and I am not one, who want teacher to carry arms to prevent such incidents as we have seen. I believe this is unrealistic.

The teachers I know personally are very dedicated and knowledgeable persons who take their job very seriously for rather low pay. But still, today more than ever, a lot of it comes down to the individual parents and their direction and influence.

So I do not believe that the situation is hopeless nor unsalvageable. Those are the same kind of things many parents were saying when I was young. The world was going to hell in a hand basket! We survived and prospered and I believe the current generation will do the same. What I most fear is that the foolishness of our leaders may land us in an untenable and unrecoverable situation on the world stage.

James: The situation in our schools is bad, very bad. When I say the system is hopeless and unsalvageable I am not referring to the school system exclusively; I am referring to our social, religious and political systems. Compared to what is possible, the present system is morally bankrupt and beyond repair.