"The modern American educational system is filled with an assortment of problems. Many students are not learning much at all. Most students are graduating with less knowledge and capability than similar students in other industrialized countries. Classroom disruptions are surprisingly common. School violence is rampant, including the many violent incidents we all hear about in the news. Even violence on school buses is a tremendous problem.
What is the answer?
In general, the common approaches are to throw money at the problems, and to establish very broad guidelines and laws to solve individual problems of the system. Regarding performance issues, the teachers are generally blamed, and so better selection of teachers and better teacher training are publicly called for. Regarding violence, metal detectors and uniformed police officers roaming the halls are the common "solution." In addition, everyone demands newer, bigger, more advanced school complexes.
These are all bureaucratic attempts at solutions for problems that arise on a very individual basis. Essentially, some "expert" in an ivory tower somewhere believes he/she has a universal solution for a problem he/she never actually faced in a classroom. Such "experts" have no idea of the emotions that erupt in the classroom, including the teacher, when violent behavior begins. It is a peculiar and frustrating situation to be a teacher a few feet away from two fighting students, knowing that even touching either one could send you to jail. I doubt if many of the "experts" know that feeling.
Such "top-down" approaches to establishing a peaceful and safe and productive environment in the classroom have little chance of ever succeeding. Each student is an individual. Each teacher is an individual. Both should be treated like individuals, with whatever amount of respect they each deserve, rather than as cattle in enormous herds. You might as well take their names away now and just get them numbers, because the education system is essentially telling them that they have little importance as individuals, and they better behave like the rest of the herd if they want to avoid being in trouble. Is THIS the way young people should be "controlled"? I hope not. Such authoritarian and bureaucratic structures and attitudes diminish whatever creativity and zest everyone brings to the table. Don't I remember that this country was BUILT on the creativity and diversity of early settlers? So why should we move in directions of schools being "armed camps" where any behavior that is "different" is subject to question and doubt and possible punishment?"
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2 comments:
Shut'em down.
I know what you are thinking... If the government don't pick up the trash, deliver the mail, and educate the children, Who will? And I say, Trash collectors, letter carriers,and teachers. Oh, you say, but who will pay them? People who want their trash picked up, their mail delivered, and their children educated. This country was founded on freedom, not what can the government do for me.
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