As an educator, you always know you will have days where
these thoughts pass through your mind. Well, I have had two of those days already
this week where I have asked myself what kind of world will we have when these
kids are the ones running it. I just do not see how we will be able to survive
in a country where the vast majority of the population does not care enough
about learning something new that they will take three minutes out of their
lives to find an answer on their own. What kind of world will we have when
these are the type of people running the world?
You
see, earlier this week we discussed moon phases in my class and I tied it in to
the upcoming Easter holiday. I asked each of my classes if anyone knew how the
exact date for Easter was decided from year to year. No one knew in any of my
classes and they just assumed that I would tell them. I told each class to go
on the internet and research the answer. Then they were to email me their
findings. I even told them I would give something to the people that emailed me
the correct answer. Now, I have 120 students, so I took time to clean out my
inbox before I left for the day to make room for the multitude of emails I
would receive that evening. This was such an easy assignment since all they had
to do was go to Google and then copy and paste what they found in an email and
then hit send. Goodness, they were going to be on the internet anyway. The next
morning I opened my email and found a whopping 15 emails. Let me repeat that,
15 emails. 15 emails out of 120 students! 15 students cared enough to take 3
minutes out of their lives to find out something new on their own and I even
told them I would do something for the ones that got it right. I was shocked as I asked each and every class
why more didn’t email me and the excuses came rolling in. Basically, all it
came down to was that most didn’t want to go through the effort to find the
answer on their own and that they would rather wait for someone else (me) to
give them the answer. So I am left to
wonder, what kind of world will we have if this continues? What kind of world?
Robbie, I have often wondered the same thing. So many of my students come into choir thinking that choir is an easy A class but to find out that you actually have to learn how to read music and sing better. One of their responsibilities as a member of the class is to take their music home and memorize the lyrics before the concert. Many of them expect me to provide time during class to get this done.
ReplyDeleteOur district also went to a block schedule a couple of years ago and now teachers teach for the first part of the class and give the students the remaining time to do or finish their homework. I think going to the block schedule has been a great disservice to our students because it seems that now there is no motivation to do homework at home.
Robbie,
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain! Oh geez, how many times have I asked myself that same question. It makes me think back to when I was in school and ask if the kids were the same way. I think I can honestly say...NO! I know that years ago, when I first went into teaching, I had 31 students in my class and they sure didn't act like the kids today. Who is to blame? What is to blame? If you ask me....DR. SPOCK! No kidding! You are probably to young to know who he is...but, I can tell you he gave some bad advice to parents and they listened!(IMHO)
When I was in the classroom teaching, I used to tell my kids that I cared about what they learned, because one day they would grow up and I would grow old and I really needed someone that was smart enough to take care of me. LOL
Anyway....I feel your frustrations! I hope you have a better week next week.
Kathy