Well, I was reading a Phaedrus article today and at the very end it said the following: "But that does not necessarily mean we have to make them so comfortable that they have no incentive to get beyond the grade."
So? What about it? Well, it got my mind going for a minute about how comfortable we can sometimes try to make students. School districts, governments, and teachers can all fell as if they walk on glass with students and parents. Society seems to be so "selfish", "lawsuit happy", and "its all about me". Well, when parents think like that, which is very juvenile, it causes major problems. Parents don't want their kids disciplined, corrected or told they are wrong. It doesn't matter what you document or show as proof you are doing it right. Some parents will fight to the bitter end just to say "ha, I got you". It is insane. The idea we can't fail kids is ridiculous. The idea we can't correct kids is crazy. Maybe it is just a product of where I work now.
For instance, if a student has something they are not allowed to have, then I ask for it. If they don't give it up, then it is taken from them. This is done by force if necessary and everything goes along. Picture a 15 year old in high school with a cell phone. Assume that cell phones are forbidden to be used except for some special pre-approved instances. The students makes a call in the middle of class. He refuses to stop or to hand over the phone. No one can do anything. No one can take it short of risking losing their job. If a teacher or principal grabbed the students wrist and took the phone they would have a lawsuit on their hands.
My point is this: we can comfort kids too much. I think most of us in this class know what I mean. We were drug from our comfort zone with no mommy and daddy. Sure, I guess we could complain to the teacher's supervisor, but that wouldn't help us. It would only be the easy way out. On a rerun of lost John said "the Struggle is natures way of making us stronger" or something very similar to that. That is the point of this class and should be a major idea behind education at least in secondary school. Kids need to struggle and be uncomfortable with their education. Now, I don't mean that the teacher should teach naked just to make people uncomfortable. But dealing with education we should struggle at times.
I think you have hit the nail on the head. I had to deal with this today. I have a student who talks about my class and the content. I teach health 7th grade, nurition, reproduction, and violence is all that i have covered. The parent talked to me today and she complained that I was making him feel uncomfortable and questioned me about the content and some specific things i said in class.
ReplyDeleteThe comments she was told was taken out of context but the whole jist of her conversation was... don't teach my kid that stuff. WEll, guess what.... i have to.
Comfort... teachers can be uncomfortable too but we can't do much about it. LIke you said.... what happens in the situation you describe about the cell phone. Cell phones are a major no-no in our district this year. I have taken many. When students refuse to give it up, they challenge my authority thus making other students challenge it as well.
The public school system lost a lot when discipline when out of the window.
Dan,
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with you more...society is very much lawsuit happy. We see this every where (doctors office, place of employment, and schools). Your blog made me think of my own experience with similar issues. It starts so much earlier than 15. Sadly enough, in my small community, children (age 6-7) are sent to school knowing they're in complete control. I’ve been told before..."I don't have to listen to you. My mom said you were crazy." You have no support and parents that teach them it's perfectly acceptable to break the rules. There are no consequences in today's society. Even in our court system. Many of our troubled children would love to spend time in our juvenile center. They have games and many opportunities for socialization. I don't understand where we went wrong. We can try to fix the problem but can we really find the root of the problem? It seems to stem from no morals or values.