American schools and students

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Posted by MrsTC

this is a LOADED question.....

I think it has to do with a variety of things:

-the decline of morality in this country
-the increase of the cost of living requiring 2 parents to work just to stay afloat
-the increase of drug use and STDs etc
-violent video games

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I agree. I also think that there is NO discipline at home, so they come in thinking they cam get away with anything.
I work in a high school, and I have never seen so much DIRESPECT for teachers, and it PI$$ES me off

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Posted by BoogieDownBride

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Posted by KerrC

I am currently applying to Grad School for my MS in Education and am beginning to rethink my decision. Yikes!

Would everyone have become teachers if you knew what you know now?

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I’m also in the midst of this process.

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Cool! and Good Luck!

Ok,

As far as the cooperative learning. I agree with Erica, I CHOOSE to make my students sit in groups. I am a language teacher and my students have been tops in their language for the 8 years that I have been there. Why? I think the cooperative learning has a lot to do with it. My students know the rules, if I am talking they are not, but when they are working, they can help each other. My students feel comfortable in my class, they constantly tell me that they look forward to coming to class.

I am tough, I am in no way an easier teacher. They know that I take their learning very seriously, but they also know that I will bend over backwards in anyway I can to help them learn. Anyone who has ever observed my class always comments how comfortable the students seem in my class and I think that the cooperative learning has a ton to do with it. They have no fear of their peers in my class. Why? Because I constantly make them sit with new people. I also group them in different levels so that that there is 1 strong, 1 weak and 2 medium students in the group. The weaker students always rise to the level of the others, the stronger students feel more comfortable and are not embarrassed at being the smart kid and they feel a sense of ownership in their learning.

Another positive is that when you have a student that is shy they might feel more comfortable asking a group member a question in private instead of infront of the class. This way no child is left out.

In tables I can also move around the room much more freely. I can work with 4 students at a time. I can also see EVERYTHING that they are doing. When they are in rows they can be blocked by the person in front of them.

IMO cooperative learning has many more benefits then negatives!! You have to be strong and let the kids know the rules right off and they will respect that!

I love my babies!!

It is the administrations and society that needs to the help!!

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Posted by KerrC

I am currently applying to Grad School for my MS in Education and am beginning to rethink my decision. Yikes!

Would everyone have become teachers if you knew what you know now?

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Knowing what I know now, I still have no regrets at all.

For example, yesterday I gave my Regents kids (average students) a new vocab list. I practiced with them. Well, they loved the new vocab list, they thought it was easy, well today we were having full converstations in Spanish. It was amazing and I was on a natural high all day and so completely proud of them!!!! Nothing could have taken that high from me!!! I wanted to cry I was so proud of them. I barely spoke English the whole period and they have only had Spanish since Sept!!


As far as the uniforms, what we were told in my district: it is a violation of their civial rights. How you dress (unless it contains something that distracts from the educational process) is protected under Freedom of Speech.

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Posted by swags1016

Ok,

As far as the cooperative learning. I agree with Erica, I CHOOSE to make my students sit in groups. I am a language teacher and my students have been tops in their language for the 8 years that I have been there. Why? I think the cooperative learning has a lot to do with it. My students know the rules, if I am talking they are not, but when they are working, they can help each other. My students feel comfortable in my class, they constantly tell me that they look forward to coming to class.

I am tough, I am in no way an easier teacher. They know that I take their learning very seriously, but they also know that I will bend over backwards in anyway I can to help them learn. Anyone who has ever observed my class always comments how comfortable the students seem in my class and I think that the cooperative learning has a ton to do with it. They have no fear of their peers in my class. Why? Because I constantly make them sit with new people. I also group them in different levels so that that there is 1 strong, 1 weak and 2 medium students in the group. The weaker students always rise to the level of the others, the stronger students feel more comfortable and are not embarrassed at being the smart kid and they feel a sense of ownership in their learning.

Another positive is that when you have a student that is shy they might feel more comfortable asking a group member a question in private instead of infront of the class. This way no child is left out.

In tables I can also move around the room much more freely. I can work with 4 students at a time. I can also see EVERYTHING that they are doing. When they are in rows they can be blocked by the person in front of them.

IMO cooperative learning has many more benefits then negatives!! You have to be strong and let the kids know the rules right off and they will respect that!

I love my babies!!

It is the administrations and society that needs to the help!!

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BRAVA!!!!!

Swags you know your stuff!

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Posted by swags1016

Ok,

As far as the cooperative learning. I agree with Erica, I CHOOSE to make my students sit in groups. I am a language teacher and my students have been tops in their language for the 8 years that I have been there. Why? I think the cooperative learning has a lot to do with it. My students know the rules, if I am talking they are not, but when they are working, they can help each other. My students feel comfortable in my class, they constantly tell me that they look forward to coming to class.

I am tough, I am in no way an easier teacher. They know that I take their learning very seriously, but they also know that I will bend over backwards in anyway I can to help them learn. Anyone who has ever observed my class always comments how comfortable the students seem in my class and I think that the cooperative learning has a ton to do with it. They have no fear of their peers in my class. Why? Because I constantly make them sit with new people. I also group them in different levels so that that there is 1 strong, 1 weak and 2 medium students in the group. The weaker students always rise to the level of the others, the stronger students feel more comfortable and are not embarrassed at being the smart kid and they feel a sense of ownership in their learning.

Another positive is that when you have a student that is shy they might feel more comfortable asking a group member a question in private instead of infront of the class. This way no child is left out.

In tables I can also move around the room much more freely. I can work with 4 students at a time. I can also see EVERYTHING that they are doing. When they are in rows they can be blocked by the person in front of them.

IMO cooperative learning has many more benefits then negatives!! You have to be strong and let the kids know the rules right off and they will respect that!

I love my babies!!

It is the administrations and society that needs to the help!!

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Well they(administrations) are the ones who make the silly rules. I am not saying that cooperation is completely negative and as far as language courses go I think they are completely necessary(language=communication), but FMIL teaches MATH, 'nuff said, the hardest regents out there and she is supposed to have them talk to each other for half a period. How on earth do you get anything done.

Violation of civil rights......that is why these children think they are so grown, everyone wants to treat them as if they are one. What do their civil rights have to do with uniforms????? I do not see the connection. The administrators ultimately dictate education. I am sure there are tons of great teachers but policy has a way of 'bogging down' the best of teachers.

No uniforms bring even more problems than stiffling the poor youngens 'individuality' why can't they be all individualistic after school? I spent my life in uniforms and I no less of an individual because of it. There are no lines drawn for these children in this country AT ALL. What in the world is going on when a 14 year old can curse at a teacher and bring weapons to school?????

ps - Future aunt in law teaches art in LI high school and she had chalk thrown at her the other day

Funny because American schools don't have only American kids no?

What the hell is going on with these American children

ETA: My FIL is principal of a HS. I know alot of these kids are NOT American so why do you say American kids?

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Posted by jennbaby

Funny because American schools don't have only American kids no?

What the hell is going on with these American children

ETA: My FIL is principal of a HS. I know alot of these kids are NOT American so why do you say American kids?

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I will restate.........

What the hell is going on with all these children in American schools

It really is the same. The problem is more so with the America's policies with regard to their education. Children only do what they are allowed. Also these foreign children get here and see what American kids can do and they assimilate, it is only natural. That is what children do...

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Posted by NYCHICK

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Posted by jennbaby

Funny because American schools don't have only American kids no?

What the hell is going on with these American children

ETA: My FIL is principal of a HS. I know alot of these kids are NOT American so why do you say American kids?

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I will restate.........

What the hell is going on with all these children in American schools

It really is the same. The problem is more so with the America's policies with regard to their education. Children only do what they are allowed. Also these foreign children get here and see what American kids can do and they assimilate, it is only natural. That is what children do...

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Thanks for rephrasing that! ETA: it is not the same, children act how they are raised at home, and bring it to school!

you are welcome

eta - definitely untrue. Children try to get away with doing things when they are out of sight of their parents.

Are these foreing children all angels?

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Posted by NYCHICK

Absolutely not.....but the system doesn't help kepp them or american born children in line.

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Just curious, what do they do in your country?

I agree with a lot of what is being said but especially about the parents!!! Kids learn and mimic what they see or Don't see at home!! Sometimes when I meet some of my parents, I am not surprised by their kids. I am a guidance counselor at a high school and there are parents (certainly not all of them) who try and blame everything on the counselors and the teachers - it's not my fault if you haven't disciplined your child for the first 15 years of their life and now I am supposed to stop them from cutting class? I was CURSED out on the phone by a mother because I couldn't change her daughter's gym period???
The language and attitude of some of these parents is abominable!!
I had a parent who is a TEACHER tell me, when told her son would be recommended for night school, ' - oh he's hot and the girls are after him - that's why he doesn't do well'

I think your statement are very dangerous! I think you should ask what are these parents doing! You are generalizing all of these american schools and you ARE putting down teachers in your statement whether you realize it or not! Yes, administrators make policies that we have to follow. Yes, we may not agree with them but we are not superhumans. The problems start in the homes and we, the schools are having to play catch up with every thing. We are expected to teach our students the 3r's, manner, respect, pride, we are expected to help them and be there for them and many other things.

I personally have HAD IT with people who are not in the 'trenches' every day commenting on the schools. Until you know what we go through you cannot comment.

If you think that these schools are so bad then do something about it. Don't just talk abou it! Volunteer, join your local PTA or run for your school board but don't you say anything until you know!

Don't comment about what other people go through because you don't know how they present their class or what they are truly doing. The end result and most important thing is the students.

They are humans and they are americans. They have rights. While I may agree or disagree with uniforms that is a constitutional right and there is NOTHING you can do about it unless you change the constitution!

So before you generalize about 'american' schools, think! If you think that they are so bad then get involved and change it!!!

One person can make a difference!! But don't complain unless you are going to do something about it.

I had a great day with my kids today and I will not let your comments ruin my day anymore. I am done!