I don't believe schools are properly preparing us for our futures. Middle school is the worst, teachers are too focused on the "problem kids" to even pay attention to those like me who were just trying to find a place to belong. Middle school was were I felt most neglected and let my grades slip. Luckily by the time I got to high school, I had a new sense of indepenece that allowed me to go through school without searching for help, or any sort of praise.
But how sad is it, that todays generations are forgotten. When we do something right, its easily dismissed as something thats "expected", but when we mess up we're instantly punished to the highest degree. I was forced to get straight A's, otherwise I'd get those "looks" from my mother, or the "I know you can do better speech." Its as if parents dont remember what its like to be a pre-teen, going on teen gasping for air as we sink into the ocean of the big fishes. Because its true, the life of secondary school is one big pond of minnows, and sharks. Its tough enough to stay alive and recognized between trying to be accepted social, find some group or club that you remotely feel a part of, to finding a good group to eat lunch with. There is so much pressure involved in the social part of secondary schooling, that sometimes the students forget that the reason for the schooling is to learn, and not constantly network.
Personally, I wish we had more teachers that were passionate about what they taught. I only had about two teachers like that, and it was in those subjects that I really learned the most. One teacher was Mr. Wolfe, the best science teacher I ever had. Because of him I was able to find some remote place to belong in the- National Oceanographic Science Bowl (NOSB)(Which my team won the regionals in 2007). I never considered myself a nerdy kid, just one who absorbed this teachers passion for the subject.
I personally believe Florida schools need to focus more on the students, rather than the FCATS. Those students are the leaders of tomorrow, and right now most of them are dazed and confused.
What do we need to do to make the school system better? Hire more teachers? Have smaller classes? Give teachers more training? Put more money into the school?
And who's going to do all of this. The government? The public?
We ALL need to do our part. Kids are the foundation blocks towards the futures, stop pushing this issue under the rug. Invest some time, write a letter to your congressmen, tutor a child, do SOMETHING.
I myself was lucky. I grew up with a mother young enough to remember what it's like. I grew up unwanted in elementary school that by middle school I didn't care who liked me or not, I was too focused on learning. Also, I got lucky to get those teachers who loved to teach(Until college). I only had one teacher in college that really wanted to teach, but the students didn't want to learn, so he left to find another school where kids really wanted to learn. I believe I was his favorite because I was excited about the topic. I wish I could contact him to let him know that I have left that school and he inspired me to pursue writing and English. I had a few bad teachers and therefore barely pulled a C, but my mom was understanding of the situation.
"What do we need to do to make the school system better? Hire more teachers? Have smaller classes? Give teachers more training? Put more money into the school?
And who's going to do all of this. The government? The public? "
All of it! We need better teachers who need to go through more government funded training. We need teachers who want to teach. We need schools with smaller classrooms for better one-on-one teaching. We need more government money focused on schools and teachers, but also fund raisers that raise money from the public as well.
I believe you forgot to mention one of my biggest pet peeves about school systems. A lot of counties to my knowledge do not have Technical High schools. There are people like my fiance who barely passed high school with a good GPA who belong in a technical school. He loves cars, that's what he's good at. If he had gotten the chance to attend a technical high school, he wouldn't have such a problem finding a job. He can't afford college and even if he could he wouldn't be able to focus. If he had better teachers who looked at the root of the problem, not just the problem itself and also, if he had another school to go to things would have been much different.
Problem students are sometimes the ones that need hands on training not just in the classroom work all day. They need to be better prepared for the real world, not just repremanded. What do you think?
I agree, technical schools should be more accessable, the problem is most people can not afford to go. And have you heard, apparently there making kids choose what they want to major in (focus there studys) in 7th grade. I don't even know what I want to do NOW as a sophmore in college, how are they going to be able to choose that early?
Check out the proposed idea for the United States Public Service Academy. I blogged about it, let me know what you think. It relates to the development of better public service ppl like teachers.