Let me stare out the window for a moment instead of looking in the mirror. There is a huge billion pound gorilla out there that nobody in the “Ed Reform” world wants to address. Society doesn’t value education anymore.
Yes, I know every candidate for political office want to say they do, and parents say they care but do they really VALUE it? Like people of days gone by?
Our entertainment industry sure doesn’t. The Cosby Show is only on in reruns and to replace it we have Two and 1/2 Men. So from a family show that stressed hard work we move to, well what have we moved to, a show about a leech of a man with a dumb kid living with a “lucky” internet billionaire. To sum it up the next generation is worshiping the Kardashians and Jersey Shore. They have the “I don’t care” attitude and it shows. Parents try as they might but I see them giving in to being a buddy to their children because they do not want to deal with the extra stress or real work of raising them. heck right now my 3 children are glued to the TV while I take the time to write this. (I guess I am part of the problem). Today one of my students confessed he plays 4 hours of Xbox every day. Others talked about going to bed at 6 am over break because they were busy. These are 13 and 14 year old 8th graders.
Our Business industry doesn’t, they are so worried about profits they don’t think about the culture it is creating. They will sell anything to anyone if they will make money. My students always seem to have the newest games, cell phone and clothing. My students say they must have the name brands to be cool. These thoughs are inserted in their heads young and last a life time. Stop worrying about profits and worry about the kids. If they can’t make money, they won’t have any in the future to spend.
Did the Gorilla gain some weight.
Teachers need the help of society to fix the “ED” problem. Teachers will continue, like we always have, to work to improve our teaching and engage our students. We just need some help in our society to actual make it hit home.
Please Sweat to Inspire and put the Gorilla on a diet by holding the entire society accountable to the educational issues in this country not just the teachers. They are only a small piece to a very complex puzzle.
Sweat to Inspire 