Well, first I apologize for it being so long since my last post. Last week I was at a training conference and gone all week. This past week seemed busy with a more serious call load than normal.
Anyway, Tim's last few posts got me thinking about the long-term consequences I see everyday. It is truly amazing how influential childhood circumstances can be in an individual's life; it literally can be lifelong. I find myself asking, "what if someone had cared enough?"......cared enough to spend that quality time with their child, cared enough to offer support and encouragement, cared enough to simply display genuine interest in the life in their life? What could have been?
All too often, I witness the personal and emotional needs and difficulties of parents being placed in front of their children, preventing any positive personal interaction. Too often, drug and alcohol addictions, poor relationships, emotional struggles, socio-economic status, and other conditions limiting human functioning seem to overwhelm many families. These traits usually become instilled in children and the trend is passed down.
While my statements above seem to lack thoughtful analysis, I am perfectly aware all of us endure hardship at one point. I am more addressing the extreme cases where literally the family system does not display any signs of healthy functioning. Growing up myself in a lower-middle class status, my parents struggled with finances and my mother endured some harsh circumstances as a child which effect her today----but they did not prevent our family from practicing healthy habits and functioning as a family unit.
Having a child requires RESPONSIBILITY! It automatically implies effort and self sacrifice. The goal is to provide your child with love and support and help them develop skills to live an emotionally, physically, and mentally successful life. Children cannot raise themselves. They are adaptive and learn by example. Their functioning depends on the people around them, especially parents. If you want to raise children, please, put them first!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Home In The Classroom: Income
The last time I wrote about the achievement gap, I touched on the difference parenting can make. That is not the only difference parents make though. Income has quite a bit to do with the gap as well.
A couple weeks ago, I had to spontaneously write for a grad school application. It was a 30-minute, timed response to a short article about a study on teacher movement in a school district. The article covered how the district went from intentionally integrating the district's demographics, to discontinuing the practice. Quickly, schools stratified, based on race and income (which are, unfortunately, correlated). Soon after the switch, teachers within the district moved to the schools with more affluent students.
It shouldn't be too surprising. Pretty much anywhere, money talks.
The problem is that education should be what fuels an open class system. It should be the "golden ticket" for people to make what they want of themselves. In a nation with public education, and "the American dream," there is a pledge to give everyone a fair chance. That can't really happen in a system where there are the "haves" and "have-nots," and it has a ton to do with parents' income.
The rich will tend to stay rich, and the poor will tend to stay poor. Students that could benefit the most from good teachers are left with lackluster ones. Just yesterday, I was reminded of this starkly a couple times.
One student had a worksheet with story problems, and I suggested we read through them together. The student's response was, "I think the teacher just wants the answers. She said we would get freaked out if we tried to read the problem." So inspiring.
Later on another, much younger, student kept falling asleep, and complained about being really hungry. The student didn't get lunch because their teacher gave them five minutes to chow down before making them work some more.
I'll stop there for now. Education impacts income, and income impacts education. It's a symbiotic relationship that makes it difficult for students to move up or down in the world based on their own merit. Of course, this wouldn't be such a problem if there were more good teachers to go around and/or if the bad ones weren't so bad. That's a topic for another post though...
A couple weeks ago, I had to spontaneously write for a grad school application. It was a 30-minute, timed response to a short article about a study on teacher movement in a school district. The article covered how the district went from intentionally integrating the district's demographics, to discontinuing the practice. Quickly, schools stratified, based on race and income (which are, unfortunately, correlated). Soon after the switch, teachers within the district moved to the schools with more affluent students.
It shouldn't be too surprising. Pretty much anywhere, money talks.
The problem is that education should be what fuels an open class system. It should be the "golden ticket" for people to make what they want of themselves. In a nation with public education, and "the American dream," there is a pledge to give everyone a fair chance. That can't really happen in a system where there are the "haves" and "have-nots," and it has a ton to do with parents' income.
The rich will tend to stay rich, and the poor will tend to stay poor. Students that could benefit the most from good teachers are left with lackluster ones. Just yesterday, I was reminded of this starkly a couple times.
One student had a worksheet with story problems, and I suggested we read through them together. The student's response was, "I think the teacher just wants the answers. She said we would get freaked out if we tried to read the problem." So inspiring.
Later on another, much younger, student kept falling asleep, and complained about being really hungry. The student didn't get lunch because their teacher gave them five minutes to chow down before making them work some more.
I'll stop there for now. Education impacts income, and income impacts education. It's a symbiotic relationship that makes it difficult for students to move up or down in the world based on their own merit. Of course, this wouldn't be such a problem if there were more good teachers to go around and/or if the bad ones weren't so bad. That's a topic for another post though...
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Pure Greatness
I tend to be a Debbie Downer with all the achievement gap stuff. It's time to lighten the mood a bit again.
With the Winter Olympics underway, high achievement is on my mind. I'm always amazed at how good world-class athletes get at their sport, particularly Olympic sports. Not to take anything away from, say, an NBA basketball player, but there is a degree of fame in mainstream sports that isn't there in most Olympic events. Yet there are world class curlers and cross-country skiers, and they still completely dedicate themselves to being the best they can be. Without much fame involved, their dedication has a purity that mainstream sports simply can't have.
These people come from somewhere, and one of the most exciting parts of working with students is watching their potential, and what they do with it. For instance, the other day I was talking with one of the sixth grade band students I work with. She is one of the stronger players in the class, and already devotes lots of time each week to practicing. However, this weekend she is off singing in an honor choir. She squeezes this all in while playing volleyball and basketball too (though thankfully those sports don't overlap). Something tells me her grades aren't suffering either.
Oh, and she does it all with a smile on her face, and remarkable courtesy and respect. When she started talking about her sports involvement, I said, "Geez, what don't you do?" and she smiled/giggled for a few moments, then responded with, "They keep me active and in shape." It's not about standing out in a crowd; it's about doing what she wants to do.
Some kids are really driven, and even as they explore a bunch of directions, they never back off the throttle. Kids like that can go so many directions in life, and succeed no matter what path they choose. Watching their skills and interests develop, and maybe giving them a little wisdom as they make big choices, is totally awesome. It's kind of like that big present under the Christmas tree that doesn't really shake or rattle: You don't know what it is, but you know it is going to be great.
With the Winter Olympics underway, high achievement is on my mind. I'm always amazed at how good world-class athletes get at their sport, particularly Olympic sports. Not to take anything away from, say, an NBA basketball player, but there is a degree of fame in mainstream sports that isn't there in most Olympic events. Yet there are world class curlers and cross-country skiers, and they still completely dedicate themselves to being the best they can be. Without much fame involved, their dedication has a purity that mainstream sports simply can't have.
These people come from somewhere, and one of the most exciting parts of working with students is watching their potential, and what they do with it. For instance, the other day I was talking with one of the sixth grade band students I work with. She is one of the stronger players in the class, and already devotes lots of time each week to practicing. However, this weekend she is off singing in an honor choir. She squeezes this all in while playing volleyball and basketball too (though thankfully those sports don't overlap). Something tells me her grades aren't suffering either.
Oh, and she does it all with a smile on her face, and remarkable courtesy and respect. When she started talking about her sports involvement, I said, "Geez, what don't you do?" and she smiled/giggled for a few moments, then responded with, "They keep me active and in shape." It's not about standing out in a crowd; it's about doing what she wants to do.
Some kids are really driven, and even as they explore a bunch of directions, they never back off the throttle. Kids like that can go so many directions in life, and succeed no matter what path they choose. Watching their skills and interests develop, and maybe giving them a little wisdom as they make big choices, is totally awesome. It's kind of like that big present under the Christmas tree that doesn't really shake or rattle: You don't know what it is, but you know it is going to be great.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Home In The Classroom: Parenting
Time for me to continue my little look at the achievement gap from different perspectives. This post is the first about the role parenting plays.
It is known that a student's home life has a tremendous impact on their success in school, which makes sense. A home that offers a good study environment gives a student a good place to do homework, while also sending a message that their education matters. That message is further reinforced when parents make sure their kid gets their homework done, and when they show up to their sports games, concerts, and whatever else. A student is more likely to take their education seriously when the adults in their life make it a priority.
On the flip side, a bad or negligent home environment gives the opposite message. When a kid has to worry about yelling, screaming, and maybe even physical abuse when they get home, those worries come before homework. Even if the abuse is only around the student, and not directed at them, it creates a toxic environment (would anyone study at a library if it regularly held WWE events?).
In some ways though, an absent parent is the worst of all. The type that watches television and barely notices when their kid comes home, much less when they have a big test or project. They send a message that the kid's schoolwork does not matter, or maybe something even worse: the kid doesn't matter. Education is filled with challenges and obstacles, and a kid with a "why bother?" attitude will not have the will power to make it through, even if they have all the ability in the world.
That is my pitch for why parents should be an active part of education. Just sending the message to a kid that education matters, and that they can learn what they are being taught, does wonders. Absent parents that adopt the attitude that it is school's job to take care of education do their own kids a disservice. It gives them a major hurdle to climb over in the classroom.
While I think parenting is not a major cause of the achievement gap, it plays a pivotal role in which students persevere. In an educational system that has fostered an achievement gap, perseverance is critical to success, and parenting is the best way to cultivate it.
It is known that a student's home life has a tremendous impact on their success in school, which makes sense. A home that offers a good study environment gives a student a good place to do homework, while also sending a message that their education matters. That message is further reinforced when parents make sure their kid gets their homework done, and when they show up to their sports games, concerts, and whatever else. A student is more likely to take their education seriously when the adults in their life make it a priority.
On the flip side, a bad or negligent home environment gives the opposite message. When a kid has to worry about yelling, screaming, and maybe even physical abuse when they get home, those worries come before homework. Even if the abuse is only around the student, and not directed at them, it creates a toxic environment (would anyone study at a library if it regularly held WWE events?).
In some ways though, an absent parent is the worst of all. The type that watches television and barely notices when their kid comes home, much less when they have a big test or project. They send a message that the kid's schoolwork does not matter, or maybe something even worse: the kid doesn't matter. Education is filled with challenges and obstacles, and a kid with a "why bother?" attitude will not have the will power to make it through, even if they have all the ability in the world.
That is my pitch for why parents should be an active part of education. Just sending the message to a kid that education matters, and that they can learn what they are being taught, does wonders. Absent parents that adopt the attitude that it is school's job to take care of education do their own kids a disservice. It gives them a major hurdle to climb over in the classroom.
While I think parenting is not a major cause of the achievement gap, it plays a pivotal role in which students persevere. In an educational system that has fostered an achievement gap, perseverance is critical to success, and parenting is the best way to cultivate it.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Again, play nice.....funny joke.
WHY YOU NEVER QUESTION A DRUNK ... I was shopping at the local supermarket where I selected: A half-gallon of 2% milk A carton of eggs A quart of orange juice A head of lettuce A 2 lb. Can of coffee A 1 lb. Package of bacon As I was unloading my items on the conveyor belt to check out, a drunk standing behind me watched as I placed the items in front of the cashier. While the cashier was ringing up the purchases, the drunk calmly stated, 'You must be single.' I was a bit startled by this proclamation, but I was intrigued by the derelict's intuition, since I indeed had never found Mr. Right. I looked at the six items on the belt and saw nothing particularly unusual about my selections that could have tipped off the drunk to my marital status.. Curiosity getting the better of me, I said , 'Yes you are correct . But how on earth did you know that?' The drunk replied, 'Cause you're ugly. |
Play nice with the other children
I have come to believe the people LE typically deals with are pretty much are adults stuck in a child's body.....and like Tim's last post, these adult children can sometimes be very funny (though not really cute....more repelling). For example,
It's funny how some of the people we arrest are so simple minded (not a negative connotation). They are like overgrown kids! It will never cease to amaze me!
- My favorite line is: "I'm tryin' to be honest with you"......how do you try to be honest?
- I contacted a guy at a gas station......."I'm no criminal, I been arrested for theft".......3 minutes later....."I'll be honest with you, I got arrested once for drugs, but they set me up"........5 minutes later......."I might have some warrants, but its only for domestic violence"......."I did sell drugs one time, but that was a while ago" - hmmmmm
- A while ago my partner and I went to an attempted suicide where a person attempted suicide. They had texted a friend that they had cut their neck and wanted to overdose on pills. When we arrived medics determined the cut was only superficial (though bleeding pretty good). The person became enraged when we had to transport them to the hospital for a mental evaluation!!! They insisted they were fine and did not have mental problems!! - like a kid saying "NO!"......oh yes. Yep.
- While on the way to the jail, our arrestee asks from the backseat, "Do you think we'll get there in time for dinner?" -is this your most immediate concern at the moment?!
It's funny how some of the people we arrest are so simple minded (not a negative connotation). They are like overgrown kids! It will never cease to amaze me!
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