Wings Educational Resources Blog

Expectations

Posted admin on July 28th, 2008 | Filed under Community, Expectations, Role of a Teacher, Setting an Example, wingsed.com

Whether or not you are a proponent of homeschooling as is the author of this article, as an educator, I found the following to be absolutely absurd and reprehensible. 

“The school district of Rochester, New York, provided students and teachers with the questions and answers for a required test for seventh- and eighth-graders. The test covered four subjects: English, math, science, and social studies. Not only did the district deny that there was anything wrong with providing students with the answer key — but half the students failed the test anyway.”

What need is there for teachers then?  Why not just hand students the teacher’s editions of all books with answer keys?  What happened to developing individuals who are capable of thinking for themselves?  And for goodness sake, learning to use the resources at hand.  Half of the students failed even with the answers in front of them?  PLEASE!   Doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence in what are supposed to be our “future leaders”.

Come on people!  Get a grip!  The superintendent of the district says it is just to give them a better idea of what is expected from them.  Hello!  Anybody home?  Teach them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Don’t spoon feed them and encourage laziness and ineptitude.  (I’m actually not picking on the Rochester school district, but this is just one example of many…)

With all the legitimate crises going on in society, who needs perfectly healthy kids, who have no reason to show up to class (no reasoning or thinking is required, just copy like a robot), sitting at home on the couch and playing X-box etc. because nobody taught them how to think for themselves,  fill out an application form or look for a job. 

What about priorities?  How about working for what you want?  What about not settling and aiming to get a college or university education?  Should we really set our sights and the bar so low for our youth because we, as educators, don’t feel like exerting the effort?  What about the role of parents? 

Some educators feel that too much is expected of them.  It is true that you need to draw the line somewhere, but please.  Parents can’t resonably expect teachers to do the majority of their child raising and teachers can’t expect parents to be the only educators of children.  That’s why, in my opinion, the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child” is very appropriate.  Children and youth need many positive examples in their lives in and outside of the home and classroom.

If society expects little of our youth, little growth, development and success will be achieved.  As parents and educators, we are the ones who are supposed to be setting the boundaries and examples for our youth.  What about teachers and parents working together to not “take the easy way out”?  What about working together to raise the bar of expectation in our schools and school districts?

Life’s problems and societies needs don’t lessen with time.  Let’s prepare our youth to be forward thinking, problem solving, productive members of society.  How will they ever know what they can achieve if not challenged and encouraged?