Are the kids to blame?

Question

Why is our society so quick to place blame on teachers in schools when standardized tests scores are low while rarely holding the students or parents accountable?

Answer 1

It is wrong to put the blame for America's falling academic performance on any one group, ie. parents, teachers, students. There is a societal mechanism at work in this country which has led to a devaluation of a basic work ethic and a new belief in entitlement.

The students believe that education is a right that they possess and that accordingly they should be rewarded with high grades, regardless of the amount of effort they put into their work. The parents believe that their children's academic achievement lies solely in the hands of the teachers and they think that the teachers’ only focus should be on their individual child. The government believes that adding more requirements for students and tests automatically create better teachers and students instead of really researching what the issues are that lead to failing schools and students.

As a teacher myself, I can hardly say that teachers are blameless either. Sometimes it is easier to complain about circumstances than to stand up and really fight for what is best for our schools. I have been watching my own high school's standards slip lower and lower over the past 5 years and when I wanted my colleagues to "fight the power" as it were. However, they were only interested in what was happening in their own classroom. It's difficult to enact change when the teachers are not united and ready to ban together to make things better.

That being said, all of our interactions together: our ability to look the other way, to see things as others' responsibilities, and to use quick fixes is the blame. We all need to work together to get the most from our schools, parents, teachers, and students and realize that it is not easy---it's hard work and it needs to be done.

Answer 2

I am a student...and in a few semesters will be a teacher. I believe it can go either way....students or teachers. I have seen times that the teacher is great...gives it everything, but the students just do not care and take everything lightly. On the other hand, I have had a few teachers that treat their jobs like babysitters-literally..In my chemistry class the ONLY thing we did for 2 semesters was homework for other classes and read a magazine article and write a short summary about it. In my government class we watched Shrek and the teacher gave the answers to the test. However, mostly I feel that students these days have school on the bottom of their lists. They are more worried about playing video games or calling their friends. I also think the standerdized tests are overrated. If you are having one bad day (I'm talking for the girls..the time of the month, your dog dies, death in the family, etc) you aren't going to be focused. Also, many of the questions are poorly written and/or are culturally biased. I also don't like the time limit. For example if they give me 30 min. for the reading portion and 30 for the math, I could do the math faster, but I might need a few extra minutes in the reading part. Why don't they have a huge time limit (that is more reasonable) and people can work more at their own pace.

Answer 3

Learning needs to be the responsibility of the student, the teacher, the parents and the community. If any of these don't do their part to the best of their ability, everyone suffers. It's easier for parents to place the blame on "poor teachers" than to make certain they keep close watch on their child's progress. Homework...is it getting done on time? Do parents insist on a quiet environment for the child to study in? Does the parent check and make sure the homework gets done? Is the atmosphere in the home a pleasant one without neglect or abuse or screaming? And teachers....(and I was one)...do they send notes home regularly if a child is having problems/not completing work/not being attentive in class? Are the notes sent by mail or e-mail so they get to the parents? Does the teacher seek extra help for students having problems? Do they challenge the faster learners with extra material? And the community...do the businesses in the community reward the students with freebies? ...a burger and fries at McD's...2 free movie rentals?...a Whopper and coke?....KIDS LIKE FOOD!
the possibilities are endless...but how many communities join forces to reward learning?
And then the student...parental support and supervision at home? Enough sleep? A healthy diet? Regular attendance in class? EFFORT on the student's part?
If all these things are present, the learning will be more effective and everyone will have been a part of making education a priority.

Answer 4

II feel that some people think that once their child is in the school it is the teacher's responsibility to make sure the student does everything right, including staying out of trouble and standardized testing scores being high. No one wants to be blamed...but unforunitly the government has also laid the resposibility soley on the school. If a schools test scores stay low to too long...the school and the teachers are the ones that get in trouble not the parents or the students. If student is absent to many days the school gets in trouble also. I had a student absent 37 days in one semester...his mom got a phone call...and the school got in trouble by the Annual yearly progress commitee. Gotta love the governments ideas on education sometimes....

Answer 5

Amen! I always say that when the pupil's behavior is tightened up; the test scores will improve (students are not the problem bc students study; pupils play). I don't like this new way of thinking bc it's detrimental. Maybe we Baby-Boomers got the other extreme of this bell curve, but today's kids are allowed the exact opposite. There has 2 b a workable middle ground. How can a table stand when 1 of its legs is broken? Why is there fear in "fixing" that "broken" leg? Why aren't kids taught what they're to bring 2 "the table" instead of sitting back waiting 2 b entertained?

When we were kids, we were taught to have a future in mind; we were taught accountability. These kids live for now; they don't know how to "earn"; there r no consequences. Quite frankly, I'm sick of it. Those of us who try to change it get harshly criticized & reprimanded! Yet, the kids are neither criticized or reprimanded bc it hurts their self-esteems. That's not building self-esteem. Encouraging positives are what helps 2 build self-esteem.

I'd love 2 c a separate school 4 the behaviorally incorrigible that's actually based soley on negative behavior & not based on race. ("Yes, I said it; yes, I did!"---Michael Baseden) In my day, it was called "Reform School". No one wanted 2 go, so you got ur act 2gether! Also, less people were in jail. Where is it????? Bring it back!

I whole-heartedly agree w/ u.

This is a touchy subject 4 me, so I'll stop here.

Let's hope for a better school year.

Answer 6

I work at a high school. It is amazing how many parents call up the VP's or principal and just swear, yell, and go on about how their kid "couldn't:" have done such-and-such. It's as if they believe their child is a perfect angel. They put blame on the school for an act their child committed. But where are they when the school has an event which needs parental volunteers, donations, etc.? Because teachers are an easy target, because they are with the kids so much, it's easy to put blame on them. But the blame needs to be spread around: on states who cut education budgets; on districts who overpay administrators to hire the best ones. Sure there are some bad teachers, but a big problem is having to "teach to the test" in order to raise student test scores so as to keep receiving needed funds.

Thanks for the great question...and for letting me vent!!

Answer 7

i luv how someone dats tryin to sound intelligent has to talk like dis!

Good, God, would it hurt to take the extra 3 seconds to actually spell things the way you should know how to and quit putting short cuts?

Parents are totally accountable. Teachers in some cases are too. I do not believe that the kids have any blame in this matter, because by the time they 7 their parents should have taught them good morals, got them help if they needed, and taught them what it means to be good students.

Too many parents out there that don't care, or don't get their kids under control. If your kid walks all over you, then he or she could care less about a lot of stuff, some of which includes school. It's up to the parents to encourage, to help, to support etc.

Answer 8

Oh no, honey, it's the parents. As a parent myself I am fully aware of the difficulties and stresses that go with raising children and it's the hardest thing I've ever done. Before I had kids I never really thought about it. I could have cared less if it was the parents, teachers or the kids. But now I know that in 95% or more cases when the kids are behaving badly or doing poorly in school it's the parents who drop the ball.

Answer 9

No, the kids are not really to blame. The system is truly awful.
Here are some changes I'd like to see:

Lower class sizes. Since when is the human mind a widget to be mass-produced? How can anyone possibly deal with 35 individualized learning problems? I guarantee you that any good teacher who knows what he or she is talking about could get more done in one hour of one-on-one instruction than in an entire week of class time.

De-standardized education. Teach to interests. No single subject is absolutely necessary, and all subjects, properly studied, teach you how to think and create. Try to converse, rather than read from some publishing company's awful script. This of course is much easier with a smaller class--even (gasp!) a tutorial system with one or two kids at a time.

Base college admissions on essays and interviews alone. Standardized tests are a farce, and the deck is stacked in favor of those who can afford Kaplan. (ETS is the dark power behind much of the current legislation.) For that matter, make college free, or nearly so. Right now the highest-regarded undergraduate institutions are (mostly) playgrounds for the wealthy. Thirty thousand a year for your kid to inebriate herself at Lit? (I'm thinking of NYU.) Pathetic.

Raise taxes. Pay teachers what you are not spending on sh*t textbooks. In this, you get what you pay for. It would also raise the stature of teachers and education in our generally anti-intellectual, even proud-to-be-stupid, and increasingly undemocratic society.

Answer 10

I think blame goes far deeper. Into the home and then into the media. In the last 25 years we have seen a marked decline in education and a marked incline of mind-mushing entertainment and affluence. This trend is no coincidence in my mind and hints that something must be suspect in the change of respect and interest children hold for the world around them. Generations from now there may be no wars and no atrocities. But murder and rape higher because we will have lessened our capacity to be interested in the motivation to organize but heightened our capacity for disinterested pleasure fulfillment.
This is what i think anyway.
You?
I like your questions.