I'm totally cool with this "mandatory service" plan of Wilma's. Let them
prescribe policies for teachers, who have first made an effort to teach
one child themselves.
-- Tony West
Melani raises a good question about what we as a community could do?
Lobbying for smaller class-size and more teachers is a great idea.
I propose something that is not really the politically correct thing
to say, but here it is.
In order to address a problem one has to know exactly what the problem
is, how far it has spread the the seriousness of it. As for urban
public schools most people don’t know the half of it.
I have always wanted to have mandatory school substitute service for
private citizens. On the order of jury duty, each citizen would be
required to serve as a school substitute teacher for a day or two. A
week would ideal.
Lesson plans are provided and the person would be paid at the rate for
a beginning substitute.
Then and ONLY then will people see what it is actually like to teach
in schools and what the hindrances are and be able to make an informed
decision about what needs to be done. The caveat is no titles, (Hi!
I’m doctor______ and I am your teacher today.), just Mr. Mrs. or Ms.
_________.
Try to follow the scripted curriculum and the Scheduling Timelines.
Find out if the script will actually be germane to whomever is sitting
before you.
See students who come to school without pencils or pens, homework done
or even a notebook. These are the self-same people who would ready to
kill if they went to a hoagie or steak shop and the found out store
didn’t have what they to make them one.
The students who have $200 sneakers, but no pencils or books. The
students living out their video games with which they spend so much
more time than their studies.
When one sees parents or other adult relatives come up to a school to
videotape their child beating up another person’s child, or even help
them do it, one realizes that parent’s and students’ priorities with
regard to getting an education. There have been several arrests
publicized in the media but the bulk of these assaults are not reported.
I think it would be a great community service since there are never
enough people to go round when teachers are out sick. I also feel it
would be the best way for the public, (who fund public schools), to
truly get a handle on what the problems are in public schools.
Once they know the extent of the problem, then we can brainstorm
possible solutions.
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