Yesterday I went to vote in a run off election and on the way in I met a gentleman who was griping that it was for Republicans only. True, it was a run off for two Republicans. He seemed kind of agitated and told me, "I'm a Democrat." I thought about him later and wondered why he had even showed up. The newspaper and TV were saying it was only a Republican run off. So either he didn't read or listen or just didn't pay any attention to what was going on. He wasn't the only one as several came in only to find out that they couldn't vote in this particular election.
I think a lot of us aren't paying attention to what is going on. We are getting complacent and thinking if it doesn't affect me, then why bother. But eventually it will affect all of us one way or the other so we need to start paying attention.
This brings me to another thought. I talked with my younger daughter the other day and she was telling me that my grandkids had started back to school, 8th grade, 6th grade and 3rd grade. She is concerned and worried, which I am too, about the quality of education they are getting. They live in a small rural community which in the past has had a so-so education system but they still had some values so the kids were learning but it sounds like that is changing.
The youngest grandson who is in 3rd grade is very good in his math skills and her concern is that next year he will have to go to a school that doesn't teach general math. They teach AR Math. Not sure what it means but she said the teacher, and in this case I'll use the name teacher loosely, gives each student a piece of paper with math problems and a calculator on the first day of school and tells them to do their homework. No instruction, no working in the classroom, but they are on their own to figure out what they are to do and how to do it with a calculator.
The two granddaughters have had this math and as they moved forward the teachers say they have to retrain the students in the basic skills of addition, subtraction and teach the times tables again.
Why? This is a two fold question. Why is the teacher even allowed in the school system? He/she isn't teaching but sure is drawing a good salary for doing nothing. Second, Why isn't the school administration seeing that this is not the proper teaching principles and allowing it to happen?
Most people wouldn't even know this was going on. The media never talks about it and unless you have children or grandchildren, most people wouldn't ever know that our children are not being taught the basic principles of learning.
We used to have great schools with good teachers who knew how to teach reading, writing and arithmetic as well as science and history but not in today's world. The schools seem to try to outdo each other in building bigger and so called better buildings, larger auditoriums and ball fields. The school year has changed so the kids start early and generally get out a little earlier. Reasoning is supposed to be they want to be prepared for "snow" days or bad weather days. What it really is, it is more time off for the teachers during the year. Stop and figure up how many days are used for some sort of "break" or "meeting" or "holiday" and it is no wonder they don't teach. They would only get started and then have a break.
The emphasis needs to be put back on the basic principles of learning. That is what School is for. To learn. At least that is what I was brought up to believe it to be. And when I went to school, we did learn the basics. We started the day after Labor Day and got a break for Thanksgiving, Christmas, the President's days, notice I said days because we celebrated Lincoln's birthday on Feb. 12 and Washington's birthday on Feb. 22, none of this jointly birthday thing they do now. We got a holiday for Good Friday and Easter and probably had two, maybe three teacher conference days during the school year and we finished the day before Memorial Day weekend.
So maybe we aren't paying attention or listening. After all, we are responsible for our children and their education. As parents we want to see them excel and do well, as grandparents we like to brag about how intelligent our grandchildren are, but can we really do that now. I mean if you really look at what they are learning, or should I say "not" learning, are we just content with that?
We all have busy lives, but our children are our future and we need to invest some time in them as it not only affects them but will affect all of us.
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