This is scary stuff (reading)

[ImmortalDragon]

Excuses, excuses...summer reading, assigned reading, too many books.

Stop with the nonsense and just admit that you're too lazy or your attention span is too short to finish a book.

Stop with the bull**** and admit the books we're given (forced) to read don't interest anyone.

[Fan since a Fetus]

The movie "Idiocracy" almost seems prophetic at this point.

I didn't like the movie when I first saw it. I thought it was pretty dumb.

However, I agree with you on this one. Unfortunately, I am reminded of this movie everyday.

[moviedude25]

I really think blaming the schools is too easy and mostly wrong.

I work in a high school. I am a Sys Admin of the largest school with the most computers in it in my state. I see this every day and from my expirence you would be wrong. The school that I graduated from in VA was not like this. They didn't bargain for every student to do there work. They weren't so scared that the kids would drop out if pushed too hard that they wouldn't push them to read like they do now. The school systems today are scared of discaplining students because of the backlash from there parents. In my day summer reading and reading was required. Today the kids are required to watch TV. Its not the same as it used to be and its the fault of the schools mostly.

When I was a youngster, there was no Summer Reading demands, but I read voraciously. Why? One, my father was an avid reader and I saw him modeling the behavior. We got to the point eventually of reading and then passing off books to each other. Two, reading and education were really high priorities in the household. There needs to be a culture of reading at home. Grades are only one small carrot, especially during the Summer months.

Why the discussion about Summer months? That is 2 months out of 12. Thats 1/6th of the calander year. Thats not the majority of the time, its but a small fraction. And sir this is not your time. When I was in 4th grade and going to a public school in MD my class took a trip to NY City and the entire class was allowed to run around the city by ourselves and told to meet up with the teachers later. Do you think that would ever happen today? No. We live in a changed society where kids bring guns to school and shoot other kids. We live in a society today that no longer has the same values it once did. We sir have changed dramatically as a society and it starts in the schools. If an average person lives to be 80 years old then they spend 14 years of it in schools if they graduate at 18. That 1/6th of there life is the most important years of there life determining who they become later and the school system is losing the battle today to keep children educated.

Parents need to recognize and take a role in their kid's education. I'd bet if we did an analysis, we'd find that the decrease in reading, reading comprehension, and reading frequency falls right along those tracks. When the kids are cute and little (say up to 9) more parents pay attention. Afterwards, the kids are expected to do it on their own.

I will agree that some parents are lacking interest in there childrens lives but I've seen many more who are active partisipants in what there children are doing. Placing the blame upon parents for there children receiving a poor education because the schools will not provide it is not the answer. If schools were not in charge of providing an education to students then why are they

children there?

The other person who needs to blamed is the reader themselves. The locus of control in your life is you. You choose to read or do other things. Blaming the school or liberal hippy parents is too easy and more importantly, making excuses get you nowhere.

Completely agree but have you ever tried to talk to a 10 year old? They aren't understand this. Maturity teaches everyone these hard lessons. In this world there are winners and losers and the winners are the ones that find that out sooner rather then later and act on it. The losers are those that make excuses

[I_Bleed_B&G]

Blahhh. I read enough on extremeskins

[pjfootballer]

I never had required summer reading at any level in any school. I was always in advanced reading classes. When I was in 1st grade, I went to the 2nd grade class for reading and on and on until 5th grade.

I've noticed the school years are getting longer. Teachers getting 3 or more days off every month to plan, spring break (we never got spring break until college- it was Easter weekend) and shorter summer breaks. I never went to school before labor day. We had that Monday off and went to school on Tuesday. Now, kids go to school the 2nd week of August. Funny how the schools talk about saving money, yet they're open more days during the year and they're cranking the AC in the middle of August.

Also, the standardized tests they give to the students. In my day (man that sounds old) we took the tests with no pressure. It wasn't a pass/fail for the student/school. It was just an evaluation. Now, teachers are teaching the kids how to pass the test and they're not retaining knowledge of what they're learning. Just how to take the test. That means the basic stuff like reading, writing and arithmatic are suffering.

I've never been a reader of books or novels. Every once in a while I'll get into one, but rarely. I'm more of a newspaper/magazine reader. I read the newspaper cover to cover every night, including the obituaries. Sometimes I wish I could show an interest to read more novels. There are alot of classic (the Great Gatsby, Oliver twist to name a few) that Ive never read and will try to before I die. I remember reading the Hobbitt, Tess of the Durbervilles, Dune and 1984 in school. None of them considered classics. Wish my teachers would have assigned us Moby Dick or Robinson Crusoe (read both).

[Burgold]

I work in a high school. I am a Sys Admin of the largest school with the most computers in it in my state. I see this every day and from my expirence you would be wrong.

I certainly can't argue about your experiences. And thanks for choosing a life in education. It's a noble and underappreciated world. I taught special ed for four years in Maryland and my experience was somewhat different from what you describe. I will admit I find the lack of respect disturbing, especially based on how I was taught to view and treat teachers, but I found teachers bending over backwards and trying desperately hard to motivate students and not being supported by too many parents. Teaching was the teacher's job, not the parents. I heard that too many times. In terms of IEP's and teacher/parent meetings I would arrange them on the weekends, at night, whenever and wherever the parent wanted. Too often, far too often the parents couldn't be bothered. This view that their kids were secondary and that school was unimportant leached down to into the kids' souls. Why would they respect us when their parents don't? Why would they listen to us when their parents don't or speak disdainfully of teachers?

I'm moderately liberal (some on this board would say more than moderate) but the one truly negative I've seen from the liberal mindset is this. This lack of self-responsibility. If you are a parent that comes before everything. Your children are above number one. They are not to be passed off and remade in a learning factory. It is the apathy from parents and students that frustrated me more than anything else. More than the threats, more than the disrespect, more than the rage or juvenile insults.

[Burgold]

So, anyone going to read to or with their kids tonight?

[Baculus]

In turn, this affects teen-agers and youth's writing skills as well, which, judging by their Myspace and online writings, is quite poor.

[Burgold]

In turn, this affects teen-agers and youth's writing skills as well, which, judging by their Myspace and online writings, is quite poor.

Absolutely, the quality of written communication is definately worsening. It's even gotten to the poin that I often have to run a translation program just to talk to my fellow ESers.

Seriously though, you are correct. People's writing skills have gotten worse and worse. What's really scary is what is now considered acceptable from "writers" and journalists. Some of the material that is published, especially in sports journalism is really shoddy.

[Capt Rich Fla]

I certainly can't argue about your experiences. And thanks for choosing a life in education. It's a noble and underappreciated world. I taught special ed for four years in Maryland and my experience was somewhat different from what you describe. I will admit I find the lack of respect disturbing, especially based on how I was taught to view and treat teachers, but I found teachers bending over backwards and trying desperately hard to motivate students and not being supported by too many parents. Teaching was the teacher's job, not the parents. I heard that too many times. In terms of IEP's and teacher/parent meetings I would arrange them on the weekends, at night, whenever and wherever the parent wanted. Too often, far too often the parents couldn't be bothered. This view that their kids were secondary and that school was unimportant leached down to into the kids' souls. Why would they respect us when their parents don't? Why would they listen to us when their parents don't or speak disdainfully of teachers?

I'm moderately liberal (some on this board would say more than moderate) but the one truly negative I've seen from the liberal mindset is this. This lack of self-responsibility. If you are a parent that comes before everything. Your children are above number one. They are not to be passed off and remade in a learning factory. It is the apathy from parents and students that frustrated me more than anything else. More than the threats, more than the disrespect, more than the rage or juvenile insults.

Uhhhhh? Hmmm, Hmmmm, Uhhh? SAY WHAT?

That pill that says CHILL on it. AHH, what was I sayin'? Oh! I think it was DOUCHE BAG! OOooops! It sliped. (sliped? Is that righht? AHHHHhhhhhhhhh!)

[The 12th Commandment]

Uhhhhh? Hmmm, Hmmmm, Uhhh? SAY WHAT?

That pill that says CHILL on it. AHH, what was I sayin'? Oh! I think it was DOUCHE BAG! OOooops! It sliped. (sliped? Is that righht? AHHHHhhhhhhhhh!)

It would be a good point if one needed to be literate to catch a 700 lb mako. :laugh:

jk

Edit: I shouldn't take pot shots and then bail. So I'll add this to the discussion. At least Burg's comments about writing. I suck at writing to communicate. I'm misunderstood constantly in emails at work and in posts here. I can write technically like nobodies business. I've had good comments every job I've had when it comes to writing about work issues. Procedures, instructions and explanations of work stuff. I don't think that comes from a lack of education it's just the way I think.

Could this not be a part of the problem too? Pigeon holing kids into a preconceived notion of what they should be able to write about. Kind of like math some are good at that language and some aren't. who knows

[Burgold]

Uhhhhh? Hmmm, Hmmmm, Uhhh? SAY WHAT?

That pill that says CHILL on it. AHH, what was I sayin'? Oh! I think it was DOUCHE BAG! OOooops! It sliped. (sliped? Is that righht? AHHHHhhhhhhhhh!)

Okay, I'll admit it. This post has me baffled. Part of me thinks there's a joke I'm missing, part of me thinks it's an example of what I was talking about, and some part of me thinks this is an attack on my post.

In any case, I'm lost.

[The 12th Commandment]

I think he's trying to write like his kids do on myspace. That or he's having a drunken pity party!

[Burgold]

I think he's trying to write like his kids do on myspace. That or he's having a drunken pity party!

Gotcha. Thanks

[Diehard Otis]

Once again, I must say that this is a great post.

My response to the Post article is what else would you expect? We live in a time when the social conditioning (whether overt or subtle) trains people to NOT THINK, spend money, & collect toys. As I'm sure many of the posters here know, our economy is fueled signifigantly by consumer spending. This is important because it is my opinion that our country is successfully producing capitalists & consumers. The funny thing is that we are conversely churning out low quality, ill-educated, largely unskilled replacement workers for the soon-to-be retiring ones. This, to me, is the real problem & The Post article regarding the dismal reading numbers reinforce this notion. Frankly speaking, what's more fun.....reading Catcher in the Rye, or getting high & watching Family Guy?

[moviedude25]

I certainly can't argue about your experiences. And thanks for choosing a life in education. It's a noble and underappreciated world

Thanks. Before I was doing this I was in the miliitary. I've held many jobs in my life and have always saught out a higher calling for my work. I could take an 80k job with my expirence but I'd rather help out the youth. Money is not everything to me, its important but as long as my wife and kids are ok then I am satisfied.

Speaking from expirence, today was a sight to behold. Today was the last day before the Thanksgiving break for the kids and I walked around various classrooms today and have to say that today I saw more classrooms watching movies then any other day this school year. I rarely saw anyone actually teaching today, it was kinda sad to me. I guess thats why I feel the way I do about this topic.

I taught special ed for four years in Maryland and my experience was somewhat different from what you describe.

My wife teaches Special Education now. That is a very demanding job, just this week while swimming one of her students had a seisure in the pool and he is about 200 pounds. He's fine but its situations like that which makes me appreciate the strength both physically and emotionally some one must have to do that job.

I'm moderately liberal (some on this board would say more than moderate) but the one truly negative I've seen from the liberal mindset is this. This lack of self-responsibility. If you are a parent that comes before everything. Your children are above number one. They are not to be passed off and remade in a learning factory. It is the apathy from parents and students that frustrated me more than anything else. More than the threats, more than the disrespect, more than the rage or juvenile insults.

I have seen this as well and its getting to our children. I see it in the teachers at my school now. I see it with the kids in the halls. It is rampet in schools today and the number one thing affecting the entire situation negatively.

My children are my most important thing in my life today behind my wifes needs. We've been together for a decade now because I understand an important rule, if she's not happy no one in the house is. Thanks for the conversation. I appreciate it