This week I asked many students why a student makes failing grades. Their answers were much the same, and none of them placed the responsibility upon anyone other than the student himself, except where shared responsibility was indicated. This tells me that, when put to the test, students know they are responsible. One little added note here, all of these students answered about their own failures, not the failures of others.
If students will recognize that they do play the most significant role in their grades, and successes or failures in general, why is it that educational professionals cannot recognize it? When a student fails, no matter who the system says is to blame, the student inwardly sees himself as the one who really could have made a difference. We teach them not to take that responsibility by placing it on the teacher or administration, or the whole education system.
When asked, students said that their failures were due to lack of motivation, lack of interest, higher priorities in friendship or media, they don't listen or pay attention, or they don't take the time to study. Most of them would agree that they could and should do better, but they are just not required to do so. They think no one really cared about them anyway.
We all know that parents must help, encourage, and expect the very best from the students, however many are just not there for their children in the educational process. This does not in any way take the weight off of the shoulders of the students. It only means that, when they are willing to handle that weight, they become stronger. Sometime teachers just have no time to help individual students, and this can be a means of hindering the progress that students could make. However, the student still has tutoring, and even the Library to go to for help. He can ask other teachers. He knows that he will get bad grades if he does nothing. When we take that responsibility away from him, he freely gives it up.
There are some subjects that are boring. There are some teachers who are boring. This is not an added excuse for the student to fail. What happens is that if the student is allowed to have and use excuses, he will use whatever excuses he can come up with. "Teens are so easily deceived because they cannot see danger in making life easier at any costs." They see no harm in excuses, and it becomes a way of blaming others.
When we look at the list of excuses, and then ask the question, "who can make adjustments that will improve the grades?" We will realize that the greatest improvement will take place when the student makes the necessary adjustments. Of course teachers and parents can adjust as well, but it is when the student changes that the grades will improve.
Once it is finally determined that the students are indeed holders of the responsibility for their part of the educational process, and once they are officially being held responsible, we will return to the days when students will develop pride in the educational institution that has given them the opportunity to change their lives. Once they have shouldered their duty as students, they will participate with enthusiasm and pride in the extra curricular activities of the school. Not only that, they will find themselves desiring to represent the school. Currently in many school systems, students are in these activities for themselves to some degree. They want recognition and awards. They need to see success somewhere, and in these activities they are able to do so. When they begin to take pride in their grades and accomplishments because they are the ones working to accomplish them, they will recognize and represent the teachers, staff, and the school as they compete in school related activities. They will be thankful to these wonderful pwoplw who have contributed to their life's successes.
Everyone wins. Finally the pressures that teachers have, due to being held responsible for student failures will fade, and they will be able to concentrate more on encouraging, motivating them, and watching them come alive within themselves.
The Educational system's priorities will change from grades, to growing adults who will be able to succeed in life because they want to, and because they believe they can.
Currently, students are not being held responsible for their own failures. They know it, and they will certainly not volunteer to take on that burden as long as someone else does. Lets get back to teaching students and not subjects. Lets raise the banner, hold it high, and cause these students to have to reach and stretch their mental muscles. In doing that we will find out that their social and emotional and physical strengths will also improve.