by Ron Taylor

Created on: May 18, 2007   Last Updated: May 21, 2007

I want to say first that I have great respect for those who have chosen to become educators. At least those who have done so because they are passionate about teaching, and make a consistent effort to offer their students their best.

That being said I can honestly say that my experience with the public school system, both personally, and now that my son is in school has been less than satisfactory. As a student, I had no trouble learning and becoming familiar with new concepts. That is perhaps outside of art. In fact, the opposite is true. I was often bored with the process of learning because I was not challenged by the process.

Now I have a son who is in fourth grade. Until this year he has done very well in school. His lowest grade had been a B+. Without getting into a lot of detail, I should explain that there have been changes in his life that may be playing some part in the steady decline in his performance. Still though, when I ask him what he thinks the problem is he says that he too is bored quite often. I'm not suggesting that learning should be fun necessarily, although it doesn't hurt. What I'm suggesting is that he is a 10 year old boy who loses interest when he feels his potential is not being met.

Surely teachers are faced with many challenges. Perhaps more than ever before. From my perspective this is more true as children grow older. Just as the same is true of being a parent. Without a doubt, being a high school teacher can be more difficult than dealing with 1st graders. I can't help but believe though that if children are well taught and not being ignored or passed on to the next grade when perhaps they shouldn't be it may not be so difficult when they're older. I have memories of friends telling me that they were graduated to the next grade despite not having achieved anything better than a D- the previous year. I wonder how and why this would happen.

This is all not to even mention the fact that children are faced with many challenges too. Anyone who has experienced public schools knows the pressure there is to fit in. I hate to say it but lets face it, kids can be just as cruel and sometimes even more so than adults. As the world changes and new standards are set, many children don't have a chance to measure up in the ways that are important to them. It's unfortunate for children who are mocked and ridiculed because their clothing is not on par with some of the other students. It shouldn't happen, but we all know it does.

Certainly

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>