Whaaaaaaaat in the world are we going to do to change the direction our society is going in?
How can we reverse the course that the young adults in their 30's and the teenagers and the kids coming behind them are headed in?
What can we do to save all our forefathers held dear and generations of Americans have died for: this way of life that seems to be making a beeline for hell in a handbasket?
I have been taking a sort-of continuing ed. course the school district offers teachers who need credits for renewing certification. (I won't go into the aggravating story of why I am not certified: another tale for another time.)
The subject of the two week study is Diversity, with discussion focus on what we as teachers (and parents) can and should be doing to become more aware of factors that have an impact on our lack of tolerance for anyone who acts, appears, learns, differently from ourselves. I've mostly been a 'fly on the wall', as one with very limited classroom time, perversely fascinated (in the manner of observing a train wreck) by the teachers and para-pros as they share their stories and experiences from the 'front lines'.
Someone today talked about a first grade kid who cussed at his teacher. How can a child who is suspended for three days learn while he is not in school? How can a teacher teach the rest of the students when they hear and see such disrespectful behavior? How can parents who appear to be indifferent, absent, focused on self-gratification expect teachers in public schools to instill qualities that are not found or reinforced in the home? When you call in parents for conferences and see the kids being combative and failing to respect their parents or guardians, how can you think they are going to be learning anything they will need to become self-sufficient adults? When the kid receives any type of disciplining punishment at school, and the parents' response is combative, defensive and threatening to teachers and administrators, how can you expect the child will not end up incarcerated, being supported by taxpayers? How horrifying is it to think that 'behind bars' is what the future holds for an elementary school-age child? What is going on in the life of a parent that is so overwhelming and consuming they do not have the time to invest in their children?
I can still recall the last time my dad pulled his belt through the beltloops to use it on my backside. I believe that children and young people need and desire to have limits set, and benefit from being told 'No'. I think having rules enforced by caring, compassionate, nurturing, supportive adults is the first step toward learning self-control and self-discipline. I fear we are seeing a society so wrapped up in self-gratification and permissive behavior they will become adults, our nation's leaders, with no 'moral compass', and will not have a sense of responsibility for anyone or anything greater than the "it's all about me" individual.
What can we do to alter this path we are headed down? How can we change the direction of this seemingly 'run-away' train we are traveling on? Where is that sense of living and serving for the 'greater good'? What happened to Character?
No comments:
Post a Comment