Dec 15 2005
Winter Frolics
Yay, no más español para un mez. :)
Not really, but I’m glad I’m past the final. Tests meant to grade how much I can parrot rather than what I’ve learned tend to leave me biting holes in my cheek. Rather painful, really. The almighty 4.0 GPA was once so important to me. Now, I sacrifice the A so that I might actually learn. I’na slow learner; it’s like savoring fine chocolate.
I’m still deeply disturbed by John Gatto’s article. These aren’t conspiracy theories; they’re accepted practices. Thankfully, it seems that in the near-ten years since Mr. Gatto wrote the article, people have taken notice of the problem that is the American public school system. Maybe not enough to make much needed global repairs, but just in reading responses to Holly’s post it appears many parents home school their children. I agree with home schooling, but only up to a point. If I had kids, I’d probably mix and match, part-time at home and part-time in classes.
However, if I ever caught a teacher failing my child for refusing to shower in a crowd with other students, said teacher would probably find herself showering in the nearest available outdoor fountain. Yes, hygiene is important, but forced humiliation is excessive and — of course — aggravated assault would only be the natural progression towards completing the circle. After all it’s natural for a mother bear to protect her cubs. Please don’t try this at home folks — with 4.5 years as a small town correctional officer, I’m certified in the art of professional evil! >:]
But, I agree with Mr. Gatto’s assessment: the public school system cannot be fixed internally. It needs to be imploded and rebuilt from the ground up. Maybe they should call in one of those Las Vegas wrecking crews. Have you ever seen a casino demolition? It’s like poetry! Boom, and those giant buildings collapse — POOF — in on themselves (well, usually, anyhow) even though they’re elbow-to-elbow with casinos on either side. Those demo guys are da bomb. :)
I don’t believe all teachers are evil. I do, however, think too many are too indifferent. Some maybe only because they are frustrated with the system, but others turn away because they believe it’s not their battle to win or lose. It’s just tenure and a paycheck. The outspoken teachers are too few and many of them are bullied to silence by that guild mentality. My step-mother, Barbie, was a wonderful teacher but also easily silenced. She often rode the fence between teaching her way versus the approved way. She stayed, though, because she felt she could still make a difference.
The real power is with the people, and unless those people — parents — sending their children into the belly of the beast want to affect change, change will not happen. There will be no revolutions. There may be no free thinkers to start them.
Take a look at how many of us are owned by Microsoft. We spend hundreds of dollars purchasing the license to use software we don’t own, and without hesitation, we click away any freedom or rights we might otherwise have. Microsoft owns us and we allow it. Visa and Mastercard own us and we allow it. Television with its obnoxious, annoying-as-hell popup ads owns us. Do we do something about any of them besides bitch? Nope. We’re as brainwashed as our kids. We can think for ourselves, but do we? We could say no, but how many of us do? It’s much simpler to go with the flow, to follow the trends. And that’s how companies collar us. We make them. And, instead of saying no, we just continue to help them grow.
The next system I buy will have Microsoft Windows XP Pro; I currently use Win2K and I love it, but my puter is getting old. The new computer will be the last time I own a system running a Microsoft Windows OS. I’ve decided it’s time to take the plunge into Linux and leave Microsoft behind indefinitely. That’s a terrifying thought to voice aloud. I love Microsoft’s products, but I don’t like the company’s philosophy. I don’t like that Microsoft believes it has a right to slowly bleed my freedom away in order to “protect” itself and make a profit. A lot of corporations follow in its footsteps. Alone, I haven’t the power to stop them, and some would argue I haven’t the right, but as a consumer, I don’t have to support them. I can say no. :)
2 Responses to “Winter Frolics”
Hello, I followed your link from the comments on my blog [and I’ve seen you at Holly’s] and thought I’d drop you a note.
I totally agree with you on political correctness. It seems crazy to me that our words are so closely monitored while our behavior toward each other continues to get worse. We have a responsibility to choose our words carefully, but it is so much more important to show that we care about each other as people through our actions. Words don’t mean much if our actions don’t back them up.
As for Mr Gatto’s article, I look back at my own school days [a long time ago] and see clearly how the system nearly did my poor brain in. I’m still struggling to wake up from
it, and I graduated in 1992! Generation X at its finest.
And the sad thing is, the current system is even worse than it was in my day. Whole word recognition is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard of as a system for teaching people to read! I worked in the school system for a few months several years ago, and at that time, they were teaching kids how to make little dots and circles on numbers to learn to add. They were also allowed to use calculators. I remember getting into so much trouble for counting on my fingers in school! And now they teach you tricks to make it easier for you!
I plan to send my seven year old [who will be eight in February] to school next year, but I am teaching her to read, write and do math with the ‘Hooked On Phonics/Math kits’ before she darkens the doors of public school. I’m hoping she will have enough of a foundation for learning that she will still be able to think for herself from within the system. If she ends up having serious problems with school, I’ll pull her out and we’ll do it at home again.
Hi Shelbi — glad you stopped in. :) I’m still puzzling on the riddle of the punch!
Class of 1986, early Gen-X here; I must have been at the tail-end of learning to read phonetically and damned lucky for it, too. I’m certainly grateful and like you I didn’t get to use a calculator (although I sure wish I coulda!). I might have to order Hooked on Phonics for my nieces in case it’s not around in 4 years when they’re ready to read. I was shocked to learn phonetic reading had been retired from public service. Whole word recognition is a great tool to improve reading, especially for speed, but I think phonetics is a better foundation.
It’s no wonder, too then, that in 1996 although she was in 8th grade, my sister could barely read (she looked at me as if I was on crack whenever I told her to “sound it out”). She also had NO idea how to use a dictionary. It was easy for the system (and in turn, for her) to blame her problems on dyslexia. I locked horns with her every day after school for two weeks; no boyfriends, no tv, no phone, and no hanging out at the local cafe — just her, the homework, and the kitchen table. I was the EVIL SISSY™. When she finally stopped resisting and applied herself, though, the results were — stunning — even she admitted the work looked like it belonged to someone else.
I’m relieved for the type of actions you’re taking with your daughter. Not only do I see home schooling as a positive step towards a deeper, more rounded education, but also in preserving the sanity of today’s young minds. I hope school goes well for your daughter, if only because younguns have to have somewhere to plot against all us old curmudgeons. Man, I haven’t been in a good mustard fight since my sister ambushed me in 1997!
I hope Holly plans to keep us thinking, and I hope we’ll find reasons to keep sharing thoughts as well. Thanks for making this snow-day more fun and interesting. :D