:thumb:

 

And before anyone goes off attacking LBBC in saying that it's not all the fault of the parents, we agree (if I may be so bold as to speak for you, LBBC). However, it goes back to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. If a child's basic needs are not being met, the chances that education can be successful diminishes.

 

I agree and Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is right on.

 

On a side note, I brought Maslow up in a church meeting in talking about Outreach. Till they have their basic needs met, they won't care about eternal needs.

I used to have a small bronze statue that served as a doorstop when I was a child. It was a figure of a seated biy reading a book. Had an inscription, "The child who reads is the child who leads."

LBBC, I agree literacy is a huge issue in all of education and particularly in urban and rural areas.

You can pretty much forecast whether or not a student is going to college on how they exit the 8th grade.

However, it is at the 9th grade level where you find the issues and red flags for those students who may eventually drop out. The success rate of kids graduating once they pass the 9th grade is HUGE. If you can get an at risk student through the 9th grade you have a good shot at getting them through graduation. If not, then you are in trouble.

Interventions, remediation, acceleration, you name it...schools have to have a laser like focus on this particular class and get them through. It is where the problems lie.

Not every kid is going to go to college, but you want each students to have the tools to do so if they desire.

The problem for these schools is that they are not just trying to educate students but to address/overcome a breakdown in the familial structure in this country where too many parents do not care about their children and their children's successes.

 

 

Do you have any ideas why parents do not care about their children and their children's successes? As it always been this way in America, and if not, why is it worse now than it used to be? I think you've identified the number one cause of the problem, so I think we have to identify the reasons behind the cause. Why don't parents care if their children obtain a decent enough level of education to become legitimate contributors to society and able to hold decent paying jobs?

Do you have any ideas why parents do not care about their children and their children's successes? As it always been this way in America, and if not, why is it worse now than it used to be? I think you've identified the number one cause of the problem, so I think we have to identify the reasons behind the cause. Why don't parents care if their children obtain a decent enough level of education to become legitimate contributors to society and able to hold decent paying jobs?

 

Historically they could drop out and get a job on the farm, in the factory, or in the mine. Thus drop-outs were not a huge deal. Now those jobs are not there and the un-educated parents who dropped out believe that their children can be just as successful.

Do you have any ideas why parents do not care about their children and their children's successes? As it always been this way in America, and if not, why is it worse now than it used to be? I think you've identified the number one cause of the problem, so I think we have to identify the reasons behind the cause. Why don't parents care if their children obtain a decent enough level of education to become legitimate contributors to society and able to hold decent paying jobs?

 

I think in some regards you have parents who did not experience success in high school and therefore they don't feel their children will either and hence they have an apathy towards schools. That trickles down...

However, schools have to meet this issue and be creative in ways to overcome these obstacles, because in many cases these children lack a significant adult in their lives. Schools have do what is best for their kids. The old way of teaching in the 70's and 80's and part of the 90's will not reach these kids. They need to be engaged, and use technology...the school must go to them, and have high expectations for all.

Historically they could drop out and get a job on the farm, in the factory, or in the mine. Thus drop-outs were not a huge deal. Now those jobs are not there and the un-educated parents who dropped out believe that their children can be just as successful.

 

In some regards, those jobs are still out there but many of the kids today feel that those jobs are beneath them and they can make more drawing a check from the government. Many of the teens I have dealt with feel working at McD's is beneath them. They are too good for these entry level jobs.

I think in some regards you have parents who did not experience success in high school and therefore they don't feel their children will either and hence they have an apathy towards schools. That trickles down...

However, schools have to meet this issue and be creative in ways to overcome these obstacles, because in many cases these children lack a significant adult in their lives. Schools have do what is best for their kids. The old way of teaching in the 70's and 80's and part of the 90's will not reach these kids. They need to be engaged, and use technology...the school must go to them, and have high expectations for all.

 

Technology costs money and I agree with your first comment. THere have been students in alternative school for discipline issues in which there parents were in alternative school for discipline issues.

 

Problem is that society/politicians want us to cookie cutter the students and everyone of them are to be taught basically on the same model and choices of subjects as well as being tested like everyone of them is the same.

 

You guys are successful in life. What if you were told you HAD TO LEARN something you had zero interest in and there was no connection to your life with it? How much interest would you have in it?

From another thread that is a good example of the problem.

 

Yesterday my neighbor had his bike stolen. A group of kids had made the journey into Ft. Thomas and were hanging out across the street from our house. After my neighbors left they crossed the street and took his bike out of his yard. The kids were from very young (10-12) from Newport and were in Fort Thomas hanging out for no reason. The group also got three other bikes during their trip. Let's just say that the 2 of the kids were caught and told the police officer where to find the bike. When they went to that house, the mother yelled at the police officer and demanded to see a warrant??? If my kid has a bike that I know that I didn't buy him, I'm asking questions of my kid. If police come asking about that same bike, my boys better hope that they arrest them and take them away b/c they'll be safer in jail than at home. What is wrong w/ some parents?