I teach first grade. These are new-millenium children who have been raised on television, video games, computerized equipment and the Internet. Decisions are made for them by their parents on a daily basis. They are not challenged to be inventive, to think critically or independently, because everything is done for them automatically. These children have broad knowledge when it comes to wordly things (the TV and a lax attitude in American culture is to thank for that), but when it comes to knowing fundamental academics appropriate for their grade-level, these kiddos are clueless! It exhausts me at the end of the day when I see children who are unable to think or use common sense. What irritates me even more are irresponsible parents who constantly make excuses for their kids.
I say this as a prelude to what I think is a major problem in public education. Classrooms are packed with children who are labled as "At Risk", "Tier 3" or "Low-level Learners". How much of this problem is students truly being academically challenged, and how much is this is students lacking fundamentals that should be instilled at home? Or is the real truth that students are simply too darn lazy to think...because in our society, they don't HAVE to?
I say this as a prelude to what I think is a major problem in public education. Classrooms are packed with children who are labled as "At Risk", "Tier 3" or "Low-level Learners". How much of this problem is students truly being academically challenged, and how much is this is students lacking fundamentals that should be instilled at home? Or is the real truth that students are simply too darn lazy to think...because in our society, they don't HAVE to?
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