Wow. That's alarming. Yes, I believe it is a parent problem, but I also know that educators and staff are really hand tied when it comes to enforcing anything with kids anymore.
A big part of it is definitely a parent problem and it has been from the start of their lives. Helicopter/bulldozer parents are the worst. They're the real problem. Aiden can't do anything wrong. I want life to be perfect with nothing standing in his way of being happy 24/7 instead of experiencing some things that may be uncomfortable. Anything you say to my kid has to be okayed by me first.
Poverty can play a part in it too. Stats show that low SES students underperform. It's why public school's standardized test scores are lower than private schools. Take out the low SES kids and the numbers are even. The low SES kids, though, are often looking for anything positive in their life including positive interactions and someone that cares about them. I love teaching those kids. They're easy to teach. Treat them as equals because they don't feel equal. It's the kids of the snobby kids that are the toughest. They're better than everyone else and you sure as hell better not treat them as equals.
I also know that educators and staff are really hand tied when it comes to enforcing anything with kids anymore. They don't want to get sued and they don't want to enforce and/or hold any kids back anymore due to the percentage numbers they want to achieve.
Talk about having to watch what I say. If you read cases that were taken to the BOEE, every teacher has done dozens of those things that could get their license suspended. Taking school property out of a dumpster. Giving a kid with a coughing attack a drink out of their (the teacher's) water cup. Giving a kid Tums. Having a kid, that volunteered, stand on a table to get a dying light bulb stop flashing. Telling someone of the opposite sex that they look nice today. Basically you can't treat them like people. No relationships, nothing pleasant, no good Samaritan. Nothing. You're just a lecturer.
As for the percentages we have to achieve. The state is stupid. We had a special ed kid that wasn't proficient 2 years ago go up more than twice the expect annual growth on her standardized test last year. It counted against us because she got a 548 and needed a 550 to be proficient. F the state and their non-educator legislators.
Kid's aren't held accountable AT ALL anymore and THEY know it, which is a bad formula.
Yep. So many of them just don't care or have that attitude that "when am I ever going to need this" attitude. I hear it all of the time (I teach math) and I ask them when they will need to know osmosis, Shakespeare, or the War of 1812. "I won't." "Then drop out." I got into it with a kid (normal conversation) about a month ago when he said he'd never need to know about loans. We were doing a unit on car loans and mortgages. Not using the formulas, but how they work, strategies to help them save money, etc. "I'm just going to pay cash like Dave Ramsey says to do." "He's an idiot that's just out to make a buck. Take his advice if you're ok living in a cardboard box and driving a shopping cart."
Had a kid 2 or 3 weeks ago make fun of a girl because she didn't understand what I was teaching. Our conversation:
"How do you not get this"
"There's no way anyone can get this because you don't shut up long enough to let them learn it."
"F off. This shit's easy." (I didn't kick the kid out because that's what he wanted. Really pissed him that I didn't)
"Maybe it's because you're smarter than everybody in here."
"Probably"
"I'm not so sure. You told me to F off. I know what the F word means, so why don't you clean up your language next time and tell me to 'intercourse off'? Wait, that makes no sense. I guess it makes sense to someone that's the smartest person in the room. Could you explain it to us."
"What?"
"And, if you're so smart, I'm sure you can find a way not to end your statement with a preposition next time. I'll understand what you're saying because I usually speak with proper grammar."
"You're only smart because you're old."
"I'm not as smart now as I was when I was your age because I've forgotten a lot of stuff from the other classes you're taking. I'm smart because I'm old and have been through a lot and finally get it. Now, back to where we were."
If he kept going I would have sent him out of his room. As it is, I didn't have to deal with his parents because he comes by it honestly.
