The Problem With Education

Teachers are getting quite a bad rap these days. Everybody seems to know that any time children don't do well in school, it is the fault of the teacher, and it is because teachers make too much money, have too much time off, and have little to do when they are at work. I must admit, that even within the ranks of teachers, there is some of that backbiting. High school teachers insist that elementary schools are just places where babysitting takes place, and elementary teachers insist that high school personnel have little to do except to prepare for one class a day, and teach it over and over again. Middle schools? That's just where kids hang out once they've gotten through those lower grades, and aren't ready for high school yet. I have some ideas about education, though. Teachers have long known that while we are important in the education spectrum, the most critical learning takes place at home. I'm not suggesting that parents become educators and follow the curriculum. No. The lessons children need to learn consist of the following: taking school and education seriously. My daughter pointed out to me the other day that the Top 10 students in our local school district, as well as the Top 10 students in a neighboring school district all came from 2-parent homes. In each and every instance, the children's parents were referred to as Him and Her Blankenspot. Every single one of the 20 top students in 2 neighboring districts have parents who are married to each other and live in the same home in which the child resides. I realize that this is an anomoly, and that there are many circumstances that arise in which this is not possible. But what a level of commitment that shows.

A Baylee Story

Here's one of the many reasons I love my granddaughter, Baylee. First, I need to say that she is truly a descendant of feisty female relatives, as anybody who knows us can attest to. Yesterday, she proved the point in a mighty fashion.

Adrianne and the kids were over when Kerri, Mike and Benjamin were here. As was my mother. For dinner, pizza and wings were the menu, as requested by the transplanted Maryland folks, and because our living room is small, we got the kids' little table out. Baylee was bringing out one of the little folding chairs, and my mother told her to let her help. Baylee informed Nana (politely) that she didn't need help, and could do it herself. This annoyed Nana, who waggled her finger at Baylee, and told her not to get snippy with her. So Baylee refolded the chair, carried it back into the other room, and told Nana that she could bring the chair out herself. This did NOT please my mother, who refused to do so, thus proving Baylee's point.

Judging Others

I have a very short-lived obsession these days. Fortunately, I think I’m getting over it, because I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to stand myself if I didn’t.
The obsession is with judge shows, “Judge Judy” and the like, where (stupid) people bring their (petty) problems out into the open, so that (real?) judges can react with varying amounts of humor. Almost always, the judge finds for the person who has been the least wronged, because, I’m assuming, there is some common sense involved.
I wonder if this is what might be contributing to wrongness in our society. In just the past few days, I’ve seen a man suing his nephew for money owed, a woman suing a man for money owed, a woman suing another woman for money owed, etc. It seems that nobody has the sense to sign contracts, read contracts, keep track of the amount owed, or realize that, “Hey! I owe somebody money. I should probably pay it so the sheriffs don’t come to my workplace and embarrass me. Then, I might have to go on TV and prove, in front of millions of people, that I really am an idiot, and that I didn’t pay my uncle the money I owe him.”
On most of these shows, the people who show up to be judged are ignorant. For example, they call the judge, “Judy”, or “Alex”, instead of “Your Honor”. Also, they talk while the judge is talking, talk while the other ignorant person is talking, use poor grammar, and bring up issues that have nothing to do with the present concern.
Here’s why I wonder about the microcosm of society: So often, people are hesitant to take the blame for things they have done wrong. So often, people say one thing, and then do something completely antithetical to what they claimed. So often, to get ahead, people point out what others have or haven’t done, and most important of all, people refuse to use even a modicum of common sense.
I am so glad I am over this obsession.