[Woodcarver] art/cultural exchange weekend (plus)

[cynda douglas]

I have been away from the schools for awhile, but when my kids were in 
school I watched myson go from a first grader that loved people, was full 
of questions, eager and outgoing, doing well,  gradually change.  By third 
grade he'd come in, slam the door and scream he Hated his teacher.  She was 
sadistic, a poor teacher, and even a school board member's son was vomiting 
every morning before school ..  And he was the hell raiser, the imp, the 
favored as a school board member's son.  But the school board wouldn't 
listen, and didn't care what happened. My daughter would come home crying 
as did her friend from being abused by some other children, the teachers 
didn't bother to watch on the play ground.   My son was dragged behind the 
slide, threatened with a knife .  The school would do nothing, supervision 
wasn't improved until my husband finally stepped in.  I watched their 
spirits spriral down in school.  I see kids now with the same thing 
happening.  The really good teacher is an exception, and they aren't valued 
like they should be with better pay.  They might even get layed off for the 
budget so they can keep their high paid coaches.  I feel sorry for kids 
now,  there's no just for fun ball games.  It 's  little league,  and HUGE 
pressures, Crazy parents fighting, total insanity.  They don't know how to 
just have pressure free fun anymore.  Neighborhodds are safe to play out 
in.  Remember after dark playing kick the can, and other fun things?  Oh 
well, I'm beating a dead horse.   But my childhood wasn't great, but it was 
way better than the pressures kids have now.  they have so much to learn. 
Harder things to learn.

And my pet peeve ( I seem to have a lot of them, hehe)  is we don't expcet 
adults to work more than 40 hours a week.  Our kids go to school 40 hrs a 
week,  and then come home to hours of home work.  I always felt they should 
be able to teach them enough in that time at school.  Home work should be 
maybe reading a good interesting book (not Lord of the Flies, etc) , makeup 
work, or extra help for a youngster having trouble keeping up.l  Each 
teacher seems to feel that they are the only one assigning homework, and 
they all pile it on.  Kids burn out, too.
Oh  well, what I think won't change a thing.  and my thinking is probably 
in the minority.  It's a very imperfect system, I don't know the answers, 
but I'd really hate to be a youngster in school now.  Then to top it off, 
they aren't even safe anymore.
And I completely agree with you Merilee.  All their entertainment comes 
while sitting in a chair.
Cynda

At 07:36 PM 9/5/04, you wrote:
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>Here I feel the need to jump in  and remind you as you explore Sally's 
>question to remember there are SOME educators in SOME schools that do 
>stress uniformity but not ALL!  And that was more true in the early years 
>maybe up to the 50's but with the 60's hippies things have changed and 
>there is more freedom of expression from our students.  I think a lot of 
>kids creativity has been eliminated by the excessive use of TV as a 
>babysitter then the added video games, computer games and the other 
>premade up detailed skits with the toys.  Some of our children have too 
>many things to occupy their time including too many extracurricular 
>activities (sports, dance,clubs, etc) at too young of an age and there is 
>no time for make believe for them.
>As an educator of middle school I try to encourage kids to be creative 
>but... if no one eles is doing it they won't either.  My question is how 
>do we get them to break away from the mold of peer pressure? And of course 
>it needs to start much earlier and at home.  Of course everyone on this 
>list encourages their kids to be a little different and to think for them 
>self! ;-)  I feel bad for the kids that have noone to help them through 
>the tough life they are going through now.  And of course this is just my 
>opinion!
>Thanks for listening!
>Enjoy
>Merrilee
>
>
>>From: "Daniel Heine" <Daniel.Heine at comcast.net>
>>Reply-To: "[Woodcarver]" <woodcarver at six.pairlist.net>
>>To: "[Woodcarver]" <woodcarver at six.pairlist.net>
>>Subject: Re: [Woodcarver] art/cultural exchange weekend (plus)
>>Date: Fri, 3 Sep 2004 15:54:01 -0500
>>
>>To make a DONATION to the Mailing List using PayPal OR regular mail, 
>>click this link: http://wwwoodcarver.com/WWWList/WWWList.html
>>
>>Sally,
>>
>>I think children are born with an instinctive desire to explore and to
>>create. Watch a young boy or girl play in a sandbox, and they are very
>>creative. One of the real problems, in my opinion of course, with our
>>educational system, is that when they enter school, the process of
>>suppressing all creativity begins. Educators want all of the children to be
>>good little robots, and do exactly what they are told, and nothing else.
>>
>>I do not have the answer, but I think we need to re-look at the way our
>>schools are structured.
>>
>>Once again, just my opinion, and I am certainly no authority. I base my
>>opinion on observing my son, who is now in eight grade.
>>
>>Have a great holiday to all,
>>Dan
>>
>
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