Quote:First of all let me say this. I appreciate what you do. I know that teaching is difficult, I somewhat did it myself while in the Navy as an Instructor. Also while I was in the Navy I volunteered for mentoring/tutoring at a local elementary school.


What you describe is not a failure of teachers or the system, it's a failure of society. Clearly what you describe is a failure of students as well as parents. The problem reflects on teachers and schools, but that's not what the problem is. Throwing more money at the school doesn't solve the problem.


Let me make a guess here. Assuming that you live here in Jacksonville, I'll bet that the school that you work at is in a "less prosperous" part of town.


The real problem is the lack of "the family unit" and lack of parenting. Just taking a guess here, but I would bet that the 1/3 of students that don't consistently turn in homework are probably in the majority when it comes to single parent homes.


The problem isn't the education system (in your case), the problem is society. Throwing more dollars at a school isn't going to make children do their homework.

I agree with everything you've said wholeheartedly. Every. Last. Word.


Throwing more money at the system isn't going to fix it, but using the money that's already there more intelligently will.


Make it easier to fire bad teachers and pay teachers more than they get. This will naturally attract more highly qualified individuals, because bad teachers ARE out there--but they are most certainly the minority.


In addition, we need to establish a federally mandated alternative to traditional schooling for low achieving students. Right now, our system prepares students for University, when many of them do not fit in the traditional classroom due to multiple factors, like the ones you mention.


Instead, we need to offer these kids an alternative. Require functional classes in math, reading, writing, and money management, and then subsidize companies to take on students as appentices. That way, these kids can get certified to perform a trade and make a living wage out of high school rather than riding the welfare train like they do now as dropouts.


Right now poverty is cyclical, and impoverished kids do not have the skills necessary to succeed in a traditional classroom. In a couple of generations, an initiative like this could alter entire neighborhoods and cities as more wealth is achieved and poverty dimimishes.


Just a thought.


Thank you for you kind words.

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