Who, exactly, is responsible for the learning process at school? Is it the teacher, the student, the class as a whole, the administration or perhaps all of the above? What happens when someone doesn't claim their part in the learning process?
The term is ending this week at school. Students are now able to drop/add classes this week. The councelors are also in the process of rearranging schedules for students, adding guided study for those that need it, dropping guided study for those that are wasting their time in here. Teachers are busy getting papers graded, grades entered into the computers, making sure that all final things are done and accounted for. Some of the teachers are even bending over backwards for their students to help them be successful.
One such teacher is our Spanish teacher. She gives her all to her students each and every day. She even gives out her home phone# to her students and their parents so that she is available 24/7 to help with homework if needed. Today she had a student come to her with a drop slip asking to drop Spanish class for the rest of the year. This student is failing Spanish. This student rarely turns in his/her homework, does not bring the required books/papers to class. This student does not come early nor stay after for help. This student also does not use the homeroom period to come to the guided study center for help in Spanish. The reason the student gave for the drop request- "My teacher does not help me enough". The Spanish teacher is feeling hurt about this, but I would say- whose accountability is this?
I was walking down the hall during 1st period today. I heard a teacher giving an assignment to his class. One of the students called out, "Can't we ever do something fun in this class?" Since when is it the educator's job to entertain students? Do we have to make every class period an episode of Nikelodeon? or a game? Now, I am all for making it interesting and I do think that fun has a place, but this is a school, not an amusement park. Does each and every class period really need to be fun filled entertainment in order for the students to be engaged in learning? Whose accountability is this?
Just for the record, I think it is the teacher's responsability to present in a way that does not put students to sleep, but it is also the student's responsability to show up and engage and attempt to put some thought to what is being learned. And if it is fun that day, count it as a bonus.
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Sandra - I have become very saddened at the view point of this generation. They don't believe they should have to work for anytime and must be entertained at all times. It's insane. As someone who manages a number of employees, it's astounding to me how much I have to push, push, push to get them to produce. Once I had a receptionist who couldn't understand why she needed to be on time or work while she was there. I don't get it.
But it sounds to me as if your Spanish teacher is doing a great job and the student, clearly, is a slacker of the first water.
Yes, classroom lessons should be as interesting as possible, but you are right, the children are not there to be entertained but educated. Holy cow! Tell me this isn't whose hands we're leaving this country in!
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