Paying for education in a new way

Earlier this week there was an article in the local newspaper about students and teachers and paying monetary incentive for learning and achieving good grades. While the concept of creating incentive via money sounds in theory like a great idea, I think it is flawed. The flaws rest on the fact that we are imbedding in our children that everything must have cash worth.

Teaching was an honored profession once upon a time. Now many must fight just to stay alive and their days are spent in battle zones. The principals have become wardens and schools prisons. I voluntarily teach 12 and 13 year olds for free religious education. I would write my notes in cursive on the boards in my classroom. I discovered 2 years ago that I have students who have never been taught cursive and therefore, cannot read it. So I now must print in block letters my lessons on the board. This has only started being an issue in the last two years. I have considered that I would volunteer to teach them cursive. When I was in the third grade we had penmanship class. That wasn’t that long ago. It was also pointed out to me that they no longer have classic reading assignments. In the seventh grade I was reading Macbeth and The Pearl. I was possibly reading 14 to 16 books a month on my own. The children I teach do not read on their own. I always ask at the beginning of class, “How was your week in school.” And I have yet to get an enthusiastic answer. Surely, we all complained about classes and school when we were younger. This is a different type of disparity.

I think that since we have become “outcome” oriented in our schools, all they really do is study for exams. There is no “learning process”. They learn, and then they forget almost immediately. So, in my class when I asked them to build on the lesson that they received the week before they look at me insanely. They feel as if there should be some instant reward because they in the very least have shown up for class. Granted some of them should be given a medal for showing up for class. It’s no wonder that they spend all their time staring blankly into space. The children who would like to learn are not being challenged and the ones who have issues learning are being placed in classes that are far too large. While I commend our Board of Education for attempting to do something about the graduation rate. I would like to make sure that we are giving our kids the ability to learn because it will expand their horizons and possibly enable them to “do something”. I do not want it to be for monetary gain. People”

While that has always been the human condition I really don’t think we can think that way any longer. Too many of our kids are being swallowed up in gangs. No matter the color, the creed or the background. It has changed the entire way they look at life. The cash incentive to me sounds like a desperate ploy to get the quick turn around. Why are we not instilling more respect for our teachers? Why are we not pointing out to them that the real weapon in life is knowledge? I have seen parents become downright abusive when their child receives a low grade. Instead of addressing the reason the child has a low grade It almost instantly turns in to the blame game. As a teacher, I have heard talk of them, “We have so much to do at home.” “Your class is too hard.” , “My child is trying as hard as he/she can.” My personal favorite, “I keep hearing this from all the other teachers as well.” Yet, I never hear the resolution from a parent on how we can fix the matter. Then there is always well, “He/She was studying for his (insert name of class.”

Then you have parents who bare solely convinced that the only reason they should get an education is so that they can make money and be respectful. Of course the false belief that money equals respect is a great fallacy. I have seen my share of people with money who deserve the least amount of money. Over the last two years there was an ugly battle going on within the Rockefeller Family. They historically have been known to have great deals of money. The grandson of the matriarch was holding tight reigns on his grandmother. He relegated every penny that she had. I wonder if he was aware that he was penny pinching an aged woman who was nearing 100 years of age. To him her expenses were too much. The amount of money that was being withheld was just stunning. The cruel way in which he handled her was stunning. Do you think this guy was worth respect? Keep in mind that he had more then he could spend in his lifetime. Is this really the way we want our children to think? That everything in life needs a dollar amount on it.

I think sending the message that paying for grades is a not good thing. Even less its not active anyplace else in the world that I know. Why? America was founded on the quest for better living and broadening horizons. Sure we have learned and continue to learn from mistakes. Think that we like Band-Aids. Band-Aids don’t fix a cut that is turning into a sore.

Our education system is a nasty cut right now. Of we do not get a better handle on it, something will give. If we aren't careful we will be paying for education in a new way. We have started making small installments now, with the shortage of doctors, nurses, and professionals.