Too Many Drop Outs

Contrary to expectations, this article is not about the presidential candidates or of any high-ranking government officials. It's about education and the poor job we are doing in preparing our children for the challenges of life.

Drop-out rates are alarming: High school Hispanics and blacks have twice as many drop out than white students, causing a social crisis that affects us all. Teenage pregnancies are on the rise, as are the ranks of young citizens on welfare.Who should be held accountable, schools administrators, teachers, students or families?

In the movie "Stand and Deliver" Edward James Olmos, the role of a real teacher, Jaime Escalante, played rescued ',' non-performing his students from a life of mediocrity and self-blame. The lesson we draw from his example, that every student learn what he / she needs to know in order to be successful. The key word is 'any'. The students can and want to learn to expect not only the way in regular schools, that theyto.

With the good intentions in the "No Child Behind" Act links embedded, came a series of demands, which left the school shook their heads in horror. The only criterion that the federal government was interested in was an improvement in grades from year to year in core academic subjects. This led to the creation of public examinations, with great effort, with contributions from taxpayers, the valuable lesson during the school year took formulated. Counting the hectic preparation,consisting mainly of endless memorization and repetition, to get pupils ready for the test, lost at least two months, which could have used to actually learn something useful, such as independent thinking. Some states like Texas, and finally understood the message and are now in the process of removing the tests.

Yes, really want to get all students, but many come in high school with zero expectations due to their very low self-esteem. She told me, again and againthat they would never amount to anything in life. The process of learning has become for them a self-fulfilling prophecy: 'They told me I am dumb, therefore why should I try?' Others actually fear going to school because they feel that their teachers' expectations are so high that they won't (the students) be able to perform well.

What can we do? While few of us can equal Mr. Escalante's prowess as teachers, there are a few basic tenets that must be observed:

1. Cultivate students' Self-esteem at all times from the time of the step into a classroom for the first time. The first 5 years of school, including pre-K is, the child determine the disposition for learning. If we give them, they will give up on themselves.

2. Not every child learns at the same pace and with the same stimuli. Some of us prefer auditory learning, others visual, and still others want to put their hands on the material. Schools must provide the full range of teaching and learningstyles in order to give everybody a chance to assimilate learning.

3. Learning must be fun. Colors, games, manipulatives, music, exercise, sports, acting out, team work, movies, labs, etc. are all activities that children love if presented properly. It is up to the teacher to create a pleasant, humorous atmosphere in the classroom.

4. Discipline. A nasty word that many parents reject as a synonym for punishment. Schools and families must work together and agree that discipline is an inherent part of working in a group. Use examples from the NFL or any professional sport; bad behavior on or off the field is sanctioned by sports authorities and by coaches. Remember: children actually like discipline. It brings order to their world. But it must be done with fairness and without anger.

5. Bonding. Perhaps the most important aspect for any teacher is the bond they should establish with every child. If you have 30 students, then you should bond 30 times. That is especially true for elementary teachers who stay the whole day with the same group. By showing you care, the student will respond by making an additional effort in the classroom.

Yes, we do have bad teachers who berate, insult, and despise some students. But they are a rarity; most teachers actually love their job and perform well. They need the support of parents and administrators while trying to impart lessons that will make their students successful.