All over the news today, anchors are talking about math grades for 4th and 8th graders are lower than they were in 1990. So shocking is it, that the ticker tape on the bottom of the news programs are putting it right after breaking news.
And....we are surprised by this?
When i went to school in the 70's and 80's, we had time off during the day, there always seemed to be one period where kids could talk to friends, read a book, catch up on homework. Then there were the "easy A" classes, where you could just chill and enjoy (or write notes to pass to your friends between classes). Gym was running around, playing games, yeah there were always the kids who hated physical ed, but for the most part, it was just a great way to work off the energy. There was homework, often a ditto or two, some reading, but there was time after school to hang out with friends, walk on the beach (okay, not everyone had a beautiful glorious beach), and just chill.
I have four kids, so I have been watching the school system since about 1990 to the present.
This is what I have seen -
No longer are there 7 periods, there are 4 very long blocks, where kids have to sit, pay attention, write notes and prepare for nightmare state testing. Then, they come home and often have 2-4 hours worth of homework. No, i am not kidding. Apparently 90 minutes is not enough torture, they come home and have to do a lot of homework.
Music went from singing and learning the difference of a flat and whole note, to choirs and competitions and district competitions. One of my kids had surgery, so couldn't go to gym, and had to write a book report. She couldn't sit and watch the class for the few weeks while she recovered, she had to write a book report to add to all the homework she missed before and after the surgery. I remember when I broke my leg...i went to the library, read, did my work and the librarian taught me how to prepare new books for the shelves.
Now, instead of kids writing notes to each other and sharing in the halls, they are walking next to each other with their face in their phones, writing text talk, and playing games. Kids don't go out and play and race around, they sit in front of the computer, tablet, phone, game station, and play violent games, becoming numb to the horrors of killing people (could that be the reason why the school shootings are becoming a common event?).
No fault to teachers, they do what they have to do to meet the requirements of the state, or risk being fired. They no longer can be fun and creative and take a day off just to play with the kids...they have to focus on the standardized testing and their kids passing to make the school look great and get a banner outside proclaiming they are a passing school.
School has become a job for children. Talk about abusing Child Labor Laws...kids often head to school at 7am, come home at 6.45 pm and still have homework to do.
Because you can't just go to school, you have to do amazing extra curricular activities, or you won't get into a good college. Having great grades is not enough, i saw a girl graduate top of her class, and not get any scholarships, because all she had was great grades, nothing else - no sports, church activities, volunteer, etc...just amazing grades. Sorry, no scholarship for you!
Remember that Ziggy comic "STOP THE WORLD, I WANT TO GET OFF!"? I feel like our kids are screaming that inside. No more breaks and fun activities...just work until you drop, get up and start all over again.
I am praying for our kids. Praying that somewhere someone realizes we are forcing our babies to grow up before their time, and forcing schools to stop being fun and focuses on what the states demand. I am praying for the parents, who are watching their kids fall apart in tears when they can't find a single ditto that they have to hand in or get an F which will force them to miss lunch and be forced to sit with the teacher and make up the ditto which will now only give them a B or C. I am praying for the teachers, who went to college with dreams of touching children with the future and making a difference in the world and are instead broke and overworked, with classes bursting at the seams with so many students, not enough supplies, special needs kids not getting the help they need and spending money they barely have to buy supplies the school can't afford.
I love you.
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