I have been teaching for 11 years; high school of all places. I teach mathematics, the favorite subject of many people. Recently, I thought about my high school times and have always remembered that I, nor anyone else, ever thought to talk back to a teacher. We looked up to teachers, we cared about learning (or at least I did) and we loved to learn (even if some concepts and ideas were never used again, we still wanted to know and understand them). I still remember reading "To Kill a Mockingbird" which happened to be the book I adored most as a youngster. I remember my Geometry class and the thousands of proofs that we did throughout the semester. My Geometry teacher in high school said to me, "You should be a Geometry teacher".....really, she did say that to me. I responded, "Teachers do not make enough money." Now, lo and behold, here I am teaching Geometry! WOW! I never thought that would happen.
But, high school is so different now. Students talk back to teachers. Students don't want to learn unless they earn points for it! They won't even complete a task unless it is worth something. I asked a student last semester, "Could you please erase the board for me," and they respond, "Do I get extra credit points for doing that." I said, "Why?, why would you get extra credit points for doing your teacher a favor?"
What happened to the love of learning? It has left our society. Students ask, "If I am never going to use this again, why do I have to learn it?" Because, you knucklehead, it will expand your knowledge beyond the blinders of information that are the only things you believe you need to know. Let me give you an example. If you wanted to be a doctor, is it best to just learn about the human body and only the human body? Would you need other knowledge? Would you need math? Hell no! You would not need math to be a doctor, you only need to know about the human body. Would you need to know how to research the latest medical techniques? Hell no! You would only need to learn about the human body. If every doctor thought this way, then I would be scared to go to the doctor!
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE!
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ReplyDeleteI know...The students these days lost the sense of knowledge is power. The more you learn the better of a person you become. Why did this change? When did this change? These are the questions I ask myself everyday. I also, did not talk back to teachers, adults, etc...but somehow these kids think that life revolves around them and we need to do as they say.
ReplyDeleteThe concept of doing/learning something only if we get something in return is outrageous. I wish people would go back to respecting, learning as much as one can, and living to the best of your abilities.
Keep those thoughts coming :)