Small Town News

Ten rules for school from a retired educator

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Escapades of Emily

Public schools, often in the national and local media, really are now under the spotlight. We hear how our students don't test as "smart" as students in other progressive countries. I've been hearing that complaint for over 25 years. My husband and I gave the healthiest years of our life to education. I taught secondary in the classroom; he taught, coached, and served as a junior high principal the last 22 years of his career. We don't always agree on teaching techniques or improvements. We do agree, although we love sports, EDUCATION FIRST.

1. Getting educated first is the priority. Uniforms have been a plus. Put extracurricular after school. All schools could have shorter periods for practicing, keeping competing fields level. Athletics helps many students, but few will be famous. Most will need jobs and education.

2. No one can be taught if he doesn't want to be. Students have to take the final blame. It's not castles built for learning or certain types of teachers (except moral ones) or administrators. Everyone, especially parents, have to cooperate with schools (with exceptions of major consequence) and let the teacher rule the teacher rule the classroom. He or she is the adult. In school, adults are extremely important.

3. Behavior has to be mature or less education takes place. I actually knew parents who apologized for their students. A boy put his finger up his nose while I played a classic, short poem on a record player. I told his father what he did. The dad said he was so sorry. Then he came to school, to my room, and gave a speech that made me cringe. "Who do you boys think you are? In here for one hour a day, and you cannot cooperate? Were you bleeding, hurting anywhere bad?" This tirade wouldn't be allowed today, but it was awesome.

4. Changing passing to a grade of 70 helped only some. If a student made a 60, maybe that was the best he could do and he wasn't going to major in some college in what I taught. Then 68's were pushed to 70s. Those really trying to make 90s knew the short distance between70s and 90s. A high school graduating class might have half the class stand for having a 90 average, and that's all I'll say. I can see the day when 90 is failing, 95 is a C, and 100 means an A.

5. Make sure your student gets enough sleep. Don't let him work until midnight. Turn off weekly TV. Take up game gadgets and twittering mechanisms. Talk about school lessons. These students of yours will be grown and gone before you can blink. It might could have been the best time of your life. Keep students home on week nights or know where they really are. We most all likely lie.

6. Austin doesn't see it, but classes or a graduating class can have an almost united personality. "That whole class does better on testing than any I've seen." "This year you will have the meanest class you've ever had. I'll pray for you." "This year's seniors are mischievous but sweet." "I hate to tell you, but just try to survive this year." These remarks come from previous teachers lower down, maybe 7th grade. If coaches know they don't have a state-bound team this year but could likely have it next year because of physical talent, then why won't TEA admit it for teachers.

7. Merit pay is not fair unless identical students are in each class. Students differ as the children you have do. They learn, if all, at different levels. I could go on and on, but I'd just cause anger. But I loved my students, even the mean ones. Countless ones, now adult, have apologized, some I didn't know were a problem. I hated the word "lazy," and "immature," because these words are cop-outs. A student thought "dumb" may at 35 or 40 be brilliant at doing something we need and didn't even know it. We teach him as well as we can, give him help, and wait.

8. Begin school at a later time when most of us think better.

9. Don't ridicule teachers in front of your children. Talk privately to the teacher. Try first being nice. Teachers are born like other people. Some have a calling. Most know they won't be rich unless they have another income. A good day at teaching makes it the best job in the world. The sun shines bright, there's hope for tomorrow, confidence grows. A bad day causes teacher disillusionment, helplessness, defeat, a sad person for sure.

10. The last is for teachers. Like what you do first. Many young teachers are quitting, count them, for other jobs, or specialization where better behaved students are taught such as those who want to read but can't and special aid helps. Too, students may act like friends, but wait until they grow up to be with them on personal levels. Yes, some are humorous, clever, but after school, let them go their own way.

I wish I had been a better teacher. Surrounding me were naivete and hypocritical decisions. I wish 1 had been a better mother, stricter about my own children's grades, pushed harder but not driving them do better than they actually could. That may be why I bite my nails or used to really bad.

In my last years of teaching I had a new idea. I called students' parents at the end of the year if I had really enjoyed teaching their child and appreciated his demeanor in class. Usually a sibling would answer the phone and whisper to a parent, "Bud's English teacher wants to talk to you."

Tentatively and slowly an adult would answer. I would identify myself and give my spiel. Parents went into shock. Some nearly cried. Whoever it was thanked me over and over. I surely could have done this more.

After retirement, my husband liked to sub mostly in one alternative school in the district he last taught. He would be the day's principal and have a secretary. About 40 students who had committed a serious unfavorable act would sit at individual corrals with a computer and roaming teachers to help with assignments. No social talking. Points accumulated for following the rules each day. With enough points, students could converse at noon in the cafeteria. More points brought more small freedoms. Soon, enough points could let a student return to the regular school. Not everyone though. Some had to remain all year as their act for punishment had been really bad. All dressed similarly too.

An infraction at this special school meant a trip to the office, talk, a call to parents, possible dismissal, possible call for police. Shape up or ship out. Silence ruled the building. But each year stood on its own with a second chance the next year most likely. Will all schools have to be run this way soon? We're smart enough to make changes yet keep what has made America a great place to learn without unruly students. Everyone would be happier.

(Is it true America still educates and tests the masses? Is it true some countries still prematurely determine scholars and non scholars at an early age? And test only scholars?)



Copyright 2010 The Malakoff News, Malakoff, Texas. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2010 The Malakoff News Malakoff, Texas. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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