Posted by
CUBFAN on Sunday, May 11, 2008 1:00:00 AM
As an educator, I am challenged daily by students who lack the Foundation Skills that I grew up with--common courtesy, respect for authority, curiosity and a willingness to learn new things, love of country, awareness of current events, an appreciation of reading (not as a "love" but as a necessity), empathy for others, a basic understanding of right and wrong, and a sense of achievement. All of these "tools" came with me to school from my home, thanks to my parents. Of course, I was raised in a midwestern, upper-middle class, conservative home in the 1960s. My perspective on life would be considered normal, according to me. But, what's "normal" for today's kids would be "dysfunctional" for me during my formative years. For example, I only knew of one high school classmate whose parents were divorced. Only one. Were there others?? Probably, but it was not something that was readily shared. Today, most of my students come from homes where the mother and father are living under separate roofs. That's normal for them (and a ready excuse for not doing their work or not behaving properly) and the basis of the challenge for me, because the Foundation Skills listed above are not present for most of my students. Now, some may focus on these evolving cultural differences and insist that I be more tolerant of these new "realities" and accept the "new truths" (i.e. relativism) as the shape of things to come. I know of only one Truth, and its not relative nor negotiable. And the reality that I live in is not defined by me--only experienced by me from day to day. What's important is how I respond to reality (as opposed to reacting to it). Which leads to this observation from Michael Ramirez:
Agin: We must first fokus on the Foundashun Skils that inshur student suksess in skool!!