Do you teach in Mississippi?

[Tama]

My son went to public school in South Mississippi. He did very well in college, had muliple scholarships, and is now finishing a doctorate. My colleagues' children went to the same school. One is a doctor, another an honor student at a New England college, one an attorney and another is pursuing a doctorate at a Texas university. Several of my son's classmates have done graduate work and are quite successful. At the same time, some of his fellow classmates appear regularly in the newspaper under the police reports (arrested) and many are unemployed, employed in menial jobs, or drifting. All went to the same school. Any ideas??

[ggluvbug]

Ummmmm.....parenting??????? Why should schools be completely held responsible for the way a person's life turns out? Whatever happened to parental and personal responsibility?

[KerryBeth]

I think the problem is Huge. I volunteered to teach an art after school class at the Shelby Middle-School. I was a disaster, all muddled disorganization, but the kids were still and well-behaved (probably stunned by my inneptness). It's obvious they crave a chance at making art. I just wish I was a real teacher. (Anyone want to try?)

Often the kids doing most badly in this era of teach-for-the-test, need art the most. It uses different parts of the brain. It's exploratory, like a science experiment, hands on, (ditto), and has some authoring about it. (being both authoritative & self-expressive!). Art is real work.

Otherwise the kids are supposed to memorize facts and structures whose only meaning is the test. ( They have a wonderful literature teacher who is interested in the kid's thoughts and feelings. She says many of the children have learning problems, and terrible home lives. Some don't know where they will sleep from night to night, she says.)

I'm pouring this out, in hopes someone has ideas, or wants to get involved themselves. (I will use the Mississippi Arts organizations to get some ideas in teaching. Maybe take a class at Delta State.) I wonder if the school could do some ambitious after-school project like make a windmill, or make TOFU, or dig earthenware clay and make pots or tiles.

It's all about having kids Do things, having them challenged, and stimulated. My big dream is to have a studio for kids and grownups next to the library. But this is delusional at the moment. What do y'all think?<

[Tama]

KerryBeth What you are doing is wonderful. Many kids need to succeed at something and can find that in art. It can give a feeling of self-worth that will then add to learning in other areas. It can teach to alternate learning styles, enable creative problem solving, and enhance self-actualization.

Concerning this comment--" She says many of the children have learning problems, and terrible home lives. Some don't know where they will sleep from night to night, she says.)"

What to do about this?? In my opinion, it is the epritome of the problem in educational nonachievement and all the money in the world won't help.

[KerryBeth]

Well yes, not having supportive parents who are engaged in work themselves, and living secure meaningful lives themselves, is the real problem.
I keep coming back to a child-development class, in which "the gaze of the mother" is the child's first book. The baby follows where the mother looks; She names things that are important and fits them into a narrative-( which the baby is the star of! if she's a good mother). The child gets mastery of these meanings, and develops his own place in the named, safe world. Does this sound too abstract or irrelevant?

[KerryBeth]

Originally Posted by duck hunter

public schools in the delta and in jackson are a joke, except for cleveland

http://www.city-data.com/city/Clevel...ssissippi.html
http://www.city-data.com/city/Shelby-Mississippi.html

And here is why. If you click the link to Cleveland you will see educators are prominent, and education rife. Look at the house values compared to Shelby, the diversity and so on.
I'd lots rather have a University in my community than a casino!