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1. Actually, they did. They started to send out letters and make phone calls. However, like I said before, a lot of these so called "good parents" either don't update their info, move, or just don't want to be bothered. So you get a hold of who you can and tell them they have to come. We had counselors talking to kids, assistant principals, you name it. Some kids did come, others did not. We also did the saturday thing too. It was only required for tested subjects though, so that means my field was not included.
2. That is simply not true. I told my students time and time again that I wanted them to succeed as well as some other teachers that I know. Why is it a teacher's responsibility to pick up the pieces and do what a parent didn't? It's really not. They are paid to teach, not to be a second parent. Besides being encouraging, motivating students, telling them that it was possible to succeed and showing others that they could do it, I honestly don't know what else can be done. The parents dropped the ball and it should not be up to teachers to pick it up and run with it. You do the best with what you have and thats really all you can do. Maybe more tutoring needs to be implemented in the younger grades as I am not familiar with those, but honestly I don't see what more schools can do besides what they are already doing now or at least at the school that I was at.
Not meaning to be argumentative, but sending out letters and making phone calls is not requiring students to attend tutoring. For instance, at my son's school, if the student is below par in any area, the parents are emailed/texted/called and told their child will have to remain after school and do tutoring. The student is then kept after school and not allowed to leave until the tutoring session is over. If the parent objects, the student can be expelled or suspended. Simple as that.
In my friend's case I mentioned above, where her son transferred to a high performing (over 90% black and 98% low income) charter school she asked for him to tutored in his previous suburban school district and was not given any assistance with that. She asked based on him getting "Cs" and was told that a C was not bad enough to require tutoring services. Yet, the first week at his new school she was told he would be required to attend tutoring. They require all students at his school get Bs or above and when he was tested, he was far beneath an "average" or C level in 3 subjects. For her and to me that shows the previous school did not care about him. As a black boy he was well behaved, didn't talk back, wasn't a disciplinary problem, and as such, they felt that she should be satisfied that he was getting Cs at that school that was equal to a D or F at his new school because they had higher standards. This apathetic attitude is the one that many black parents I know and I have experienced the same thing, mean when we say that educators don't care about our kids.
I know though that traditional schools at times, depending upon the rules/regs of that district do not have the option of suspending/expelling, but school boards legislate to govern the entire school district and in those areas where this is not on the books, it can be added to the books and schools/teachers can be given the power to have this accomplished. When I was a kid, I remember over 40 kids were expelled in one day due to a number of factors, one being lack of following school rules and regulations regarding academic achievement and failing to remedy the situation. It was a big deal because in my high school we had a basketball phenom who was expelled due to having below a 2.0 GPA and after being warned had not done mandatory tutoring sessions. It even made the news. He ended up having to go to the remedial school for a few months but in that case, when it was found out that he was not doing his work, the school was not shown to be a monster, instead the family was blamed for wasting an opportunity at him getting a free college education. He initially came back after a quarter at the remedial school (we called it the "bad kid school") and I was his student tutor in English after that (we had a system of both student and teacher tutoring). He never missed a teacher or student tutoring session again and did end up going to college on a basketball scholarship and graduated with above a 2.5 GPA (which was something as he had under a 1.0 when he was expelled).
If districts were be serious about educating children who do not have special needs and serious about making sure they are proficient, they can and should be tougher on families, who as I stated and as you mention, don't care about their kids. I know a lot of parents like this personally and just so you know, many of them don't like their kids and they don't want them at home so if those kids are expelled or suspended, that is when you will see those parents up there trying to get the kid back in school so they won't have to be home with deadbeat mom or dad all day, especially the little kids and those are the kids that are the easiest to remedy academically. Once you let them just get by until middle school, it is much tougher to get them where they need to be academically because they have already missed so much. My friend who I mentioned above was and still is POd that the former school allowed her son to get Cs just because he wasn't a disciplinary problem. She actually was I guess what you consider an "involved parent" due to the fact that she cares about her son and knows he is bright and smart. He just never had an environment where excellence was expected of him, such as he has now. Also wanted to add, at my son's school we have plenty of parents who are uninvolved. Our teachers do think it is their responsibility to make up for what the kids are lacking at home. All our tutors are the teachers at the school or college students and they stay after school until 6pm every day for K-5 students if need be. Our kids are also over 98% free/reduced lunch and we are one of the best elementary and middle schools in the city and that is based solely on the dedication of the teachers.
Quote:
Originally Posted by uggabugga
Do you consider that rate a success?
I do consider it a success since less than 40% of black males graduated only a generation ago. Graduation rates are steadily improving and I do think that that is something to be encouraged so that it can continue. (FWIW, my dad did not graduate high school - I am black, I have 4 brothers, ALL of them have graduated and 2 are either in college or are college graduates).
I am assuming that this is a business, if you were an actual teacher doing this, then you could be in trouble if a student decided to fabricate a story. I would never feel comfortable going to a student's house.
When I go to a student's house, their parents are there. And it is a business...an informal one. I am a software developer and system designer by trade. I do tutoring because I like kids knowing math and doing well on college boards.
And again how do you know it doesn't exist? Just because you do not witness it doesn't mean its not true.
You're the one who asked me if I ever noticed this phenomenon. Why would I say that I have, if I indeed have not? In my experience, such an attitude does not exist, but I've allowed the possibility that it does in your world.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Californian34
1. so you're going to tell a black person (Nairobi) that you know more about being black than he does? typical.
That is typically the case with these types of threads, though, which is why I'm pretty much leaving it alone. You won't get anywhere with people who can do nothing but oversimplify the issue and suggest that the actions of a few are representative of the majority.
Like I pointed out in my first post, these are not individuals who know black people. They only examine them under their supercilious microscopes.
"Talking white", "too good for the hood", etc. And other factoids oft repeated by those typically middle-aged and old whites (and arrogant blacks) who have little to no actual experience with young blacks...outside of the evening news, of course. This is the most ridiculous and overblown stereotype about blacks that I wish would just die already.
Coming from this community myself, I can say with absolute certainty that the majority of inner-city blacks do indeed place a value on education. For those who aren't able to get one for themselves, they still congratulate their peers who are able to make it so far. If I had a nickel for every time another young black man or woman told me they had plans to pursue a degree or certificate, I'd have enough money to fund your child's college education.
At the grade school level, you do have teasing aimed at the "nerds" or "good students" and higher value placed on being cool and popular, but, the last time I checked, this was not exclusive to black children.
Enough already.
I think average every day black people don't look down on education, far from it actually. I think maybe the ghetto fabulous Shaniqua's of the world might, but then again, how many of those are there in real life???
I think average every day black people don't look down on education, far from it actually. I think maybe the ghetto fabulous Shaniqua's of the world might, but then again, how many of those are there in real life???
There are A-LOT that look up to LeBron James & Jay Z. Neither with educations
You get an education to become successful. That's why I got my degree.
If I could have what Lebron and Jay have WITHOUT that degree, I wouldn't have let my dad waste the money.
Looking up to Jay and LeBron is a good thing in my book. Lebron makes more in one game than you and I make in one year put together.
Wow I tend to agree with you. Most people who get an education, hope to do and become successful.
I think you can be of any race, and want to stay where you are in life, not caring about an education, but caring what others do think if you do.
I know plenty of young whites also, who do not seem to care about getting and education. But plenty of young blacks who are friends of my daughter who do and have.
Two kinds of people, those who want to be successful at what they do, and those who look down on education. Who would not want what Lebron and Jay have, why not..
Gangster kids come black and white, those who commit crimes come in both colors, gang members can be of any race. Any race of kids, who are smart enough to know better want an education.
So what? There are ALWAYS better role models than any one person one could choose to emulate. So what?
There isn't a damn thing wrong with Jay or Lebron. Jay pulled himself off the streets as a drug dealer, took his money and started his own label. Married another successful person with millions in her own right. He didn't make any babies until he was married. He's diversified his business interests into clothing, night clubs, a distillery, a sports team, and other ventures.
That's a bad thing?
Lebron pulled himself up out of a single mother circumstance, kept his image very clean, has several endorsements, and has appeared to also be doing a great job of diversifying his business interests. He also does great work for charity and his hometown. What's wrong with that?
You don't have to be a rapper or athlete to emulate those guys. Their determination to be successful is a good lesson for anyone of any race or sex.
I understand the black fixation on entertainers not being a good thing, but it's stupid to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
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