Leadership's Future: Education And American Idol
by Miki SaxonAn article in the NY Times gives a first look at new directions for education,
“…the Obama administration will use a Congressional rewriting of the federal law later this year to toughen requirements on topics like teacher quality and academic standards and to intensify its focus on helping failing schools. … The stimulus requires governors to raise standards to a new benchmark: the point at which high school graduates can succeed — without remedial classes — in college, the workplace or the military.”
Sounds great, but all I can say is good luck.
Not because of teacher quality; not because of money, since they actually plan to fund education (unlike the original N. C. L. B.) and not because the state governors won’t get behind it, but because there is no way to mandate parental support.
Previously, “the No Child Left Behind law allowed each state to set its own academic standards, with the result that many have dumbed down curriculums and tests. Colorado even opted to use its “partially proficient” level of academic performance as “proficient” for reporting purposes.”
And even with the dumbed down standards the kids complain and parents rush to their defense.
“…an unpopular math teacher was dismissed from a suburban high school where I live because parents complained that she was far too tough on her students. She gave them way too much homework, and her tests were much tougher than the other math teachers’ tests, forcing her students to study for hours each week outside of class. Interestingly, her students also scored the highest on state mandated standardized achievement tests as well as higher than other teachers’ students on the quantitative portion of the SAT and on the math AP exams. Still, she was tough, so they fired her.”
Parents as a group are vocal about wanting better education and are quick to blame teachers, schools and government for its sorry state.
They never consider their own complicity in the downward spiral of US education. It just couldn’t have anything to do with their parenting.
After all, it’s only fair that they talk to the principal/school board about Ms. Randell’s/Mr. Johnson’s totally unfair treatment of their precious children; all that time the kids are expected to spend on homework when they would rather be socializing with their friends. And the papers they’re expected to write, not just copy off the internet, using good grammar and being down-graded for using texting terms; not to mention the tests—they’re just too difficult.
Nor should they be expected to tell their kids that they need to work really hard if they want to get into college—let alone at a job—that’s not supportive and may damage their fragile egos.
Whoever thought that it would be American Idol that would teach kids that the world isn’t theirs for the taking?
“”The show counteracts the stance that the world owes you whatever you want, even a living as a rock star, just because you happen to want it,” said Robert Thompson, director of the Center for the Study of Popular Television at Syracuse University.”
I’ve never watched Idol, but if it’s teaching that lesson I’ll be a lot more tolerant when it pre-empts something I do watch.
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Image credit: idrewuk on flickr
April 16th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Fired for being competent in a sea of mediocrity – ouch.
I have read that those helicopter parents (Don Tapscott for one) even hover over their kids at work – bad performance review? the phone is ringing with little ones parents.
It is abdicating the child’s responsibility completely. Next thing you know the school will get sued because the ‘barely proficient’ washed out of college
April 16th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
So true. Accountability and responsibility are what separate the dinosaurs from the modern world. Hmmm, and I suppose I should add “manners” to the list.
Of course, I love dinosaurs—no matter their age!