Comments on: A Slow Motion Train Wreck http://blog.coreknowledge.org/2008/08/10/a-slow-motion-train-wreck/ Closing the Achievement Gap: Teaching Content Sat, 20 Mar 2010 05:16:44 -0500 hourly 1 By: tm willemse http://blog.coreknowledge.org/2008/08/10/a-slow-motion-train-wreck/comment-page-1/#comment-4433 tm willemse Sun, 10 Aug 2008 18:21:29 +0000 http://www.coreknowledge.org/blog/?p=807#comment-4433 If schools wish to act “in loco parentis,” if they want to take the “bigger, bolder” approach and provide all that the parent should be legally responsible to provide or, as in the case of birth control, legally able to deny, then they must accept liability for the actions of their charges. The lesson to be learned here is that the two legal entities need to decide together where the parent’s responsibility ends and the school’s begins and then each needs to take that responsibility. The sad reality is that the more the schools are willing to take, the more the parents are willing to give. The parent in this case couldn’t keep watch over one of seven, but the school is supposed to keep watch over two of hundreds? The answer in both cases lies somewhere in the math. If schools wish to act “in loco parentis,” if they want to take the “bigger, bolder” approach and provide all that the parent should be legally responsible to provide or, as in the case of birth control, legally able to deny, then they must accept liability for the actions of their charges. The lesson to be learned here is that the two legal entities need to decide together where the parent’s responsibility ends and the school’s begins and then each needs to take that responsibility. The sad reality is that the more the schools are willing to take, the more the parents are willing to give. The parent in this case couldn’t keep watch over one of seven, but the school is supposed to keep watch over two of hundreds? The answer in both cases lies somewhere in the math.

]]> By: Diana Senechal http://blog.coreknowledge.org/2008/08/10/a-slow-motion-train-wreck/comment-page-1/#comment-4431 Diana Senechal Sun, 10 Aug 2008 15:39:03 +0000 http://www.coreknowledge.org/blog/?p=807#comment-4431 I admire schools that provide some sort of moral and ethical education along with a strong curriculum. It doesn't end the fighting, but it does give students a chance to choose which values they will adopt. Moral education alone isn't enough; it has to be reflected in practice. In many schools, not only is there no moral education, but meanness runs rampant. An individual teacher can only teach so much "respect" if a principal comes into the room and yells at him or her in front of the students--or if teachers complain loudly about the principal or colleagues in the hallway. So, as usual, it is a problem of systems and of humans. Schools need to teach students how to treat each other; but the individuals within the schools also need to treat each other well. Yes, there will still be fights, in school and after school. But at the very least there will be a place where students can experience something different. And as for preventing the "slow motion train wreck"--we see many signs of trouble before the worst actually happens. Schools should use assemblies and other means to address problems as they come up. One day I was covering another teacher's class, and a fight broke out between two girls who had been badmouthing each other over MySpace. In such circumstances the school should hold an assembly about dangers of social networking sites. These problems should not be brushed aside. We know they're happening; we need to tackle them. I admire schools that provide some sort of moral and ethical education along with a strong curriculum. It doesn’t end the fighting, but it does give students a chance to choose which values they will adopt.

Moral education alone isn’t enough; it has to be reflected in practice. In many schools, not only is there no moral education, but meanness runs rampant. An individual teacher can only teach so much “respect” if a principal comes into the room and yells at him or her in front of the students–or if teachers complain loudly about the principal or colleagues in the hallway.

So, as usual, it is a problem of systems and of humans. Schools need to teach students how to treat each other; but the individuals within the schools also need to treat each other well. Yes, there will still be fights, in school and after school. But at the very least there will be a place where students can experience something different.

And as for preventing the “slow motion train wreck”–we see many signs of trouble before the worst actually happens. Schools should use assemblies and other means to address problems as they come up. One day I was covering another teacher’s class, and a fight broke out between two girls who had been badmouthing each other over MySpace. In such circumstances the school should hold an assembly about dangers of social networking sites. These problems should not be brushed aside. We know they’re happening; we need to tackle them.

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