Is education slipping? Are our kids getting the kind of education that we received, or our parents received? What do you think? Hmm, I am thinking not.
This is a post from a "niece". This is a text from her child. He is 14. Notice the lack of punctuation, the misspellings, the shortened "texting" forms of words. The spelling in this message is so awful, that it honestly took me a bit to translate it into real English. This is not an isolated example. This is happening more and more across our country.
Is the school curriculum changing, the teachers, or are our students? The schools are not teaching cursive or script past the time when they initially teach the basic form. Meaning, your child is no longer required to write in script past the learning stage! Some schools do not even teach it at all!!! They can print. badly Handwriting is no longer stressed. These may seem like petty things, but what happens when your child is asked for a signature and they honestly don't know what the word means, or cannot do it? A lot of kids cannot even read script when parents write notes for them in it! REALLY!? SMH
Roman numerals are not taught. This makes reading a clock or decent watch, more difficult for a child. I remember doing this is second grade. It was stressed! The world does not operate on digital clocks.
Class of...what? roflmao
There are so many more things that are no longer taught that are important in life. Home economics for one. Kids do not know how to sew on a button! They cannot iron clothing, nor stitch up a seam in an emergency. They cannot cook simple nourishing meals because they are not taught to. We have so many young people having babies and not being married, and they do not have the basic skills to even care for a baby, or a home, or even themselves!
Do not think this is just one school, or one district or lower education...get ready for this... here is a post from an ENGLISH PROFESSOR to her students about getting extra points if they complete something in addition to their normal work.
This is not an isolated incident either! The students complained about the horrid e-mails they were getting from their professor using words that are not words. Things were ambiguous and they were forced to translate the text style writing into English! Come on... These are various aged juniors in college saying their own professor needs to straighten up and write correctly! Ya feel me teach?
What happens when your child goes to fill out a job application? Will they appear intelligent? Will they be able to spell? Can they sign their name!?
You may think that it truly doesn't matter. That spelling and punctuation don't matter and they're just formalities. For one, you look less intelligent to other people; so if you're okay with appearing stupid to people outside of your small town who do have basic skills that's your prerogative. However, I am not okay with my children typing, writing and speaking as if they have no education.
"But but but, you know what I mean!" is the cry that resounds from some of the ones who don't care.
After some deciphering, yes I do know what you mean. That doesn't mean it's correct. You could devolve to caveman speak and I'd know what you mean. That doesn't mean you should walk around saying things like "ME LIKE THIS!" After all, we'd know what you meant... Have you all experienced this?
The key question here is this: Who is to blame? Is it the parents? The children? The schools? It's a combination of all of the above.
As parents, you have a responsibility to educate your children and ensure that they will be fully functioning, responsible adults. It is not 100% the school's responsibility to educate and raise your child to be an effective and contributing member of society. By choosing to have a baby, you've chosen to ensure they have an enriching life; educationally, physically and of course in a recreational sense. If you see that your child has poor handwriting, poor spelling, poor grammatical skills work on them at home.
Personal responsibility? Whaaaat?
As for the schools, oftentimes they do the best they can. The teachers are not the ones who dictate the curriculum. The school board is in charge of that. Who votes people on to the school board? You! You have the power to help make decisions here. You are not powerless. If you have an issue with what your child is learning (or, more accurately, not learning) call the superintendent. I have seen several superintendents come and go from my children's school district and every one of them has been kind and helpful. Classes have changed drastically since the introduction of "No Child Left Behind." Classes have been slowed down to "more realistic standards."
"The waiver means that Ohio no longer has to meet that 100-percent proficiency goal of having all students pass state reading and math tests by 2014. Instead, Ohio can set what it sees as more realistic proficiency goals, target funds towards low performing schools, and create new assessment methods for teachers, principals, and schools." -StateImpact.org
Basically, if the children are doing poorly, they'll lower the standards to a 'more realistic' level rather than push the students to perform better. Again, this is not the teachers' fault, they're doing what they can. But I urge you to have your district demand better and higher educational standards for your children! If they FAIL, they fail. Everyone must fail in life in order to learn. If we never fail a child then a disservice is being done to your child. Demand a higher standard. Expect more and push your teachers, principals, school, and superintendent. If you think you don't have the time to write a letter, or make a phone call to help your child then you are also doing them a disservice.
"If you don't like it, then home school your kids!"
That's so simple! Why didn't I think of that? Duh!
Not all of us have the time required to dedicate to homeschooling. I applaud the parents that take the education of their children in their own hands. It's not a simple undertaking. As a parent, you're expected to be a mentor, friend, chauffeur, chef, doctor, sounding board, counselor, referee, coach, educator... truly, the list goes on.
The parents and the schools have to work together to ensure that the students are getting the education that they need to make it in life. If your kid tears their pants, teach them how to sew it. If their pants need ironed, teach them how to iron them. If your kid is hungry, teach them how to cook for themselves. (Skittles on bread for Mother's Day breakfast... but at least they tried!) they ate the banana ones too!
Provided they're old enough, of course. You probably shouldn't hand a frying pan to your five year old.
Yeah, that wouldn't be the best plan...
So, on the off chance you find yourself making many of the same spelling mistakes your kids make (and you can't correct them if you're doing it wrong too) here is a short list of some of the most commonly misspelled words that people have said bugs them on social media or texts. (we ALL have mistakes)
Your - Something that belongs to you "This is your hat."
You're - You are. "You're really pretty." "You're right."
To - Showing a motion of direction. "You need to go to the store."
Too - An abundance of something or 'also' "I ate too much cake." "I want a purple hat too!"
Two - 2
There - A location "Over there!"
Their - Belongs to them "That is their car, not ours."
They're - They are "They're really mad about that."
Here's one that's getting to be more and more of a problem. Drives some of you batty! lol
You could not "OF" done something. You would not "OF" done something. It's couldn't HAVE or wouldn't HAVE. You say 'of' because it sounds like "could have."
The word "of" makes no sense there. Just because it sounds the same, does not mean it is the same.
In the end, your child is going to be an adult going out into the world and they won't have you around to help them. It is both your responsibility and the education system's responsibility to ensure your child is well spoken, intelligent, well written, and skilled in the basic things they'll need to live a productive and successful life. We all want that for our children right?
Raising kids is hard!
Yes it is... but as Momma used to say, "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right!"
And please... teach your children to spell so they don't grow up to be this idiot. ROFL
Here's the English translation:
"Huge gentle horse. - $750
You will smile when you ride on this sweet gelding. Everybody always comments on his gentleness and they love him. He is a gelding so no worries about pregnancy. He really likes when kids are on him. We use him for trails. He's 15.5 hands and 5 years old. He is (a) yellowish color. (Going to the) right home is important. Come try our boy. We can board him here too, if you'd like. Thank you."
Every italicized word is misspelled or the incorrect word. This was posted by an ADULT trying to make a transaction. Are you kidding me? My sides hurt from laughing when I read this. ("Write home is empowertant" got me the most. It took me a bit to sort that one out!) check the category this was posted in as well
Amercia... land of the free
And if anything in this post offends you, I have but one thing to say:
I have no "regerts."
