Mathematics in Lead-Deadwood

This year is off to an interesting start. It amazes me that not only do I continue to face the issue of students who don’t want to do their homework, but now after my move to the middle school, I am also up against parents who make excuses for why their child has not completed the homework. Don’t get me wrong, I had parents at the high school level who did the same, but not nearly in as many instances. What ever happened to the child taking responsibility? And where are the parents who realize making excuses for the child is enabling the child? Do parents just not care? Are they okay with hurting the child in the long run? We now live in a society where instant gratification is expected. We get upset when an Internet page doesn’t load instantly, never mind the fact that even fifteen years ago we had to look all that information up in a library. (One that we had to physically go to!) I’m not saying it is wrong to want to make life easier for your child, everyone wants their children to have it better than we did as kids, but there is a difference between giving a child everything he or she could ask for (who’s really the parent there?) and teaching your child the proper respect for self and others, and learning to take responsibility. I still believe that hard work IS the reward for hard work – and I wouldn’t have it any other way, but then I understand my own responsibilities. It might be a lesson in tough love, but kids will appreciate the boundaries and look to their parents with greater respect because of it.

What does it take to get students to do homework?  What happened to intrinsic rewards?  I feel as if I have to bribe students to do homework, and I refuse to do that.  When over half of my students are failing, and it’s because they refuse to turn in work, what am I supposed to do?  I can’t confirm or deny that the students know the material because I have no evidence to support either scenario.  And then I have parents who are upset with me because their child is not learning.  When did learning become the teacher’s responsibility?  Teaching is the teacher’s responsibility.  Learning is a choice that each and every student has to make.  I can’t force a student to learn, but I will continue to do everything I feel is in my power to teach those who are willing to learn.