School Changes

[sixdogsmom]

Peer pressure can also be used in a positive way. 

[Catwoman]

It sounds like there may be some confusing of the terms "peer pressure" and "bullying" here...the one can lead to the other but the two are not the same entity.  Patrick...adults use peer pressure all the time in order to either keep things the same as they've always been, force change, or make sure that their's is the main voice speaking even though there's a whole room needing to be heard...it's no different in a school.  And, yes, peer pressure can be utilized in an effective fashion when the educator is astute enough to know how to be the one doing the manipulating, instead of being the one who is being manipulated by the students.  Egregious/over-the-top events (like Columbine HS) happen when bullying has been so pervasive that the students didn't see any other way out...rather like a collective suicide combined with mass revenge.  And, yes indeed, it is the job of both the school and society at large to make sure that the students have been educated in the coping strategies required for these events...because peer pressure and bullying don't end when the person exceeds 21 years of age...it's just that the bullies get more sophisticated in their methods...more covert, rather than honestly open about their tendencies.

[Teresa]

I haven't said anything on this thread.. I feel way too many emotions to talk without pissing half the town off..
but I will say this..

To publicly degrade a child for his bad grades does not and will do anything but make that child more sad, embarrassed and frustrated. It will tear down any self confidence he had or is trying to internally have.
If school work and learning comes easy to you.. then by all means..stand up and shout to the world that EVERYONE should be able to do the work..and advertise and point the fingers at those who can't.
Bad grades are not necessarily a product of a lazy or rebellious person. Sometimes it is the TEACHING METHOD involved.

Example.. ( and I will use my family publicly as an example)
Danny was easily an A-B student. Classwork came easy to him.. ( He could have been a straight A student if he had totally put his mind to it. He carried this grade point and still played every sport.. and all other extra curricular activity.
He rarely had homework and I never ever had to ask him or tell him to do his homework. He was like me in the area of  writing. It came so easy to him and to set down and write a 1,000 word paper was a snap. So to compliment him on his good work in school was a proud thing. I had no problem with that. He did the work.. he deserved the credit.

On the other hand..Derek had a very very high IQ at a very early age. But in a different way than his brother. And he was an excellent reader..with a huge % retainment in what he read.  But he had a problem with getting it from his brain to the paper. If they ask him a question he could give them a correct and in-detail answer. But to have him write it all down, he struggled and finally said " to hell with it".. and eventually had a "who cares .. I know it.. and I don't care if they think I do or not" attitude. End result.... a smart child.. bad grades.  But to publicly humiliate and frustrate him more by posting those grades in the newspapers would have done no good. He was so over the top in the mechanical gifts that he put everyone to shame.. ( still is) But of course, those things you couldn't test on or post in the paper.


Kate Perkins was the 'angel' who finally figured it out. She told me that he was very intelligent and you could have a conversation about anything with him and he knew something about it. She did a private testing of him first ..the standard way that they had to use in the public school system... and then orally. The same test... different methods.
He flunked the written way and Aced the oral..

I went around and around fighting with the school on this.. They refused to deviate from " the way subjects are taught and the way that students are tested. "  So consequently..Derek struggled and had bad grades. and a horrible rebellious attitude to boot.

He finally was so frustrated in his senior year that Roger Rankin suggested he just take a GED. He did and he did so good that he was ranked the 2nd to the top of his testing scores in the whole state of Kansas..

*Just for the record.. I was one of those who ..when I was in nursing school.. could read about it.. and not comprehend anything..  ( D-F on written tests) Not that I couldn't write.. I just couldn't read it and get anything out of it. But on the hours and days on the floor watching surgeries etc ...to see it done.. I  could write in detail exactly how the procedure was done..complete with all the surgical instruments used.  ( A on the test) I am a total hands on person.

So there is many reasons why each person is different. I do not think that you should stifle those accomplishments of the kids who make the good grades. Post them on the honor roll by all means.. They should be proud of their accomplishments..

But maybe also have other kinds of accomplished posted too. Shop projects.. personal projects done at school.. etc.. ANYTHING that a child does well in whatever area.... to help boost and encourage kids to be the best they can be. And to maybe push themselves a bit harder in areas that they are not strong in. And if they are excellent farmers.. praise that.. If they can rebuild motors.. praise that.  If you have a girl who is an awesome seamstress or who can cook.. praise that.. same goes for being very very strong in math and really really bad in history... PRAISE the good and encourage them to try  in the other things. ( you get my drift)

Today.. anyone who knows Derek and Danny knows that both boys/men are equally successful in their jobs and lives.
Danny is a business financial whiz and can work numbers and stats til your head spins. He also is very strong in other areas that has suited him in his business ventures.
Derek is a successful business partner with his dad in the hardware store .. and also has created ,owns, runs and operates D&M Guns. ( And both are phenomenal fathers and husbands. )

So to "label a child because they are not what someone thinks is " the norm" is.....


I'm finished and I will go in now and make my yeast rolls for Derek's birthday supper tonight.. Thanks for listening. 

[Wilma]

You are so right, Teresa.  And there is a name for the disability that makes a person unable to put on paper what they know in their brain.  I can't think of it now, but if I go back a few years in my e-mails from a nephew, I might be able to find it.  It doesn't make them a dumb person.  I know one of these people and she knows so much (mostly trivia) but is unable to put it down.  Tests just paralyze her because she knows she won't do good on them.

I don't see a solution for this unless the school does something about it.  But I would like more acknowledgment of accomplishment than just the honor role.

[Catwoman]

The term might be disgraphia.

[jprxmkt]

There are many children growing up today that have horrid home lives; either drug, alcohol, physical, sexual or psychological abuses from their parents. The parents are the ones that are supposed to care the most about them.  If they can't get the nurturing that they need at home, it is just about impossible for them to care about what's going on at school. If their parents don't show they care about them then why should they try.  It's is sad to think about what some kids have to live like, but it is a reality even in little Elk County. To publish these childrens' bad grades would do so much more harm than good!

[srkruzich]

The term might be disgraphia.

Uhm disgraphia is where you reverse the letters like a s is backwards or a R is backwards.
Dyslexia is where the words are jumbled.  i don't know what kind of disorder it would be other than
testophobia. 

[sixdogsmom]

I went to school with a gal who convinced the instructor of a particularly difficult course that she had a hard time testing with other people present in the room. He actually allowed her to test finals in a room by herself with no monitors. Of course she bragged later how easy it was to use her crib notes and ace the test. It takes all kinds doesn't it? 

[pepelect]

I have fired many people that probably cheated on a test.  They show up to work late, always on the phone, and don't give a crap expept for when the paychecks will be written.


It takes all kinds.


They were looking for a job when they found this one.

[Diane Amberg]

  It is very frustrating to very bright kids who know they know, but can't organize their thoughts to get it on paper. I had several students who had it and they did better on multiple choice tests or true/false tests. I would sometimes give them an oral test and then help them translate their answer to written form.