School Day Frustration

Asking a 14-year old student what "3x10" is usually produces a quick computation and an assured answer of "thirty." Yet, for a majority of the children I work with on a daily basis, that simple question is as esoteric and incomprehensible as astro-physics or the federal tax code. My confident student, young in looks and sure of body, is left stumped. He doesn't respond. His eyes stare off into the sky in supposed contemplation, which does nothing but create a shallow veneer to make it seem as if he is right on the cusp of the answer. It's too late for him, though. I've already judged his intelligence, and I know that the answer will only be forthcoming from my lips, not his.

In the same room, heck, even at the same table, the fifteen-year old student across from me reads a book of poetry that is written on a second-grade level. One of my tutors is sitting beside him, encouraging him to continue on through the pages to the end of the story--a whole ten of them. Sometimes the student completely stops reading, glancing up at the tutor with eyes full of embarrassment and anger, as he struggles to read the word. "Because," the tutor calmly sounds out. "Be-cause."

Did that really just occur? Did I genuinely just witness the failure of a fifteen- year old to recognize and read a 'sight word'? Is it really true that eighth graders are unable to recite the 'threes' times tables, or get through the drudgery of reading a SECOND-GRADE level book!?

Is our afterschool programming a waste of time?

I've recently been contemplating the emphasis that the American school system places on math and science, and have often found myself getting all riled up, as I am seriously nauseated and tired of the 'competitive-advantage' justification that teachers, schools, newspapers, and even the President give: "We must improve math and science education in this country, so that we will always maintain an economic and industrial advantage over those upstart, intelligent, diligent students, THE CHINESE(fear and trembling)!?

Of course, improving science and math education is an admirable goal of the United States and school districts the republic over. And my experience with the times tables debacle is nothing but the strongest emphasis for such a trend. Yet, I am often disgusted at the seeming disregard, or even outright de-emphasis that is placed on the arts, language and history. I am one of the notion that students can't be good scientists without being able to read about those who came before them (speaking on this issue just very briefly, I found myself in the most uncomfortable of situations recently, when I had to explain to two African-American students the importance of George Washington Carver. This isn't inherently a problem for me; however, I became quite perturbed and shocked when both of them informed me that they had never heard of his name before. How sad. But, I'm sure they knew all about Lil' Wayne's recent spat of lock-ups). I am also fairly positive that the worst kind of scientists, business people or engineers that our school system could create, would be those characterized by a highly-specialized knowledge base, incapable of introspection or debate on the more 'cerebral' questions of their work: If we cut out the arts, music, literature and language, we are in my seriously humble opinion, well on our way to 'producing' (why not use industrial language for this most-industrial of educational philosophy) amnesia-ridden, profit-driven, competitive droids, much in the form of Karel Capek's R.U.R. (everyone should read this play; it was from this play that the world became acquainted with the word "Robot").

But, I guess maybe I'm just a bitter young man who constantly feels the need to justify his decision to study the Liberal Arts at school. After all, the question of "Whatcha' 'gonna do with that!?" still continues to stump me, even after five years.

I'll just resign myself to continue to battle on the frontlines, and attempt to help my students learn basic division before they are able to get their driver's permit. Heck, maybe even a chapter book is in the future....