T1B

mv loves those Big Government rolls. Steaming fresh, with a dollop of freshly churned butter.

Mmmmm....I Can't Believe It's Not Conservative!

I like the idea of just showing kids how little they make for working hard.

My kid, who has wonderful checks for huge amounts of money show up for no other reason than that he lived another year, decided to actually work for something.

He is only 14, with the attitude that comes with it, but threw himself into the job for a whole 2 and one half hours. Dug out some dirt, cleaned up a yard, marked out some future improvements...actuallly had to think while working. Got a whole lot done, but after it all...was disappointed in how much money he made for that hard work even after he presented his hourly rate and knew what he was in for before he ever got started.

So, after all that work...and I admit it was good work, he only got 12 dollars and 50 cents. The thing is, at first he blew it off as a much less thing than he would get if his grandparents just sent money, but the more he talked about it...the more he was proud of that 12.50 and is going back to earn more at the same rate in whatever they have for him to do.

Maybe what is missing is the pride in small accomplishments. Small accomplishments of the individual...totally unrelated to something being handed down freely by a higher power.

Ang wrote:I like the idea of just showing kids how little they make for working hard.

My kid, who has wonderful checks for huge amounts of money show up for no other reason than that he lived another year, decided to actually work for something.

He is only 14, with the attitude that comes with it, but threw himself into the job for a whole 2 and one half hours. Dug out some dirt, cleaned up a yard, marked out some future improvements...actuallly had to think while working. Got a whole lot done, but after it all...was disappointed in how much money he made for that hard work even after he presented his hourly rate and knew what he was in for before he ever got started.

So, after all that work...and I admit it was good work, he only got 12 dollars and 50 cents. The thing is, at first he blew it off as a much less thing than he would get if his grandparents just sent money, but the more he talked about it...the more he was proud of that 12.50 and is going back to earn more at the same rate in whatever they have for him to do.

Maybe what is missing is the pride in small accomplishments. Small accomplishments of the individual...totally unrelated to something being handed down freely by a higher power.

He can mow my lawn, pull my weeds and clean up my yard, and I'll pay him more than $5/hour. I've offered all the kids in the neighborhood twice that, and not a single one will show up and work.

Mike the Lab Rat wrote:

Dog wrote:I see this as an excellent argument for better sex education courses in high school.

Yep. No need for teachers to go the "slipping a condom on a banana" route, but a better explanation of the physiology of pregnancy, birth control info with regard to efficacy and misconceptions (baddump-bump!), STD's, the gory details of birth (including the expulsion of the placenta, episiotomy, etc.).

Going over infant requirements, typical parent stresses, etc. would also be good. If kids had any idea of how much fun sleep deprivation, loss of social activities (at least for awhile), big bills, and incessant crying are, they might rethink their actions.

The kids should also be heavily encouraged, if not required, to interview their parents, as a way of involving those ideally responsible for a lot of this info in the process. I've found that a lot of parents have misconceptions of their own (one mom argued with me, adamant that you couldn't get STD's from oral sex) and this might help correct them.

Then why aren't they doing it?

Specifically in your school. with all the stupidity and ignorance happening, and the obvious evidence that what they're doing ain't working, why aren't those who make those decisions try the above?

Seems like a simple and logical set of ideas to me. Ever suggested it?

Mister Bushice wrote:

Mike the Lab Rat wrote:

Dog wrote:I see this as an excellent argument for better sex education courses in high school.

Yep. No need for teachers to go the "slipping a condom on a banana" route, but a better explanation of the physiology of pregnancy, birth control info with regard to efficacy and misconceptions (baddump-bump!), STD's, the gory details of birth (including the expulsion of the placenta, episiotomy, etc.).

Going over infant requirements, typical parent stresses, etc. would also be good. If kids had any idea of how much fun sleep deprivation, loss of social activities (at least for awhile), big bills, and incessant crying are, they might rethink their actions.

The kids should also be heavily encouraged, if not required, to interview their parents, as a way of involving those ideally responsible for a lot of this info in the process. I've found that a lot of parents have misconceptions of their own (one mom argued with me, adamant that you couldn't get STD's from oral sex) and this might help correct them.

Then why aren't they doing it?

They're trying. The health teacher, who was skipping the sex ed portions of the course because he felt that it conflicted with his moral beliefs, was sacked (for failure to teach the state curriculum). They asked one of the other phys ed teachers to step in and teach the course next year, and he and I are working together to put a better sex ed program in place that would be complemented by the information I cover in biology class.

One of the obstacles is the heavy religious presence in the district. The district is dominated by a combination of Roman Catholics, Baptists, and a fundamentalist group called the "Elim Gospel Church." The latter two combined their forces to have the school mascot logo (a blue devil) removed and tried to attack the teaching of evolution. On the latter, they lost big time (me vs. fundies at a school board meeting?...no contest), and I helped my student advisees successfully petition the school board to bring back the mascot. They've more quietly but firmly opposed the sex ed portion of the curriculum. Considering that we're on a roll thus far vs. the forces of "holy rollers," and considering the failure of their preferred way of dealing with sex ed, I think that the new steps the district plans should help.

The hard part is going to be acknowledging our limitations as teachers. I only have the kids for 84 minutes, five days a week, for four months. It's been pointed out to me -during my times of frustration and despair- by my bosses and colleagues that I can't honestly expect to "save" kids from the influences they're exposed to the rest of the day. I still try and I'm not above parlaying my popularity with the kids into meaningful discussions about life decisions regarding sex, drugs, self-respect, respect for others, etc. I'm hoping that other teachers will do the same, if they haven't already.