As you know, at the community college level our experience with high school students seems similar; it is obvious that for some students whatever happened in high school was not much. At one time I had students take turns each reading a paragraph of the chapter summary in class until a student warned me never to call on her because she couldn't read and didn't want to look like a fool.
I am a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, a group of women teachers mostly K-12 and their stories are horrific as well as encouraging. Not to stretch this out, but have you watched the HGTV channel recently (I am remodeling my home and looking for ideas)? Rarely does any home on any of the HGTV programs (Redesign, Rezone, Design on a Dime, etc.) show a home with bookshelves. Few homes show books, let alone a magazine. I hear that parents are too busy to read and apparently have rarely read to their children. Why don't our students read? Their parents don't; our students rarely see effective role models reading. They are visual learners, if the family is doing anything together it is watching the 65" thin screen TV or everyone is in their own room equipped with a thin TV. While our students often do not come from families noted for their reading habits, I suspect they have developed skills I'd consider more "street smart" or survival skills and I haven't developed a way to quantify that notion. As a generation, this "postmillenia" group often seem to be more tolerant of each other than I recall from my "silent generation." In addition to the usual psychology courses, I also teach Psychology of Careers and Life Planning. Sometimes after students have researched occupations on the Department of Labor website (O*Net) or the computer program in our career center, they "get" the link of education to a career. Sometimes they "get" how reading and education can broaden their thinking and understanding of their life process. Sometimes I hear a questioning student whose inquiring mind gives me great hope. Sorry for the long post. Joann Jelly, Ed.D. Psychology Instructor -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, December 09, 2005 11:46 AM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences Subject: Re: higher highschool? The reason many students do not "learn how to learn" in high school is that in many public schools there are so many problems that teachers often feel unable to keep order, much less teach. Most high school teachers do a great job under the circumstances, but their jobs depend on satisfying state and district paper work requirements, keeping attendance up, pleasing parents and focusing on standardized test scores. Add into the mix the lack of funding, proper security or backing from school district lawyers, and consider how "No Child Left Behind" can turn into overcrowded classrooms without enough textbooks (or in some cases desks) and you may understand. It is hard to teach good study skills when the children are sharing textbooks and cannot take a book home, though most teachers make do somehow. Of course high school experiences vary depending on the type of program. When teaching for a gifted program, AP classes or International Baccalaureate program, teachers will be able to prepare students for college. In those cases they can expect at least some level of funding, administrative support and backing from the parents. This is not always the case in "regular" classes. As a college professor you may be trying to teach the students to study, but in some regular classes high school teachers are still trying to teach students to read. The problem is how the schools systems have changed. Through public opinion and unfunded mandates, grade school and high school teachers are given ultimate responsibility for every child, but given no power, support or other means to achieve the legislated goals. It's nice to offer words about what everyone should do, but I'd like to see some financial support. It would also help to treat teachers like professionals and insist they be respected by students and parents. The good news for you is that most student you see in college are the "good kids." Just keep in mind that the good kids may have spent high school being threatened or beaten by gang members, duct taping together pieces of text books from the 1980's and preparing for multiple choice test that do not require the ability to form complete sentences. Yes, the good kid probably got an A just for turning in homework and attending every day. That's because those simple behaviors may have put him or her in the top 10 % of the class. It is also common practice to offer extra credit for participating in school fundraisers. Many teachers hate having to do fundraisers and compromise grades. It wouldn't be happening if they thought there were good alternatives. I don't pretend to have the answers but I think that they have something to do with (a) funding, (b) meaningful consequences for disruptive behaviors (not detention or suspension--maybe some work for the school or community), (C) empowering individual teachers instead of standardized lesson plans (hire professionals and keep professionals) and (c)being willing to go to court if necessary to support the teachers and "good" students' rights. I taught AP Psychology and other "advanced" subjects at a very good public high school, and I was surprised by the attitude by many staff members that being beaten is part of growing up and that a good teacher doesn't need text books or supplies. Complaining about over crowing, teaching in the lunch room or violent students is like admitting you are a bad teacher or seeming like a prima donna. This may be a long post coming from an ex high school teacher with only a BA in Psychology (I had to take family leave and I now teach law classes for on on-line university), but I don't think most people realize how much public schools have changed in the last few decades. Please forgive the extended ranting, but I want people to realize that the problem goes deeper than enacting legislation about what children should learn and what test they should take. Raising standards are great, just be sure that funding is also raised accordingly. -- "Gerald Peterson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: This is probably just an end-of-semester rant, but I am interested in ideas and reactions. I've heard it said that college is becoming much like high school. I am not sure myself whether this is really the case, or what is really meant by the phrase. Yes, many students still lack basic literacy skills, require more hand-holding to learn how to learn, can't do homework on their own (do they do real homework in high school these days?), and do not know how to study. However, I am happy to actually see students at my door and I want to work with them to help them learn. My complaint is that most do not see me, and the few that do drop by don't see me early or often. I found myself (in Psych 100) trying to form groups to help them learn how to study, giving more extra credit, altering exams, etc. I know colleagues who even call and email students to remind them to attend and get assignments in. I give them an initial quiz and homework early in the semester and then try to work on helping them study and take tests and most importantly, attend, take notes, etc. I have written a How to Study booklet, but they tell me they just want to know how to pass MY class. After all, they get As and Bs in their other classes without so much work. Yes, I will try more discussion groups now and then. They don't comprehend the text, so other students who have read and do understand the text can help in such group discussion. I have even started receiving calls from moms and dads about their children's lack of progress. After all, they got As in high school and "how come you aren't curving those grades," etc. But is this what people mean when they say college is higher high school? It doesn't seem higher anything ha. I don't mind. I will do what I can to help students. I do appreciate the few college level students all the more! I should ask my friends who teach grade and high school for some tips--but many of them are hiding from irate moms and dads, busy curving grades, creating fun activities that mean little, but will serve to justify passing the students along to the next grade. I am thinking of new activities for the next term that will get students thinking about each chapter--they don't have to read it all, they can look at the pictures and snazzy inserts, and see if they can come up with applications, illustrations, or reactions about the material. It's okay if they want to just generate some pictures and drawings of their own. They might just be "visual learners" don't you know!? I will give them points if anything is relevant to anything in the chapter. This isn't higher high school. It's just college in 2005. Gary Gerald L. (Gary) Peterson, Ph.D. Professor, Psychology Saginaw Valley State University University Center, MI 48710 989-964-4491 [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________________________________________ Try Juno Platinum for Free! Then, only $9.95/month! Unlimited Internet Access with 250MB of Email Storage. 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