Education

I read a very alarming article in the newspaper last night and it was about how the USA educational system is failing. The article stated that the Baby Boomer Generation was the last best-educated group. They documented this fact in that we now rank 10th in the world in our educational pursuits. It is also documented that 1 out of 4 children will drop out of high school and with the twice the rate of inflation growth of college costs less students will be able to afford to pursue degrees.
In my second year of substitute teaching, I have found the primary and secondary teachers working just as hard, committed while on campus and even work at home but stymied by the ineffective national and state testing requirements. The expertise they gain while in college, the skills they possess from their dedicated commitment, and the daily tolerance they display are utilized to gain recognition not to actually teach the child. Many of the astute students will excel but many students that need just a little more will not. The baby boomers had a solid foundation built on reading, writing, and arithmetic and that is the reason the majority of us graduated from high school and college. I feel another key element that is missing is the unification of the parent and teacher to focus on what is the best way to teach their child and to agree on mutual support for the entire year. When 40% of our new teachers leave in the first four years, we have a problem that hurts each child. As parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles we should not accept a decline in educating our children. When was the last time you called to thank the teachers and ask what can you do to make sure your child learns each and every day. It is never to late to start.