High school has become no more than a social event for students. The majority of them are not interested in learning, doing even a minimal amount of homework or enhancing their knowledge base. Their parents lie, cheat and defend these students, and when students fail, these same parents are quick to place the blame squarely on the teachers. Discipline, responsibility, motivation, hard work, attention to detail and willingness to succeed have all become dirty words in education today. I have no desire to teach on the secondary level.
Accountability is more than salaries, training, time spent at work or benefits.
Accountability in education is quickly becoming an elusive dream, and we have no one to blame but parents and students who are willing to settle for less than mediocre, under the guise of enhancing self-esteem for themselves and their children. I wrote back to this person and asked whether he or she had taught in high schools and, if so, whether the schools were in urban or suburban districts. In addition, I asked for comments about whether students in both settings demonstrated similar patterns of motivation and effort. Over time, I also instructed Italian, GED,ESL, adult education and mandated English and history courses. While there are teens who are motivated and want to learn, the teens who exhibit the negativity and hostility toward school and do not value education in general, are the ones who are holding back the hard workers.