I have a big problem with apathetic children. I try to remember back to my childhood for signs of apathy and laziness. It might be because I choose not to remember, or it might be because I was a decent kid, but I can never remember the level of apathy that I currently see in the schools. Countless times every week a student forgets something at home and when I confront them about it the excuse is "my bus was late" or "I got up really early this morning and forgot". It is never their fault. No student has come to me this year saying "I'm sorry, I forgot." Then the same student proceeds to sulk in my class as if it was my fault they forgot their stuff.
Maybe the problem isn't the children...
Maybe it's the parents. In defense of parents I do have many parents who come to school and drop off forgotten supplies. I have had plenty great conversations and interactions with successful parents. A good deal of parents that I talk with are really great parents. In conversation with a colleague this morning I asked him/her about apathetic children. S/he said s/he would like to round up a select group of parents simply look them in the eye and tell them "you should be embarrassed." Upon asking further upon this, it was stated that most parents essentially feel guilt for being "bad" parents. This guilt turns into hostility when a teacher confronts them. Now this makes sense. Of course this is only one view, but the logic s/he used was frankly compelling.
So what is the solution? Be tough on the kids? More confrontation with parents? I have no idea. The overlying concern I have is the concern for both society and the work force. What happens when the apathetic child with the enabling parent grows up and becomes your doctor or your neighbor?
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3 comments:
So if I am a bad parent because my daughter is apathetic and lazy, how do we explain my son who is a lovely empathetic boy whom his teacher explains is a delight in the classroom.
I agree with Lenora, in fact.
I'm grappling with watching my little brother grow up going through schools, with a complete apathy to most of his classes and his work. I'm trying to understand why he has this lack of interest, but I'm finding it especially challenging because I've never experienced a similar lack of motivation.
The cause must be something deeper. I wish I knew what it was.
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION:
I was an apathetic student. Most of my friends were too. Reasons were mainly: intelligence, total lack of emotional connection with the material / teaching method, family/social issues, depression/anxiety, need to move around / make things, or, a combination thereof.
-Children are not robots, they do not come pre-programmed for hegemonic societies in which they have no choice but to attend school.
-A lack of true emotional connection to their teachers/peers/classroom, or of intellectual stimulation will make learning or completing work seem pointless.
-Children need to perceive failure in order to construct a viable map of themselves and their realities.
-Education is much larger than school.
These are small individuals wandering weird little paths, not empty heads to fill with facts. The more you focus on paper and less you focus on the emotional and intellectual growth of the students, the less those kids are going to care.
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