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How close should teachers get?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Whenever students talk about a favorite teacher, they usually say he or she is always there for them. If they have a problem with school or friends or at home, they know they can talk to the teacher and get some help.
Some teachers give out their phone numbers and personal email addresses to students. A few go so far as to have groups of students over to their homes for dinner or study sessions.
I don’t think anything inappropriate is taking place, but I wonder where the line should be drawn.
Teachers, where is that line for you? How do you distinguish between helping a student and getting too close to that student?
Parents, are you comfortable with teachers talking to your kids outside of regular school hours? At what point do you want to know about these conversations?
UPDATE: The state has released district-by-district results for the Georgia High School Graduation Tests. Check them out. School-level results are expected by May 23.
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Can schools fight cyberbullies?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
One Georgia school system plans to put rules in place to curb “cyberbullying” — when students send threatening messages through the Internet and cell phones.
According to this story, Oconee County school board members will update the system’s code of conduct to include rules about these types of threats. The changes will warn students not to forward or print out and pass around these messages.
There’s been a lot of discussion lately about kids who threaten and taunt others electronically. Those who say this is problem point to the tragic story of a 13-year-old girl from Missouri who committed suicide in 2006 after some cruel messages about her were posted on MySpace, the social networking site.
It makes sense to say more must be done to protect children, but what can schools really do? Schools have difficulty protecting students from physical bullying, should we expect them to fix this problem?
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What’s the proper etiquette for graduation?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s graduation season. Colleges are conducting theirs and area high schools will hold commencement within the next two or three weeks.
Most will be lovely, but a few will have a scene like this: The band plays “Pomp and Circumstance.” Graduates march across the stage as their names are read aloud. Then someone blows an air horn or hoots to get a graduate’s attention.
Part of the dignity of graduation is that every name is heard. If Johnny’s family and friends scream and holler when his name is called, that could make it difficult to hear the name of the next kid.
Commencement marks a formal milestone in one’s life. No one expects a somber, quiet atmosphere. But principals and some parents say the ceremony must be dignified.
Can we expect decorum with caps and gowns? How should we balance letting people celebrate with making sure they behave?
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How much do students cheat?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A friend of mine has been teaching high school English in the area for about 15 years. Every year she catches more and more kids who cheat. They cheat on tests. They copy homework. They plagiarize papers they found on the Internet.
That’s not the worst part. When she confronts them, many just shrug. Some say everyone’s doing it. Others say it’s the only way to stay ahead in school and get good grades for college.
Nearly four in 10 teenagers say they have plagiarized or cheated on a test, according to a national poll released in December. That poll, co-sponsored by the group that runs the Junior Achievement entrepreneurship program, showed that about half of the students justified their actions by saying they felt an overwhelming pressure to succeed.
It’s easy to cheat. Web sites like schoolsucks.com provide students with papers they can download on nearly any topic.
Teachers can catch these kids by using other Web sites. Turnitin.com searches the Web for writing that matches what students turned in.
Do you think more students are cheating? Why do you think so many students believe it’s acceptable?
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Paying kids to study
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sunday’s @issue included two different looks at Fulton County’s new after-school program that pays students to learn.
The Learn and Earn program targets kids who struggle in school and pays them $8 per hour to study. It even promises a bonus if kids increase their grades enough.
A Georgia State University professor took the stance that the program fails to instill long-term values. One of the people behind the program wrote money is a way to hook students into studying.
Regardless of your stance, should we be surprised this is going on? Schools already bribe kids with everything from pizza to bikes to iPods to make sure they show up. Money was the only thing school leaders had yet to dangle in front of students. And we all know plenty of parents who reward their kids with cash when they get good grades.
But does that make it right for schools to pay kids? How far are we willing to go to motivate students? What happened to the days when taking pride in getting good grades was reward enough?
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Lee Again, you confuse the “Norma Rae” type union with professional unions. There are professional unions in many professions. We are not talking about UAW type unions that have historically looked to keep increasing the number... read the full comment by JustMe | Comment on How close should teachers get? Read How close should teachers get?
“…You want to improve school performance and student behavior. Tie student achievement to welfare benefits. Failing grades, disciplinary problems, and poor attendance should mandate reductions in benefits.” AMEN!... read the full comment by dokie | Comment on Violence against teachers Read Violence against teachers
WFC, just curious, what does having (or not having) a college degree have to do with being able to opine about education issues on a public blog?... read the full comment by Lee | Comment on How close should teachers get? Read How close should teachers get?
Justme, you’re going to have to make a decision; do you want to be considered a “professional” or do you want to be a rank and file “union member.” EVERY union’s first consideration is for the promotion and welfare of... read the full comment by Lee | Comment on How close should teachers get? Read How close should teachers get?