This is just scary...

InsanelyBusy

New Member
I can relate, although not every county school system experiences this.
The school system shown in the video is Gainesville, Fla? Have not experienced THAT particular school system.

Try asking St Johns county, Florida residents about their schools.
Most teachers in Duvall county & surrounding counties of St Augustine are pleading to get into the St Johns county school system, as it is one of the best in some kind of national situation, for both teachers and students.

Our kid liked her school in Calvert county, not so much the way the teachers are with the middle school students, however, now, in St John county, Fl. schools, we see a MUCH happier kid, who cant wait to get to school and learn now. Our kid is learning a great deal more, and it really shows. The subjects our kid is learning are a little tougher and more in depth than what was studied at the middle school in Calvert. However, the interest is MUCH greater, grades are superior, and frankly, I completely see where the difference in people and the attitude towards young people makes a great deal of difference.

We have few or no bus problems. Schools are newer, and there are not only books for use in the school for every child, but there are almost a complete set of books for hte child to keep at home, so they dont have to lug them back & forth. No excuses for not having any books for reference. Also, the school implements constant online reference, assignments can be accessed from the school webpage, as well as extra credit- this is constant. Much more parent friendly than Calvert schools ever were, in our experience.

The schools and commmunity are much more positive about whats going on in St Johns county, and it does reflect on our children. There are certain things I completely miss about Southern Maryland. Calvert schools is not one of them. The school system has a great deal to learn.

I miss my friends, though. I dont think I will ever miss smow & ice.
 

USWWarrior

It's a Jeep thang!
I can relate, although not every county school system experiences this.
The school system shown in the video is Gainesville, Fla? Have not experienced THAT particular school system.

Try asking St Johns county, Florida residents about their schools.
Most teachers in Duvall county & surrounding counties of St Augustine are pleading to get into the St Johns county school system, as it is one of the best in some kind of national situation, for both teachers and students.

Our kid liked her school in Calvert county, not so much the way the teachers are with the middle school students, however, now, in St John county, Fl. schools, we see a MUCH happier kid, who cant wait to get to school and learn now. Our kid is learning a great deal more, and it really shows. The subjects our kid is learning are a little tougher and more in depth than what was studied at the middle school in Calvert. However, the interest is MUCH greater, grades are superior, and frankly, I completely see where the difference in people and the attitude towards young people makes a great deal of difference.

We have few or no bus problems. Schools are newer, and there are not only books for use in the school for every child, but there are almost a complete set of books for hte child to keep at home, so they dont have to lug them back & forth. No excuses for not having any books for reference. Also, the school implements constant online reference, assignments can be accessed from the school webpage, as well as extra credit- this is constant. Much more parent friendly than Calvert schools ever were, in our experience.

The schools and commmunity are much more positive about whats going on in St Johns county, and it does reflect on our children. There are certain things I completely miss about Southern Maryland. Calvert schools is not one of them. The school system has a great deal to learn.

I miss my friends, though. I dont think I will ever miss smow & ice.

Not just Calvert but all of Maryland. I have lived in both Florida and Maryland. I remember hearing the rumors of "how terrible the school system is in Florida". Let me tell you, I was impressed. If the schools in Florida were bad, then somebody made a remarkable improvement in the last 10 years.

Uhmm, no, it could not possibly be a Bush (Jeb) that was responsible. It had to be somebody else because we all know a Bush cannot do anything right..:sarcasm:

I do think St. Mary's is on the right trend, but we have a long way to go. I think Great Mills has been getting better. I know Spring Ridge is doing better. The atmosphere there is one of learning and excitement. The new principal is really doing a great job. Of course, there will be some that disagree.

I cannot speak to Leonardtown or Chopticon or the other middle schools. But overall, I have seen improvement.
 

Mateo

New Member
Too many schools in the late 60's to the 70's, tried to"go with the flow", Dr Spock method of allowing the students to dictate the curriculumn and we have been paying for the chaos ever since. Way too many students were passed even if they weren't prepared, ethnic studies were given precedence over the basics, and discipline was relaxed to the point that teachers that did try to teach were deemed unpopular.
I was lucky in the fact that I went to an excellent school, Leonard Hall in Leonardtown(1962-65) run by the Xaverian Brothers. The nuns at the grade school I had been attending convinced my father that I was mentally deficient and needed discipline to correct things. The Brothers , along with the military school training (it was a boarding school back then)proved I wasn't retarded, just challanged, and along with the parades, awoke in me a desire to learn. St Joe's, a prep school in Bardstown, Ky run again by the Xaverians, just continued the process.
Unfortunately, this was happening at the same time that the Catholic Church in this country was experiencing financial difficulties (late 60's) and in 1968 was forced to close its doors. I spent my last two years at Crossland High in Camp Springs, and I came into public school just when discipline was definitely down, school busing was a year away, but drugs and fights between the blocks and longhairs (I guess our version of the mods and rockers) was going on. The few good teachers were having trouble ordering their classes, and in a surfeit of 60's culture, Dr Spock was defining the curriculum and the basics were being ignored.
This many years later, I don't see how much has changed. Speaking with my nephews, they tell me and show me that the desire to learn is still there, but there is definitely room for improvement (they are in Howard County). It was interesting to speak with some of my younger coworkers as they brought their homework to work and during a break , we had fun quizzing each other. It was refreshing to see a desire to learn on their own part as well as on my own to see that despite the years, my mind still functioned...lol. We had fun with geography.
sorry for the lengthy tale, but I think your point is well taken. Things are improving, so don't lose hope in these up and comers. They have a lot to offer if given the chance.
 

ItalianScallion

Harley Rider
And so many of you are #$@%ching about you cable tv not working?!!! Or who'se on American idol, Lost, etc! A mind is a terrible thing to waste right? I see this in so many kids each Friday night. These kids can tell me EVERYTHING about the internet, cell phones & ipods so they're not stupid but, when I ask them about the National Anthem, the pledge, when the USA was "born" or questions about God & morality, they get amazingly quiet. I still blame most parents, NOT the kids. But why fuss? It will not change. Oh it might get a bit better for a short time but overall kids (parents really) will disappoint us more often than not. That's why we started MBP for hundreds of kids every Friday night and why I've been doing Youth work since 1991. I sleep very well at night knowing that I am allowing them to have safe, clean and healthy fun at my expense AND that I am (hopefully) guiding them in the right direction in life where many (not all) parents have failed them. Only a small number of our "bad" kids were unreachable. I find that even the worst behaved kids easily open up to me when I show an interest in their lives. What a big tragedy we could have avoided if parents would just love and invest time in these kids. I can't ever take the place of their parents but, when one of them says they love me or even calls me "Dad", that makes it all worthwhile. They didn't ask for the gift of life but they would probably have refused it if they could have seen how it would turn out for them. Turn off the stupid TV and live for your kids or stop having them! I'm working my A$$ off trying to fix in 4 1/2 hours a week what some of you spent years breaking! They're kids NOT pets, so take care of them! I know,:lalala:
 

Mateo

New Member
I think part of the problem was that a number of parents grew up with the don't stifle their creativity philosophy of the 60's and 70's, and the" we live through our kids" methodology w/out taking an interest in what the child excelled in.
Children are naturally curious, but like you said, it takes time to talk to AND with them to get them to come out with what's on their minds. Somewhere in there is a common gound, and you seem to have tapped into that. I give you a lot of credit.
The nuns went about it the wrong way..keeping a child after class or humiliating in front of his classmates is not conducive to learning well and I was a good example of that. My dad reacted wrong and tried to beat learning into me. The nuns and he finally agreed that military school would solve my problem. They were right in a way, but the brothers didn't have to beat learning into me. It was there all the time. Their patient explanation of things coupled with the dichotomy of an ordered military lifestyle served to provide the spark.
I admit I am no genius or a certified mensa, but who cares....I read a lot, I am adequate at math, loved algebra but hated geometry and calculus, but I learned to get by with just about everything else.
As you have proved, the spark is there...
 

ItalianScallion

Harley Rider
Children are naturally curious, but like you said, it takes time to talk to AND with them to get them to come out with what's on their minds. Somewhere in there is a common gound, and you seem to have tapped into that. I give you a lot of credit.
The nuns went about it the wrong way..keeping a child after class or humiliating in front of his classmates is not conducive to learning well and I was a good example of that. My dad reacted wrong and tried to beat learning into me.
Thank you and I do agree with the above statements. My parents did too. The Bible tells us to "guide" not force a child in the right direction. You & I know that the nuns forced us. They were good for instilling manners, morals & discipline in us but lousy for helping us find out what we each would become. I ask different kids each week what they like about school and what they want to do for a living when they get older. Many of them don't know yet so I encourage them to find out by 15 and to proceed in that direction asap! Others know, but it's in a field that leads to nowhere, so I also encourage them to find a career that helps others and pays the bills. Most kids don't have a clue how expensive it is to live today because a parent pays for everything. They don't get an allowance so they are not learning about managing money. Oh well, all I can do is try my best and hope it helps them later in life.
 
Top