When I was in high school we had a middle class: those students who got Cs and would fight for a B. Nowadays it seems like the rich keep getting richer and the poor keep getting poorer. The students I teach are either getting As or Ds!!
This, I think, is a result of the mentality that some of the students have when they come to class. The “poor” if you will just… don’t… care!! They come to class acting like, “Yea, go ahead, give me an F, I don’t care.” These are the same students who don’t flinch from referrals, don’t come to class prepared with textbooks and pencils, don’t turn in homework, and don’t pay attention. What’s their deal?
When I was in school I used to have a heart attack if I had a B, and I would be a nervous wreck if I didn’t turn in my homework. I was actually embarassed if I behaved poorly and was called out on it.
The amount that my students don’t care is unbelievable. Today, for example, after talking to my students about their lack-luster performance on a test, I called their names one by one to show them how they did. One of my students just told me, “No thanks” when I called his name. This made me crazy. I demanded he come see how he did on his test. But he wouldn’t budge. So I told him to abandon his “too cool for school” attitude and show some concern for his grade and take responsiblity for his grades. He got up mumbling and stumbling, pushing desks around, and barely glanced at his grade that I showed him.
Why? Why do they not care? Why do they let themselves slip from a C to a D to an F and not bat an eyelash the whole way down. What has caused them to have no motivation to try? Why are the poor getting poorer? Am I not providing them with enough opportunities to excel in my class??
On the other hand, I have the rich who keep getting richer. It seems they have no limit. They’re pulling A+s on everything, coming prepared, never missing an assignment, and are continuously polite, respectful and kind.
There’s such a split in the classroom that I don’t know how to teach. It’s difficult to reprimand the class when you have the go-getters in the front row absorbing every criticism I have to say, accepting it, and changing for the better (as if that’s even possible for them!)
What to do? What to do?
Hmmmmm… I think it has a great deal to do with the students’ own self-esteem and visions for the future.
In my experience, it’s those who already have an idea of what they want to do with their lives, those who know that they have something to contribute to the world, who really care about school – because they love to learn, and more importantly, they need to learn in order for them to achieve their dreams and goals.
On the other hand, those who have no clear idea of what they’re going to do with their lives rarely pay attention in school because they don’t think it’s really doing anything for them.
Maybe you should have a chat w/ your students about why they come to school, why they pay attention (or don’t pay attention) in class, what they think school is going to do for them, and what their own plans are for the future. It might just give you an insight into why the kids are acting the way they are!
As someone who always take side of the poor, the hungry, the misfits and others at bottom of the social pyramid, I would like to suggest that those who have any responsibility for thier upliftment, should stop bashing them and instead seriousely think about what can be done for thier welfare.
Now, I am not saying that these people should not be held responsible for thier lackluster performance, all I am suggesting to those who care is to offer solutions.
One of the reason, not the only reason, for these poor performers to not try harder is that they see no hope for redemption.
So my suggestion is to never close the door of hope and redemption for them just like our Lord keeps this door open for all of us.
@ anonymouse– I have tried to ask my students abt their ambitions, but they don’t have any! No one tells me anything abt what they plan on doing after high school, or what type of job they are hoping for, or how they want to contribute to society. If you knew my students, you would understand. They think having a "personal" conversation with a teacher is loser-behavior.
@ Abbu– the number of times after assigments, quizzes and tests go sour I have told my students to not lose hope, to keep trying, and to consider that maybe the next chapter will be easier is innumerable. I have tried EVERYTHING to motivate, encourage and inspire them. However, despite all of that, they don’t care. And that’s why I wrote about it.
I don’t ever diminish the hopes of my students. I always tell them that if they want, they can get As in my class. And I do always reward the students who are visibly putting in effort (whether they are soaring or failing). The problem is, they… don’t…. care!!!
one word – bailout.
i purpose a bridge loan worth up to 25 percentage points.
Patience and steadfastness, I feel, are among the only "solutions."
Most of your students will one day become college students, and one day go onto graduate schools and begin their careers. The need for them to step up, specifically your lackluster students, will arise inshaAllah. If not in 2008 when they’re 14 years old, then maybe in 2016 when they’re 22.
In other words, some of them will not change for a long time, and it will take years of reminders to get through to them.
Until then, you as a teacher must provide for them, encourage them, remind them, reprimand them, daant them, be patient and steadfast with them. You can never give up on them. Teachers don’t always know how their persistence can affect "lower" tier students in the future.
Just ask me, I used to be one of them.
Just try and be a little more patient. And try not to lose hope. Its not ambition that those kids are lacking. Its the discipline.
I used to be like this until I realized that there is more in life than TV, video games and hangin’ out with friends. Thats when I started devoting more time to books. It was Min janib Allah. Nobody did anything to force discipline into my life.
“Yea, go ahead, give me an F, I don’t care.”
Okay, this has been driving me nuts. Sorry to go all grammar Nazi here, but absolutely nobody I know besides me seems to know the difference between Yea and Yeah. Yea is like saying "Yay". That’s how it’s pronounced. Yeah is the word you’re looking for. That is unless your student really did say "Yay! Go Ahead! Give me an F! I don’t care!"
Looks like someone’s English teacher never got through to them
I can tell u exactly what it is form experience ———-> it is all about motivation. The students who are getting F’s do not understand WHY they are studying. So why will they put effort into it? They need many many various types of explanations as to WHY they should devote their time and energy to study. For some, it is not enough to "please their parents" or whatever other reasons that motivate.