Comments on April Griffin Blog: You can't teach a child in pain

Since it is the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer, ...

2009-06-18T20:55:32.598-04:00

Since it is the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer, and the chances are few will read this, I thought I would throw the following thought out.

From my perspective, it is the "administration" that is quick to point out on a regular basis that the school system is burdened with teaching too many things that should not be their responsibility.

Here is an example of my sense of what the perception of the education system at large is. If you don't think the perception is the same locally, then I submit we can disagree on that point.

When it comes to defense of the system, the system has to accept "wilted lettuce and rotten tomatoes" as read here:

"If I were running a business, I'd try to control the product coming in," she said. For instance, she said, a chef wouldn't prepare a gourmet salad with wilted lettuce or rotten tomatoes.

In a public school, she said, "I can't control who walks in that door. I take kids with learning disabilities, I take everyone. They come in at different levels and with different ways of learning."

http://specialedmotel.blogspot.com/2007/07/after-wilted-lettuce-and-rotten.html

John D, I tried to respond to your question and y...

2009-06-15T16:49:44.839-04:00

John D,

I tried to respond to your question and your email bounced back. I have left a post on the website you referenced. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.

At your service, April Griffin

Ok. I work in a Title I high school charter in Hil...

2009-06-08T11:57:59.428-04:00

Ok. I work in a Title I high school charter in Hillsborough County and I see the disservice to children who are classified at-risk and not provided the appropriate services to help them function in a classroom. Teaching now requires so much more than "teaching". You have to be a mother, a mentor, a therapists, sometimes even a friend before you can get some kids in the right frame of mind to concentrate and learn. No at-risk program should be without a team of therapists and support personnel to help these kids deal with whatever physiological and/or emotional needs that are not being met at home.

I often get very frustrated with the level of performance from my students but I know that there is so much working against them and me in this American system of education that measures success in the blackest and whitest and terms and can't acknowledge the massive grey areas. We did the best we could together but at the end of the day, I know we are failing kids in droves in more ways than just academics.

I could write a book.

All we have to do to solve tomorrow's problems is ...

2009-06-02T15:20:29.480-04:00

All we have to do to solve tomorrow's problems is to properly educate the children today!!
Because!! You could never know!
Which one of them could save us all.