Re: Where is our love of learning?, by Bill Maxwell, Nov. 9.
Bill Maxwell's column concerning a love of learning should be read by parents over and over again. While Maxwell's concern is primarily over black children's unwillingness to grasp how wonderful learning can be for its own sake, my concern is more universal.
This is the year I have decided to retire from teaching. I have noticed many changes over the years, but the greatest change is in the students' desire to learn. Learning is not a priority for many children or their parents. It seems that everything in our society today takes precedence over learning. When I try to come up with the reason, I am boggled. There is a plethora of reasons, and none is good.
The change in parenting is perhaps the most important reason why kids don't value learning. Mom and dad are so busy that they don't have time for their kids. Instead of climbing in bed with their children, reading to them and interacting with them about the story, they now just pop in a video and close the door. The TV, which entertained junior all day, is now putting him to bed at night. Children learn from what they see around them. If a book is not important at home, it darn sure isn't important at school.
Reading to your child is critical. It is the absolutely most important thing a parent can do to ensure success - great success - in school.
Our society is crazy about sports. That's fine, but when a sport becomes more important than learning, a big problem arises. Many of my middle school boys think they are going to earn their living by playing professional ball. In more than 30 years of teaching, only one of my students played college football and none made it to the pros. The odds are slim that someone will get that far in a sport, yet most of my parents place a greater emphasis on sports than school. Their children are the same. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
Money has a role in the desire to learn. Students perceive teachers as unsuccessful, because they don't make much money. Since the instructor is seen in this light, what he or she does cannot have much significance. On several occasions when I've told students that learning is important, a number of them will often come back with, "That's not true. It didn't get you anywhere." It seems like most of them feel they will win the lottery.
Schools have always reflected society. While Bill Maxwell, teachers, and other enlightened individuals hope that our young people will pick up a book and experience the joy of learning, the rest of society doesn't seem to care.
