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Passion for academics is waning

By GREG BIANCE
Published March 29, 2006

I am in the twilight of my teaching career, and the optimistic light is dimming. I love what I do, and I hate what it has become. Love and hate seem conflicting, yet I am driven to beat the odds.

I believe there is an important connection between my students and the society that shapes them. Has our self-serving culture moved to the edge of the cliff before the final jump? Is there another ledge below or is there no turning back from this free fall?

My teaching of science has evolved over the years. It used to be all about life science and the passion that ran through my veins to communicate the ideas to children of the middle years. The opportunity to see them grasp this ever-developing discipline was awesome in my eyes and, I hope, in the eyes and hearts under my tutelage.

But today, when I peer past their eyes and into their souls, the spark is harder to read, dimmer in appearance, and the children - and I bet their parents as well - are increasingly apathetic.

Does the current flock of sheep lack the intellect? Are the parents so preoccupied with paying bills in a highly service-related society that only large chain stores bear grins on their faces?

Students are expressing the lack of hope, because adults must teach that hard work and no shortcuts are the only strategies to survive in an ever-changing world.

As a reader and interpreter of the past three generations, I saw the snapshots that hinted toward the future generations' abilities. There should be greater concern.

Teachers are scared about what we see before us, but the honest counterattack on culture is beyond the strength of our backbones. Many fear reprisals, so the politically correct style has become the norm. It is civilized and good manners, but we need to slow down the cultural train that is going to derail all of us.

Charley Reese, in a recent commentary piece, referenced the fall of the Roman Empire. He noted that on the morning of 476 A.D., the people did not wake up and - bam! - find themselves in the Dark Ages. The decline was slow and insidious.

These early signs and patterns have increased in the past five to 10 years, which weighs deeply on my heart as an educator. Teachers and other adults seem to absorb this new information too casually, accepting the obvious signs of our shaky society. Their strategy of attack is with a "new box cover," such as textbooks or curriculum, but the problem is deeper than that. It is cancer, and Band-Aids do not work. Ask any oncologist. Cancer is dealt with swiftly and radically before it spreads.

Why can we not apply the doctor's orders? The attitude of acceptance does not sit well with me and it turns deep in my gut, yet resistance to these negative forces is apparently not socially acceptable.

There are things we can do about hope and our children. We can control the TV set, send letters to the stations and censor the products. We can slow down the excessive purchase of adults' and children's products. Clothes and technology toys seem to almost bankrupt our families.

We can say "no" to children and let guilt be accepted as necessary at times. The adults should be directing and guiding, not folding to Junior's demands. We can set up family time every night to communicate and connect with the child we brought into this world.

Building a good foundation for our children will set them up for better choices in this very competitive work force. A revitalization of academic interest is essential in every civilized society. This will give students tools and hope for the present and the future.

The light is dimming, but not out. We can't wait for someone else to fix this problem. The reality is, just one person at a time becomes a collective effort in making the light brighter.

We collectively will alter history and brighten the future. If we don't, get the candles ready. It will be dark out there!

Greg Biance of Inverness is a longtime teacher in the Citrus County School District and a former Citrus County Teacher of the Year. Guest columnists write their own views on subjects they choose, which do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.

[Last modified March 29, 2006, 01:23:20]