Spiritual Perspectives
What Did You Learn in School Today? II

By Ron Polinder
Special to the Independent

It has been sometime since we looked at the old folksong of Tom Paxton in which he challenges the educational establishment with contemptuous questions. There is so much packed into this one song, even the title, that it deserves further commentary.

In answer to the lead question, we observed last time that our kids are too often:

• Learning very little
• Learning the wrong things
• Learning things that undermine parental values

We noted that internationally American students are routinely mediocre in their test scores. And we should add New Mexico scores are among the worst in the nation. I have long fretted that too many of our parents do not realize what a substandard education their children are receiving.

Of course, the knee jerk response is to heap the blame on teachers and administrators. Sorry, it is much more complicated than that — most, though not all, teachers and administrators are working overtime to do the right things for their kids.

Education is a very complex process! Yet, there is a simplicity on the other side of complexity about education. If you have a good teacher and concerned parents, most often education will go well. To be sure, there are learning disabilities and other issues that can mess things up, but again, most often it will go well.

So where does the breakdown happen in our community, and around the nation? Allow me three comments:

First, so many of our children are coming to school with language deficiencies. They are not being raised with language-rich experiences — so they start school already behind. If I could plead for our kids, it would be parents who would read, read, read to them. Skip the movies — buy books, and read them — over and over.

Secondly, parents must understand their responsibility for their children’s education. Education begins by being present — parents must make sure their kids are in school, and on time. Research is perfectly clear — it is “time on task” that produces achievement.

And children and young people need to know that their parents believe education is important, which means that not only should kids be in school, but also parents at the appropriate times. Attendance at parent-teacher conferences should not be an option. I can’t think of very many good reasons to miss, and if you do, teachers will be eager to meet you another time.

Too many parents (and community leaders) pay lip service to the importance of education without following it up with action and discipline and support. In my nearly 40 years in education, I have seen an enormous slide from the day when the teacher was “right” and respected to now where the teacher is questioned and undermined. There will be the time when a teacher needs to be tested, but never in front of one’s kids. Rather than subverting their authority, one should always assume a posture of trusting and supporting teachers and administrators.

Finally, there is something very upside down about our contemporary culture. The tendency is to expect adults to use adolescent language and have adolescent expectation to reach down to students. Too many teachers, parents and adults want to talk like, dress like, look like their students — anything to be cool. Whatever happened to the preparation of young people to be adults — to learn about the adult world that they will one day hopefully enter, and lead? Our culture has moved toward perpetual adolescence, and a watering down of expectations to go with it. Compare that to Asian cultures, or India, or even Europe — where parents and adults are held in much higher regard. The high achievement within those educational systems is not unrelated.

You want kids to learn something in school in 2008? Many are enrolled in systems that are badly broken. Unless we begin to recognize that, we are in deep weeds. It will take a revolution of expectations, including expecting parents to act like parents, and students to strive toward adulthood.

Well, I hope I have stirred the pot — I am weary of all the politically correct and bureaucratic jargon. We need community conversation and action to insure our children are not left behind!

Ron Polinder is the executive director of Rehoboth Christian School. He can be contacted at rpolinder@rcsnm.org or (505) 863-4412.

This column is written by area residents, representing different faith communities, who share their ideas about bringing a spiritual perspective into our daily lives and community issues. For information about contributing a guest column, contact Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola at The Independent: (505) 863-6811 ext. 218 or lizreligion01@yahoo.com.