March 16, 2008

Well, Spring is here. After we came home from Church today, two greater Canada geese flew over the house. March 16th, I do believe that is the earliest I have ever seen geese. Actually that isn't completely true since I did not actually see them. My wife did. She came into the house all excited and tellin me about the geese. So, It is official. Spring has arrived in Cooks Creek. No matter what the weather. Geese are back. Spring has arrived. I spent the afternoon cleaning the corral. The girls and wife went riding. Hey, why am I cleaning horse manure and they are off riding the critters that created the poop. Doesn't seem fair. Oh well, they owe me big time now.

Once a month our church does the pot luck deal. Everyone brings a dish and after the service we all sit around and have lunch together. One of the fellas I was visiting with today works in the public education system as a teacher. He commented that when we were young (45 years ago) and started into the school system, the average vocabulary of a child that started into kindergarten was 2500 words. Today the average vocabulary of a child that starts in kindergarten is 500 words. Coincidentally the average vocabulary used in your typical tv sitcom is 500 words. Hmmm, may be some kind of connection. He also commented that 75% of the kids that enter grade 9, when tested, are two grades below the grade 9 level. My question is, why are they in grade 9? If they are not at a grade 9 level why has the system passed them through and allowed them to advance when they are not capable of that level of work. By allowing the children to advance without meeting the standards only hurts the children. A child can't fail a grade anymore. No matte what they do or don't do they will move through the school system and in 12 years graduate high school. With this being said and true, what value is a high school education. What has the child learned and what qualities have we instilled in that child. This is why kids leave school and enter the work force and have so much difficulty. They don't know what responsability is, what work ethic is, how to work, or how to make a commitment. What do you mean you want me to be punctual? Commit to a project, don't I just have to show up once in awhile and you will pay me. It is sad but true. Our education system is part of the problem. It is not a solution. I have been told it is the children's home life. Parents don't read to their children anymore. Parents don't spend time with their children. Too much tv. Parents don't secure family values in their children. Families don't eat together. I could go on and on. It is all true. But why has it become a bad thing to set standards in the school system and have the children meet those standards or else fail? What say you? My oldest daughter works at a dairy farm. It is hard, dirty work. Long irregular hours. It is almost imposssible for them to get young people to work there. Plain and simple most just don't want to work. Why? Maybe because they have never had to and don't know how. Don't do your math homework, we will just reconstuct your course so you can complete your math with little or no effort. Don't want to come to school. We will make you part of a special needs group that doesn't have to attend regular classes. Fast forward and they get a job at the dairy farm. They don't understand that the cows require milking at 5:30 am. I don't want to come in at 5:00 am, lets just milk the cows once a day at noon. Or better yet lets do it once every other day. We are in for a rocky ride. It ain't the childrens fault. It is our fault, the people responsible for the system (school and parents). Parents are using the school system as a babysitting service/drop in center and the school system is bailing on their reponsibities because the parents aren't preparing little Johnny for school. No win. Little Johnny can't figure out why he don't fit in when he gets into the work force and the wheels of the bus go round and round.

There, I haven't had a rant in a spell. Anyone agree or disagree.

Talk to ya all soon.