What’s a thing you wish schools actually taught?
When I was in school, I was taught cursive writing and sentence diagramming. I took it for granted that future generations would be taught those same things. Boy, was I wrong?!? Maybe two of the eight in our blended family can write cursive. I’m not sure if any of them can diagram a sentence.
I was shocked when I sat in on my oldest son’s Bible college English class. Their English teacher was in her late 80s and taught them how to diagram sentences. She was challenged in North Carolina public schools in the 1980s for continuing to teach that, but she was convinced (and so am I) that students gain a better grasp of sentence structure and the various parts of speech. My son sat there clueless. I said, “You might want to copy these examples down in your notes.” His reply – “That’s a good idea!”
Students need a challenge. There are many excellent educators today who are challenging our students in the right ways. I don’t want to discount that reality. Many of them have had their hands tied.
As I close this post, I want to thank our educators. Your job isn’t easy. You navigate lots of different personalities among students and colleagues, the bureaucracy of the education system, all while trying to teach our students. Thank you!
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