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Politics : View from the Center and Left

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To: JohnM who wrote (246131)3/2/2014 1:30:31 PM
From: epicure  Read Replies (1) of 542152
 
I have data. Almost all my honors students come from in tact homes (some years 100% of them do)- how do I know? I call and talk to my parents. I deliver work to homes when kids are sick. If a student wins an award over the summer I drive it over to their house. If a kid leaves clothing or sports equipment in my class I deliver it home. Of course I call first- but people are happy (and amazed) to see a teacher do this- and I like to see where my students are coming from- it helps me understand them, so it's win win. Almost all my poor performing students come from one parent homes. When I surveyed my seniors (back when they gave me all the failing seniors) I asked how many of them brought a lunch from home- one girl did- and her mother made it for her. She had the highest grade, had two parents, and had ended up in the class by mistake. None of the other students ever brought lunches- in fact, many of them said their parents rarely ate with them. Some said they never ate dinner with the family.

This is a sea change from my day- when kids went home to eat a family dinner- and the few who didn't were so dysfunctional they were a rarity. It's a hot button issue- but I hope someone is studying it. Because not being around to parent is as bad as being a bad parent, and in some ways might be worse. At least a dysfunctional adult is still a symbolic adult- and kids might be good just because they believe the adult might say something even if they wouldn't. Having no adult around leaves a vacuum which can be filled with bad behavior- and often will be.
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