Badin vs. Versailles
Law Enforcement Memorial Day
American Idol 2012 finale
Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2006 > October > 19 > Entry
Define lazy
Blogger/teacher Get Lost, Mr. Chips says his kids really are lazy … when they’re in school.
When they’re out of school? Not so much. That’s when they work — and they work hard.
Could these two issues be related?
Back in April, I wrote about some intriguing research — a paper that argued American kids work too much and it’s part of the reason they’ve fallen behind the rest of the world when it comes to academic work.
While we romanticize teen-age jobs in the U.S. as character builders, there’s at least some evidence that these jobs, such as slinging burgers, don’t really translate into usable skills. But the energy spent on those fast food jobs and the like is energy not used on school work, which could perhaps be more important?
This also put me in mind of the recent stories about how kids who are good at math also hate math. (Alexander Russo critiques the media coverage of that story here).
At least one theory bounced around in the news stories about why kids who do well in math hate it is that, like exercise, only a certain type of kid enjoys the reward of the punishing work it takes to get better.
It’s interesting so many of our kids decline to learn math and yet appear not to mind grueling fast food work. Isn’t there some way to channel that energy and dedication back into challenging subjects like math?
(Image credit: www.youthink.com)
Permalink | Comments (6) | Categories: My Favorite Posts, Teaching and Learning
Comments
By Keith
October 23, 2006 9:57 AM | Link to this
Careful Jobe. The structure of most math and science is determined by the federal and state testing mandates of content. You’re blaming the teachers! If they taught sacred geometry and math in music might be fun, but not much educational overall. It’s the same problem with selecting content for language arts courses. I’ve seen lots of teachers who had “fun” with their students by teaching “fun” things, but the real learning didn’t get done. The next teacher often carried the brunt of having to bring learning back to the real world’s needs. The idea is to prepare students for future learning by having them learn how to learn.By Jobe
October 21, 2006 9:22 PM | Link to this
I teach HS Lang. Arts and enjoy the study of math as it relates to music (I play drums), quantum mechanics (the realm of possibility), sacred geometry (philosophy and religion symbolized in shape and ratio), and the like. Students are fascinated by these topics, and math is at the core. The problem is not “math”—but rather how the subject is approached and taught by most teachers. Now, onto jobs—most of my studets with jobs are in food service which prepares them for a future in food service. It doesn’t build character because of turn-over and a lack of core “values” as may be found in jobs relating to economics or law, for example. Often times, the students aren’t disciplined when they quit. The jobs are disposable, like the culture they represent. As a teen, I was not allowed to work. Rather, I volunteered at a special needs camp, sang in the church choir, and went on mission trips in the summer. That’s character development. The problem is that kids see working as an immediate fix to their lack of funds, deemed necessary by the culture. They spend their youth chasing money instead of investing time toward the skills that will reap greater financial reward with patience.By NYC Educator
October 21, 2006 9:26 AM | Link to this
There’s a tangible reward for working at a fast-food place, which is lacking in math classes, or indeed most classes. When I teach literature, I can personalize it so kids can relate to it. When I teach newcomers English, they need only look out the window to see where it’s used. Math is a hard-sell. I hated it. Inexplicably, my little daughter loves it. I don’t know where I went wrong.By Mary
October 21, 2006 8:42 AM | Link to this
I am aware of the spin, or perhaps legitimate research, that math ability and participation in music programs are symbiotic. I had very high math achievement without participation in band (but I was exposed to piano lessons). I do not think participation in band drills necessarily causes the high academic achievement you speak of. I think band members usually have the tendencies of being more geeklike, high academic achievers, and seek their own clique in the school environment. Band becomes their obsession to counteract the obsessive cliques of sports. You did not address the original issue about the time consumed in these activities whether it is work, sports or band. I do not think people should address time consumed with student jobs while not simultaneously addressing time consumed with band and sports drills. Some band members develop health and joint problems from standing on asphalt and holding certain positions for so long in the routines and in the heat or cold. I do not think it can simply be written off as healthy aerobic activity. The same can be said for hours of sports drills. Much has been written about time stressed and sleep deprived students, and it does not come just from after school jobs.By Oldprof
October 20, 2006 3:40 PM | Link to this
Careful, Mary, you can’t equate football with music. Marching band is an activity in which students generally perform above average at all academic subjects, and the combination of intense concentration and aerobic physical activity ought to be obvious as the reason. As for the nexus of “fun” vs. “work”, we’ve lost sight of the fact that what’s important in learning—especially for very young children—is enthusiasm and positive regard from the teacher, plus a system of quick tangible rewards (except for those few kindergartners high in emotional maturity). Compare this with yesterday’s NPR article on the U. of North Carolina micro-economics course that’s entirely taught through an online computer game: the students learn in the context of the game, but as the professor admitted, there’s no data to support (or invalidate) transfer of that knowledge into other activities—like real life.By Mary
October 20, 2006 6:31 AM | Link to this
I find it interesting to see the difference in spin on students working jobs after school versus students devoting hours upon hours to band and sports drills after school and on weekends. The latter is often spun as building teamwork, discipline, and leadership and is heavily rewarded and recognized. What is the real difference? Is the school environment promoting drill or promoting education and dedicated intellectual pursuit? I think students are affected by adult and societal hype on things that place much greater value on short term gains, recognition, and material things. Intellectual pursuits out of the limelight for the common good and long term values are not on the radar screens of adult society so why do we expect that from students. Many adults involved throughout education seem to have short term values and are materialistic themselves. The students are simply mirroring the shallowness of our culture.