And this is why...

I stumbled across this article on Yahoo. Here is the link. It is about parenting differences in Canada, France and Italy.

Below are some quotes from the article that really struck me. Although, it doesn't surprise me, since I have had experiences working in public schools.

"Canadians focus on independence and negotiation. On the other hand, Italians, for example, have more constraining practices and exercise more control. We found Canadians seem to focus on negotiation in the case of conflict,"

and

"Canadian students reported less control and more permissive disciplinary actions, according to the study. Italian parents were constraining, stricter and more demanding and French parents were somewhere in the middle."

and

"North America has its own democratic and educational values, which promote individualization. Tolerance and comprehension are encouraged, and we exclude systems of coercive control. Italy, on the other hand, promotes respect of authority, control, and the need for permission,"

And this is why teachers in North America burn out at the rate that they do.

Back in the days when I went to school, when the teacher said do something, I (and other students in my class) did it.

Now, when the teacher tell the class to do something, it's not immediate.

"Why?" or "What use does this have for us?" or "What's algebra got to do with anything? Why do we need to learn it?" or "How am I supposed to learn when he (the teacher) doesn't do his job?" or "He can't control us..." or the list goes on...

I personally blame this type of parenting for the mountains of problems that occur in schools. Now, not every parent is like this. I may look like I am painting a general picture with one broad stroke, but that is not my intention. Unfortunately, the majority of experiences I have had with students does not surprise me. It is never the students' fault for anything. It's always the teacher(s)' fault. The class doesn't understand, it's the teacher's fault. The students don't listen or behave, it's the teacher's fault. There is no accountability nowadays to students. If a student goes to summer school, it is the teacher's fault.

Start with the fact that we have these websites called ratemyteacher or ratemyprofessor. We are essentially handing over the power for students to rate teachers because of something that they should be able to do. If a bunch of students don't behave, it is not their fault for not behaving, it is the teacher's fault that they are not listening.

Nowadays, respect is now earned... That was not the case back when we were students... The fact that the person is older than you and knows more than you demands respect.

This North American parenting has created a whole bunch of self-centred individuals who think respect needs to be earned. So, if you do not perform to the way that they need to, then you are not cool and therefore they don't need to respect you. We have a whole bunch of experts. These "experts" think they know everything when in reality they know nothing. This is why they are going to school for, to learn stuff so that they can become citizens in the society.

This negotiation business is going to kill this civilization. Since when did children have the right to negotiate? They need to ask permission for things. That's order of things.

If this system was working, I would not be so vehemently against it. However, it doesn't work! The reality in the classroom is that you have students who read because "they are bored" or "they don't care" and I think it's a direct result of this type of parenting. It is even creeping up to the university level. University students who sit in the front won't stop talking to each other during a course lecture!!!

I'm not saying bring back the strap, although it is tempting, but I think this system is not working.