School's Out for the Summer. . .Almost

"What subject do you teach?" That's one of the first questions people ask when they find out I teach high school. My initial response is usually the one they expect. "English." But the truth is, like every other educator I know, I teach a whole lot more than my content area.

Every time I hear the argument about public education, and how it is failing students, I seethe with righteous fury. Never do I hear that the family is failing children. Of my 130 students, I know exactly which ones have parents that love and support them, which parents involve themselves in their child's life in the hopes of helping him have a future. Way too many parents leave it up to the teacher to do the job the parent should be doing at home. It's frustrating is the ultimate understatement. It's frightening is the blatant reality.

Take Mario as an example. Here's a 16-year-old boy, handsome and smart. He comes to school almost every day. He smiles and laughs with his friends. He looks to have everything going for him. He should be making at least B's in all his classes. He can write with wry humor and natural ability. He should be preparing for his future; instead, he is throwing it away. He's earned 1/2 of a credit in the two years he's been in high school. He's had so many discipline referrals for insubordination and lack of cooperation in his classes that the majority of his teachers have lost count. This kid simply does not care. So, where are the parents?

See, that's the funny thing, I met with his parents. We had a nice little parent/teacher conference. We sat in a classroom- the students, both parents, and six of his teachers. We all had the same concerns: What are you doing with your education? What are you doing with your life? No answers. No excuses. No nothing. And two parents who simply did not have a clue. "What do we do? We drop him off every day and hope that he won't get in trouble." "We've tried everything to get him to do his work. We don't know what else to do."

I wanted to scream at these people. "You take away his top of the line cell phone! You stop giving him money. You stop buying him new clothes! You make him get a job, and you make him prove that he's trying at school! Stop whatever it is you are doing, and let this kid grow up and learn responsibility!"

When parents give give give to their kids. The child will just take take take. Isn't that the nature of the beast in all of us? The only way a child learns responsibility is to practice it. Lots of "if/then" scenarios that teach him there are consequences for his behavior. Lots of corrective discipline followed by tons of hugs and laughter. Children respond when parents take the time to show love and not just say "love."

So, school's almost out for another summer. I breathe a sigh and I think about the beach, wishing I were already there basking in the warm sun and tasting the salty air. My thoughts turn to Mario, and I hope he makes it to his 17th birthday. I fear that dealing drugs is just one of his bad choices. Someday I hope he realizes that he had an English teacher that tried her best to give him tools that could help his life. I encouraged. I cajoled. Finally, I cried.

But then there's Luis, and he's a whole different story. . .