Lexi, Runner and Poirot,

There is another teacher - Ron Clark. Not completely sure of my facts, but remember seeing a film which I think demostrated how it was Clark who turned lives around for kids in Harlem when other more comventional teachers had virtually dismissed them as 'no-hopers'.
Researched him, and found he was what would be termed an unconventional [ and extremely successful] teacher with as much insight into the best approach to use as John Taylor Gatto. As a result of his methodoly, he turned these children into high achievers.

Both men diligently pusued a path that benefitted the children, while aware that the system in use was, and still is very flawed. Clark's results were incredible, and his dedication was such that he stayed in contact wth many of the kids until they were looking for employment.

If anyone knows the film to which I refer, I would like to know the title. It would be worth watching it again to refresh my memory.

Hey there worldwatcher,

We have to start caring about children in general. Because in general they get abused, drugged, and ultimately ignored by anyone not profiting from them here. Everything would improve for children if they were a priority in our society.

I don’t know of Ron Clark but he sounds like one in a million and that’s not good enough.

Dear Poirot,

Thanks for the link. Hopefully many teaching problems will
be solved in the next few decades. There will be new
learning environments and new means of instruction.
One function, however, will always remain with the teacher:
to create the emotional climate for learning. No
machine, sophisticated as it may be, can do this job.

There's a teacher that I'll never forget. Betty Bowen,
my English teacher. She helped me to change my view of
myself and the world. Until I went into her class I had a
very black view of some of my teachers at high school.
Many of them were angry. They accused, bullied, and blamed.
They provoked and punished. My other teachers were
indifferent. As long as I was silent, they were satisfied.
If I dropped dead quietly, they wouldn't have minded.
I was none of their business.

Then I met Mrs Bowen. She was different. She delighted in
our company. In her presence, we felt important; what we
thought made a difference. She believed in us and guided us,
appealing to our pride and imagination. "The world needs
your talents," she would assure us." In every situation, you
can become part of the solution, or part of the problem."

Her words still ring true in my heart and affect my life for
the better.

Dear Hasbeen,

There are better ways to discipline children
than using "big sticks."

I still have nightmares about Sister Mary Virgilius
and the noise her cane made as she swooped down on
her victims. She terrorised us.

Dear worldwatcher,

I think the film is called, "The Ron Clark Story."
The actor Matthew Perry played the lead role.

I know a number of teachers who have told me that one major problem they find in discipline is that parents often side with their kids believing somehow the teacher is out to get them. In the indulgent eyes of many parents the kids can do no wrong and have successfully learn't to manipulate every situation. In many schools kids are suspended for a week in order to go home and sit on play stations. Go figure. You are 100% right Hasbeen however I doubt most want to accept simple truths.

Again, I notice some people waffling on about academic results. Forget them, what we need is young people who can rad, write & add/subtract.
Academia has hijacked this plain but proven philosophy. Let the young people choose what they want to pursue as a career. Don't stuff them up with this nonsensical academic quibble.
Many good trades people are lost because of this push for academic results by academics who know nothing themselves. Make University entry exams what they used to be when only the real smart got into Uni. The rest get a proper job. Stop stuffing up our society with this academic nonsense. The armed forces can provide the change-over for those who want to start off on the academic track but then realise they're not smart enough. Unlike now they could still be useful members of society rather than the diploma-waving hangers-on they've become under Labor.

Sorry Lexi my sweet, but I'm afraid that thought "There are better ways to discipline children than using "big sticks." is a very large part of the problem.

It is since this fallacy has been promoted that the delinquency in youth has exploded.

If you ever can actually produce evidence that any softly softly approach works with more than a few special cases, I'll be all ears.

Meanwhile just why do you think the worst kids gravitate to gangs? Has it ever occured they are seeking a structure with discipline, & they get that in spades in gangs