OK, I'm the type of guy who has to mull some things over a bit before I can reach a conclusion. This was the case with something we read this week in L&L, and it is the idea of the "scorekeeper". When I read that I thought, "yep, he's right." However, the more I thought about it, the more I got to thinking: why aren't we (teachers) viewed in that light?

It came to me finally yesterday afternoon, we are the scorekeepers, but we are also the coach. I know the authors of L&L will argue the point that as teachers we need to make the kids responsible for their own learning, and I agree with that, at least in principle. It doesn't work like that in practice though. We are having to coach the vast majority, if not all of our kids, to success in their education. I have a mix of kids in my regular education social studies classes that I am sure most everyone else has: a few exceptional on either end (great and very, very poor) with the majority right in the middle of the curve. However, for the most part, I work and live in a community that for the most part does not value reading as a key to success. I can preach the value of reading as being something fun, rewarding, and a key to success all I want, but if these kids go home to parents/guardians who either do not read themselves, or do not preach the gospel of reading, my work is in vain, undone by supper time. I had a parent asking what they could do, how I got my son to perform so highly at reading. I told said parent that my son had seen his mother and I reading for enjoyment at home, and he copied the modeled behavior. We made reading a fun, exciting, rewarding activity. She looked downcast and admitted that she and her husband didn't read and that they did not encourage their children to do so.

My point? Imagine that you are that basketball/football coach in the L&L book. Imagine also (beginning to sound like Rod Serling, huh? :0 ) that you are given a group of kids, and told by the district and building administration that you have to turn them into state championship contenders if you want to keep your job. You get out on the practice field for the first day of practice, and find a bunch of overweight, out of shape kids. You also find out that after practice, their parents are taking them out to McDonald's and Krispy Kreme for supper, every night! After supper, they are told to lay around, not to exert themselves, maybe watch TV or paly on the Xbox. So, here comes the first game, and they lose, badly. Everyone is mad at you, it's all your fault that Johnny or Susie won't get their basketball/football championship that year. Your job is threatened. Do you think I exaggerate? I think not. Our educational system is run roughly like this. Is it any wonder teachers are upset, discouraged, burned out?

I try to make my kids see my curriculum and reading as fun, but I fell like I am

beating

my

head

against the

wall!!!!