Perhaps “Success is an Option” is a better sentiment. The billboard that hits me is the fact that students make CHOICES. AND there are rewards and repercussions based on those choices. Pressure to pervert the outcome of choices comes from parents, administration, and policies. Teachers can not “fail” a student. It becomes a reflection of the educator’s ability and not the student’s lack of responsibility or poor family dynamics. There is a perversion when the student and parents can not receive what they have earned in the classroom. Therefore, “CHOICES” become irrelevant and integrity becomes compromised.

If students were allowed to fail they might just develop a concept that ACTIONS matter. My CHOICES matter. Parents may actually consider the fact that participation in their child’s life matters. Parents respond after the fact, and pursue the educator and staff relentlessly until accommodation is made. That is perverse.

I believe in a sympathetic and compassionate effort toward students who may be challenged in their learning abilities. We are trained and prepared to do what it takes.
When irresponsibility is the cause of failure, no classroom will prosper. If students were taught to “care” about performance, as much as their cell phones and iPODS, they would have a fine chance at succeeding. If discipline was a concept or enforced, who knows how transformed education would become. In one of the responses, the writer says we should have students discover their own “will”, rather than use the whip! On the contrary, it’s the student’s lack of ambition that substantiates the article. That sentiment of “self discovery” IS the problem. There is no whip ! A productive “will” begins with responsibility. A productive “will” respects choices. A productive “will” chooses success. A productive “will” cares. If students haven’t been guided from birth to respect authority or consequences, who’s going to re-program them in the classroom? Anyone heard of “tough love?”

The author is adamant about lying to children. He is adamant about shoddy standards. What a hero! He is correct! We should be horrified that only 32 bothered to do the project referenced, much less their inability to spell. The other 48 should what …… Fail ? I think a reality check is in order ! It is unfortunate the teacher is disillusioned. What would you do? Nonetheless …… never give up !!!

Cathy Wilson

I like the point made about focusing on students’ “own will”. I suppose an apt alternative title to my original essay might be SUCCESS IS AN OPTION. This focuses on what is possible and embeds the notion of student choice.

Who else has a comment or thought? Go for it. dven.

Furthermore, when I speak about “we” I don´t mean only teachers. This is something for all adults, parents, social workers, politicians and others to take seriously.

Kids need time and support, guidance and help to gain trust. There are too many disappointed and let down youngsters out there. How can we make sure that they believe in themselves when we keep telling lies?

Thank you for an interesting post. I hope more teachers find this blog worth reading.

It is a dilemma to openly speak about failing as an most realistic option. I think that is because most of us teachers have a soft spot for our students. We too, want them to reach both their own goals, society´s goals as well as our goals for them and ourselves.

Personally I have learnt to try to distinguish what goal I am speaking about when I talk to a student. Are we speaking about something I want or something the student wants?

Like you said, failure is an option – otherwise we would not have any failures in school. Let´s be honest and talk about the option “failure”. What happens then? What options do the student have when he/she admits him/herself to that path? Although nobody would be happy to clearly anounce that I am choosing failure…

My experience is that you come closer to your student´s own ambitions when you speak about the reality. If the academic progress doesn´t look to good – what different alternatives do we have? Dropping out high school is still an option. Many students do that every year. What happens to them? What are the consequences?

If we all try to make our youngsters more aware of their own will, their own goals and dreams in life – then I believe we can support these ambitions rather than use the whip; or else…

As I see it, the problem is many times that there are no goals… there is no dream of achieving a better future… there is no hope. We need to address problem and find out where it stems from.

http://annalysis.wordpress.com/