Gronath, I liked your "parenting" post. I wanted to add something but the issue was so large for me that I didn't know where to start.
I use to be a school teacher. Actually, I tried the job out for two years teaching 6th grade--about 12-13 year olds. It was a horrible experience. Partly because of my lack of classroom management skills and experience. Even though I would try to create the most fun and interesting lessons, it was a huge challenge.
Not all, but the kids had no desire to learn, little to no self discipline, nor any support from their parents. Average reading level was 3rd grade, so reading the grade level materials was very difficult for them. Many were in gangs and or lived in foster homes, so they had so many personal and social issues to deal with that it boggled the mind--or mine at least.
I would have parent-teacher conferences or open houses and none of the parents would come. There were several reasons for this. Partly because it was a single-parent home and the parent was working two minimum wage jobs to survive. The other part was that the parents didn't care. Homework was rarely or never done.
The authority I had over the kids in terms of discipline was after-school detention or missing recess. But really, they didn't care. The problems and issues in their lives were so great that detention paled in comparison.
Given their problems in school and life, they loved video games!
Anyway, there's my sad thoughts and probably a bit off topic.
