Why it is important to care about education.

Do you often wonder what younger generations think about education? Do you wonder what types of leaders will have control of the United States in the future? Do you look at the youth in your family or friends families and wonder what type of person will be caring for you in your old age? I often look around and at times it is downright spooky. The high school dropout rate is staggering and schools are drastically different around the country. The “No Child Left Behind Act; passed on May 23, 2001 has been slow in affect and its effectiveness has met with hotly debated results. Will our children know enough to care for us? Who will be our doctors, surgeons and lawyers? Who will build our bridges so that we may safely cross the waters? More importantly who will care?

I ask these questions as my last year was rough trying to help my children succeed in education. I have met the New Year hoping for a turnaround only to be challenged more.   I was challenged by a mother whose attitudes and opinions of education is that of educational non-care. Not caring to promote our children’s education nor discipline them for failing. A mother who is a “Master-Degreed” teacher who states “Grades don’t matter” and expects nothing to be said to children about their grades.  Lack of care at home by children, by teachers, and by parents is a big problem which no government act will rectify

Parent’s do not realize how large their simple act of non-caring really is. Should you be a parent slacking in your care of your children’s education please consider the following.  Three children who don’t care about their education, one parent who doesn’t care, one teacher who is perceptive enough to know that four (4) people don’t care about education.  This one teacher tries his or her best to help the children despite the parent’s attitudes.  The teacher soon gives up and passes the attitude onto other teachers. The average student has about six classes and in some schools six different teachers. Soon the numbers are 3 children, 1 parent, 6 Teachers, 1 Principal, and 1 Guidance Counselor.

Thirteen people who don’t care about your children’s education; is that where it ends? No, soon other children perceive that teachers don’t care about your children and worse yet may think teachers don’t care about them.  The average class size in our area of the country is about 100. So the numbers are now one hundred and ten (110) people that perceive the non-caring who are unlikely to lift a finger to help your children succeed.  Did you really mean to cause 110 people to not care about your children? Did you really mean to pile on an additional 110 chances that your children will fail?

My numbers don’t add up I’m missing one person. That one person is the other parent who does care but is daunted by the insurmountable obstacle of attitude. That one parent gasping for air as the dirt of non-caring is kicked in his or her teeth and is slowly buried into an insignificant voice. Two parents not caring certainly seem to magnify the effect especially when teachers realize that no one cares. NO ONE, is a very large number indeed.

So, in my frustration I searched for just one beacon, a light in the sea of cold dark carelessness, an essay by a third grader who I challenged in hope I could see.

Meet Joseph, a third grader from Kentucky who I challenged to write me an essay about the importance of education and what it means to him. Joseph wrote this essay in about two hours simply because I asked and without any knowledge of reward for doing so. Joseph’s essay was so good I asked permission to post it on the internet to share with everyone. Sharing with everyone I hope will thaw the frozen attitudes of parents and teachers everywhere.

So, my question was and is who will care? The answer is Joseph cares do you

 An Essay By Joseph

My name is Joseph; I live in Kentucky and I am in the third grade. I am Nine years old and live with my Mamaw and my Uncle Mic. My Great Uncle Adam asked me to write an essay on why I think it is important to get good grade in school, and how important it is to be on the honor role.

And here is what I have to say about that. To me getting A’s are important because they will help me get a good job when I graduated from school. Also with getting good grades and staying on the honor role will also help me to get into a good college. If I keep my grades up I could also be able to get a scholarship to go to a great college. I would love to have a high enough IQ to be able to get into Mensa, which is a very great honor. And this can also get your whole college paid for you at colleges like Harvard or Yale; this is what my eye doctor told me

I have to smile and it makes me feel really good about myself when others brag on me for doing well in my school work. I also like having my picture in the newspaper and receiving letters from the Superintendent of Schools and also from the Principle. It is nice when people in high places like doctors and teachers tell me that I will be able to fulfill my dream of becoming a doctor one day. I have got my picture and a big write up in the newspaper also I have received many coupons for a free meal at different restaurants around town.

I also take my report card to the bank and the bank puts one dollar in my savings account for every A I receive on my report card. I have got straight A’s all the years I have been in school. It makes me feel very good inside.

The way this world is now, we all need to get a good education to be able to make it in this world. Just think, right now we have everything computerized and that drive my Papa crazy as he says he does not know anything about them computing machines. This makes me laugh, but see when he was raise he was not taught in school about computers. Yet, computers are a natural way of life in my generation. But if I do not get a good education and put my best foot forward, when I graduated and get out there in the world on my own I might be just like my Papa. This world is advancing every day and we need to stay on top of the new things that are being put before us.  Or we could end up like my Papa, and be lost in a time gone by.

But I must add this: Getting good grades and accomplishing and comprehending the school work that is taught to us, has a lot to do with the teachers and the curriculum that is given to us as students. So even though we as students need to study hard and do our best at everything we do. The teachers also need to do their best to teach us up to date information so we as students do not fall behind and fall through the cracks because of lack of education.  THE END

A final thought; teachers do care, will try to help and will even work off the clock at times to help your children but only if you care and instill educational care in your children. So, the next time you hear someone bashing teachers or the “No Child Left Behind” act just remember that some people do care; so don’t drag them down by joining negative attitudes. Lift them up by lending a hand, recognizing good work, and rewarding good behavior. Most importantly give your children 110 chances and more to succeed by caring.If Joseph can care can't you?