The question is plain and simple, "What is going on with kids in school?" Many public schools suffer with a handful of students who show no desire to be active participants in class, but rather be their own worst enemies. Teachers come to school to teach and share with all students the skills needed to survive within a society that changes quickly everyday; but student's are not comprehending this till it's almost the end of their high school career. So what is going on here?

There are several assumptions on this, (1) student's are too socially centered while in school that they are missing the point of being in school (2) Parent's are not setting high expectations for their children and are allowing them to act up in school with no repercussions (3) Public schools are not holding students accountable enough and provide too many free services that create lazy students or (4) The students social and economic status has a far more greater effect on the student’s learning abilities that schools and government are not addressing.

Meanwhile, these students’s are still sitting in the classroom regardless of what the situation may be and only learning a portion of what they should be learning. Can our society afford to continue producing this type of student/future employee? What type of reform must the public school enlist to stop the epidemic of underachievers?

There are a many suggestions and curriculums schools can implement, but the greatest change must come from the teacher’s interaction and methods of keeping the student motivated.The individual teacher’s attitude, conceptions of teaching and hope create such an emotional impact on a student. Providing students with the tools to self-motivation can be the most powerful skill a student can acquire. As parents listening, asking questions, letting your children know you have certain expectations of them and most importantly keeping them active at home can create a world of difference in the student’s academic career. As adults, teachers and a society in general we need to keep up with what’s going on in the changing society and become active participants, if our kids in school are going to stand a chance at succeeding in life!

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