I was on an hour-long bus ride back today and there were some loud 5th grade girls going on and on about American Idol. "Who's your favorite" "I love him" "Sanjaya is ugly" "Do you have a Myspace". Then they tried to have a spelling contest and a girl said she couldn't spell eagle or constitution because they hadn't learned it yet. A few of them were saying to each other that they weren't in 6th grade because they were held back. These were children of respectable-looking middle class (white) Americans in a big modern city. Shouldn't kids be smarter or better than this? Are kids watching TV so much that they aren't outside enjoying nature, learning, or playing sports?
Since I don't have kids, I probably have less grounds for complaining others. But when I have kids, I'd like to be teaching them math, chemistry, bio, and reading them bedtime stories in different languages from a young age. Kids can soak up much more information than US public schools feed them. And I'll teach them about marketers so they won't nag about stuff. Hopefully I'll do all this gently and supportively so they don't hate me.
A nugget of wisdom: "In 6th grade if you miss a day, you'll have loads of homework as high as the Empire State building." Ah yes, to be young and ignorant again...
Your thoughts? (I know I'm guilty of starting this thread instead of doing something more productive)
I'm ready to be dissed...