John Schoonbeck

Posted on 10/26/09

On 10/24/09, Amelia Suhayda wrote:
> Teaching in today's schools is very difficult. I recently
> graduated from High School. I decided four years ago that I
> wanted to teach. I am in a teacher program in Nevada and am
> a Practicum student at two schools in the Reno area.
>
> I expected that getting and keeping the student's attention
> would be difficult, but I had no idea how difficult it
> would be. The student's do not offer answers or opinions
> when I ask for them and aren't even cooperative when I give
> them incentive to volunteer (extra credit points, etc).
> Cell phones and other technology is making my job harder.
> All the students seem to want to do is text message each
> other. They can’t write me a simple essay about how they
> feel about anything because they don’t even use real words
> anymore. It is only casual chat speak (u for you, ittul for
> I will talk to you later etc.) The students are basically
> illiterate.
>
> The students I teach are middle and high school special
> education students. I value class participation and do not
> often use the Pedagogy of strict memorization. I want the
> students to appreciate what education and teachers can give
> them. I also want them know what they are learning and how
> it effects them.
>
> How do I do all this, without it being boring?
>
> The drop out rate is way too high; teachers need to come up
> with new ways if they expect students to take interest
> because they aren’t interested now.

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