tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4803378003260809718.post3445663609099270244..comments2023-05-01T01:30:01.867-07:00Comments on The Road to Maturity: America: the Land of the "Free to Fall Behind"?lesliegoyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836685143857881398noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4803378003260809718.post-52116557563153831842011-04-03T14:25:28.480-07:002011-04-03T14:25:28.480-07:00That's just so terrifyingly true. I've nev...That's just so terrifyingly true. I've never been to America and I have no idea how it looks like there, nevertheless from what I have heard, although it's your national identity to be free and indipendent, I feel like you guys can't cope with yourselves anymore. Young people wanna be cool and trendy and live fast and don't really think about what is going to happen in the future because they don't care, just because they do not have to. I totally agree with Joe Sewell, it all depends on parents. If parents don't encourage their kids enough or if kids don't see what their parents achieved and how education was important to their parents and so how important it should be to them, where do they get their motivation then, huh? I mean, my mom has a master's degree, my dad has 2 master's degrees, they both have good jobs and are good and loving people and they are so encouraging and they are always there for me whenever I need help either with my school or in my personal life. My point is, EVERYONE GET BACK TO SCHOOL SO ONE DAY YOU CAN BE A GOOD EXAMPLE TO YOUR CHILDREN!!! :)<br /><br />Here in the Czech republic skipping school isn't that easy, in most high schools students cannot miss more then 25% lessons of any class, otherwise we have to take a big exam in front of a school committee.<br /><br />A Czech friend of mine was in France as an exchange student and she said that an American guy had the worst marks in English class from all of the students there. I've noticed many young native English speakers (and not only Americans) keep slowly destroying the English language... When I see them make mistakes in grammar and hear them say unto me things like, "I will let you to do...", it's freaking me out. It wasn't until after McDonald's advertising campaign, "I'm lovin' it" when everyone started speaking like I'm lovin' this, I'm likin' this, I'm wantin' to do that,... Sigh. It's so bad.<br /><br />So thank you very much for this, Leslie! Keep writing! Even one person can change the world! :)Michalnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4803378003260809718.post-64465354863677047382011-04-01T20:06:22.089-07:002011-04-01T20:06:22.089-07:00This is very, very good!This is very, very good!mrst72443https://www.blogger.com/profile/17054576655814488714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4803378003260809718.post-36880894737998846252011-04-01T19:22:08.540-07:002011-04-01T19:22:08.540-07:00Nice job. Don't have any concrete stats or stu...Nice job. Don't have any concrete stats or studies to refer to, but personal observation seems even over the past 3 decades the rejection of God in the marketplace of ideas and the ensuing breakdown of the family has contributed greatly to this breakdown in student motivation. We do therapeutic foster care and I'll often talk to our kids who have been cut lose by mom or dad or both about having some vision for their own future. Their reply? "What future?" In public schools I have seen more and more young people no longer living with their moms or dads, but with grandparents, aunts or even neighbors. Keep writing.<br /><br />gary vanriper<br />camden, nyGaryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03958377096121429045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4803378003260809718.post-63234914011865652272011-04-01T18:59:25.498-07:002011-04-01T18:59:25.498-07:00Very good points all around, Leslie. Very sad as w...Very good points all around, Leslie. Very sad as well.<br /><br />I think your comment about the GED is significant. Did your research say anything about how salaries compare between GED receivers and high school diploma receivers? Or are the former whom you refer to as "high school dropouts?"<br /><br />I think the biggest problem is that education isn't "cool." The public education system does nothing to help that, either. I attended a private school in 7th and 8th grades (1974-1976). There they taught high-school-equivalent French & Latin classes in those two grades. They taught in 7th grade grammar concepts that the public school system didn't even get to until the 11th grade.<br /><br />It's only gone downhill from those "golden" days.<br /><br />The solution, as always, begins in the home. If parents don't care enough about their children to follow their education & encourage their children — and be loving enough to those children that they respond to their parents' love — there isn't much any school system can do.Joe Sewellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14996726052964878052noreply@blogger.com