We issued laptops to the students in a couple of my schools, but usually less than half the class had them at any one time because they either:
a) forgot and left them at home,
b) forgot to charge them so they were dead as a door nail,
c) dropped them and broke the screen and couldn't use it,
d) had it in the school repair shop.
e) had it loaded down with some much malware that it was slower than fog off of shit on a cold day
Schools barely give books, but copybooks, pencils, rulers, etc are the responsibility of the parents.
How the heck the school gives lap tops "to go" to students? They are underage people, they are minors, even if they sign a paper promising to pay for the broken lap top, their signature value is ZERO.
Schools can provide lap tops at the classroom, for those devices stay in the classroom.
Here the dumbest is found in teachers given expensive devices to students who won't care about them.
Look, I did work visiting lots of homes, and I laughed all the time when I saw the children coming from school. Right at the front door of the building, the broke their pencils and threw them away. After getting into their home, the mother asking them if they had homework, and they said "yes"... "yes, but I don't have pencils and I will do it at school tomorrow" ha ha ha ha
You can't beat that... and the same those students will do with your laptop. Lol
At parent teacher conferences, we held them in the afternoon and evening so all parents would have the opportunity to attend. The only parents who showed up were the parents of kids who were doing fine and had no problems. If parents showed up during the day, we met with them during our planning time as required. Usually the inquiry was about why their student failed and to chew on my ass for not keeping them informed, despite their having access to my grade book on-line, and e-mailing them progress reports every 4 and 1/2 weeks.
Sadly, you are right with that.
But there are also teachers who need training when talking with parents.
One day I went to my younger son school, because every time I asked him at home what he did at school, he responded me "I don't know". He didn't bring homework, and I had to check what he did by checking his school copybooks.
When I asked his teacher if he noticed any rare behavior with my son, if he is distracted, playing in class, doing something else, the teacher asked me for the name of the student again. I repeat my son's name, and the teacher said:
"-Oh,... he is fine, ha!... if you see how the others are...."
I hold my laughs, that teacher was nuts. I went to talk about my child, not about the others.
I was once called in by my principal and threatened with being fired because parents complained that I was not keeping them updated as to their student's grades. My union representative attended the meeting and I had copies of all the progress reports I had sent home by the students on a weekly basis! My principal looked like he wanted to find a hole to crawl in when I embarrassed the hell out of him. He decided not to renew my teaching contract at the end of the year for absolutely no reason, simply because he could. I did NOTHING wrong. As a former high school administrator who went back to the classroom, he realized that I played the game better than he did.
If going home they break their pencils in order to avoid doing homework, is not news these students will also throw on the streets your weekly reports.
Virtually all of my students in one school lived with either one or none of their parents. When I had both a mother and father attend a conference, I had to pinch myself to see if I was dreaming. Many students were being raised by elderly parents because Mom and Dad had custody removed because they were in jail or habitual drug offenders. If grandma, wasn't available, it was usually the Mom's younger sister who got stuck with her bastard crotch goblins and she had a life of her own, and no time for the kids.
Yup. I truly don't think Education reform is needed, what is needed is Social reform.
I had students at my last high school whose lofty goal in life was to quit school as soon as they could, so they could be a van driver for the local Amish population, because they paid well and had great working hours. Many followed Dad into that business when growing tobacco became untenable.
Is that sufficient, because I have 21 years of hate and discontent that I can provide if you really want it?
You are lucky they look towards decent jobs. Someone must drive those trucks anyway.
I was working for a government agency when three young fellows approached me because they saw the ID card on my shirt. They asked me how they can apply for a job with the government.
I asked them what do they do, what trade or studies do they have. They told me high school and no diploma.
I told them to go to such and such building, fill up their applications, look for a job like janitor or laborer, and from that point, they can later on start helping someone and learn a trade inside the agency. They will be offered training as well, and they can have a good job after a few years.
They told me "no".
-"We are looking for the other job. The one you can drive a truck, park in a solitary street and sleep for hours over there..."
