Bronx Mom: Why is school boring?
I work with many adolescents who are highly truant. In my 7-plus years working in public middle and high schools, the number one thing they tell me is that school is boring.
I have explored and contemplated this concept of “school-as-boring” for countless hours, trying to figure out what exactly these kids feel is lacking. I wondered about how their capacity for engagement has been affected by a literal lifetime of being plugged in to television, video games and the internet.
Do schools like NYCiSchool and Global Technology Preparatory have the answer by creating a curriculum in which technology and computer use is absolutely integral? I am definitely a fan of schools that appeal to technology aficionados, but I feel more is lacking and causing far too many adolescents to disconnect from school.
In the past few months I worked with an incredibly bright and motivated 16-year-old student who first entered a New York City public high school in 11th grade. Her family had moved around often, causing her education to have been extremely diverse. This young lady, whom I will call Mary, attended a few different high schools in Georgia prior to coming to New York.
Despite the upheaval, Mary has consistently managed to connect, and become fully engaged, in each school, including her current high school, which also happens to have a problem with truancy. Being a resilient teen, she has adapted and has been doing her best to cope in a school where she really did not want to be, immersing herself in academics and in the few extra-curricular offerings. Mary recently learned that she will return to Georgia to complete high school. Once she learned that she was leaving, she let out a sigh of relief.
She compared her experience in her current school with past schools in Georgia. Her insights helped me better understand why so many kids disconnect sometime during the middle and high school years.
Mary shared vivid and cherished recollections of the many clubs and sports activities in which she had participated in Georgia. I saw Mary smile for the first time as she remembered pep rallies, school dances, and a sense of being part of a united community. Because that had been her past experience, Mary came to NYC optimistically expecting to enjoy high school.
She explained how disappointed she was that the schools here seem to be strictly focused on academics. Mary is a hardworking honor student with high grades, so her complaint was not because academics don’t matter to her. It was simply that she is acutely aware of what a school could be, a complete, fulfilling community.
In thinking about other clients of mine who have disengaged from school, they all seem to be missing a sense of belonging. They are hard-pressed to find activities that ignite their passion in school, so they disconnect. Even promises of better jobs and a better future are not alluring. Those are far off dreams, too abstract for teens who may still be very concrete in their thinking.
Thinking back to my years in NYC public elementary schools, I fondly remember the traditions that united all of us. On Fridays we had the weekly assembly. Every student came in uniform (the only day they were worn) for a gathering. Students in the color guard and student council wore special sashes indicative of their status as class leaders. The principal would greet us, share school community news and once a month special awards were granted to students who were exceptional for various reasons: perfect attendance or citizenship. I didn’t fully understand what citizenship awards were for, but it was an honor to receive and how wonderful for kids to be recognized as standouts among their peers. Individual classes put on a plays and musical performance. It was a time to feel proud and connected.
I saw weekly assemblies begin to disappear from middle schools in the early 2000′s as principals were forced to make more time for math and ELA . After all, if test scores weren’t raised, forget about having a community. There would be no school!
In my children’s school, Central Park East 1, there are a number of community building traditions such as the weekly morning sing in which students, staff and any available parents gather to sing songs and share school news.
I understand that budget cuts and accountability standards have forced sacrifices, but some public schools, both elementary and secondary, have managed to hold onto the things that make school an engaging and exciting community.
If you are a current student, what keeps you coming to school each day? What are the things that you look forward to or make you proud to represent your school?
For parents (especially of middle and high school students), what are your wish lists for your kids’ schools? What stands out and makes your child happy to go to school (even after staying up too late on AIM, Myspace and Facebook)?
To the teachers and administration: how would you like to see your schools enhanced? What has worked in keeping your students engaged and what has been most frustrating?
What can families do to turn things around as we are faced with less and less government support? Please comment below!
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At my son’s school, the Computer School (MS 245), the social engagement is a real plus. Each student goes on overnight trips with their grade, and 8th graders go on two, one in the fall and one in the Spring. There are also activities such as sports,a musical performance, talent shows, and an afterschool music program. Within the classroom, there is an emphasis on group work that engages students. The school is also divided into two houses,so that the school has a “small school” feel. Even when my son is sick or really tired, he would never want to miss a day of school, so I think CS has successfully created a sense of engagement and fun without letting academics slip.
Comment by Mom — February 3, 2010 @ 11:31 am
I know a company that provides programs to school that puts a lot of fun into my child’s school day. Legacy or Legacy Corporation provides programs to nyc schools. I spoke to a program director the other day and he told me that they are always looking for new schools.
Parents can step up and search for non profits that can meet the void of the goverment. They can also push for those non profits to get involved in their childs school.
Comment by Joan — February 3, 2010 @ 1:36 pm
As a laguardia student, the arts really make school special. As I wrote in an earlier post, I have a friend who lives in NY while her family lives in Pennsylvania just so she can get an acting education at laguardia.
It is such a shame to me that during budget cuts the arts consistently get cut, when to me they are a perfect way to keep kids engaged.
The other thing is relationships. Having friends in your school, and ones who are regularly attending, is incredibly helpful.
Comment by Toni — February 4, 2010 @ 12:09 am
Donya,
I love your posts.
I’m not sure where Mary goes to school, but one byproduct of the new school influx has been a loss of extracurriculars. I remember talking to a 9th grader years ago in a school that I was visiting. The school was in its second year. He made it quite clear to me that without a basketball program, he would not be settling in to the school any time soon.
Some schools are lucky enough to have a Beacon program, or have been able to find ways to still put on musicals and other forms of performance, but in this assessment-based climate administrators clearly feel pressured to use all academic time on instruction. We need to find some kind of data that says that school climate/spirit equals higher test scores.
Comment by Brooklynmom — February 4, 2010 @ 1:28 am
Teachers need to make course material relevant to their students. There is no need for history, english or science to ever be boring if they are taught in an engaging way. The problem is this constant emphasis on test scores and fact cramming. How useless and discouraging.
Comment by waiting and wondering — February 4, 2010 @ 9:58 am