Replies

Lowering the standards is simply accepting their failure to teach.

While it certainly true some teachers can't teach and shouldn't be in a classroom, I do think today's teachers face difficulties almost unheard of in past generations.

I have taught in a classroom where only one -- one student, that's it -- came from a 2-parent home. I have taught in classrooms where most of the students are immigrants and do not speak English. There are also violent students, students who do everything possible to disrupt the learning environment, and parents who do the same. I can truly understand why good teachers -- and even great teachers -- are now eager to retire. It is not easy to be involved with kids today, no matter how much you may love them, and want to teach them, and can teach them. Most teachers are overjoyed when Friday finally rolls around.

I have taught in a classroom where only one -- one student, that's it -- came from a 2-parent home.

Summer, how nice to see a post from you. I always enjoy your threads so much. Your comment concerning 2-parent homes struck me.

I'm a Cub Scout Den Leader. I have 10 boys in my den, all of them from two-parent homes. I'm not sure how it worked out like that, but it did.

It is exciting (and exhausting) working with them every week, and I really love the boys. I know how much easier it is to work with my boys than it is for other Den Leaders who have boys from single parent homes. All children deserve love and attention...that's not my point...and certainly no general circumstance applies to every individual.

Long way to get to the point, but those of us who work with kids, even on a volunteer basis, can certainly validate the studies that say that kids from single-parent homes have a harder time with social and learning situations.