Last night I had every intention of watching a POV on PBS as I was winding down to get to sleep. I was all set. The show wasn't shown here until 10:30 pm. The Hobart Shakespeareanswas really, really good. I was falling in love with Rafe Esquith, the teacher of 5th graders in inner city Los Angeles at Hobart Elementary school. This school is one of the largest elementary schools in the country with a population consisting mostly of Hispanic and Asian students. English is the second language for most of the students and all of them live in homes where the native language is the dominate language spoken. This award winning teacher has hit upon a strategy for teaching that actually works - expect and accept the best out of them! He understands the fact that not all students are exceptional, some are average students while others are not motivated at all. He aims for the average student. He raises them up thru Shakespeare and Shakespearean plays and books. It was remarkable to watch. AND I FELL ASLEEP BEFORE THE SHOW WAS OVER!!! I was so agravated with myself when I jolted awake and looked at the clock, which read midnight. Damn.
Recently, coffee loving Meritt was writing about the No Child Left Behind concept in education today. I agree with the testing and accountability factors. Mediocre teachers are failing the students. Teacher unions have ruined our educational system, in my opinion. And there does come a time when you have to accept the fact that some children will not achieve all that is needed for an adequate education. Life is life.
On the local front, Oprah began her new season with the Katrina disaster. It really pissed me off that she was so exploitative of the whole situation. Anything for ratings. I know she does good things and she brought supplies but damn. It's always all about her. On the tour in New Orleans I thought she would at least ask a probing question or two of the mayor responsible for the domino effect of his city's destruction. But, no, it's the government's fault. For generations the poor of New Orleans have been victimized by the blame the government for all your woes mentality. She ended the show saying the entire country owes the people of New Orleans an apology. She should have demanded that the mayor go by the city's disaster plan. She should have demanded the governor go by the state's plan. Then blame the government for other failings. Response is made from the bottom up in disasters, not the top down. The mayor was too busy looking into liability issues to act in a timely fashion. The governor rejected the president's pleading that she issue a mandatory evacuation. The city had a trial run of the disaster plan 13 months ago and knew how many would not evacuate under any circumstances. It just goes on and on and the fingers just keep pointing. I could puke.
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