Principal, teachers ask for parents’ help
Staff writer
This past week, a third of Marion High School students were forced to study an extra hour before and after school with a teacher because they were failing a class; many students had to study two hours because they were failing multiple classes — some students as many six.
If those students fail to bring up their grades this week, they will be barred from participation in any school sponsored competitive activity, such as sports, band, and forensics.
MHS Principal Brenda Odgers reported that through the first month of the third quarter 65 students are failing a total of 109 classes. The number of failed classes is the highest total in Odgers’ three years as MHS principal.
Odgers pointed out that an occurrence of low grades at the start of the second semester is a documented phenomenon. In January 2009, 70 students were failing 106 classes; in 2010, 39 students were failing 47 classes.
“I think part of it comes after coming off time off. They’re off doing their own thing,” English teacher Topher Rome said. “I think weather is a factor. It’s harder to get out of bed. It’s not a great setup to instill motivation.”
However, Odgers and several MHS teachers believe the failing grades are emblematic of a widespread apathy among students.
“Kids are motivated when they value what they’re learning,” Odgers said. “It’s not cool to be a good student.”
When polled on Monday, a group of six freshmen agreed with Odgers assessment.
“Some students really don’t care,” Freshman Jared Hague said. “They hardly turn in any assignments.”
Where does this apathy come from?
One factor Odgers cited is students’ busy schedules. She has overheard students talking about working closing shifts at after-school jobs.
“They didn’t even leave the business until 11 p.m.,” Odgers said. “For some (students) it’s a necessity.”
“Students who work have less time for school,” math teacher Gary Stuchlik said.
Even though current high school students lead lives filled with work and after-school activities, this is not a new development — their parents had similar distractions when they were in school.
What has changed — even in the past seven years since first-time teacher Rome graduated from high school — is cell phone technology, which has seen an exponential improvement. With phones enabled to access the Internet, students are distracted on a second-to-second basis.
“You’re always fighting a generation of kids who can’t stand being out of contact,” Rome said.
Having been a classroom teacher as recently as the 2004-05 school year, Odgers knew a dependence on cell phones was a growing problem among students when she first became principal at MHS in 2008. She planned to curtail constant cell phone use by demanding students place their phones on top of their desks in plain view of teachers.
To skirt this issue, students bring two phones to school. One phone is a non-operational model they keep atop their desks, while they peek at the other under a cloak of clothing.
A constant pummeling by visual and auditory distractions has also affected students’ overall concentration level. Odgers said the average student’s attention span is about 15 minutes; adults in this era have a 20-minute attention span.
Although students are constantly reading text messages and other information on the Internet, Odgers said the reading is superficial. Students’ short attention span is not conducive to reading anything with any sort of length.
“We have a generation of nonreaders,” she said.
Spanish teacher Joann Good, who has taught at MHS for 35 years, said students are reluctant to perform the repetitious drilling necessary to learn Spanish.
“More students are less willing to work hard to learn the basics,” Good said. “You have to be exposed to it so much. The average amount you have to hear a word for it to register is 18 times. There’s a lot of repetition in language.”
One of the actions MHS has already taken to counteract the dilemma of a short attention span is teachers change instruction methods three to four times in every 50-minute class period.
“I think it’s more of the students job to pay attention,” freshman Rachel Neil said.
Stuchlik, who has been at MHS for 15 years, said he will begin with instruction then have students get up and work equations at chalk boards followed by working in small groups.
Teachers are also trying to use technology to their advantage. English teachers have used kindles that are new at the school. Stuchlik used graphing programs in his math classes to illustrate points.
An underlying factor with a generation of instant gratification, is a possible lack of confidence when students encounter a difficult task — where they may not initially succeed — they lack the confidence to work on a project to completion. Rome said many of his students struggle with writing, and learn to loathe the writing process because of uncomfortable experiences from earlier schooling.
“They don’t give themselves credit for being good writers. They convince themselves that they’re bad at it,” Rome said.
Even with these effort to keep students engaged, many students are still struggling.
Odgers and MHS teachers are asking parents for their help to minimize these distractions. Odgers said many students are not getting enough sleep because they are up at night communicating with friends.
She implores parents to follow the lead of one parent who contracted with their cell phone provider to temporarily shut down their child’s phone from 10 p.m. until 8 a.m.
Odgers said parental influence can be the difference between good students and great students, failing students and good students.
Stuchlik has two children currently enrolled at MHS. He said that if they brought home failing grades he would make practice tests and work with his children until they knew the material.
“Most jobs need some type of post secondary education,” Odgers said.
One of the steps Odgers is taking to combat the problem is examining the district-wide curriculum and comparing it to the knowledge students need for the ACT.
“It starts with seniors,” Odgers said. “What they need to know, and getting the curriculum where it needs to be.”
In past years, Good taught Spanish at Marion Elementary School. Eventually she was limited to teaching Spanish at only the high school because of budgetary concerns.
“I’m perfectly convinced that it’s not the material; the kids can pass it,” Odgers said. “We’re not making classes so hard that kids can’t pass. That’s not what teachers are about.”
“Not that much of it is difficult,” freshman Sean Buchanon said.
Odgers, Stuchlik, and Good agreed that students do not value education. Odgers said value could be instilled by parents who enact punishments — taking away cell phones, vehicles, and other privileges — for children failing classes and by impressing on children the importance of a post secondary education for success in modern American society.