Why is so much money going to the schooling of youngesters and too many still cannot speak correctly or spell?

Hi...

I'm a teacher, and from my perspective, I am upset about the same thing you are. Part of my horror about the deterioration of our language has to do with legal mandates that we make accommodations for foreign language speakers. These may be children who were born here, but whose parents demand that for the first several years of school, their children receive instruction in their native language (the parents' language).

While I am sympthetic to an immigrant's desire to retain important aspects of their own culture, I am even more sympathetic to maintaining our own national identity--manifested first and foremost by our ability to express ourselves, our values, our hopes, and our dreams.

Language is the great promise out of which we shape reality--"You can do it" vs. "You are a moron"--either one can become the self-fulfilling prophecy for learners; "We as a nation have the ingenuity and resources to free ourselves from foreign oil" vs. "We must start to drill in the arctic" define two very divergent courses of action.

So, yes. I am appalled, but mostly saddened about the deterioration of language. I attribute many problems--fiscally, culturally, and academically--to the impact of the illegal immigrant who has legislation backing him or her in demanding foreign language instruction. That legislation is wrong. It needs to be reversed. If an individual or family makes the journey--dangerous as it is--to these shores or over mountains or deserts, he or she needs to be prepared to embrace this culture and its language.

But what is frightening is that linguistic incompetencies are widespread in the general native-born culture as well. Part of this has to do with NCLB and its emphasis on incessant testing--and the insidious cut this takes out of the instructional year.

The causes are multifarious; many are the children who make teaching a living hell--and they are indulged and excused without consequence by their parents who seem not to have any understanding of the need to teach courtesy, personal integrity, honesty...

Perhaps, after last night, we are entering a new age--a renaissance of decency and rebirth of focus on personal greatness.

One can hope....

You're misplacing the blame here.

It's not the teachers' fault; it's the parents and the students. Children of parents that take an active role in their children's educations do much better than children of parents who don't.

Teachers can teach, but they can't force students to do their homework. That's up to the parents.

Ever do any volunteer work at a school? Try it some time. Your eyes will be opened.

Teachers' unions strive for contacts that pay for teachers to stand in front of a class. No contract dictates what they are responsible for or capable of teaching.

Edit - I take Caliban's point; but homework occupies a fraction of the time spent in class and is intended to reinforce what is taught in class - not substitute for it. The negligence of homework may explain the lack of excellence, but it cannot explain the evident illiteracy about which the questioner rightly complains.

"Why can't maximum folk on Yahoo solutions spell wisely? i anticipate maximum clientele are non-English conversing or at the instant studying by using fact of my commentary that many people are actually not exhibiting an potential to spell wisely. although, actual no longer all the culprits are." lol....ok?

indeed, it is a pity that "youngesters" on this site spell incorrectly...it is even more sad when i see a question with the spelling AND the grammar both horribly wrong!!

...don't take me seriously :) you do raise a good point.

Because most of the kids are allowed to sit on computer games all day the amount of kids you hear being told they are dyslexic is shocking.

I am sorry I don't have an answer for you.

I agree wholeheartedly.

There is even a spell checker here for them to use.

Amazing !!