The Culture of Public Education
By Lee Culpepper (06/16/07)
While excuse makers and vacillating politicians bicker over immigration and No Child Left Behind, public education's politically correct culture continues its noxious indoctrination of those confined inside its system. The kinder and gentler social experiments that masquerade as modern pedagogy are brainwashing many students into a bunch of low-achieving, over-sensitive, undisciplined, and dimwitted wimps. How anyone remains perplexed over floundering classroom performance eludes comprehension. The problem is in "the culture."
Having taught high school English for nine years, I effectively ignored every buzzword imaginable of political correctness and so-called education reform. In a system notorious for tiptoeing around feelings and devaluing facts, I created a classroom environment that embraced merit and (when necessary) confronted the immaturity or apathy that inhibited learning. No, I did not acquire my approach from the peddled hoaxes camouflaged as teaching methods in today’s teacher education courses. On the contrary, I acquired my methods from sound training techniques and leadership principles I learned in the Marine Corps. Like the Corps, my classroom had its own culture: hard work, discipline, and responsibility. This was the only culture I tolerated, so multiculturalism had to be stomached somewhere else.
Instead of preaching tolerance and diversity, I schooled my students in success and tenacity. Each day we targeted and developed our mental discipline, physical discipline, and character discipline. The students cherished this approach. Enthusiasm and confidence -- not excuses or self-pity -- fueled our classroom. Preparation, challenges, and accountability ensured students’ learning. A note from a former student named Mike captured my goal: “I used to be a loser, but this year I have completed every assignment. As I studied, I worked to my full potential, striving to be the student you wanted me to be.” While humbling, such comments spurred my mission forward.
The students learned this new culture through nightly reading assignments or short writing assignment that could be followed by “surprise inspections” the next day. Consequences taught them the hard way not to tolerate irresponsibility, especially their own. Without consequences for failing to study, students would have continued in their old culture -- expecting me to narrate an entire story and to tell them what to think about it. They learned that thinking required great effort, and that without the facts and evidence residing within the texts, their opinions about the literature were worthless.
They discovered how literature could teach us to appreciate the lives we had and to work for -- never just to expect – the lives we wanted to have. They also learned that leadership involves much more than austerity and toughness; it also requires devotion, compassion, and humor. We succeeded because my students willingly followed me. Their parents supporting my unique approach also contributed to our success.
Sometimes my intensity startled students and parents alike, but my sincerity and objectives ultimately earned their confidence. One incredibly shy student named Lauren wrote, “I was really hesitant about being in your class; however, now that I’ve taken it, I’m so glad I did. I really appreciate everything you have done to help me.” Earlier that year I had agreed to help Lauren switch classes if she desired. My vigorous style to motivate apathetic boys in Lauren’s class had initially intimidated her. I, too, was happy she stayed.
Teaching teenagers responsibility and hard work can present a dispiriting challenge at times, but teachers cannot afford to give up. Despite what some teachers believe, motivation is a teacher’s responsibility. We must set the example that we want our students to emulate. Students are searching for leadership. They want to succeed, and with leadership, teachers can inspire that success.
On the other hand, the politically correct approach to success seems to focus on crippling individuals deemed to have unfair advantages (bright students) so that the disadvantaged (weak students) don’t feel bad. In the utopian fantasy of political correctness, we would all have mediocre lives in an egalitarian society. However, in my world, we all have weaknesses, which we should confront, not bury. The way to compete against those “with unfair advantages” (or amazing talent) is to outwork them and never to submit to self-pity.
I imagine most parents desire more than a mediocre life for their children. I also believe most teachers want more than a mediocre life for their students. As a result, we had better reconsider the cultural values we encourage students to tolerate. Otherwise, the excuse makers and weasel politicians may eventually ensure that only America’s cultural values are intolerable.
Lee Culpepper
http://leeculpepper.com/
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