I would appreciate the opportunity to respond to the article
that appeared in the Free Lance on Monday, Oct. 27. This article
was titled
”
Algebra focus difficult for some students.
”
First, I must commend the courage and self confidence that Erica
Garcia displayed in participating and sharing her experience. I
feel that many students might sometimes shy away from the
possibility to share their academic short comings for fear of being
ridiculed, even when they feel as strongly as this young lady
seemed to that the standard might be unfair.
I would appreciate the opportunity to respond to the article that appeared in the Free Lance on Monday, Oct. 27. This article was titled “Algebra focus difficult for some students.”
First, I must commend the courage and self confidence that Erica Garcia displayed in participating and sharing her experience. I feel that many students might sometimes shy away from the possibility to share their academic short comings for fear of being ridiculed, even when they feel as strongly as this young lady seemed to that the standard might be unfair. We need more citizens to speak up for themselves and for those around them. Thank you Erica! Hopefully, sometime soon I will have the pleasure of meeting you and expressing this to you in person.
Second, I do feel that the school system should require some fair standards by which to grade itself. I stress that the system is the component that should be included in the test of accomplishment yet the students are the ones suffering the immediate consequences.
Now, the issue that really caught my attention. That was the cold and uncaring way in which I interpreted math teacher Dennis DeWall’s responses to the cause for failure in algebra. I will quote the article here, “‘There are two reasons students have problems with algebra – they are either lazy and unmotivated or don’t have a foundation in math basics when they arrive at high school,’ DeWall said.” How motivating and inspirational this is to me as a parent (sarcasm intended). I can’t even imagine how this would make a motivated, hard working student who was still experiencing trouble in their academics feel. If I take Mr. DeWall’s statement as fact even if the student is not lazy and is motivated there is no hope for them because they did not appear at the steps of the high school with the “foundation” that he expected.
I will give Mr. DeWall the point that some students are lazy, unmotivated and lacking in the basics upon arrival at the high school. If a student is lazy and unmotivated, doesn’t the teacher bear some responsibility to motivate and try to make the subject more exciting and interesting? As for the lack of fundamentals, this is an excuse that San Benito High School has been hiding behind for many years. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard staff at the high school tell me that the problem of the day was a “feeder school” problem. I have heard this in cases of academic expectations, learning disabilities and behavioral attitudes for at very least the past eight years. In each case, the high school staff tried to take no action other than to let the student fail or remove them from the system and in several instances they out and out said that if the problem had not been addressed by the time the student reached the high school that it was too late.
I don’t have all or maybe I don’t have any of the answers, but I do have some questions.
1. What responsibility does a teacher at our high school have to motivate and inspire students that are having trouble achieving at the expected level?
2. At the same time, according to the article, Ms. Garcia is taking Algebra at the high school for the third time. Fundamentals or not upon arrival, if this were the problem then has the high school not failed her in that they have not identified and addressed her weaknesses in this area? If this is the case, then according to Mr. DeWall, the only choice or reason left for continued failure is that she must be lazy and unmotivated. I personally doubt that this is the case!
3. If the lack of fundamentals upon arrival at the high school is a common problem, what is the High School District doing to address this issue? At the same time shouldn’t the community expect the “feeder schools” to also be proactive and find out how they could better prepare students for the academic standards that will be tested for while in high school?
4. If this is a common problem, as Mr. DeWall implies and as I have experienced, could the community solve it by demanding, through a vote of the people of course, that our divided and ineffective system of small school districts be unified for the good of our children? This does not even address how fiscally responsible such a move would be!
5. Probably just as importantly, shouldn’t we expect more compassion for our students? The current superintendent, Dr. Burns Slater, has expressed her interest in improving communications with the public and maintaining a positive, respectful and timely system of communications with students and their families but a statement such as this one from a teacher that places all of the burden on the students or their previous poor education really takes a big chunk out of any foundation of trust and communication that may have been instilled since her arrival earlier this year.
Thank you for taking the time to read this opinion.
Ray Rodriguez,
Concerned Parent,
Hollister
