No value can be placed on the personal attention in the classroom

Posted Monday, January 31, 2011, at 2:02 PM

I was a teacher for the L&M School system during the 1970s when consolidation with Worthington and Switz City was being considered.

I remember hearing a lot of dialog from many, many people that thought the idea was a terrible one. Complaints were loud and emotions high throughout the three small towns.

I distinctly remember residents of Lyons stating, "There would be no way that consolidation would ever happen!"

The grapevine supported another reality. I understood that the state was going to step in if consolidation was not agreed upon by the three targeted systems.

As it played out, consolidating did occur and it appears the idea had a lot of merit. I'm not a proponent of huge school systems. I was schooled in two small schools, Linton and L&M.

No value can be placed on the personal attention that students received from small class sizes and the teachers. You knew nearly everyone and they knew your family and you. These connections were, "a solid in our lives, always there, always caring."

Some memories stick to your soul

The death of another dedicated police officer was announced on a local television station.

Many people have followed the story from the weekend's shooting. We will continue watching and sharing the grief that this family is experiencing.

Even in a time when his parent's are filled with a deep wrenching sense of loss for their child, they are giving to others with organ donations.

Only those who have gone through what they have will ever truly understand the powerful emotion of abject grief. It is difficult to comprehend the feelings of sorrow at the time they learned of their son's impending death.

The death of a child, no matter the age, is an unimaginable tragedy.

"A parent should never have to bury their child." May the parents of this "fallen warrior" attain a small measure of peace as they lovingly and joyfully share memories of their son. "Some memories stick to your soul."

Tawni is a former teacher at Linton-Stockton Elementary School. She can be reached by e-mail at tawniprudhomme@gmail.com .

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Well, don't know about consolidation...but Gov. Daniels believes that the number of students in a classroom is "meaningless" when it comes a quality education....His words from the State of the State address.

Maybe we should just build huge auditoriums with hundreds of students in each room with one "really good" teacher.

Everyone who went to college knows that you certainly learn a lot more in those giant lecture halls than you do in a smaller class where the teacher actually knows your name and can help you become a better student.

-- Posted by THE END on Mon, Jan 31, 2011, at 9:53 PM
I have to agree that personal attention in the classroom was a big asset for me. A bigger asset was personal attention from my parents who also gave the teacher personal attention instead of blaming him/her for things that may go wrong. Whether it be a teacher or a neighbor, my parents would ask them to disapline me in the proper manner then call them with the circumstances so they could also set me on the right path. When we lost the parental guidance, communication between parents and whoever was looking after us, we lost our lives to bad behavior. God Bless the Good Teachers that teach students right from wrong. I was one of the slow learners in school but later in life I found hands on training to be a great teacher as well. My father took my hand, taught me carpentry from the time I took my first steps, how to ask questions if something was not understood and my mother was a stay at home mom that always answered my questions or they both found the proper answers then answered me ASAP. I find parents today do not teach kids respect for others nor the laws that protect us all.

-- Posted by FranksPhotography on Tue, Feb 1, 2011, at 10:43 AM
God help us all if anyone thinks that putting 450 elementary students in one class with one teacher--even if that teacher is the best teacher in the whole world--is a good idea. You crack me up! On the other hand, one of my favorite professors at IU was from a class of about 400. I think I might have learned more from her than any other college course. But I was an adult, extremely interested in the course material, and obsessed with getting good grades. And that professor had a handful of assistants to help with the grading, to boot. John, I would love to see you try to teach for even one year in an elementary setting under the conditions you think are so suitable for learning. *smileyface*

-- Posted by Lorhagatha on Tue, Feb 1, 2011, at 2:21 PM
JPC,

How did they determine that the 450 students were better taught by one teacher than 14 teachers with smaller classes?

There isn't an education system in the world that would support the idea that classroom size is "meaningless"....a quote from our governor.

That being said, JPC, you had a pretty tough time figuring 5% vs. .5% of Linton's contract last time around....better leave the numbers to the educators.

-- Posted by THE END on Wed, Feb 2, 2011, at 3:25 PM
I personally do not think it is fair for anyone to compare our area grade schools and high schools to college classes. The students in college for the most part, hopefully are there because the choose to be. Grade and High School students are forced to go to school. That is a huge difference when you go trying to compare them to college students! From reading Tawni's blog, I understand a little better why we lost L&M High School. Not that I like it now any better than I did then. So, make all the arguments you want. If our state government decides we should consolidate, they will mandate it or threaten to pull funding. We will in the end not have a choice. Mitch must have been very poorly treated in school. He seems to hate teachers. I feel sorry for the little guy. NOT. ;)

-- Posted by truthorfiction on Thu, Feb 3, 2011, at 9:19 PM
Then band together for education, all education! Fight for the rights of your students to be educated by good teachers that care about the welfare of your students and not just people putting in their time and teaching to the test! Fight Back!

-- Posted by gvolley on Thu, Feb 3, 2011, at 9:59 PM
Schools are lacking today because the students are NOT getting the quality of teaching they did when I was in school. I went in the 60's and we had a teacher--not a bunch of teaching assistants, aides, etc. Our teacher took time with us, helped us and if a student needed extra help, they got it. I graduated with a class of 33 students. Some went to college, some didn't.

-- Posted by Scorpio1969 on Sat, Feb 5, 2011, at 5:13 PM
Those who have went to college know that those 14 other teachers were likely TA's(Teaching Assistants). Most of them are majoring in that field...not teaching. I remember a TA that got so nervous in front of our class she would dismiss early every day...one on one you could see she was well versed in the subject, but she struggled communicating her knowledge to others(the sticking point to a good teacher).

-- Posted by GCC on Mon, Feb 7, 2011, at 10:22 AM
I have been to Linton Stockton grade school on my grand-daughters behalf and different times there was an assistant, NO TEACHER! Don't know what happen to the teacher but hardly ever saw her. This is not good. The teacher needs to teach and not leave the class to assistants. I know there are teacher assistants I know personally that have NO TRAINING, except high school and are teaching the class. This should not happen!!!

-- Posted by Scorpio1969 on Mon, Feb 7, 2011, at 8:46 PM

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