Senior to Senior: Education Then and Now

Education has come a long way, or has it? What do you think about education today? Some states rank so low they are practically off the chart, which is totally unacceptable. I know, someone has to be on the bottom of the heap but, really? Little kids are so smart and so ready to learn; they deserve better than this. Are we, as grandparents, at least partially responsible for what is going on? Someone has dropped the ball and it is time to reverse this trend. We’ve seen it all. We’ve lived it all. Some of us started our journey in one room school houses, and believe it or not we did okay. We did more than okay. A fair share of us transitioned easily into traditional high schools, colleges, and even graduate schools. We never took schooling for granted. Teachers, supported by parents, were pretty important people, and we were taught to shut up and learn. Now children sit in front of computers playing games and accessing information with the tap of their little fingers. It all seems pretty magical, but is it? What happened to learning how to really dig for information. What happened to learning how to formulate ideas on our own? So, why hasn’t the quality of education improved? Newspaper articles and opinions expressed in local “rant and rave” columns are pretty good indicators of how far we have fallen. Don’t you wonder where these people, some of them in pretty high positions, went to school? We have to do better than this. The purpose of an education is defined as the pursuit of knowledge. When children graduate from school, they are expected to be able to take their places in the world. Reading and knowing how to examine all sides of every issue should be a given, as should formulating opinions, thinking, and acting responsibly. Fight the idea that you are obsolete. Read and stay involved in your community. Attend PTA and City Council Meetings. Listen, speak up, participate, and vote. Grandparents are great observers; they know what works and what doesn’t; a valuable resource indeed.