Today I attended the year end pep assembly up at my son's high school....while sitting and watching the production, I couldn't help but reflect on what a different educational experience my children are having. It is so different from what my husband and I both had growing up.
My children have such wonderful teachers and administrators that have worked intensely on developing relationships with them built on trust and respect. At my high school, most teachers, not all but most certainly a majority, taught through intimidation and fear. I know the times now are different and that education has changed greatly, but I can't help but feel that my generation really missed out.
I need to start off by saying that I have the utmost respect for the teaching profession. Heck, at one time I wanted to be a teacher. I even spent the two years of my college education in pursuit of an elementary education degree. I was dead sure that teaching was my calling, dead sure until I completed my sophomore year of student/teacher aiding. I went back to Henry School and worked under my second grade teacher, Mrs. Smolz. Mrs. Smolz was one of my favorite teachers. She was kind and gentle yet demanding of her students. Well, as demanding as a second grade teacher could be. And she could wiggle her ears which I could as well. We were kindred spirits. About an hour into my first day, I realized that teaching wasn't for me. By the end of the week I had made the decision to drop out of college, take some time off and reevaluate my academic career.
I won't dull you with the details, but fast forward 22 years and I still haven't decided what I want to be when I grow up....need to figure that out soon. I still consider my lack of a college degree to be my biggest disappointment. (well, that and my waistline.) I feel I am intelligent enough (though I sweated through college algebra), I just never went back to complete a degree. Life just got in the way.
So, back to today's assembly. Pep assemblies in my era consisted of the cheerleaders, poms, band, jocks, etc. Cheerleaders would do some cheers ("West is Best"), the poms would shake their poms, the jocks would strut, etc., etc. There wasn't much to the assemblies, very low production value. A long roll of paper and some paint was about as "big" as it got. On a scale of one to ten, I would rate them about a minus two. The biggest "deal" of our assemblies was hearing of who tried to skip out on them and leave school. There were always stories of kids getting "busted" in the parking lot by one principal or another. I was always too afraid to try it.
It has been 24 years since I was in high school. 24 years is a looooong time. Not only has education improved but the assemblies are astonishing! First off, this production (and I am calling it a production) was almost two hours long. The district brings in lighting towers. Not just one but four, four overhead lighting towers. Colored lights, black lights, strobe lights. There might have even been lasers, but I could have been having a flash back to one of the Planetariums light shows. (Remember those?) Next, the sound system, oh yeah, the sound system could rival any concert put on by any headlining rock/hip hop/country group today. Confetti canons, cascading balloons from the ceiling, etc. The students along with faculty help write, direct and produce the entire production. There were multiple singing and dancing acts. (It was rumored that the kids who performed the Lady Gaga skit spent over $1,000 for the costumes.) The teachers and staff danced (this would have never occurred in my time.) The superintendent was on hand to help hand out academic achievement awards. Hundreds of students were recognized for their hard work in and out of the classroom.
As I walked out with a group of parents, many of us had our jaws dragging the floor. We all said how wonderful it was to see a high school, students, teachers, administrators, come together to celebrate their wonderful school community. All of us said how much we wish our high school experience had been like this.
I just wonder what the schools will be like in another 24 years...I imagine I may have grandchildren by then.... and if I do, I am going to their assemblies!
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