About morals

[franceslievens]

Much can be said about the way children behave in public places. Most of the time we tramp over them; when they gather in packs we hate them; and when they're on a field trip they make one's blood boil. The field trip with my oldest pupils went more okay than what I feared, but less okay than what I wished for.
They run into the museum towards the first things they see and start chattering amongst themselves. I'm playing their guide, but they don't know the rules of the game, and forget the guide is there to guide them through the exhibition. Three times I ask nicely – the forth time I want to yell, which I can't in the sacred place that is the museum. "Please be calm," we say, "Please be silent."

I think they lack in understanding the concept of respect. They say they know what it means, but not talking amongst yourselves when something doesn't interest you, isn't part of their view on showing respect. "Please be quiet," we ask again, "I can't hear my own voice."
In this scenario they are nice and behave in front of the people they fear. Respect isn't something you show because you're standing in front of the teacher. No, you show respect because you fear that teacher. They are only children. What has taught them to behave this way, to challenge every authority, to push against every border?
I can only fear what they will teach their children.

Comments

[sister-luck.livejournal.com]

I think respect is frequently misunderstood. Too many people associate it with fear or coercion. It's something you should ideally learn through observation from your parents as well as common courtesy and self-restraint. When I see some of 'my' parents, I'm amazed how relatively well-behaved their children are.

Also, I guess that for some of the kids a museum visit is so unusual that they don't know how to behave. It's like the kids who've only ever been to the cinema and when they go to the theatre they don't realize that the actors can actually see and hear what they're doing. It's sad, but I've come to accept that some of the kids need to be told about the unspoken rules of museum, library and theatre visits, because their parents don't take them to these places.

[frances-lievens.livejournal.com]

I agree with you here. If you take in consideration a mother came to school to this week to yell at a teacher (who's pregnant) because she had grabbed a boy by his arm, to prevent him from crossing the street when the traffic light was red.

I understand you about not knowing that a museum isn't a place to play, but we had explained them that when we started out, plus they should know that you listen when someone is explaining things.

Sometimes I think everything I do and try is for nothing. Pearls for the swines as they say... Guess I'm having my bout of doubt (oh that rhymes) for the moment.

[comava.livejournal.com]

I think it's very upsetting to see how children behave sometimes. It's not so long ago that I was a child myself but I honestly don't think I acted as bad as some of the children you see nowadays.

Or teens - just yesterday I took the last train home at midnight and it was full of rowdy teens who were running back and forth and playing some rock music very loudly, loud enough to hear through the whole carriage. I couldn't even hear my own music playing in my headphones. And it's not like these kids were alone, there were quite a few other people in the train who were obviously disturbed, but that didn't seem to mean anything to the teens. It's even less long ago that I was a teen myself, and I certainly never did anything like that!

[frances-lievens.livejournal.com]

Yep, I wouldn't have dared to do or say things some my kids say to me sometimes. Okay, the ones that are in my class, usualy do what I tell them, because they know I grade them, but the other ones? I really don't know where they learn that kind of behaviour. Have we grown soft on our children?

Another reason why I behaved differently when being a kid could be that (1) I attended a stricter Catholic school, than the state school where I'm teaching, (2) I lived in the country, whereas these kids grow up in the big bad city, and (3) the school houses mainly immigrants that come from problematic families.

Most of them are very sweet children, but when they travel in packs!

[lovablylolly.livejournal.com]

I was always too shy to act up, but looking back I think I was probably more annoying because I never let the teachers or adults have a minute to even think. I was always hanging around them afraid to get lost or more importantly of doing something wrong.

But I think I probably learned more of what we were supposed to be learning than my classmates in the end, just because I was so quiet and also very eager to learn.