What ever happened to studying the old fashioned way?

[Pangolin]

Agree all around.

As a parent, I hold MY kids accountable, but I think I may be in the minority. I consider it MY job to see that my children are educated, with help from the schools. I do not abdicate my responsibility in that regard. My kids use proper grammar, write in complete sentences and use textspeak only when texting or with friends. Until they are 18, they tell me where they are and what they are doing, and God help them if they lie about it.

In return, they get a place to live, a (used) car to drive, and a college education. Spawnlings 1 & 2 have managed to get some scholarship money, based on grades alone, so something must be working.

I asked my daughter if she knows of anyone who uses Ritalin or other drugs to help study, and she says not. Maybe it's because we live in a school district where most people strive for mediocrity. I don't push my kids, but I have high expectations for them, and encourage them to have high expectations for themselves. They also know that they are responsible for their schoolwork. (She's sitting quietly in the living room, no TV, no music, doing her homework. She IS interrupted by texts from the boyfriend, though.)

I was never "taught" to study, but was expected to do well, and did. I think instilling a sense of responsibility from an early age helps. Too many parents now don't take responsibility for themselves, so they aren't modeling it for their children.

Schools these days are a multi-media extravaganza, with smartboards and computers everywhere. Even the textbooks tend to be disjointed, with too many sidebars and info boxes instead of straightforward text. (This extends to the ACLS teaching materials as well - it drives me nuts!) I think too much gets lost when it's presented this way. Maybe some kids feel a need for drugs to be able to focus in an educational world that is overloading them with stimuli, instead of a simpler presentation of information?