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Idk what schools are teaching now but current test schools would indicate it is certainly not reading, writing, or arithmetic.
Maybe the schools tend to be trying. But between having basically no disciplinary authority, no threat of failing kids because admin always makes sure kids pass, and chronic underfunding. You end up with the teachers trying to teach something basic while half the class is watching tiktoks on their phone, a quarter are talking to each other, and another quarter are skipping. And the teacher has basically no authority to do anything about it.
They can’t fail kids. Admin strongly pressures them not to send kids to prinicpal or detention because it’s a waste of admin’s time. So they can’t really do anything to get the class into check. In that environment, you end up teaching for the few kids that listen and passing everyone else with C’s at admin’s request.
This was my experience teaching a year in a “lower middle class” neighbourhood in the US. As a european it was massive culture shock.
And good fucking luck being more engaging than a tittok as a math teacher. I put hours of work into making engaging and participative lessons, almost felt like I had to plan a show instead of a lesson to keep the students engaged. And still was incredibly underwhelmed by kids participation.
I'm curious, what would happen if you failed kids anyway, despite the pressure from admin?