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Kids, what's the matter with kids today? - Bye, Bye Birdie
By Debra Jensen-De Hart
Features Editor
If you missed the Beloit Memorial High School theater production of “Bye Bye Birdie”, you missed a great opportunity.
While this is not a play review, I will tell you I haven't seen such an enthusiastic, diverse cast in a long time.
I take my hat off to Greg Wallendal, theater teacher and director of the play for his choice of plays and selection of students who participated.
But I take a bow to the talented students who must have worked many, many hours learning the choreography, the songs and the lines, not to mention the comedic timing which elicited plenty of laughs.
I attended the play on opening night, the auditorium was about half full. I don't know how attendance was over the weekend that followed, but I hope it was packed, despite the awful weather.
From my own experience, I know when children are engaged in constructive activities, it not only helps their self-esteem, it spills over into other areas of their lives as well.
Often, those involved in extra-curricular projects also have better than average grades, a good attitude towards life, a wider group of peers and other goals and ambitions.
They are motivated to succeed and work hard to achieve their accomplishments.
The schools can provide a channel for that constructive activity, but the support and encouragement needs to come from home.
With the graduation rate the lowest it has been in a decade in Beloit, it seems obvious there is plenty of encouragement and direction that is needed.
To teachers: If you ever thought the job would be easy, you're in the wrong field. To parents: No, children still do not come with how-to-raise manuals.
Nevertheless, the ultimate responsibility of how children behave in school, whether they exhibit appropriate language and respect for others, and whether they come ready to learn is something they need to be taught at home.
Whether educators come ready to teach with a positive attitude, prepared for challenge and flexible in their teaching methods, depends on the individual.
All I know is, something is off kilter in Beloit with our graduation rate.
While 73 percent of the students are making it, 27 percent are not.
These statistics are no act, in fact they represent a tragedy at a time when education is more important than ever to succeed in the world beyond high school.
“Something is rotten in the state of Denmark” as Will Shakespeare would say.
Some people believe it takes a village to raise a child.
That may help.
The question is, who is raising the parents?
And who is scrutinizing the teachers?
And why aren't there more connections between the two?
These are concerns that obviously will take some creative thinking to resolve.
Meanwhile, when students and teachers do give their all, they ought to be acknowledged as well, whether it's on the stage or in the classroom.
As for parents, raising a responsible citizen just goes along with the job.
By Debra Jensen-De Hart
Features Editor
If you missed the Beloit Memorial High School theater production of “Bye Bye Birdie”, you missed a great opportunity.
While this is not a play review, I will tell you I haven't seen such an enthusiastic, diverse cast in a long time.
I take my hat off to Greg Wallendal, theater teacher and director of the play for his choice of plays and selection of students who participated.
But I take a bow to the talented students who must have worked many, many hours learning the choreography, the songs and the lines, not to mention the comedic timing which elicited plenty of laughs.
I attended the play on opening night, the auditorium was about half full. I don't know how attendance was over the weekend that followed, but I hope it was packed, despite the awful weather.
From my own experience, I know when children are engaged in constructive activities, it not only helps their self-esteem, it spills over into other areas of their lives as well.
Often, those involved in extra-curricular projects also have better than average grades, a good attitude towards life, a wider group of peers and other goals and ambitions.
They are motivated to succeed and work hard to achieve their accomplishments.
The schools can provide a channel for that constructive activity, but the support and encouragement needs to come from home.
With the graduation rate the lowest it has been in a decade in Beloit, it seems obvious there is plenty of encouragement and direction that is needed.
To teachers: If you ever thought the job would be easy, you're in the wrong field. To parents: No, children still do not come with how-to-raise manuals.
Nevertheless, the ultimate responsibility of how children behave in school, whether they exhibit appropriate language and respect for others, and whether they come ready to learn is something they need to be taught at home.
Whether educators come ready to teach with a positive attitude, prepared for challenge and flexible in their teaching methods, depends on the individual.
All I know is, something is off kilter in Beloit with our graduation rate.
While 73 percent of the students are making it, 27 percent are not.
These statistics are no act, in fact they represent a tragedy at a time when education is more important than ever to succeed in the world beyond high school.
“Something is rotten in the state of Denmark” as Will Shakespeare would say.
Some people believe it takes a village to raise a child.
That may help.
The question is, who is raising the parents?
And who is scrutinizing the teachers?
And why aren't there more connections between the two?
These are concerns that obviously will take some creative thinking to resolve.
Meanwhile, when students and teachers do give their all, they ought to be acknowledged as well, whether it's on the stage or in the classroom.
As for parents, raising a responsible citizen just goes along with the job.
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| A time to remember | Making a mark in history |
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Nicole Banker, Beloit wrote on Mar 17, 2007 6:22 PM: