Genocide and Things

My students just “wrote” papers on the various genocides which have occurred throughout history.  This is an assignment I’ve done for a few years now, and I don’t remember ever having such ridiculously incorrect and apathetic attempts at essay writing.  No one knows what they’re doing.

  

I’ve read about 50 papers so far which are just summary of some stuff they found online in a google search.  The last one I read cited about.com as an academic source, so I go on this computer to vent. 

I truly love teaching.  Most days, I even love (most of) my students.  But this total lack of academic ability is getting ridiculous.  I mean, my students are about a year away from graduating high school, most are planning on attending university, and they have no idea how to write a research paper.  

So rather than expanding their ability level and making them go above and beyond the high school curriculum (as AP students SHOULD be doing), I’m going to have to go back and teach them basic information that should have been taught to them in 8^th or 9^th grade.  Until teachers at ALL levels commit to actually teaching their students valuable skills, public schools are doomed.

Here’s an example of a thesis statement:  “(Pol Pot) was a soft spoken man with a generic face … he was your average guy.”

Okay, friend.  Whatever you say. 

Wish me luck.