Idol gives back???
So, Paul and I were watching American Idol this past week. They have the Idol Gives Back in which they ask the viewers to call in and donate money for specific charities that they are spotlighting.
One of the charities had to do with after-school programs and reading programs. Miley Cyrus, aka, Hannah Montana and her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, aka, Achey Breaky Heart went to Kentucky to see these programs in action and how they impact the people they are supposed to benefit. They were driving through the countryside showing sad signs of what they called poverty. The house that they pulled up to was admittedly modest living conditions (although I did note that they managed to have a fairly good basketball hoop, a swingset, and a 4 wheeler...we don't even have these things! Hey, we must be REALLY poor!).
But those were not the only things my eyes were drawn to. Do you know what I saw? Trash. And lots of it. There was strewn trash everywhere on that woman's property. I kid you not, you could have easily filled about 12-15 thirty gallon sized trash bags with all the trash laying right there on the ground. How did the trash get there? It certainly didn't fall from the sky!
They show video clips of kids playing parachute and other esteem building games in the school gym. What do the kids go home to after their after-school enrichment exercises? Trash. Talk about demoralizing! A true teaching moment lost and the kids (and parents) don't feel any better. Why not use that after-school time to get the ball rolling on some clean-up projects? You could teach them responsibility and civic/community involvement. Get them excited about helping each other out....I could go on.
It breaks my heart (no punn intended, Billy) to see opportunities like this wasted. Maybe it wouldn't amount to much. But maybe, just maybe, it would click with one of those families and make a difference. I bet those kids wouldn't need anymore after-school, self-esteem building programs. They would be at home. A clean one at that. They could even ride that cool 4-wheeler around in their yard.
One of the charities had to do with after-school programs and reading programs. Miley Cyrus, aka, Hannah Montana and her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, aka, Achey Breaky Heart went to Kentucky to see these programs in action and how they impact the people they are supposed to benefit. They were driving through the countryside showing sad signs of what they called poverty. The house that they pulled up to was admittedly modest living conditions (although I did note that they managed to have a fairly good basketball hoop, a swingset, and a 4 wheeler...we don't even have these things! Hey, we must be REALLY poor!).
But those were not the only things my eyes were drawn to. Do you know what I saw? Trash. And lots of it. There was strewn trash everywhere on that woman's property. I kid you not, you could have easily filled about 12-15 thirty gallon sized trash bags with all the trash laying right there on the ground. How did the trash get there? It certainly didn't fall from the sky!
They show video clips of kids playing parachute and other esteem building games in the school gym. What do the kids go home to after their after-school enrichment exercises? Trash. Talk about demoralizing! A true teaching moment lost and the kids (and parents) don't feel any better. Why not use that after-school time to get the ball rolling on some clean-up projects? You could teach them responsibility and civic/community involvement. Get them excited about helping each other out....I could go on.
It breaks my heart (no punn intended, Billy) to see opportunities like this wasted. Maybe it wouldn't amount to much. But maybe, just maybe, it would click with one of those families and make a difference. I bet those kids wouldn't need anymore after-school, self-esteem building programs. They would be at home. A clean one at that. They could even ride that cool 4-wheeler around in their yard.
I didn't see this episode, but I can just picture what you're talking about. The self-esteem games at school are fleeting when the kids come home to disarray. To make changes you've got to start at the foundation....which is the family/home life. I have foggy memories of learning about Maslow's hierarchy of needs in Psychology 101. The most basic needs (shelter, food, cleanliness) have to be addressed before we can begin to work on the next level, in this case being literacy, community awareness, etc. These self-esteem games are just another example of people looking for a quick fix instead of addressing the heart of the matter.....struggling families (and I don't just mean financially).
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Hey Amy! I'm looking forward to your blog and website. I didn't see this episode either because I was out of town.
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You have the premise for another reality TV show here: "The Idle Clean Up", in which hapless victims of their own lack of initiative transform their lives with a dust rag and a mop. All we need is a hook-something should be at stake. Maybe a Kirby salesman could threaten to do an all-day demonstration for anyone refusing to do his part?
Good luck with your blog- have fun with it!
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Okay, who will be in charge of "The Idle Clean Up" episode? Maybe my house should be the first one in which a transformation occurs.....ha! I do think there would be some merit in all of this.
Another thing that I have pondered since writing this blog post....why do they have after-school reading programs? Shouldn't that be for in-school learning? I'll give the benefit of the doubt that I didn't get a good glimpse into the programs in a 3-minute overview. But I know that somewhere this is happening.
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Amy,
We have after-school programs for children who are struggling in school and are identified as at-risk academically. The idea is to get help to students who may not have anyone to help them at home with homework. Lots of parents work second shift, or are working two or three jobs, and rarely see their children. My problem with it is that it can easily be seen as a free babysitting service for people who would rather not deal with their children. I have students who, on a good day, see their parents for a few minutes in the morning after they get up, and then for a few minutes before they go to bed at night. No wonder so many seem lost.
By the way, my house needs the same transformation. And a confrontation with a Kirby salesmen might be exactly what it would take to scare me into action.
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I give credit, then, for the efforts made by the school to help these poor kids out, Carla. I bet that this is pretty common in almost every community. There is a much bigger problem than just poor reading skills in children. It is lack of parenting. I need to chew on this a bit longer and post something related to this issue.
Please, not the Kirby salesman.......anything but that!!!!!!
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