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Today’s schools rate well with students |
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Written by Lethbridge Herald
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Tuesday, September 01 2009, 8:53 PM |
For parents, it’s been branded “the most happiest day of the year.” After two months of non-stop teen or child care, they’re ready to welcome the first day of school.
But how do the kids feel about all this “back-to-school” hustle? Are they excited about learning, about meeting people — and about their future? Or are today’s schools as depressing and dismal as some older Canadians recall from their school days?
For 53 per cent of today’s teens, reportedly, going to school is highly enjoyable. That’s news from the latest research by acclaimed Lethbridge sociologist Reg Bibby and it’s the highest level in 30 years. Only 10 per cent in the 15 to 19 age group said they received little or no enjoyment from their educational experience.
Sixty per cent found their courses at least “fairly interesting,” and believed their teachers are “genuinely interested in me.” Indeed, more students these days (45 per cent vs. 36 per cent eight years ago) say their teachers have become a positive influence on their lives, much higher than those who feel TV or the Internet are more influential.
What’s more, the University of Lethbridge professor has learned an impressive 84 per cent of Canada’s students feel safe at their school. And — maybe surprising to parents who grew up in the Woodstock generation — close to 70 per cent said they had high levels of confidence in the principals and others who are running the school system. (Contrast that with just 52 per cent who were confident that today’s music industry, presumably important to teens, is in good hands.)
Parents take note: Bibby draws an interesting comparison in his latest book, “The Emerging Millennials.” He found 60 per cent of Canadian teens enjoy their relationship with mom or dad and that’s about the same as the number who find school enjoyable or even highly enjoyable.
Of course, friends are a major influence in most teens’ lives and many of those friendships develop at school. Bibby says 94 per cent of the 5,500 teens surveyed across Canada reported at least one of their closest friends is a classmate. And today, as Canada becomes more cosmopolitan, more than half who are caucasian report one of their close friends is non-white.
Not everything is rosy, obviously. One student in three reported conflicts with other students, more than one in seven had experienced bullying — and one in four was concerned about conflicts with teachers. Anti-bullying sessions are one step, but schools must still look for more ways to resolve some of the other conflicts.
Just the same, Bibby suggests baby boomers — remembering their years in outdated school houses — have insisted on better schools for their kids. And they’ve successfully called for better-trained teachers, educational specialists and caring administrators.
“If young people were not feeling more positive about their school than their predecessors, it would be a searing indictment of educators and governments,” he maintains.
In response, Bibby reports students feel pressure “to do well” during their high school years and for many this has become more important than many of the other pressures — money, dating, popularity and personal appearance — that may have plagued their parents.
As high school, college and university classes resume, there’s one more piece of good news for southern Alberta parents. Nearly all today’s students (well, 95 per cent) fully realize the importance of “getting a good education.”
And an amazing 73 per cent of today’s young women and 62 per cent of our young men plan to continue their education after high school — right through to a university degree. Others, of course, will complete a program at college or take trades training.
Those plans will mean a much larger investment in their education, clearly, but today’s young Canadians have learned the importance of their education. They see high school graduation as the ticket to their next school, filled with limitless possibilities.
Says Bibby, “University has become the dream of a growing number of young people.”
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