DURING MY ]}1 years of school | have seen many people
who have succeeded because of the way the schools have
been, and are being, run; but | have met many more people

who have failed.

The problem isn’t with the
teachers, or the school boards or
the government; the problem
belongs to everyone.

Many years ago teachers used to
teach students how to read and
write by splitting them. up into
three different groups: those who
understood, those who didn’t
really understand the concept be-
ing taught, and those who didn’t
have a clue.

With this method of teaching, it
was very easy for students to hide
their problems and difficulties
from the teacher. As students car-
ried on in school, they would

66 The truth is
that not many
people will
actually get into
university. 99

reach a point in their life where
they would either have to admit
their problem or drop out.
lf students have managed to
reach the high school level, they
- are more likely to quit rather than
tell someone that they can’t do
something because they don’t
know how.

Luckily, teachers have stopped
using this method, but this doesn’t
mean that teachers are able to
assess all problems with the stu-
dents and keep problems from de-
veloping.

Now teachers have more stu-
dents in their classes, making it
hard for both the teacher and the
student in many ways.

The teacher has enough trouble
trying to make sure that everyone
in a large class understands

LAST WEEK we asked if you
think people are oppressed
because of their race, sex, or
class. We asked if you agree
that some people are held down
‘by others and if so, what we
should do about it.

No, ¥ don’t think they are
being oppressed and I don’t
think we should do anything
about it because anything a
white person says can be inter-
preied as being racist.

White people are becoming a
minority in Canada because of

_the mass immigration we’ve
been letting people in on. |
think they are the root of all
problems in society now
because they are demanding so
much stuff and, if we don't
give it to them, they will call us
racist.

1 also think the article by
Laita Noormohamed
(Sculptures of God, North
Shore News, Friday, Jan. 14,
page 22) is racist toward white
_peopie and I don’t think you
sheuld allow this in the North
Shore News.

... beep

> By Katie Nichols <i
Bb ZAP! Contributor <i

everything, let alone finding out
which children need to go to the
Learning Assistance Centre
(LAC).

People used to, and still may,
think that LAC is just for ‘*dumb
people,”’ but it isn’t. LAC is for
all students who are having trou-
ble and need heip in any area.

Yet at schools with populations
of 600 students, there may be only
two LAC teachers for the 100 or
so students who need help.

Another problem is trying to
decide which students need to go
into LAC and for how jong. As |
said before, children are very good
at hiding the fact that they may
not be able to do something and it
can be hard for a teacher to know
what a student is having dif-
ficulties with.

It is also important that more
people be available in schools for
children with special needs, to find
out which children need help and
to help the ones who do.

Furthermore, this has to be
done at a young age.

Too many students are not be-

‘ing diagnosed with their problems

until they are in higher grades,
when it is a lot harder to change.

Now that students have to learn
things faster and keep high grades
if they wish to get into a post-
secondary school, it is even more
crucial for teachers to find out
which ones need extra help so that
these students also have a chance
to continue with school.

Yet, here another problem
arises. In high school, students are
told that they have to get high
grades if they want 10 go to uni-
versity and this is what regular
classes prepare them for.

But the truth is that not many
people will actually get into uni-
versity.. It is harder and harder for
people to get into post-secondary
school and pay for it.

No, | don’t we should do
anything about it. I think im-
migrants are just using this to
get more money from the gov-
ernment of Canada.

... beep

No I don’t, I think
multiculturalism sucks and the
immigrants should just shut up
and become Canadians.

If you have an opinion on
this topic, voice it on our
Talkback line: 980-KIDS.

THIS WEEK'S ZAP! column talks about
ways that the Education system has failed
for some people, Are you are getting what
you need from the school system? If you
had the ability to change one thing about
the way your school is run, what would it

be?
schoal?

NEWS choto

SEEN HERE is a typical classroom scene where the teachers
give as much persona! attention to each student as they can.
But some students fee! they need more assistance than the
education system allows teachers the time for.

Schools should do a fot more
career preparation and trades
courses for students who know
that they don't want to carry on
with school.

Severai schools have these types
of programs, and all are very
successful, but there are just not
enough available for all the stu-

dents wanting to follow this route.

I am not trying to bash the
teachers, the schools or the stu-
dents, All I am saying is that we
need a little bit of help from
everyone to make school more
enjoyable and effective so that we
ali have more knowledge in the
future.

TICKETS:
$8.00/student,
$10.00/adult.

available only at the
Centennial Theatre
Box Office or cail:

"Mhat do you like best about your

1 asked several students about

what they thought about the
school system. Here are some of
their responses:
@ U.W., Jé: “1 think that the
schools are run really well cow,
except for a couple of problems.
One thing that ! don’t like is the
way that the teachers never really
seem to have enough time to help
us if we don’t understand some-
thing.

“There is really no une else but
cur friends to help us if we have
trouble.*’

@ M.L., 6: ‘The schools are
pretty good as they are. I just
think that they need to make the
classes smaller.”

@® S.N., 18: ‘'l think the schools
have quite a few problems and |
think that the schools should help
those who dan’t want to go to
university by preparing them
more.”

@ J.M., 16: ‘‘School’s fine, ex-
cept | think that the teachers get
really stressed out sometimes.'’

Katie Nichols is a 16-year-old
Grade 117 student at Sutherland
secondary school. She is interested
in sports, including volleyball,
baskerball, ringette, skiing, and
swimming. Katie hopes to pursue
a career in the media or the film
industry.

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