Schools Suffer From Neglect

I heartily agree that there needs to be a “consistent decade of rebuilding” of our schools, and, Hodgkinson said, there has to be constant concern, care, and a general feeling that all children, regardless of ethnicity or social class, can achieve at a high level.

For the last eight years, I’ve been an elementary school counselor in the Los Angeles Unified School District and know, at firsthand, the care and constant concern children require in order to achieve at a high level. They need positive attitudes toward themselves and school, motivation to learn, listening skills, perseverance and concentration to stay on task, and, most of all, a general feeling of physical and emotional “wellness.”

Children come to school with variable skills and experience in social, communication, and interpersonal relationships. When these skills are weak, learning problems become evident--so do behavioral problems. Children carry to school not only books and pencils but also varying degrees of emotional “baggage.” They may be stressed from divorce and separation; suffer scars from abuse; be depressed; come from homes where alcohol and drugs are abused; have school anxiety or adjustment problems, etc.

Children cannot learn effectively when they are under stress. Counselors and other guidance personnel are needed in much greater numbers in order to help “ready” these children for learning. Elementary school counselors are especially needed to work with young children at a time when interventions are most helpful.

I feel that a team approach--quality teachers and guidance personnel--can ensure that our schools are “near the top” instead of being “near the bottom.”

GUSSIE SITKIN

Studio City