European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 19, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes tuesday May 19,1997 Dodds teachers respond to critical letter As a department or defense teacher i am choosing to Rise up in righteous indignation to the tone or the recent letter. Although i am not one for whom the shoe pinches i resent Many of the generalizations regarding today s leathers and specifically the statement hat education is a profession thai progressively became More and More concerned with what was Best for the educator and not what was Best Tor the student who i tie reason the professional educator has a  hat results in effective learning is joint Effort with the Home and the school. When and if learning does not take place it it not necessarily on teacher s or system s fault As the author would have As believe. In my 12 Yean of teaching 1 have met an occasional bad teacher As i have Mel bad doctors lawyers sol Diers salesmen or any other profession. Yes when your child has the bad teacher in can have its effects. Tom t when the Parent needs to tale on the responsibility of doing something about it. This can be done in Many ways. For example Hel the student More at Home have conferences frequently with the teacher use it As a teaching experience inhuman relations and when necessary Luik to the administration. All school systems have annual teacher evaluation. I have found that when parents have genuine con Cerns about a teacher the administration u willing and effective in helping to Deal with the problems after All we want the Best for our children Barbara Metje Ankara two eur. Surely you jest when you say teachers have demanded earlier school starting times for their own convenience it is not convenient for me to get up at so in. And commute for 40 minutes one Way to reach school by 7 30. Few teachers live on the bases where they each and must Battle traffic and distances to reach school. Frankly after the school Day ends at 3p.m. 1 have Little Energy or interest left for the person Al pundits you Lay 1 schedule in the afternoon. Your comment about Latchkey children they Are not my responsibility Ai a teacher. In is parents responsibility to late care of the Basic needs of their children. In one breath Yon say teachers Art inadequate baby Sitters and in the next breath you demand that Deooe. The Teachen lounge of virtually every school i vet aught in Bis been empty before school instead teach in aft standing Over ditto machines preparing Materi als or reviewing their lessons for the Day. This time is invaluable. It allows us to be really ready for our Stu Deau when the first Bell rings. In condemning terms you state hat some teach in express the desire to teach Only those who want to learn and ignore All others. Personally i would dance on the desktops to keep All my students interested but the sad thing i thou Len l have to. It is Lime we emphasized a student s obligation Tolean to practice sep discipline and to pay close Atten Tion a sense of serious commitment on the part of Al students would be a refreshing change. Their Guaran teed education is something today s kids take very much for granted and in our Only if in i fun Only if it s exciting culture we do Little to change the Perva Sive student attitude thai succeeding academically should also be easy and entertaining Only occasionally do 1 feel Tike a highly paid baby Sitter,1 that occurs primarily on the Days immediately before vacations. I regret your anger i believe it Clouds your perception however we do agree on one thing. Our demo cratic Way of life is indeed dependent upon an educated and informed society. I can honestly and boldly say i am doing my part. Before casting blame on educators parents and students need to ask if they arc doing theirs. Kristic m. Ewig rams Eli a Germany. Kaiserslautern High school is not Mecca nor Isit teaming with people paying homage id the Homeric god of sloth and  it is a Good school because enough individuals of decency Good will sensitivity and skill work very hard o make it so fortunately for the students these educators have chosen to rectify rather than resign in the face of All the problems the writer so readily identifies. I m con Vinced the same can be said for the great majority of Dodds and stateside schools. Joe Lacons Kalmia Hurtti 1 c is a shame you resigned from the teaching profession because we need people who Are willing to stand up and speak their minds to bring about changes i education. But i find Many inconsistencies in your Tetter to the editor. We. Too Are against incompetent or Lazy teach ers and administrators. They can give a dismal impression of our profession besides a poor teaming Environ ment for your child. But everyone is entitled to counselling and assistance for improvement. Hopefully that ii being done by the administration at All Levels. Let s encourage the inadequate personnel in the profession to find other Fields of Endeavor. Kenneth w. Peru macs Borg Germany As with any profession the vast majority of our professional colleagues Are deeply dedicated to their work spending Many hours above and beyond thei paid word Day. We spend much time counselling students who arrive at school with problems that adversely affect their own education and that of their classmates. We Are required by Law to instruct our students in subject mailers which until recently were considered solely the responsibility of the family. We Are asked to pass on to our students a body of information deemed essential for the effective functioning of each citizen in our society. And Yel instead of working together school family society to ensure that we continue to give our children a goo education there continues to be Finger pointing in Stead of hand joining. We Are concerned. We do the very Best we can. We care very much about our students. Signed by 45 Tachen at Span Dahlem elementary school i Challenge you to Light a spark of enthusiasm into my class of 27 fifth graders. This is what i hear and see in a typical Day 1. Students making obscene gestures to each other. 1. Love notes being passed in class containing explicit sexual descriptions. 3. Girts in miniskirts and Bare legs with Little though to pasture. 4. Defiant behaviour Over Small requests such As put Ting jackets and personal belongings m proper places. 5. Fights in the classroom. Not every Day but twice in one semester 6. Constant chattering and other disruptive behaviour during instruction Lime even though rules have been set and there Are consequences for breaking them. 7. Disrespectful and sullen behaviour when i have such High expectations such As legible handwriting completed Homework assignments and appropriate a Chavisjr in an educational Selling. Not All the students Are like this but about half arc. So while i am trying to teach spelling English social studies mathematics handwriting health Sci ence and Reading the Good students must be subjected to his daily abuse to their beings. I be had several other jobs before i became Aleather. They All provided me with a free lunch hour and Breaks to at Leas use the res room. Why Aren feathers supposed to gel those benefits my other jobs did not leave me As emotionally drained As leaching nor did 1 take work Home in the evenings or on weekends. I too am considering becoming an sex teacher not because of the National education association but because of students behaviour. These students did not learn any of the behaviour they exhibit in my classroom from a teacher. When Are parents to be held accountable for their children a behaviour if i sound bitter i am. I m sick of hearing negative statements about teachers when i am surrounded by some of the most hard working concerned and dedicated teachers i be Ever met. Name and location withheld despite what those of us in education would like to think education As a career is categorized As a Semi profession not As a profession As the writer  a not and never have enjoyed the Auton omy pay and status afforded the professions the writer is simply incorrect when stating Educa tors have been Given less and less responsibility while obtaining More pay for the total development of the child. The literature in this area shows quite clearly that schools hive since the turn of the Cen Tury been Given More and More of the responsibilities abdicated by the Home Church and other social institutions. The writer s bitterness about the stale of american education As stated is not new. The same complaints were uttered Over 100 years ago. Americ and americans have historically failed to treat As a top priority education and those who Are charge with the responsibility of educating. As one recent report noted if we want Quality education we must first acknowledge those conditions that deter our brightest graduates from entering aching and that drive out our Best teachers. Unfortunately the writer s attitude Coward educator is no new or uncommon. Perhaps the american Public has gotten what it deserves. Ellen Coode a Nelre ludwigs Burg Germany regulations on logistic support clarified i am the German wife of a staff sergeant in . Army i am residing in Amberg with our two children at my father s House. My husband was stationed in Germany until recently when be was transferred to the United states to attend Drill ser Geant school in route to Aberdeen proving ground according to the information guide about aug it is not recommended to bring the family because of the severe financial hardship that would be Cre ated since the family is Able to stay at the guest House at aug for up to to Days Only. This is one Oft be reasons by i chose to slay in Germany. Deferred travel for myself and our two children Ages 3 and 7 was authorized for 90 Days until april 22, which does not even cover the school dates March 9 through May 8. When we received the assignment orders in october 1986, my husband was informed by 1st per com that a additional 90 Days deferred travel would be approved at my bus band s new duty station aug. My husband has put in the paper work in the states but we have not received an approval or disapproval at this time. Soon the 90 Days will be up and i will no longer be granted logistic support which includes commissary and Exchange privileges plus my son will have to leave the Dodd school system. This cuts off his education with Only i to months left of the school term. I have often heard my husband Lalk Aboul the army taking care of its own. I am looking for that help now. Rosemarie Killian Amberg Germany editor s note Howard Hammond chief personnel strikes support directorate 1st person Nel corny he Usa eur replies thank you for the Opportunity id address question which affect All members of the command sponsors whose dependents Reaulo following their departure. Members of be . Forces Europe and heir dependents receive individual logistic support ils based on provisions of the nato status of farces agreement. Once sponsor depart the Federal re Public of Germany on a permanent change of stations they lose stains As a member of the farce. Dependents who remain in Usa eur retail ils for � period of 90 Days following their sponsor s de parture. The 90 Days constitute a Blanket except Soblo policy which is afforded All dependent who Ponson have departed. Then Are no extensions beyond 90 Days. Soldiers and civilians should Contact their local personnel office for Complete information on ils. Regarding the questions on Dodds schooling an transportation entitlement. Under these circumstances command sponsored family members retain entitlement to Dodds schooling until the end of their current school year. There is also no Canoe for concern Aboul returning to the United states. So Lonj As a sponsor remains pm Active Doty the Iran pontalion entitlement  the time comes to Mote four husband Mist request the move through his local transportation officer