How will the statement "children are forced to be in school" affect your teaching?

In thinking about being in school, children have to be there. That in itself is enough to make me want to make things more exciting and enjoyable.
how will it affect you>?

That statement won't effect me because it is crap. Stdents are not forced to be in school. There are many children who are not in school. Children can do what they want. i know that this sounds idealistic, but it is the truth. If students don't want to be in school, they can leave. plenty do every day. they wave bye at the bus stop, get on a bus, and peace out as soon as they arive at school. as soon as students are able to drive, they don't even have to go to school first, they can just go and spend a day however they choose. And for those who feel as though they have to be in school, well, it doesn't matter what they think on that matter. i will teach what i teach, and do my best whether students feel negatively or not. What i feel you are insinuating is that we will teach in an uninteresting manner if my students are excited about being in school. School is a priviledge, and if they don't want it, they can go somewhere else and do what they want. it is no skin off my nose.

Well... at times i was the one was was forced to be in school. I didn't want to be there because i had other things on my mind(basketball, tennis, swimming, etc...) And i did not like it especially if that day, that teacher, or that subject was so boring. I did enjoy school when i had an awesome teacher who made learning a boring subject so much fun. It really depends on the teacher. I know i especailly did not want to go to class if i had an itimidating teacher. I want to be the type of teacher where every student wants to be in my class

Considering that I will be teaching high school special edu, I expect that most of my students will feel that way. I know that I did when I was in middle school. It is my hope that I will be able to convince my students that just because they have to be there, doesn't mean that it's bad for them. I will try to prove to them that school is valuable to the future of their lives, and more than just a piece of paper that says that they put up with everything long enough to graduate. I want my students to feel free to explore everything that is possible by being in a school. This includes everything form a large library and access to the internet, to spending time with friends and getting your voice heard about topics important to you. So I guess that you can say that all of my teaching will be done with that statement in mind.

i guess i was speaking of more on the elementary school level. THe do HAVE To be there...mom and dad drop them off...and then pick them up. I want every child to value reading and writing and math and science and social studies...along with music, art...etc. They need to appreciate all subjects.
The only way to kep them in school is to create an environment so that they appreciate the topics.

I think that it can be a good thing that students have to attend school until they are sixteen. This is the law. For many students, school is probably the safest enviornment that they will be in. I think that it is our jobs as teachers to recognize this fact, and try to make our classrooms inviting and educational at the same time. Giving students the impression that there is such thing as a safe enviornment, and the ideaology that they will not always be in the situations that life has given them at the moment, is part of what schooling is all about. Leading students to oppurtunities and information that can help them pursue their goals in life is part of our job. Opening students eyes to the world and the oppurtunities available to them and giving them the message "There is a way to better your self,"is the great influence that teachers can have with students lives. Maybe if Tammy (From the Social Class Video) had been in a system that cared about her and her needs she would realize that her pursuit as a teacher would not have been in vain. I hope this made sense!

I agree with Marshia. School is the safest environment for many children; however, it's the unsafest for many also. We, as teachers, should let children know that school is not how the real world is. In the real world, there is not someone there to guide you in decisions and help you with problems. We need to help them understand that school is for learning to deal with the issues they may happen to face in the real world and show them examples of how to deal with problems. After a child leaves school, it is up to them to go from there, but we should be satisfied at what we did to help them prepare.

Amy,

By law, yes children are forced to be at school at the elementary level. I'm going to tell you a sad story about a little girl that isn't attending school in my hometown. Her mother and father are divorced and the mother has full rights to Linsdey, but the mother still lets Lindsey visit her dad every other weekend for a few hours. Basically, the mother is a piece of crap because she does not have Lindsey in school. She is 7 years old and doesn't even know how to read a simple sentence. When Lindsey visits her dad, he always asks her how school's going and where she is going to school and who her teacher is. Everytime she visits, she has a different answer, because she doesn't go to school. He has even called different schools around our area and she is not listed as a student at any of them. I'm pretty sure he is going to try to take legal action on the issue. I just wanted to tell this little story because as soon as I read everybody's posts, I thought of this little girl. It breaks my heart to know that this child who should be in about 2nd grade can't even read or do a simple math problem. The only thing she can write is her name. I'm sure that her's is not the only case in this country. I think that if you're going to take on the responsibility of being a parent, you better make sure that your child gets an education. I hate knowing that so many kids aren't getting one, and I think that's why I really want to be a teacher, so I can help make a different in a child's life.