Letters: Sanity may return to the classroom

Teachers are quitting, but sanity may return, says a reader. Photo / Getty Images

Teachers are burnt out and unable to meet the insane reporting demands of the ministry, due in large part to the claims of education specialists.

These specialists have told us for 30 years that children will automatically work hard if they are cocooned from challenge and are not allowed to fail.

As a third generation of teachers has quit in despair, some new academics are being listened to. They assert that children need to be challenged and allowed to fail at things, in order to develop strength of character.

I knew all this when I quit teaching in 2001, but it's comforting to know that perhaps sanity will return at last.

GJ Philip
Taupo

Money won't help

Chucking money at a problem is not the way to fix it.

Family violence and abuse are incurable while we live the lifestyle Kiwis have become accustomed to.

Drink and drugs are the real problems, aided and abetted by an inept court system that appears to be very reluctant to punish any offenders.

The availability of both drugs and alcohol has to be curtailed if there is to be any hope of stopping violence, even the kindest and most gentle man or women, deprived of a job, a home of their own, mounting debts and a feeling of hopelessness will turn to drink or drugs in order to escape the burden.

Splashing huge sums of money at the problem will not help, we have to tackle the root cause - poverty and homelessness, both caused by the greed of others.

Jim Adams
Rotorua

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