An Educator's take on the problems of our education system....

[connieb]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/06/living/teachers-want-to-tell-parents/index.html?sr=sharebar_facebook

And, low and behold.... its parents.

I must say having just completed year one in the public school system, I think the author of this article is more likely right. This hit home a bit because we are wrapping up the final parts of our summer workbook. WE go back to school in little more than two weeks. But, many of the moms I am on facebook with are all bitching about it. As a parent who believes in promoting academic excellence, I seriously don't understand all the bitching. Yeah... it may only be a little more than busy work... and yeah...its annoying forcing my son to do it, but at the same time, I want him to be prepared and to understand that work frequently means doing a lot of crap you don't want to do.

When we start talking about all the crappy teachers and the unions protecting crappy teachers... I think that maybe we need to consider that the ones that would be good are likely those leaving the profession after an average of only 4.5 years. Not that there aren't good ones to stay. I have had some excellent teachers, but that if you have great skills and something else you can do - why would you put up with this kind of BS every day? So, while some are really really just dedicated, its probably more that we keep a majority of people who stay out of laziness. But, maybe as parents we need to take a long hard look at how we also interact with educators.


connie

 

[marvin martian]

Good article, Connie. I think there's an equal share of responsibility. Parents are responsible for raising good citizens. The schools, if the parents choose to give them that authority, are tasked with educating those good citizens. This article illustrates how some parents are not living up to their side of the agreement. I still believe it's a two way street, though. Bad administrators, greedy unions and inept politicians (from BOTH parties) have turned many public schools into little more than daycare centers (and not very good ones, at that). Our declining national standing in the education arena is a testament to the failures of these groups.

 

[connieb]

Good article, Connie. I think there's an equal share of responsibility. Parents are responsible for raising good citizens. The schools, if the parents choose to give them that authority, are tasked with educating those good citizens. This article illustrates how some parents are not living up to their side of the agreement. I still believe it's a two way street, though. Bad administrators, greedy unions and inept politicians (from BOTH parties) have turned many public schools into little more than daycare centers (and not very good ones, at that). Our declining national standing in the education arena is a testament to the failures of these groups.

I mostly agree. I am no fan of unions in administrative or professional positions. I think they are very useful in jobs that have some sort of safety component like fireman or police or mining, etc... but I think that "desk jobs" for lack of a better term are the kind of job you should do and get rewarded on based on your own individual talents, merrits and the position you hold. And, I do think the union makes it darn hard to fire a bad teachers. That would be my worst gripe about them.

BUT - looking at it from this educator's perspective, you can see why the administration and teachers end up only being able to do a sub par level of teaching. If they grade hard - they are being unfair and are hounded by parents. If they grade too easy ( which I think is ultimately the default) they end up passing kids who shouldn't be passed..... And, its clear that many don't want to stay in the profession, but, the options are probably limited if you get in to the profession and find out its not what you thought.

 

[fairsheet]

In another shout-venue, I'm sure we can find someone "blaming" the educator for blaming the parents.

Anyway....there's no news here. Everyone knows that childrens' home environments - to include their parenting, are essential elements of a successful education. Braying that this is the case, is like telling us all that the sky is blue.

The much harder question of course...is how to improve those home environments and parenting.