While many groups over the years, including PTAs and the NAACP, have pushed for constant parent involvement in the school system, common sense should tell them and everyone else to stay out of it. Constant parental involvement stunts the growth of the students it is supposed to assist.
When parents email their child's teacher about whether or not their child has turned in homework or gotten a good test grade, they stunt that child's growth. If your child is in the first grade and you need to check to see if their homework was turned in, that's fine. By middle school however, your child needs to be responsible for their own work. Good, college bound students are able to stay on top of their own school work by the age of 12. When parents hound teachers about homework grades, it denies their child the opportunity to grow up and be held accountable for their own success. Preteens and teenagers today are more immature than ever. We now live in a world where parents write their children's college admission essays. Parents need to step aside and let their children shine - and sometimes, let them fail. Every time a mother emails her middle school student's teacher to make sure she did her homework and read the book for class, she isn't ensuring that child's success. She's ensuring that child's failure by saying, "Hey, if you screw up, I'll step in and make sure you are on track." Rather than learn to write down her homework and be responsible with turning it on time, she learns that mommy will remember the homework for her and badger the teacher to take the homework late so that she can complete the homework whenever she feels like it.
This is not a recipe for successful, smart teens. This is a recipe for adults that don't understand a deadline is a deadline and that the electric bill due date is not negotiable.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Smaller Class Sizes - A Case for and Against Them
Most educators would argue that smaller class sizes increase the quality of education that the students receive. I can only partially agree. While small class sizes decrease discipline problems, discipline issues in the schools should be remedied by harsher punishments and stricter parents. The real boon with small class sizes is, in fact, the facilitation of class discussion. It is almost impossible to hold an enlightening, focused conversation on any subject with 30 twelve year olds. Drop that number to 15, and suddenly an intelligent discussion begins.
I would argue, however, that some class sizes in high school should be large in order to prepare students for college. In a small classroom, the teacher knows the student as a person, is on top of what work the student owes, and can tailor instruction to the child's needs. This makes small class sizes in elementary schools and some middle schools essential to the growth of the student. In high school, however, small class sizes may do students a disservice.
In college, most general education classes are huge - and most students will spend the first two years of college in general education classes. During my freshman year of college, I actually had a class with over 600 people in it. While the smaller, more in-depth senior level classes were definitely my favorites, the huge general education classes are something every student has to go through. Small class sizes at the high school level set students up to expect tailored instruction and constant help from a teacher.
In the lecture hall, no one knows if you turned in your homework and frankly, no one cares. You sink or you swim. Your professor is instructing several hundred other students, and doesn't have time to let you give excuses for your late work or to run practice problems with you. If you need help, you meet with a TA on his or her schedule in a narrow appointment time allotted to you. This means that small class sizes in high school may not adequately prepare students for the realities of college. While small English classes are alright, because even Freshman English usually has some small discussion groups involved, many classes should be large. Students need to learn to be accountable for themselves and their work. Large class sizes in high school can provide students with the chance to practice succeeding in an environment where success and failure hinges on their work ethic alone.
I would argue, however, that some class sizes in high school should be large in order to prepare students for college. In a small classroom, the teacher knows the student as a person, is on top of what work the student owes, and can tailor instruction to the child's needs. This makes small class sizes in elementary schools and some middle schools essential to the growth of the student. In high school, however, small class sizes may do students a disservice.
In college, most general education classes are huge - and most students will spend the first two years of college in general education classes. During my freshman year of college, I actually had a class with over 600 people in it. While the smaller, more in-depth senior level classes were definitely my favorites, the huge general education classes are something every student has to go through. Small class sizes at the high school level set students up to expect tailored instruction and constant help from a teacher.
In the lecture hall, no one knows if you turned in your homework and frankly, no one cares. You sink or you swim. Your professor is instructing several hundred other students, and doesn't have time to let you give excuses for your late work or to run practice problems with you. If you need help, you meet with a TA on his or her schedule in a narrow appointment time allotted to you. This means that small class sizes in high school may not adequately prepare students for the realities of college. While small English classes are alright, because even Freshman English usually has some small discussion groups involved, many classes should be large. Students need to learn to be accountable for themselves and their work. Large class sizes in high school can provide students with the chance to practice succeeding in an environment where success and failure hinges on their work ethic alone.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Why Won't the Teacher Raise My Child - the great question from parents to the public schools
I have a story to tell. When I was a kid, in middle school specifically, I had a particularly wonderful English teacher. He gave me my love of poetry, and it was his class that helped push me to continue my writing. This teacher was a tall, mild-mannered man who genuinely cared about his students. His assignments were unique, and they honed writing and critical thinking skills. I continued to go back and visit this teacher when I was a high school student.
Several years after I had this teacher, a friend's younger sister got his class. Running into this friend's family several months in the school year, I was shocked to hear her mother bash this teacher. Her complaint? "He just can't keep order in that classroom. He doesn't get them to sit down and listen."
I was floored. In a child-centric society, it seems we have forgotten that the responsibility to teach children to sit down, shut up, and respect authority lies with parents. This man went to school to become a teacher - not to be a father to children whose own fathers are either absent or ineffective. A teacher should be judged on his or her ability to teach, not on their ability to raise 30 children that belong to other people.
Once upon a time, children were expected to file into the classroom neatly and sit at their desks quietly, especially once the teacher walked in. This man taught middle school English, not Kindergarten. If a 12 year old walks into a classroom raising hell and disrespecting authority figures, the fault does not lie with the public schools. Parents need to instill proper public behavior in their children. Despite what Hillary Clinton says, it does not take a village to raise a child. It takes responsible, mature parents who invest time making sure that their dog isn't better trained than their 12 year old.
Several years after I had this teacher, a friend's younger sister got his class. Running into this friend's family several months in the school year, I was shocked to hear her mother bash this teacher. Her complaint? "He just can't keep order in that classroom. He doesn't get them to sit down and listen."
I was floored. In a child-centric society, it seems we have forgotten that the responsibility to teach children to sit down, shut up, and respect authority lies with parents. This man went to school to become a teacher - not to be a father to children whose own fathers are either absent or ineffective. A teacher should be judged on his or her ability to teach, not on their ability to raise 30 children that belong to other people.
Once upon a time, children were expected to file into the classroom neatly and sit at their desks quietly, especially once the teacher walked in. This man taught middle school English, not Kindergarten. If a 12 year old walks into a classroom raising hell and disrespecting authority figures, the fault does not lie with the public schools. Parents need to instill proper public behavior in their children. Despite what Hillary Clinton says, it does not take a village to raise a child. It takes responsible, mature parents who invest time making sure that their dog isn't better trained than their 12 year old.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Michelle Edwards Should Be Expelled
I hate to advocate making an example out of anyone, but why is it that we have a society where suggesting women may not be as good at math as men (think Larry Summers) is a horrible crime, and suggesting shooting your teacher in the face is just a childish mistake? The rampant rate of threats and violence in the schools will not stop until we show students that there are very real consequences for threatening violence.
A mature, stable individual would not even react so hatefully to a 93. A death threat shouldn't have crossed Michelle Edward's mind if she got a 33.
Why send a teacher to this girl's house? This is rewarding her for threatening her teacher. Now she gets to stay in the comfort of her own home while schmucky tax payers foot the bill for her to get private, one-on-one instruction that other students do not. Apparently, if you want a better education and the the freedom to study in your living room, all you need to do is talk about shooting your teacher. This system is rewarding Michelle Edwards for what she did.
Perhaps the biggest problem evident in this situation is Michelle Edward's father. Rather than apologizing profusely for his daughter's behavior, punishing her, and showing some sign of shame, he tries to excuse her. He might not have a daughter who writes about shooting her teacher if his reaction to her wrongdoings wasn't to find every excuse in the book as to why she shouldn't be punished. If someone else's child was threatening to shoot him on Facebook or any other public forum, he wouldn't think it was puerile venting.
A mature, stable individual would not even react so hatefully to a 93. A death threat shouldn't have crossed Michelle Edward's mind if she got a 33.
Why send a teacher to this girl's house? This is rewarding her for threatening her teacher. Now she gets to stay in the comfort of her own home while schmucky tax payers foot the bill for her to get private, one-on-one instruction that other students do not. Apparently, if you want a better education and the the freedom to study in your living room, all you need to do is talk about shooting your teacher. This system is rewarding Michelle Edwards for what she did.
Perhaps the biggest problem evident in this situation is Michelle Edward's father. Rather than apologizing profusely for his daughter's behavior, punishing her, and showing some sign of shame, he tries to excuse her. He might not have a daughter who writes about shooting her teacher if his reaction to her wrongdoings wasn't to find every excuse in the book as to why she shouldn't be punished. If someone else's child was threatening to shoot him on Facebook or any other public forum, he wouldn't think it was puerile venting.
Welcome to my blog!
As a product of public schools and the family member of a teacher, I've decided to start this blog in the hopes of getting people to reconsider the current educational system in the public schools. Everything from the pros of corporal punishment in schools to the utter waste in the school budget to teacher pay will be discussed. Feel free to comment and join in the discussion!
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