- Nov 2, 2009
- 8,801
- 5,870
- Occupation
- independent thoughtist thinker, context linker
What a terrible Question. It really is impossible to answer. If I say yes or if I say No, I'm guilty of making a sweeping generalization that couldn't possibly be true. And what would be the point of that? However, your question does spill a bit of light onto one of the real problems: Over-simplification .
Ask anybody what we should do, and they'll tell you. Everybody has a plan. The School district is always asking for INPUT from us Parents. My reply is always the same: "Ask the teachers." What do I know about Classroom management or curriculum? Why are you asking me? What is it about having a baby that makes me qualified to advise trained professionals on what they should do in the classroom? I may not have even graduated high school myself, and you're asking me? The question, I usually ask the District is, "Why don't you listen to your Teachers?" I want to know what the teachers think we should do.Not the always-defensive Teacher's Union --the Teachers themselves (anonymously if need be).
Once we have that from those closest to the problem, we can begin the process of figuring out how to make it all happen. I believe in supporting the teachers but I also believe in holding them accountable for their performance. BUT , if we are going to hold them accountable, we need to make sure they have everything they need to be successful-- EVERYTHING.
To Parents: Are we really willing to do the work?
Are we really willing to re-configure our lives around the education of our children? Are we really willing to sacrafice our time and money and energy? Are we really willing to read the statutes? Attend the meetings? take the time to understand the issues? To do all of the things necessary to formulate informed opinions that actually move the dialogue forward (instead of backward). I can always depend on some un-informed parent to stand up at a school meeting and say something completely off-point (and just wrong.) " George Bush don't care about black people!". I just want to say:"What? This is an Elementary School meeting, George Bush aint here. We're talking about how to boost achievment right here, right now and you're talking about George Bush."
SIDEBAR: Union organizations lump everyone in a particular profession together; making it impossible to discern the good workers from the bad workers. It's this lumping-together that makes it impossible for the top Teachers to get what they deserve. I think Teachers unions should have at least two tiers; A Standard Tier and an Above Standard tier. Membership in the top tier should not be based on time-served and should not be permanent (maybe 3 years per term). Teachers in the top tier should receive more money, more prestige and more responsibility (nothing that would take away from their teaching).