Teachers, Parents and Education

Here is a story from the New York Magazine about how President Obama is taking on teachers' unions; it is as though they are the reason children in the U.S. are failing academically:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/23/magazine/23Race-t.html?pagewanted=1&hpw

The article gives a cogent grasp of political developments in the changes in educational practice. It is extremely political; but, then, for the amounts of money involved, that fact is hardly unexpected. There are a few thoughts missing from the criticism of teachers and the overall criticism of the American educational system. I think some of the thoughts may also apply to Canadian considerations.

First, the role of parenting tends to be overlooked in a critical approach to education. Teachers can assign homework, can ask students to read, can ask for projects to be accomplished according to a deadline; if parents do not cooperate with teachers, if they do not encourage students to fulfill these tasks, any condemnation of the teachers is futile. The reality is parents create most of the excuses children use to deter homework. No one wants to say little johnnie cannot read because he does not practice reading; he does practice hockey or basketball or whatever sport because sport is paid for directly, schooling is via taxes.

Secondly, children have lots of computer gadgets and they are a distraction; parents buy them and to think little johnnie cannot exist without a cell phone is to demean little johnnie and to excuse the parents' behaviour; if a child needs to be in constant contact with a parent while he or she is in school, the child is handicapped socially. The reality is most parents assign a cell phone to assist with their work schedules and not for their children's needs. It is a selfishness with which the school must accommodate.

Lastly, parents are often in opposition to teachers. They are viewed as the enemy because, like it or not, they are often the first to tell a parent little johnnie cannot read; no parent wants to hear about their child's lack of accomplishment. It is easier to say a teacher is a failure than to admit their child in one. And, to admit they participated in that failure.

As someone who has withdrawn their child from the school system, I am sometimes regarded as someone highly critical of teachers. I am not although I do not think they are perfect; however, I do believe a lot of parents criticize the system without considering their approach to it. In my experience, parents are more of a problem than any child; children are always great, parents not so much. And, an important caveat, most teachers are parents, too.

The Joy of Being Gifted

If it takes tutoring for a 3 year old to be listed as gifted, they aren't:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/01/nyregion/01gifted.html?hpw

A parent or teacher who can believe a child at the age of 3 can be intellectually determined is obviously lacking some intellectual content themselves. It is tragic to read what children must endure in order to assuage their parents' ego and insecurities about their own intellectual levels. It doesn't say much about the credibility of their own education if a parent can believe their child's intellectual capabilities can be bought. At some point a child should be able to read, write and do math; the expectation that a 3 year old should be fully capable or somehow on the road to such capabilities is a naive grasp of childhood development. It is very sad to think parents would invest money in a tutoring program rather than just spend some time with their offspring to see for themselves what incredible kids they have.