Monday, September 20, 2010

It's the Parents Who Teach the Most

Students of Nan Hua High School gathering in t...Image via Wikipedia
I am a parent. I have four children whom I love. I want the best for them. As a parent, I hope and pray each year that my children will have good teachers. I have had two older children pass through our areas schools and have two still in them. The schools in our area will succeed because the parents of the students will do what they need to do to make sure their children learn. 

In my local fishwrap they are a bit mystified why, even as class sizes increase, test scores are still rising. The educational researchers do not even no what to ask. Ask about parent involvement.  

I am also a teacher for another (much larger) district. I have, more often than not, done the real teaching for my children while Torrance teachers handed my children worksheets. My second son told me once his Calculus teaching was pretty bad but if HE (my son) read the book he could figure it out. My point, the scores go up in the district I live in because the parents care. Now, I have seen a few good teachers, but, they can only do what my wife's and my parenting will allow. 

As parents we are the primary caretaker, teacher and advocate for our children. It is our responsibility to make sure that our children learn.
All that said, school districts are usually classic examples of poorly run bureaucracies. More money doesn't necessarily mean more help for students who need help. Teachers are professionals not missionaries. Only police officers may be asked to take more grief with out reprisal.
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1 comment:

  1. PT,
    How many wives do you have?
    I can't agree more with what you have said.
    MG

    ReplyDelete