For Whom The (School) Bells Toll
Have you ever gotten the feeling that the institution known as public education is not in tune with your values?
Do you sometimes feel like "the children" are being used as human shields in order to back off any critique of the methods of operation of the schools?
Are the elected school board members the least bit representative of your concerns or do they appear to be self interested in the "taking care of their own"?
In many ways it is apparent that many in the system are in the business entirely for the sake of their own interests. After all, we all need some source of income and the identity associated with a career. But when you strip away the jargon of the education community, and scrutinize the outcomes you can see that many are creating mini empires and playgrounds for themselves, at your expense, all under the guise of doing it "for the kids"
There are individuals in each school and in each community who selflessly provide real experiences and opportunities for children without tooting their own horn or creating such enterprises for income. They quietly provide help to struggling students, shoulders to lean on for kids in crisis, and do so regardless of who the child is connected to, where they live or how their last name is spelled.
I have met many former students who felt that they were ignored by our schools and driven out of our system. I attended a recent area college graduation, where one of those students, receiving his degree (with high honors) said that " They (MSAD #46) tried to stop me from getting my education, but they couldn't." He had been ridiculed in the classes and halls, and felt unrepresented by the Administration. He had been at one point accused of threatening behavior and the administrator had built a case recommending expulsion. Though ill prepared to do so at the time, his mother home schooled him and he subsequently successfully completed his college degree program. It is unlikely that he will overlook his DMS experience.
More often than not, " student first" philosophy is really code for blaming the student first. We hear the excuses that parents are sending their kids to school unprepared for learning so we create recovery programs and summer schools. We've gone to all day kindergarten and some are proposing that a new school should include planning for FOUR YEAR OLDS. Will the cry then be that the four year olds are not prepared for school so a program for three year olds will be necessary? Unless and until we can bring students from where THEY are academically to where they need to be we should stop making excuses, use the resources we have and focus on students' learning. If some of the Administrators were as interested in the "student first" as they are in their own personal convenience they would already understand that.
Do you sometimes feel like "the children" are being used as human shields in order to back off any critique of the methods of operation of the schools?
Are the elected school board members the least bit representative of your concerns or do they appear to be self interested in the "taking care of their own"?
In many ways it is apparent that many in the system are in the business entirely for the sake of their own interests. After all, we all need some source of income and the identity associated with a career. But when you strip away the jargon of the education community, and scrutinize the outcomes you can see that many are creating mini empires and playgrounds for themselves, at your expense, all under the guise of doing it "for the kids"
There are individuals in each school and in each community who selflessly provide real experiences and opportunities for children without tooting their own horn or creating such enterprises for income. They quietly provide help to struggling students, shoulders to lean on for kids in crisis, and do so regardless of who the child is connected to, where they live or how their last name is spelled.
I have met many former students who felt that they were ignored by our schools and driven out of our system. I attended a recent area college graduation, where one of those students, receiving his degree (with high honors) said that " They (MSAD #46) tried to stop me from getting my education, but they couldn't." He had been ridiculed in the classes and halls, and felt unrepresented by the Administration. He had been at one point accused of threatening behavior and the administrator had built a case recommending expulsion. Though ill prepared to do so at the time, his mother home schooled him and he subsequently successfully completed his college degree program. It is unlikely that he will overlook his DMS experience.
More often than not, " student first" philosophy is really code for blaming the student first. We hear the excuses that parents are sending their kids to school unprepared for learning so we create recovery programs and summer schools. We've gone to all day kindergarten and some are proposing that a new school should include planning for FOUR YEAR OLDS. Will the cry then be that the four year olds are not prepared for school so a program for three year olds will be necessary? Unless and until we can bring students from where THEY are academically to where they need to be we should stop making excuses, use the resources we have and focus on students' learning. If some of the Administrators were as interested in the "student first" as they are in their own personal convenience they would already understand that.
posted by Art | 5/22/2006 05:35:00 AM
2 Comments:
Why would you object to parents voluntarily enrolling their children in a free Pre-K program? We have poor families in our district who can't afford the luxury of sending their children to a commercial pre-kindergarten program. But that doesn't mean that they shouldn't strive to get them in an educational environment that wealthier families like yours can afford. Some parents recognize their own academic deficiencies, but that doesn't mean that they want their children NOT to have a headstart on school.
How arrogant you are to assume that everyone thinks like you do and that everyone shoud try fathom what your purpose is with this webpage!
Anonymous says that I am arrogant for assuming that everyone thinks like I do. If that were true, I wouldn't need to express my opinions because everyone would already have the same view.
Since when has it become necessary for parents to send kids to pre-K anyway? If you carry the pre-K argument to its logical conclusion the schools will be picking up the children at the hospital right after birth.
Why would you be led to believe that as a parent you could not adequately prepare your children for their school experience?
My opinions are signed so you can know whose they are. If your opinion is different, let's talk.
You know who I am, call me if you'd like to further discuss the issue.
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