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Well...let me speak from another side of the coin. We do get kids from failing schools whose parents want a better education for their child, very understandably. But, 9 times out of 10, those children continue (at the new school) to perform below grade level, even with the extra tutoring we provide (yes, teachers bend over backwards trying to help these children succeed)...and also usually bring undesirable behaviors, attitudes, and language (by that I mean, cursing) which we didn't have before. Is that fair to the children who live in the community and have gone there all their lives? When you get so many of these students in a given school year, then it brings down the test scores of that school too....then we have even more schools with low test scores. Yes, this happens.
Every once in a while we do get a child from an at-risk school who suddenly flourishes and becomes the shining star they were meant to be, and I'm so excited when that happens - for the child and the parents who were previously very frustrated.
I agree with school choice to an extent (on a trial basis) - but when children who are bused in to a better school start bringing down their new school, then the system isn't working. I think that when these children from out of district start breaking rules, threatening other students, assaulting teachers, are consistently tardy or absent (because they miss their bus), and don't put any effort into their schoolwork (ie. repeatedly not turning in homework, reports, or projects), then they should be sent back to their home school. The problems that many of these kids bring to good schools is not fair to the students and teachers there.
As for more tax money...as I have stated in other threads, I taught for a total of 11 years at two high-poverty, at-risk schools in Chas. County before arriving at my present school where I have been for 13 years. The at-risk schools received so much federal money because they were Chapter One schools that they had a hard time spending it all.....3 fully equipped and staffed computer labs, learning centers, math and reading labs, Chapter One Reading and Math teachers to work with the lowest performing students, field trips funded, fully equipped Science labs, state-of-the-art classroom computer stations, lower student to teacher ratios, etc...Now this didn't even count state tax money being used - all of this was paid for by the federal gov't. Those children received the best of everything and lots of one-on-one interraction with teachers. But still, with all of that, both schools had some of the lowest test scores in Chas. County. I didn't get it because I used every trick in the book to get those kids to learn. (Here's where I could write a novel telling you about all the innovative and creative I -and the other teachers- used to make the learning more fun, interesting, and meaningful).
I came to my present school (same teacher...same teaching techniques....same enthusiasm), but much fewer school-provided resources because we don't have the federal funding. We have one outdated computer lab, one or two unreliable computers in each classroom, much higher student-teacher ratio, no reading, math, or science labs, etc. But, suddenly I saw positive results! Most of my students score in the Advanced range on PACT testing every year and the rest in the Proficient range....not 85 % of them scoring in the Below Basic range as they did at my previous schools.
Why? PARENTS, as I have said over and over. The parents who are involved in their children's lives at home and at school have children who care about their schoolwork, their grades, and their futures. I had a few parents at the at-risk schools who were involved but most of the parents at my new school are very involved. It makes all the difference in the world!
School administrators and teachers have been searching for more ways to get more parents more involved with their children's schools for years......
At my prior schools, we: 1) offerred free transportation, dinner, and childcare for PTA meetings, parenting workshops, and all other school events
2) drove to the students' homes for conferences if the parent didn't have transportation 3) offerred computer, reading, and English classes at the school for parents 4) offerred workshops teaching how parents could help their children with homework 5) asked parents to come to help out at school in the classrooms or in the office, with parties, and fieldtrips and recognized them in our school newsletter for doing so.
The list goes on and on......yes, teachers and school administrators recognize that there are problems in the system - not just in SC, but all over the country. Sending low-performing students to award winning schools, then closing down the low-performing schools just creates more over-crowded and problematic low-performing schools.....throwing more money at the schools doesn't seem to solve the problems either.....what then?
If someone could just arrive at a solution for making all parents realize that schools alone cannot educate their children - that it takes a nurturing, supportive home environment too - then I think we would have our magic formula for more successful students/schools. Any ideas?
Last edited by SCBeaches; 07-16-2007 at 08:39 AM..
Wow, I was really impressed by what you had to say. Very well thought out. Your experince certainly shows. To tell the truth I was not sure about how I felt about school choice etc.. I think you hit the nail on the head most of the time it is not the school, funding or teaching it is the parenting that is failing these kids.
In SC, you let your teens run off legally at age 17. This is their senior year in school, their most important years of school, or perhaps their most troubled times of their teens years!
Get a grip SC and save your children, stop being behind everybody else and give your future a fighting chance.
In all honesty, the Senior year of High School is the least important. It's the three years before that which really count. That view is shared by almost everybody I talk to. I found that my senior year was a good time to figure out my future plans (now at Winthrop U.) ,take a few easy classes, and get ready for college.
Here is the funniest and most coonfusing thing, the parents are still responsible for them because they are not yet adults nor can they sign legal documents!
Shall we say SC has some children dropping out of school , teen pregnancies (3rd highest in the US)
Get a grip SC and save your children, stop being behind everybody else and give your future a fighting chance.
Another thing. You're saying it all yourself...answering your own questions...so what's the point you're trying to make? You say that parents are responsible for their children, including those who are pregnant at a young age, and then you blame the state of SC? Those kids are dropping out for that exact reason, they are their parents responsibility and those parents have failed miserably.
If there was something I could do to help stop dropouts and teen pregnancies, I would. In all honesty though...those few kids don't care, their parents don't care, and therefore I don't care. You try to help them and they won't let you.
SC Beaches, I teach in NY (21 years) and it's EXACTLY as you said way up here too.
Without good teachers, good administrators AND GOOD PARENTS all the money in the world is not going to make a child want to learn or behave. Parents by far have the most influence over their children.
I think that only teachers, school administrators, and the truly supportive parents are the only ones who see the truth. Those without children, those whose children have only attended private schools, and those who hold the belief that "schools are the only ones who are responsible for teaching my children anything (including morals, values, personal hygiene, in addition to the academics)...therefore I have someone else to blame and hold accountable when/if my kids become social failures as adults" are the ones who constantly bash the public school systems. These latter 3 categories of people need to visit the schools, push up their shirtsleeves and get involved in making them more successful.
My children are in magnet schools in Greenville and we are afraid to move they have such good situations. Stone Academy was wonderful and League has been great for my kids. They started in other schools that did not suit them as well, but others seem to do fine in them. My eldest is very happy in the IB program at Southside High. I hate to state the obvious but a good principal attracts good teachers and good parental involvement. This is especially true in the middle and elementary years. If a high school can attract motivated students they will thrive. Don't forget to check out the charter schools. And don't put too much stock in the school report cards. The South Carolina PACT test is very rigorous.
I am so glad that southside is a Wonderful school for you and your family
But my son is going to have to go to greenville high school this year, and while I know something about southside I know virtually nothing about greenville High Academy. I have read everything I can about it, but I wish I knew someone who has went there in the last couple of years, I have heard it has changed since I was in school................I went to the old Parker High School in the 70's after my dad retired from the airforce..........If you know of anyone that could give us some in sight as to how Greenville high Academy(after renovations is I sure would appreciate it so much) My son will be a 9 grader there and he is kind of nervous
I have had my son in the spartanburg school district..
and he failed 3 years in a row, I asked for tutoring and they refused.
Nothing was done to help him, we packed up and moved to greenville sc
school district where they offer so much more remedial help.
after school tutoring constant contact with the parents, he went from
complete f's across the board, to 'A's , B's, and a couple C's
I can't speak for everyone, but as for myself and my family the sc greenville school system has been a blessing , this year my son will be going to high school, he is late getting there no thanks to spartanburg county schools, but he's there now thanks to greenville,county school district. He is bright he reads all the time, and is now setting goals...........They did something right!
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In SC, you let your teens run off legally at age 17. This is their senior year in school, their most important years of school, or perhaps their most troubled times of their teens years!
Here is the funniest and most coonfusing thing, the parents are still responsible for them because they are not yet adults nor can they sign legal documents!
, teen pregnancies (3rd highest in the US)
Greenville Sr high School
