Quote:
Originally Posted by mainegrl2011
and parents who also give a flip about learning and offer support and I'm not talking about money; improving discipline in the schools would also help; of course the kids could help with that
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Absolutely agree. It takes parents willing to take the time and make the effort to oversee the studying that takes place at home. And how about this - parents who expand on what is being learned at school! That is surely how I was raised and how I ran my household. What is taught in school should be the basis for then taking that info and creating deeper understanding at home. Anyone who is not doing this is just lazy. Now, I am the first to admit, not every parent is gonna be proficient in every subject! But especially with literature and history - parents can do so much to expand what kids are learning.
No excuse for not taking your kids on an outing to Kings Mountain, for ex., if they are learning about the Revolutionary War. Or how about down to Cowpens to see the battlefield there? Or how about trace Stoneman's Raid if they are studying the Civil War.
Studying the Industrial Revolution? Teach them about the factories and manufacturing plants that were in operation here in NC in the 19th Century, and what impact they had on our economy - and then tie that into the Civil War and Reconstruction period.
Education should be a family activity. The world is full of opportunities, from wonderful documentaries on subjects that range from science to health/medicine, for ex. And it doesn't mean you have to pay for a subscription to all the premium channels - many of these documentaries are available online or through libraries.
Visit museums! Find supplementary books for your kids to read! By the time I was in college, I had read all the recommended COLLEGE LEVEL novels for American Literature. Have family discussion nights! Younger children can learn from the older kids at such times. Make learning part of your lives instead of something that happens at school - and then becomes a tug of war every evening (homework) b/f bed.
Childhood should not be a series of segregated events . . . parents need to find out what their kids are studying and make it a seamless process - something interesting for ALL the children in the family. What better way to make yourself the leader of your family than to guide your children in a subtle way towards a lifetime love of learning!
And then there are mentors and volunteers who will help kids whose parents are NOT able to give as much assistance outside the classroom. It takes initiative. It takes planning. But if parents are not willing to do that, then they shouldn't be complaining about test scores, since they are PART OF THE PROBLEM.
Kids no longer know how to write properly. Why? They are used to sound bytes and condensed info. If people want their kids to be successful, then it is up to them to teach their kids to properly learn to resource info, to write coherently, and to learn the difference b/n texting abbreviations and proper spelling!
A school can be filled with mediocre teachers. But that doesn't mean a child will receive a mediocre education, unless the parents themselves have handed over their "family power" to bureaucrats.
All the money poured into school buildings, computers, and yes - even teachers' salaries - is not what guarantees a child will learn. Even special needs children are FIRST the responsibility of their parents - NOT the school. I see parents who are screaming b/c their school doesn't have the resources they feel their child should have b/c they have a particular learning disability. Well folks, those resources take $$$ . . . parents with special needs children need to accept that THEY are guardians of that child and they need to step up and ante up some funds themselves rather than depending on someone else to come up with it when budgets are already strained. We have become a society that expects an entitlement for every challenge we face. Time to grow up; the money is gone. Get a grip, folks. Those are YOUR KIDS. RAISE THEM. The school isn't at the core of their success or failure. YOU ARE.
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