Saturday, February 18, 2012

Education Reform

I have stepped out of the "classroom" some time ago but, I am still very away of how it is painfully obvious that we are in need of an educational revolution in the United States.
NOT all students are receiving what they need to THRIVE in the educational system. Some are behind, some excel, however not ALL have their parents support or the necessary interventions.

Realistically education in a large forum can NEVER be ideal, BECAUSE each child develops sensory/motor skills at a very young age and these developments are often taken for granted because they are basic and develop automatically in the typically developing child. When we teach a student at school, children in whom these skills have not fully developed find learning difficult if not impossible. On a separate note, we will NEVER bring a child TO level by moving SLOWER or bring a child who is ahead further ahead by throwing "extra" work at them.

Through the years, many have tried to reform education from the OUTSIDE. It has not worked. IF you have NEVER been in a classroom, you have NO business attempting to reform the educational system! The point is something new and innovative must take place for education to make real changes.

Public education cannot fix it all; it’s not a one-stop shop. Let’s be honest, students come to school with all kinds of issues, and as a whole we cannot ignore the numbers. Our students in this state are not making the cut. That is why we need an Educational Revolution.



THIS is why I home-school... well A LOT of the reason, but not ALL of it!

BECAUSE of my educational background and my views on the current educational system, my current choice of home-schooling my children is often seen as offensive or judgmental or wrong. The truth is, my reasons for homeschooling are many.

I am a teacher and I pretty good one at that. (on a side note: there are lots of smart and productive people who have never gone to college or are college drop outs -- so the fat that I have several degrees is SORT of irrelevant) While I take pride in being the FIRST and ONLY person in my family to have a college degree it is not the sum and total of me being.
I am NOT a patient person and I WILL roll my eyes when people tell me they could not home-school their children because they lack patience. While I strive NOT to complain, and act completely insane some days when it comes to my kids, as it was a CONSCIENCE DECISION I determinately am not exuding patience. I act nutty! I get frustrated! I SCREAM! I wonder what I am doing with my kids some days and yes even think "the heck with this - sign them up for school".
The thing is, I WAS your child(ren)’s teacher AND I HAD bad days, I WAS nutty, I have even shut the classroom door to scream or left feeling crazy, or lacking patience. AND I AM A GREAT TEACHER.
I know teachers. EVERYONE has friends that are teachers and they are not patient, do-rights EVERY day. In fact some of them don’t even like their job or kids.
BOTTOM line - I am doing what is BEST for my child RIGHT now.
I really do believe there are great schools out there in different communities,but as long as schools are following current trends in education and No Child Left Behind, MY child whether they are in a school with excellent standardized testing scores or poor ones, is getting at best a sub par education geared towards fake learning to pass a test at the end of the day. I WAS THERE! I KNOW!
AND there is SO MUCH wasted time in schools, so much NON-EDUCATIONAL GARBAGE goes on in the morning and the time they get home has absolutely nothing to do with educating our children. In fact schools are being used as a substitute for home and for things that should be taught at home. YES, this has A LOT to do with the break-down of the family structure, so maybe what we really need IS FAMILY REFORM and NOT so much education reform?

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