Maybe the Wisconsin Teachers Should Keep Striking
I believe the true test of teachers is how well their below average, struggling children improve under their tutelage. As I see it, for the average or above average child, a teacher (and the public school system) is a handicap. After attending school for twelve years and homeschooling for thirteen years, I am convinced public schools are nothing but a babysitting service. It is true that some families truly need the free babysitting, but surely we can’t pretend that the public schools provide optimal educational services.
I find it amusing when parents are pressured to be more involved and to help with homework, etc. (Why do they hire the teachers?!) If the parents only knew that homeschooling (on the parents’ part) need not take much more time than that. Without away-school, their children will also have more time to “just be children” and grow and play and learn.
When I meet a child who “failed” a grade, I tell him, “You didn’t fail. Your teacher failed.” (I have told that to several children, and you should see the look of relief in their eyes.) Maybe it’s not the children suffering from learning disabilities. Who’s testing for teaching disabilities?
Of course, the system is more to blame. Teachers may be nice, sweet, kind, caring, hardworking, and dedicated, but the system simply isn’t set up to support them. Forcing 15-20 children to be at the relatively same level every day using the same cookie-cutter curriculum will not work for every child. Why should ANY child fall through the cracks?
Sounds like those striking teachers in Wisconsin have been doing a great job. *sarcasm*
State’s black fourth-graders post worst reading scores in U.S.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/89007417.html
“Reading scores for Wisconsin’s African-American fourth-graders trail those of their racial peers in every other state…”
“Wisconsin’s eighth-graders matched their highest score of the last decade. Even so, only 34% of Wisconsin’s eighth-graders were considered proficient in reading.”
34% of eighth-graders proficient in reading?? And that’s good??
The above article was encouraging when it mentioned the Montessori schools and their phonetics-based reading programs, etc.
Low test scores worry districts
http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/100953394.html
“The Class of 2010 posted Wisconsin’s lowest score since 1996…”
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