This week and next week, in many school districts, including mine, parent-teacher conferences are taking place. Those of you who read this blog, I have some questions for you relating to this issue since many of you have been involved in this process in some way (hopefully) at one time or another.
As a parent, what do you believe is the right amount of involvement in your child's education? How much is a good education stressed in your home? If it is stressed, how do you do it? What kinds of things do you do to constantly keep it in your son's/daughter's minds that education is so important?
What are some things that you believe that teachers do well?
What are some things that you believe that teachers need to do better at?
Oh, and please, if there are certain things that relate more to certain grade levels as opposed to others, please specify that.
Consider this the online version of a parent-teacher conference. I am here to listen. Your suggestions and comments are always welcome.
Me outside my office
About Me
- docstruke
- I use this space to share thoughts about education, media, politics, and life in general. I am an Assistant Professor in Communication at Hiram College in Ohio. I teach journalism, sports journalism, media law and other classes. Comments on this blog are subject to moderator approval before publishing.
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5 comments:
To begin with, my children have been out of school for quite sometime, but just recently one of my 16 year old grandsons moved in, and believe me, it’s been a very eye opening experience. I have only had one P/T conference and I was very disappointed, as they tried to rush me out so they could give time to the other parents. I suggested that we form a group, and have open discussions, but this was not a part of their procedures --- however, I came back the next day and talked with the principal, a counselor, and the coach. I talked to them for so long, I could tell they wanted to escape. I grant you, during the next Parent/Teacher Conference; he will make sure the teachers take the time to answer my questions, or he can listen, for hours and hours --- LOL. Now to the questions:
As a parent, what do you believe is the right amount of involvement in your child's education?
There is no right amount. Kids are different, and as such, some of them need more parent involvement than others. Since my grandson had a problem when he was in OK, and brought with him some bad grades, I have to make sure to be involved more than I care to --- because as you know, teenagers on the verge of failing need a lot of parent involvement, or they will get lost in the cracks.
How much is a good education stressed in your home? If it is stressed, how do you do it?
I stressed it daily, especially while he is watching television. I let him know, that just about every job involving television, and everything else in life --- requires skills, and the only way one can obtained those skills is via education. When he talks about how he doesn’t want to work in fast food, I explained to him very carefully, that it takes a very intelligent person to manager a fast food establishment, and it all begins with learning how to mop the shit up out of the bath room. Believe me, I take every opportunity I can, stressing education. In the end, I reminds him that he is a “colored” man, and in this society we live in “education is the one thing that can level the playing field a little bit more.
What kinds of things do you do to constantly keep it in your son's/daughter's minds that education is so important?
I listen to him. When he talks about his desires when he gets older, or when he becomes a man --- I take that opportunity to tell him that the first steps in being a man is to be able to take care of himself on all levels of his life. Once, I even sit him down and let him go over our budget so he could see what it took for us to survive, just being poor. I told him if his grandfather didn’t have a college degree, we would be living in the heart of the ghetto, with no hopes of getting out except via a coffin.
What are some things that you believe that teachers do well?
These days, not very much, and it could be because they fear the children. Our schools have gotten so violent. However, there are exceptions to this rule. There is one of my grandson’s teachers that do several things well. He is honest with the parents and students, and shows them respect. He takes the time to email you about concerns and suggest ways in which we can work together to correct the situation before it gets out of hand. He insists that the student call him “Mr.” and he don’t take any shit from them. He involved me in every aspects of discipline that he thinks will work for the betterment of our kids. Also, he is a good teacher, and my “once lazy” grandson is proof in the pudding, as he
What are some things that you believe that teachers need to do better at?
Stand their grounds and stop trying to be babysitters and be what they are paid to be, teachers. Stop giving kids grades just to move them out because of age. If a child is having problems learning, it’s not always the kids fault. And the problem is not necessarily in kid's home.
To begin with, my children have been out of school for quite sometime, but just recently one of my 16 year old grandsons moved in, and believe me, it's been a very eye opening experience. I have only had one P/T conference and I was very disappointed, as they tried to rush me out so they could give time to the other parents. I suggested that we form a group, and have open discussions, but this was not a part of their procedures --- however, I came back the next day and talked with the principal, a counselor, and the coach. I talked to them for so long, I could tell they wanted to escape. I grant you, during the next Parent/Teacher Conference; he will make sure the teachers take the time to answer my questions, or he can listen, for hours and hours --- LOL. Now to the questions:
As a parent, what do you believe is the right amount of involvement in your child's education?
There is no right amount. Kids are different, and as such, some of them need more parent involvement than others. Since my grandson had a problem when he was in OK, and brought with him some bad grades, I have to make sure to be involved more than I care to --- because as you know, teenagers on the verge of failing need a lot of parent involvement, or they will get lost in the cracks.
How much is a good education stressed in your home? If it is stressed, how do you do it?
I stressed it daily, especially while he is watching television. I let him know, that just about every job involving television, and everything else in life --- requires skills, and the only way one can obtained those skills is via education. When he talks about how he doesn't want to work in fast food, I explained to him very carefully, that it takes a very intelligent person to manager a fast food establishment, and it all begins with learning how to mop the s*** up out of the bath room. Believe me, I take every opportunity I can, stressing education. In the end, I reminds him that he is a รข colored man, and in this society we live in education is the one thing that can level the playing field a little bit more.
What kinds of things do you do to constantly keep it in your son's/daughter's minds that education is so important?
I listen to him. When he talks about his desires when he gets older, or when he becomes a man --- I take that opportunity to tell him that the first steps in being a man is to be able to take care of himself on all levels of his life. Once, I even sit him down and let him go over our budget so he could see what it took for us to survive, just being poor. I told him if his grandfather didn't have a college degree, we would be living in the heart of the ghetto, with no hopes of getting out except via a coffin.
What are some things that you believe that teachers do well?
These days, not very much, and it could be because they fear the children. Our schools have gotten so violent. However, there are exceptions to this rule. There is one of my grandson's teachers that do several things well. He is honest with the parents and students, and shows them respect. He takes the time to email you about concerns and suggest ways in which we can work together to correct the situation before it gets out of hand. He insists that the student call him Mr. and he don't take any s*** from them. He involved me in every aspects of discipline that he thinks will work for the betterment of our kids. Also, he is a good teacher, and my once lazy grandson is proof in the pudding.
What are some things that you believe that teachers need to do better at?
Stand their grounds and stop trying to be babysitters and be what they are paid to be, teachers. Stop giving kids grades just to move them out because of age. If a child is having problems learning, it's not always the kids fault. And the problem is not necessarily in kid's home.
Amias...you raise some very interesting issues in education. Getting the right amount of parental involvement is always tough to figure out. While you want to nurture your child, you don't want to be overprotective or help out to the point where your child expects the help. Children need to be raised to be problem solvers and think through problems as opposed to simply raising their hands and saying, "I don't get this."
You are a very good parent/grandparent for stressing education in every aspect of life. We are all students everyday of our lives. We are constantly learning something. And carrying over the education to real life lessons like how to make out a budget is huge. They need to learn this stuff.
One thing that I believe needs to be stressed more is people skills. Resolving conflict, proper conversation etiquette, being mannerly, respecting other people's feelings, etc...is a lost art. I constantly tell my students that if they have an issue with me or another student that there is a proper time and place and a proper way to deal with it. Respecting other people goes a long way in terms of how you are viewed in the long run. Bullying people, cussing them out, and insulting people's intelligence doesn't get the job done. In fact, the person that does that looks worse. These are valuable employability skills.
Struke, I couldn't agree with you more. You hit the nail on the head and then some.
The problem I am having with my grandson is that he won't ask questions because the other kids laugh and calls him stupid. I told him that when this happen, to turn around and ask the kids that laughing if they know the answers.
It's hard to build his self-esteem in at home, and watch it go out the window with peer pressure.
I recall that I had to do a lot of volunteering at school when my kids were there, but being old and tired, it takes a bit of effort to get back into the swing of thing.
Thank you for waking me up --- as this was a good subject to jump start me.
Amias...a huge difference, I believe, between education today and education from when you and I went to school is having the knowledge of how kids act and why.
Almost always, when a kid is acting up at school, he or she is not getting enough attention at home. When a child is acting well and is disciplined, you can bet that they got raised well at home.
Those kids who are making fun of your grandson have issues of their own and unfortunately, are taking it out on your grandson.
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