Why I Don’t Want to Send Her (Back) To School
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** I originally removed this post after extreme backlash from the school. I am returning the post to my blog because it’s my opinion and I have the right to express it and I will not be bullied by veiled threats.
** 9/2011 update on Advocacy and Parental Involvement in Schools
I’m dreading sending my girls back to school.
In JJ’s class, the art activities are something like this: A pre-cut scarecrow with pre-cut material and googly eyes at a “center” with a teacher’s helper to tell the kids exactly where to glue the material and eyes. All the scarecrows look exactly the same.
This is only one of the daily centers where in my opinion, there is one differentiated activity which is the guided reading group that meets with the teacher. (Differentiated meaning adjusted to what the child know and needs to know.) The rest of the centers are 1) cut and paste 2) listening to a book on tape 3) “art” activity where each child is asked to follow the teacher’s directions, not think for themselves and 4) a worksheet. This happens everyday. Since the start of school.
When I volunteer during the morning centers, I love getting to know the little cuties but I’m shocked at the dullness of this reading rotation.
My daughter doesn’t like school except for recess, could she be as bored as me? She already knows her letters, and already could cut with scissors and use glue long before kindergarten. She’s ready to learn something new. She needs a classroom that differentiates for her needs AND that doesn’t make her do their way of art. (Aren’t we beyond this kind of instruction? – I remember this as an example of what not to do in education classes.)
I’m a teacher. I get how challenging a classroom full of kids at different levels can be . . . but it is possible.
I want JJ to love learning and thinking. I want her to be challenged to imagine and use her imagination in school.
But, except for the socialization, she might as well be home with me all day.
And, frankly I’m considering my options.
Unfortunately, I do this every year and we’ve already moved neighborhoods and schools once. Do we move again in hopes of the holy grail of good education? or is it an impossible dream?
My other daughter (AJ)went from above grade level (4s) in Kindergarten with an amazing, gifted and experienced teacher only to drop below proficient by the end of first grade (2s) because she didn’t have a strong teacher. AJ is still catching up two years later.
This month, let’s talk about education. Let’s talk about educational change (perhaps you’ve read Ralph Fletcher’s Walking Trees?) and what we want for our children’s education. What makes a good teacher anyway? What about a good curriculum and standards? What makes a good learning environment for a classroom – let’s get specific!
If you think you’d like me to consider a guest post from you, email me at Melissa@imaginationsoup.net and I’ll send you my criteria for a guest post. Otherwise, please comment as much as you can to share your opinions!
My next post, we’ll look at teachers – good ones. How do you know if the teacher is good? Be ready to weigh in!
What do you think about my situation? What would you do if you were me? Has this happened to you?
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I felt the same way when my kids were in public school. I know the teachers were well-meaning and I know how hard they work, but my kids were not thriving or being challenged. I never wanted to take them out of public school, but (long story) I ended up moving them into Mackintosh Academy in Littleton and have been so, so happy with not only what, but HOW, they have learned. Creativity, caring and differentiation are at the core of the school, and my kids have loved it. I don’t know if private school is an option for you, but if so I would highly recommend this particular school.
This is the exact reason why I keep wavering with homeschooling.
I’m the kind of mom that sometimes has a hard time with staying home with my kids all day. Not that I don’t love them, but it’s just hard coming from a situation where I used to work nearly 60 hours a week (and enjoyed it).
But seriously, I remember being young and even 25 years ago I had these same struggles. My worry is that instead of having gotten better it’s getting worse, with bigger classes and lower wages. I rarely felt challenged in school, and even had a teacher ridicule me in front of a former class because I made the decision to advance to a higher grade and struggled in the beginning. I worry about these things for my own children.
I’m really looking forward to what you have planned this month! Thank you so much for bringing this topic up!
Me, too – I love working which stimulates me intellectually and makes me happy! Is there a way to do both and keep sane? I’m researching and pondering. We’ll have a lot to talk about I think.
Hang in their Melissa, there are teachers who knows what real learning looks like (in Colorado even!). Unfortunately, they aren’t all packaged into one school yet. I am working with a team in Colorado to create a new school model that breaks free of what it means to be a “school” and puts the focus back on the individual, unique learner. A truly customized learning experience for every child…not just for portions of the school day, but all the time. We are just in the early stages of this school project but should be available for your kinder before he is out of elementary. I post updates on http://ilearntechnology.com and http://dreamsofeducation.wordpress.com you can search Twitacad to find out more.
thanks, I can’t wait to read what you’re working on! I couldn’t even sleep last night for fretting about this whole situation and the letter I drafted to JJ’s teacher.
We live just one block from an elementary school. If we were to send our son there in the fall, he would be in a classroom with 32 kinders and 1 teacher!! If we are lucky, 2 of those other kids would already speak English. I can only imagine that my 5 year old son, who is already a great reader and loves to learn, would be sitting in the corner doing worksheets all day. It pains me to not support our neighborhood school, but I can’t chance killing my sons natural love of learning…so frustrating!!!
Kinder should never be so big – no matter how good the teacher is, that’s too many kids. AJ had 30 in her Denver Public Schools class. We moved districts and then they made cuts and now she’s in a third grade class with 30. Her teacher is fantastic but she knows she can’t do what she wants to do for each child with that many kids. When are policy makers going to get realistic about what it takes to educate children?
In one word – Terrifying. My oldest child is only three and a half. That means we’re debating whether or not to send her to JK in the Fall. (I am so leery about full day JK!) Your description of your daughter’s Kindergarten class covers pretty much everything that I fear from the school system. At least you volunteer there so you KNOW what’s going on. Otherwise how would you even know? You might know that your child is dissatisfied, but not why. Disheartening and not comforting at all. I hope someone else can weigh in with some good words.