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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Is My Child’s Teacher a Good Teacher?
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Hey Melissa,
Love your blog and I feel your pain! My son was bright, curious, eager and an advanced learner in kindergarten until he got into the hands of the wrong teacher. Ugh! He was restless and board out of his mind. When I complained to the teacher that he was under challenged, could already read and do math, she complained to me that he wasn’t paying attention and disrupting the class. I complied with her request to keep him more focused on her, we formulated a system whereby if he paid attention to her he would get a sticker, but she never complied with my request to challenge him. Now in first grade I’ve got a kid who’s learned to space out while listening to the teacher; and everyone else, including me for that matter!
We forget that our kid’s wiring is being put into place, they’re developing their neuro-connections and ways of thinking at this age. It’s so critical to have inspiring teachers who know each kid individually and can challenge them to become real thinkers! I kept him with this teacher because we’re in year round schooling and our track only had one kindergarten teacher. I didn’t want to move tracks because my daughter has special needs and I felt she was best suited with her teachers. My hope for my son was that he would survive kindergarten, get into first grade where I knew the teacher would work with him. Survive he did, but I’m sorry to say that he’s lost his love of learning. The cookie cutter teacher cranked out another factory worker. However, on a more positive note, this year we put him DI (Destination Imagination,) Cub Scouts, and sports.
As parents there are things that we can still do to wake up the sleeping giants in our kids. Thank God our brains remain plastic and mold-able throughout our lives and kindergarten isn’t a death sentence! I hadn’t planned on the extra time from my busy work/mom schedule to have to do for my son what I have to do for my daughter, but that’s the trade off of public school. It’s public, it’s free and the teachers teach to the middle child. They have lives, families and they’re busy. Unlike private school, we can’t go stomping into the director’s office demanding they make the teacher work harder because “damn it, I’m paying a heck of a lot of money.” The money I do have goes into the extra curricular activities that make my kids better people.
Well, there you have my two cents on this issue. For me it always boils down to the trade off I have as an involved parent with more limited resources.
Great point(s), Penny, thank you for your wisdom. You’re right, their brains are plastic and this is not the end of their learning life.
The options I see are to
a. Make the best of the current situation. You obviously do lots of enrichment at home.
b. Pull your child out and send her to a private school that you believe in.
c. Homeschool.
d. Start your own school.
My family has done c and d.
Really? I want to hear more!
Yeah, sometimes I have this feeling to about my kids being better off staying home with me. At the moment (and my eldest son is only just starting full-time school) I’ve decided on doing my best to enrich my children’s interests and subjects they study at school with what we do at home. And I’ll just see how it goes. My decision was made easier (so far) because my eldest son does not learn well from me as we have very similar personalities.
I’m frustrated with lack of educational choice where I live and the dependence on getting a great teacher.
It sounds like many of us are stuck in the same leaky boat! I feel that I wouldn’t be the right teacher for my eldest daughter either – she’s not the most compliant kid on the block and it’s challenging enough just being her mom.
Thanks for your comment!
like you, Melissa, I am so disillusioned with public school! We switched schools/ districts, too! I am still waiting for any teacher to match Ms. elaine’s enthusiasm, love, and absolute knowledge of the developmental continuum of the students she taught. I think back to watching you present teaching ideas in Douglas county and I am not surprised that you are frustrated, as well. You had a ton of passion for kids and learning. My Daughters’ teachers are so tied to their curriculum they have no idea how to relate teaching concepts to actual children. My son’s kindergarten teacher should be teaching 6th grade (she is so out in left field as far as being developmentally NON appropriate.) He had to sit out of recess because he stuck his tongue out at a girl who said she wouldn’t play with him. When I asked her why that didn’t warrant a “teachable moment” for both kids she said she had to protect children from bullies! If I could choose any school for my kids I am not sure it would be public school! I am so bummed! I am considering partial day/ home school for Anna because she needs skill remediation and the school is not offering help.
Oh, Sarah, that stinks! You moved just for the schools, too and now look at us! Neither happy, both understanding what it can be. You should talk, you’re an amazingly gifted teacher yourself! 🙂 I can’t believe G’s teacher – he wasn’t bullying! He was just acting out his feelings – and without touching which should at least count for something. It sounds like you handled it well, too bad she didn’t hear it.
Can we move by each other and homeschool together?
Miss you, friend.
I have loved all these comments!! Melissa, I’m really looking forward to this month. I am really, really lucky this year: so many of our local parents have moved their kids to the private schools that my son is one of 17 kinders in his class (with an incredible teacher, lucky us), while the private schools each have 22. SHHHHH!! Don’t tell a soul, please.
17 students sounds heavenly!