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?
What Is a Constructivist Classroom?
Thanks for re-posting this. My wife is a preschool teacher and is very much in favor of process instead of product. At times, she actually feels like she has to defend her position. Seems like some (more than we’d like) parents, want the “classic” preschool crafts and want their kids to do worksheets. Seems like a lot of parents want their kids to be ready academically for kindergarten whether or not they’re socially ready. They don’t understand that play and experimentation are really important things. Again, thanks for posting!
Ken, Sounds like a preschool teacher after my own heart! Thanks for commenting.
I am soo glad that you wrote this post and KEPT it on your blog. It seems right now that everywhere I turn I am getting validation that the school system is not what I want for my daughter. I think everyone should read “Raising Self-Reliant Children in a Self-Indulgent World: Seven Building Blocks for Developing Capable Young People” by Jane Nelson. It is pretty blunt when it comes to the school system and answered all my whys to why the system is where it is today. Oh it was a wonderful book. It is so sad that we are failing our little kids, but I feel it is our responsibility as parents to educate our children and not the school systems, its our job and has been since the time of Adam and Eve. The school “system” is very young and started out as an opportunity for kids to learn more than what they could at home. Unfortunetly now home teaching is better in a lot of ways, besides social, and is impossible for a lot of working parents. But it is what is it and the system isn’t what I feel is the best way to nurture and teach children what they need to become happy, creative, and successful individuals.
As an art teacher, my very Hugest NO NO’s is telling kids how to create their artwork. Basic art lessons like the one you mentioned can be used if your goal is to teach gluing on something, but besides that it is pointless and the child should be allowed to glue the eyeballs on the feet!! It is unfortunate that the system destroys a childs creativity, especially when successful careers and inventions come from creativity.
Ashley,
I remember that huge no-no from my certification program so it shocked me! I love how the school art night let the kids use glitter – they made the kids point to where the glue should go and then the adults put on the glue and shook on the glitter. Such a learning experience –
Love the book recommendation, thanks!
Melissa, I had this same problem with my kids. Everytime I went to discuss the issues with my kids teachers, they were amazed that I thought there was a problem. They could not understand why their method of having every student do exactly the same thing was not a great idea. In the end, I would look every year for a new school for my child, and end up keeping her/him where s/he was. I would find other outlets to offer my child a wider window of opportunities. I signed them up for after school art classes, summers at the science museum, and with one child who tested gifted, I was able to get her into special programs for young gifted kids offered by universities like Duke or Johns Hopkins. My favorite poster hangs over my desk : ” Stand up for what is right, even if you are standing alone.” Keep fighting for your kids!
thanks, Alida.
Wow, Melissa! I’m a little late in commenting here, but I’m so excited about this series! As a parent of a first grader who is struggling, this is something I’ve just started to worry about myself. I’ve taught in private, charter and public schools, and in my experience the best teaching happened in the public schools, so I’m not ready to give up on them yet. (I know this isn’t true everywhere.) I have had to work a lot harder than I expected at home supplementing my child’s education though. I’ve quickly become that “squeaky wheel,” parent, asking for what I want and advocating for my child. We’re making progress, and it’s still not exactly perfect, but I do feel fortunate that so far the teachers are willing to work with me to support my child. I know sometimes, as in your case, no matter how “squeaky” you are, it just doesn’t work. I’ve been absolutely terrified of running into a situation like yours. I’m so sorry!
Thanks for doing this important series!
This post sends a bit of terror through me. I am a pre-service teacher and I never want to be this type of teacher. Tomorrow, I start my internship with a wonderful woman who tells me that a lot of their curriculum is scripted. And also tells me that my creativity is encouraged! I don’t want a child to go home and be like we didn’t do anything today school is boring. I want them to go home and tell their parents the new stuff they learned. I can only hope that my fear will keep me on my toes with me constantly striving to keep my students learning and happy in their learning.
It also frustrates me to no end that my children come home and say that. I also believe in constructivist learning. When I ask my 4th grader what he learned from science experiments at school he can’t tell me. According to him they are just cool. Many many many times, I explain to him the point of his experiment. sigh.
Kim, you already are a great teacher because you care so much and want to be excellent! Good luck on your adventure!