Teachers says parents, not schools, need reform

Their blog
Everytime I turn on the TV, the topic is education. Rarely are there any positive reports. Teachers are portrayed as the enemies who are out to get children, and of course, many people think teachers do not have the brains to really educate children. But are school’s problems really because of teachers? Could the problems stem from something else–something far greater than schools–something that is beyond what schools can control? From birth, parents begin to lay the foundation of a child’s future. Whether or not their future involves an education begins with a child’s home life. I think everyone would agree that a teacher has the power to help shape a child, but do teachers make or break a child’s future or do parents? So the question is who needs reforming–schools or parents?http://concernedteachers.com/2010/11/school-reform/



Yes, some parents have encountered a teacher who seem to be against their students. Every parent has encountered teachers who have a fortress mentality against parents. I think maybe the reader has, too, rather recently.

Statistics indicate that there is no question but what schools need reforming. Schools are doing poorer jobs than ever before. Schools, however, do not equal teachers. Social institutions tend to be stronger than the individual (with rare exceptions). Similarly, society is stronger than the parent (again with rare exceptions).

*Both* parent and teacher have greater challenges than ever before -- just at the time when all indications are that both are doing poorly. (Except that studies consistently show that homeschooled children signficantly outperform children in public school in the United States.)

Blaming the parent is not helpful. Indeed, the limited bifocality of blaming either the teacher or the parent is wrongheaded. I have long said "fix problems, not blame." The question is not who is at fault -- there is more than enough fault to go around. The question is "how can I improve the situation?"

(BTW, parents are parenting as they have been taught -- to the extent that economic change permits them to be in non-employment hours and so parenting, at all. Teachers, not parents, taught the current views on child rearing. So, once again, blaming one half of this dyad won't work.)



How about asking what would make for better teaching -- if you are a teacher? How about asking what would make for better parenting -- if you are a parent? How about asking how parents and teachers could work together? How about asking what help could be extended? How about starting by being the change you wish to see? In any system, when you change yourself, you change the game for everyone else. One never sees the whole game if one refuses to see the position of their own piece.

[I wrote the foregoing last night, but this morning thought of additions that MUST be made, which follow. Perhaps my usual readers will appreciate. Apologies for not typing this sooner.]

Maybe everybody needs reforming. But that has been tried, hasn't it? That is how we got where we are today – reform attempt after reform attempt. Just like Mr. Ross Perot, trying to fix Texas schools, walking away discouraged and dismayed at the intractability of the problem, so exactly people are dismayed at the pervasiveness and extensiveness of the problem. Everybody needs reforming – and education has little to offer parents and parents are divided on how to improve the educational system. We are in perplexity.

What about those exceptions? People of Spirit, who have made major differences. Jesus, Paul. Perhaps Gandhi, but some of my Indian friends argue about that. Anyway some of Gandhi's ideas he got from Jesus. What power is there in the universe that can raise the dead? Isn't that the kind of miraculous power we need now? Who has that today?

Oh, we disciples of Jesus are supposed to.

Who has today a sure, centuries tried principled path, with enough creative flexibility? Oh, we descendants of Covenant, grafted in by grace!

Who has the mandate to offer help and thus leadership? Yes, indeed. And when He comes, we shall be like Him. He, Jesus, went about doing good, healing and delivering. And He told us, as you have received, so freely give. What the world needs now is Love – and beloved, we've got it! Go share it!