Impersonal Education requires Involved Parents.

Fifty years ago America was the world’s standard for learning and high achievement. We were on the cutting edge in invention, and business. I think that the standards of learning in the education system plummeted somewhere along the line, and now Japan and other countries are light years ahead of us. All other countries learn to speak 2 languages in grade school, and always have. I am amazed to meet people from other countries and hear of the standards they have. So in the great spectrum, America is behind. Thus the problem, in my opinion. We have not kept up, we as a country sort of “got slack” so to speak, and now the government has had to make drastic changes, like “no child left behind,” to try to rectify the problem. I have mixed feelings about this program. Speaking to friends who are teachers, they say that it is good because it requires the “lazy” teachers to not pass the buck, but it can put undue pressure on the teachers who are really trying, and really are there for their students.

Of course, on all things, I believe there is a balance to be found somewhere, and parental involvement is key. My dad used to tell me, and recently a friend who has two children and a Ph.D. in Psychology told me, that developing character and social skills is MORE important than intelligence. My sister used to call me “wormy” because I was such a book worm, but I was also very social and outgoing. Yes, education is important, but when you go to a job interview, or sales meeting, you are selling them on you, and your schooling is only part of that. Relationship and social skills, without as much education, will get you farther than someone with a Ph.D. who is socially handicapped. It is very important to bring balance to both. I would rather my child be a “B” student and have healthy social skills than an “A” student who never comes out of their books. (This does not mean that an “A” student won’t have healthy social skills, I myself was an “A” student)

I really enjoyed Holly’s personal story, and you must read it, and part II. She speaks of how her daughter was failing the basic skills testing, and the teachers thought she could not learn. The truth was she was reading as well, if not better, than some of the other students. Holly was very angry, rightfully so, that the teachers and other educators had not taken the time with her daughter enough to see that maybe she doesn’t test well, but truly is learning. I am not sure of what the solution is, but testing children blindly across the board apparrently did not work in this case.

Thankfully, Holly was an involved parent and knew that her daughter was not a slow learner. She did not accept this, and moved her daughter out of that school. The real solution to this problem was the parent knowing her child better than the teachers.

I know I have said this before but I say it again, the only way to keep your child from falling through the cracks is to be involved with your child.