Submitted by Miss Wolfe (not verified) on March 19, 2008 - 20:18.
I have taught in public schools in 3 states - Maine, Arizona and now in New Hampshire. I still find the American public school system lacking in meeting the international AND national standards in math and science. I teach at the high school level - Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. Our current public school system does NOT prepare our children for vigorous courses in mathematics and science in order to compete technologically with other countries. I have students in my Algebra II class who STILL cannot perform long division!
I have found, however, that students who were home-schooled to be more prepared for college prep courses, more self-disciplined, and more respectful of education. Part of the problem is that the feds are increasing the standards for the students to meet but not setting the students up for success. Not much emphasis is made in mathematics and science at the elementary and middle school levels - if the teacher doesn't like math, then the students learn not to like math. This is a really horrible way to start off a child's education especially when strong math skills are so important in today's increasing technological world.
To take the parents' right away to educate their children thoroughly is not only unethical, but also plain stupid. (I'm not talking about un- intelligence.) These legislators are not really thinking about the best educational opportunities for the CHILDREN. Their actions bespeak their own selfishness, what they want, when they want it, and forget about everyone else's children who actually WANT TO LEARN. The whole point to NCLB is that EVERY child has a right to a GOOD education; if that education occurs out of the traditional classroom due to violence, disruptions, or some other threatening situation inside that classroom, then so be it. Another thing that the legislators need to think about is students who NEED a separate environment - not all students learn the same way, not all students have the same learning abilities; there are many students who need that separate space. Mainstreaming is great, but not all parents will put their children in an environment in which that child may be harassed because of a disability. NOT ALL CHILDREN ARE THE SAME. I'm sure I'm not the only teacher in this country to feel this way.
Maybe if the federal and state governments accorded us teachers our due respect (salary, etc.), then we would be able to have more resources to teach better, creating more integrative, interactive classrooms so parents won't need to home-school their children.
Public education vs. homeschooling
Submitted by Miss Wolfe (not verified) on March 19, 2008 - 20:18.
I have taught in public schools in 3 states - Maine, Arizona and now in New Hampshire. I still find the American public school system lacking in meeting the international AND national standards in math and science. I teach at the high school level - Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. Our current public school system does NOT prepare our children for vigorous courses in mathematics and science in order to compete technologically with other countries. I have students in my Algebra II class who STILL cannot perform long division!
I have found, however, that students who were home-schooled to be more prepared for college prep courses, more self-disciplined, and more respectful of education. Part of the problem is that the feds are increasing the standards for the students to meet but not setting the students up for success. Not much emphasis is made in mathematics and science at the elementary and middle school levels - if the teacher doesn't like math, then the students learn not to like math. This is a really horrible way to start off a child's education especially when strong math skills are so important in today's increasing technological world.
To take the parents' right away to educate their children thoroughly is not only unethical, but also plain stupid. (I'm not talking about un- intelligence.) These legislators are not really thinking about the best educational opportunities for the CHILDREN. Their actions bespeak their own selfishness, what they want, when they want it, and forget about everyone else's children who actually WANT TO LEARN. The whole point to NCLB is that EVERY child has a right to a GOOD education; if that education occurs out of the traditional classroom due to violence, disruptions, or some other threatening situation inside that classroom, then so be it. Another thing that the legislators need to think about is students who NEED a separate environment - not all students learn the same way, not all students have the same learning abilities; there are many students who need that separate space. Mainstreaming is great, but not all parents will put their children in an environment in which that child may be harassed because of a disability. NOT ALL CHILDREN ARE THE SAME. I'm sure I'm not the only teacher in this country to feel this way.
Maybe if the federal and state governments accorded us teachers our due respect (salary, etc.), then we would be able to have more resources to teach better, creating more integrative, interactive classrooms so parents won't need to home-school their children.