I know that many people believe that our school districts are not working for our children anymore. However, I believe differently. I think that as parents we are taking less responsibility in the teaching of our children and we need to step up. I am as guility as anyone else. In the last year or so, I have noticed that I have slacked off of being so demanding and insuring that my children are doing all they can to have a successful future. I got caught up in my own classes and the things that I needed to get done. Our teachers can not do it all, we have to be willing to put in the effort for our children. I have created a plan for our family and it has been working well. My step-son came to live with us 2 years ago. He had been making C's and D's and he is now making A's, B's and only a few C's. Children need to be encouraged and made to believe that they can do it. They need to understand that regardless of the past they can succeed. Some may call what we do as bribing children but if it is working then I will continue to do it. We give them $5 for an A, $3 for a B, nothing for a C, they owe us $5 for a D, and $10 for an F. However, if they receive a 0 on a paper, they owe us $10. This is for each 0 they get on papers. They originally were coming home with 10 or more 0, because to them it didn't matter because they had made a B in the class but now it does matter because it costs them money. The money they owe they have to either pay in cash, by working it off, or a combination of the two. I encourage every parent to come up with some kind of plan to help their child to succeed. Take responsibility for their education!
3 comments:
Wow, that's a really great system. I don't have kids yet but I will definately incorporate something like that to motivate my kids to do well in school. I also agree that parents can't put all the responsibility on teachers and administrators, they have to be active in the lives of their children and communicate with teachers in order for their children to get the most out of school.
I have a system too similar with no pay back options but then mine are still young. I am glad to hear that you think that parents are responsible for their children's education. Without some care from those that the child holds dearest, their parents, then the child is with less hope.
Although I agree that our kids need our support (as parents) to succeed in school. However, I am a little leery of paying kids for grades. This doesn't help develop their enjoyment of learning for learning's sake.
However, a bigger concern for me is your belief that our schools are not a problem. No, we cannot generalize and say that all schools are bad, that all our children are getting an inadequate education. However, we also cannot generalize that all our children's learning challenges stem from lack of parent involvement.
When I was working on my education degree, I had personal experience in school's that lacked resources and were failing some of our more seriously challenged students. Something really does need to be done about the distribution of school funding, as well as about oversight of programs meant to give a hand up to students of low SES, minority students, and students with learning challenges. If a kid is hungry, it is much more difficult for him to concentrate in school and learn. If a kid is being treated as second-rate because of skin color (yes, it does still happen), she may be discouraged from making any effort. If a kid doesnt' receive the prescribed assistance for their personal challenge to learning - physical, mental, or emotional - they are much less likely to succeed.
Listen, I could go on, but I won't. I just think that it is impossible to lay the blame for students' problems at the feet of one group of people.
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