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The Role of the Parent in Education

Sun, 2006-02-12 15:12 — GreenT

A lot of people see faults with our public education system and blame the teachers or the administration, but where does the parent fit into the scheme of everything?

There are some parents who don't care what their children do in class, or how they do in class and then the teacher has to not only teach the children about the subjects, but deal with the disciplinary problems.

I think parents should take more responsibility for the actions of their children, because they are the one's who have let them get away with their behaviors. Teachers shouldn't have to deal with disciplinary problems.

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Mon, 2006-02-13 16:19 — Alexis

Parents Role

Parents are supposed to be concerned about their children. They are supposed to be concerned with what influences them and what opportunities they can provide to them.

Some parents, propably wouldn't make good homeschool teachers, because they have too many projects in their lives. Or maybe they haven't learned patience. Or maybe their kids wouldn't want to be homeschooled.

Sometimes public school or private school is a better option, but I think kids should have the right to chose and parents should know about their kid well enough to know that their kid isn't happy in their current situation.

Public schools do have a responsibility to treat each child that attends as their own and understand what's making them happy and ready to learn or what makes them unhappy and detracts from learning. If they can't do that then they fall way short of being what they should be.

Tue, 2006-02-14 00:28 — GreenT

Teacher's Role

Teacher's do try to get to know each child that attends their class. In elementary school they have the same teacher all year long and are able to build a better relationship with them.

Middle school and High school are designed differently, because children at this age are older and more independent. They don't need to have a one-teacher security.

Wed, 2006-02-15 12:06 — GreenT

Personal Uniqueness

I think what is important to realize is that not all teachers can accomodate every child, but they do try. Just as every child is unique, every teacher is unique as well.

Wed, 2006-02-15 12:10 — mDad

School Un-uniqueness

Every person is unique, but why do all school systems have to teach the same thing?

Wed, 2006-02-15 03:32 — 2Trouble2

Re: Teacher's Role

I think all that the teachers know about my son is that he's a child with a behavior problem. Which isn't even true.

Tue, 2006-02-14 00:49 — mDad

Re: Teacher's Role

I don't think teachers get to know their students very well. None of my teachers new that I liked baseball. They never talked about baseball with me like the people that knew me did.

They were always too concerned that I didn't cross my t's or dot my i's.

Sun, 2006-02-12 17:01 — Rashlien

School Control

I think parents do have the ultimate responsibility for how their child's education plays out. That's why so many parents are homeschooling their kids now.

What parent's don't have control over is how a teacher teaches or what kind of attention a child gets in school. Or what subjects are gone over. Really parents don't have any control over what goes on in a public school. So when there are problems it does come down to the teachers and the administration, because they are the one's in control.

Children are going to test authority at school the same way they do at home and if they find ways to make their life easier or find ways to have more control of a situation they are going to take it.

Tue, 2006-02-14 00:23 — GreenT

Re: School Control

People don't have control over every aspect of their lives. Subjects in school can be taught differently by different teachers and teachers learn in school and while teaching about different ways to make what they teach effectively learned by different students.

It's not fair to blame the teacher if they are still learning to adapt to each child's need. Their ultimate goal is to present a topic in a way every child will learn about it.

It's also important that children learn to learn from different teaching methods. This will help them in the future as well.

Tue, 2006-02-14 00:53 — mDad

No Student Control

School doesn't give students or parents control as to what the student learns about or how a student learns.

If a student doesn't learn a particular way why continue to teach him that way? Why can't a student say they don't like something and then continue to be forced to learn it?

Mon, 2006-02-13 01:10 — 2Trouble2

Re: School Control

I completely agree, because that is what my son has been doing at school. He doesn't have the problem of disrespecting me at home and he follows instructions and rules at home as well.

Tue, 2006-02-14 00:54 — mDad

Child's Frustration

If you do look at private schools they may have the same problem as public schools.

Homeschooling offers a lot better opportunities to reduce your child's frustration.

Wed, 2006-02-15 03:33 — 2Trouble2

Re: Child's Frustration

I'm definately considering homeschooling now. My husband I just need to figure out how to live on one income.

Wed, 2006-02-15 03:54 — mDad

Financial Suggestions

Working part-time may be an option if you can afford to live off of your husbands income.

Wed, 2006-02-15 04:06 — Rashlien

More Financial Suggestions

My husband got a job working from home for a web hosting company.

There are real legitimate work from home jobs. Be careful though, because there are a lot more bogus work from home jobs.

Sun, 2006-02-12 16:00 — mDad

Re: the Role of Parents in Education

I don't see it as being completely a teacher fault or adminstrations fault, but a systems fault.

Parents definately play an important role in a child's life and I don't think you'll get any argument from parents in this forum.

And yes it's true some parents don't discipline their children the way they should. Some of this goes back to their upbringing and how they were taught. Maybe they were disciplined only by their teachers and they think that is how a child should learn.

Educating parents on how to be parents is important, but how can a parent learn to be a parent if they don't enjoy learning?