Seeing that the public education system is getting a lot of attention lately, I wanted to share some of my observations of the public school system in Seattle, WA. I am not a teacher and I am not employed or connected to the public school system in any way other than that I have three children that currently attend Seattle public schools. My two daughters are high schoolers and my son is a middle schooler. All three of my kids came up through the Seattle public school system since kindergarten. I have a lot of opinions on this subject based on my own experience from my own perspective. Please feel free to comment regarding your own experiences with the public school system in your part of the country.
Observation #1 - Teachers know their job better than anyone.
I have had many in depth conversations with most of my children's teachers about their curriculum. What I have repeatedly discovered is that once you get to talking with them, it becomes quite clear that there is a lot of thought and planning that goes into each lesson. The teachers I've met teach with an intelligent purpose. It's not just random stuff. It also becomes clear that teachers are required to teach specific things required by the school district. There seems to be some freedom given to teachers in the sense that they are free to teach a lesson in the way they want to, as long as the child learns what the district wants them to learn. In my opinion, this is probably the best mix of ensuring an approved curriculum is being taught without completely taking away a teacher's freedom and creativity.
Observation #2 - The schools are always broke.
This is something that pisses me off to no end. There have been property tax hikes in the name of public school funding, there have been state lotteries created for school funding, there has been presidential promises for school funding but none of it is enough. No matter what we do, it seems the schools are always broke. Who's getting all the money? I don't think it's the teachers or the schools. I've been in many teachers' homes and I also see what kinds of cars they drive. These are not rich people we're talking about. More like lower-middle class. And the kids have to hold fundraiser after fundraiser to try and pay for the things that the school can't afford. So, my question is, where is all the public school money from the property taxes and the lottery going? I'll tell you where it isn't going... it isn't going to schools or teachers.
Observation #3 - The student assessment tests stress everyone out for two weeks every year.
Teachers get stressed out and this stress carries over to the students whenever it's time to do these assessment tests. Many teachers and principals know their jobs, income or school funding may be on the line. As an outsider looking in, this is a sad thing to watch. The federal government needs to stop this practice of assessment for funding purposes because it is an inaccurate (and therefore useless) measuring stick that hurts both teachers and students alike. I would love to see assessment tests given to members of congress, however.
Observation #4 - The quality of education is better than it was when I was in school.
For example, did you know there are several different methods for multiplying numbers? I didn't, until my son showed me. He knows three different methods to solve multiplication problems! How cool is that? There is also a much bigger emphasis on reading than when I was in school. My daughters have read somewhere in the neighborhood of 350 books each! This is in large part due to a reading program they've been involved in since third grade, which was introduced through the public school system. I enjoy reading, but I doubt that I will ever read that many books in my life. Today's teachers have evolved and are able to explore a lesson from multiple angles to help students understand. Instead of memorizing instructions through repetition, children are taught to learn the concepts behind the instructions. Gone are the days of "parrot education" that we used to know (and not love) as kids.
Observation #5 - School lunches aren't very healthy.
Most of what a public school offers a kid to eat is unhealthy food. Why? Because it's cheap. Schools are very much at the mercy of the food supplier that was awarded the contract. I think this issue will eventually get more attention and will likely change over the next decade as parents demand better for their children. But as it stands right now, the food quality is pretty bad.
Observation #6 - There are a million legal forms to read/sign.
There are more legal forms for enrolling your child into a high school sport than there are when buying a house. I'm not kidding. I suspect that this is where a good chunk of that missing money is going; the school system's legal department and printing department. I also have to sign off on homework assignments every week. Schools understand that the parents need to be involved in their child's education so much so they force the parent to sign a child's homework.
Observation #7 - Students whose parents are actively involved with the schoolwork do far better than students whose parents pay no attention to the schoolwork.
I am actively involved in my children's homework. Every night I spend about an hour assisting my children and helping them understand their assignments. I never do their work for them but I will go as far as providing an example of what I would do. The results have been that my two daughters (the high schoolers) have had 4.0 GPAs for three years in a row now and my son (the middle schooler) tested in the top 10% of kids in the state in math and science. Forgive me for bragging, but considering that I was a high school drop out that hated school when I was younger, that's pretty darn amazing. The bottom line is that if parents put in the time, their child will do better in school. If they don't, they won't. Too many parents will get on their kid's case about getting the homework finished, yet will offer little or no help to their child. Prodding a child to do their homework isn't enough. Most of the time, a parent has to help them understand what they need to do and how to do it.
Observation #8 - Parents complain about schools and teachers too much.
Too many parents see schools and teachers as the culprit. It's never, "My child is a poor student because I don't spend time teaching them." Instead, it's always, "My child is a poor student because of the teachers and the school system." The lack of parental involvement and responsibility is staggering. Parents need to see the school as their partner in educating their child. Not as the one solely responsible for the quality of their child's education. The government provides parents with a building full of classrooms, supplies, equipment, college educated and state-certified professional teachers whose sole purpose is to help their child learn reading, writing and math. The schools and teachers already do 90% of the work for parents. Maybe even 95%. But without that 5% to 10% that is a parent's responsibility, a child's chances and opportunities diminish greatly. In my opinion, parents need to stop blaming the school system and go look in the mirror instead.
In summary, it is my belief that schools and teachers are doing the best job they can, given the circumstances. I would recommend that the federal government stop the practice of assessment tests to determine funding. Each child should be allotted an equal amount of money towards their education. It's only fair. I also believe that parents need to be held more accountable. Not helping a struggling child with homework is neglect. Child neglect. Also known as child abuse. Politicians are either too scared or too stupid to tell parents the truth. The bottom line is that most parents don't want to hear it's their own fault. They'd much rather blame schools or teachers. Until parents are forced to see the truth, public schools and the teachers that work for them will continue to be falsely accused, witch-hunted and scapegoated.