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Note to Politicians: If you say vouchers won't work, you need to explain, if you send your kids to private school. why poor folks should not have the same opportunity of school choice that you have? This includes elected officials, and school administrators. Before you tout the public education line, explain to us where your kids go to school, and WHY.
On the one hand, public schools seem to focus entirely too much on the lowest common denominators in the school system. If their focus was on the better students, those at the bottom would start to rise. But if you constantly teach to lowest levels, the smart kids are done for. And school district run charter schools may fix some of that, but the politics of these schools is overwhelming.
Now, for $5,000, you can get a good private school education. Yet, in Laredo, our schools spend nearly $10,000 per student. Yes, I understand that the private schools are very selective and get rid of those kids that do not want to learn. Maybe, just maybe they have an idea that we need to really investigate.
That being the idea that there is always a group of students (I use the term loosely) who could care less about school and spend their entire time in class rooms being disruptive. Enough already. We need ditch diggers and other persons to fill menial task that no one else wants to do. Just ask those that preach about illegal immigration. They tell us there are millions of these jobs to that Americans do not want.
So, try this....if a kid is disruptive early in their school career, sent the kid out to do a few days work at a job like ditch digging, picking crops, whatever job requires little education (there are not many left.) If that does not scare them straight, and their parents don't care enough to be involved in their schooling, it is time to let them go. I know, then these kids might become wards of the state (prison/welfare, etc...) But, hey, that is happening now at an alarming rate.
Or how about this: If you are a student and you do not get a high school diploma, you will not be eligible for welfare. None. Would this be a valid incentive for some?
How about we give new ideas a try? What can it hurt?
What say you?
Dr. Nelson from LISD recognizes that the more talented students are ignored, for the lack of a better word, because teachers have to focus more on the ones who are struggling. Extra help and attention for those who are at risk of falling through the cracks is necessary, but we have to recognize and reward those that are excelling too.
ReplyDeleteI'll tell you one thing: if we had the south library open, I'd think about tutoring students on weekends.
KeyRose...any word yet on why the south library is not done? Time delays are a waste of money, and usually end up costing extra to complete.
DeletePoor management is the normal reason for construction delays.
While I cringed at your suggestion of sending kids out to do ditch digging, there is a major problem in the schools that will only be solved by radical change like your idea. So in the spirit of looking for better ideas, I will keep an open mind that perhaps your ideas would work. I do see, however that many of the kids who are doing poorly in the schools are kids that could excel of they were more challenged. The advantage to the charter school in Laredo (which is not run by either district) is that the kids who have trouble keeping up academically end up leaving, allowing the school to concentrate on the higher achieving children. This can be seen as sad for those who need extra attention, because we'd like to think that we should accommodate them and help every child achieve. However, it does create more opportunity for the teachers to offer challenges to the higher achieving children. The lowest common denominator is raised. Without those challenges, you will find bright, highly intelligent kids (and future inventors of innovation) being sent to dig ditches because they are no longer engaged in the classroom and are therefore getting poor rades.
ReplyDeleteTom- I was happy to see that your post was shared for discussion in a Laredo Schools and Education Forum I administer...It is a great piece for people to launch discussion, regardless of agreement. I tend to agree with Lisa- I believe that some kids who do poorly are not doing poorly because they don't care- so many factors could contribute to their poor performance- and one of them could easily be that they, themselves, have never been challenged to find that they possess something great. They may not believe they have it in them to achieve. To help show a child that takes resources- and there is a circular problem.
ReplyDeleteLisa and Tricia; I understand your concerns for the kid that cannot learn because of issues at home, or other issue that impede learning. I agree there needs to be attention paid to that child.
ReplyDeleteHowever, by teaching to the level of the problem child, we are forgetting those that strive to be the best. This is why many parents choose to send their kids to private school if they can afford to do so.
This string is about those who cannot afford it, and have to send their children to the schools that are lacking in performance.
Are those kids any less valuable than the child with learning problems. I say no, and the parents should be allowed a choice.
PS, isn't the idea of a school board running a charter school a squandering of money, in that you get the same administration, same teacher pool, same codes of conduct, etc. that the school board decides on.