Parents are useful, but not always reliable third parties to the
education of their children.
"Parents" may be
never identified (missing dads)
overwhelmed (recent immigrants, grandparents, sick)
screw-ups
MIA (jailed <sometimes innocently>, in Iraq, etc.)
Dead
Substitutes (institutions, less than stellar foster parents, etc.)
In Philadelphia (and most major cities) it is a given that most competent
parents will make sacrifices to keep their kids out of the local, public
high schools.
A tiny percentage will be able to get the brightest kids into 'magnet'
schools,
which further dilutes the percentage of capable parents for more average
Home & School associations and in home support situations.
As a society we need to explore plausible solutions, not based on third
parties, even when the third parties are parents.
Written School contracts are between:
Society (Taxpayers & Voters) & School Administrators
School Boards & Contractors (for Books, Buildings,Teachers, Staffs,
etc.)
There is also an implied contract between Teachers & Students
(Teach-Learn).
How do we make sure our Tax Dollars are spent efficiently and
effectively?
How do we cut redundancy and waste?
How do we maximize staff?
How can things be changed so that kids (and teachers) are safe?
How do we identify dead wood among teachers and staff?
How do we cut the dead wood?
How do we attract and maintain quality educators?
How do we get more and more capable people into classrooms and study
halls?
How do we choose and get the best values on books and other supplies?
Today I polled family and friends to ask what do High School kids need
and want for success.
The kids mentioned the following qualities.
Most frequent are at the top.
Easily understood rules,
consistently applied
Reduction in pointless arbitrary rules
Freedom to follow interesting ideas beyond the curriculum.
Respectable Teachers
Honesty
Intelligence
Behavior
Appearance
Divisions by ability
with students split over tracks
(so that classes like Art I included best artists
not just kids with highest GPAs).
Challenges
Extracurricular opportunities
Sports inter- and intra- mural
Music
Theater
Chess
Social functions, including opposite sex
Money Security -
Books and opportunities available to all,
not just wealthier kids
Good physical plant
(This was more about personal space (desks and lockers) and
gyms and activity rooms
than about fresh paint or new floors.
Safe environment (more utopian ideal than via Security people or
devices)
Good multimedia center, library and books
Goals and support in reaching them
No one mentioned clothes or uniforms for kids.
But, a few kids thought teachers should dress more professionally.
The only gripe about lunch was when it was assigned as a 1st, 2nd, 7th or
8th period of the day.
Kids don't want a stretch of more than 4 hours without a food break, but
several claimed their schedules were designed so that "Lunch" was as
early as 9:30 AM or so late they could skip it and leave school early.
The funny thing was the adults came up with a very similar list, but in
reverse order.
And, I thought the kids might have gotten the order more right.
The adult males all put
"chicks"
at the top of their list of what they needed more of in High School.
Sorry Dan :-) They were probably all breeders or closet cases.
All the adults tended to use the word "justice" as something that was
needed, but when pushed, I couldn't clearly track intention.
Several of the Adults mentioned Health screening and in-school access to
needed vaccines, OTC supplies for minor infections and infestations.
Each Adult thought "happiness" was a "need".
But no teen used any word equivalent to "happy" but did seek relief from
"frustration" and a desire for even handed "discipline".
Even though I do not send my kids to public school, I
do pay taxes,
have volunteered in public schools
have donated supplies and money to public schools
have coached and mentored public school kids.
And I believe all adults share a social responsibility, to kids and to
ourselves, to improve public schools.
Sincerely,
Liz
Elizabeth Campion Cell Phone: 215-880-2930
215-546-0550 Main, -546-9871 fax, Desk + VM: 215-790-5653
PRUDENTIAL, FOX & ROACH REALTORS, LLC
Please read Consumer Notice & enjoy "HOME PILOT" tools at
www.PruFoxRoach.com
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