Politicians, corporate leaders, and community groups such as the UIA all believe that they have a pathway to achieving the goal: “Great Schools - Great Teachers.”
A recent Standard Times editorial dated January 29, 2012 titled,” Our View: Innovation schools should be part of the big picture” states, “a disinterested or unengaged population of parents will be a drag on every well-laid plan, as is the case today.” Unfortunately these views don't provide effective solutions to the problems and their analyses don’t reflect the total picture and are misleading.
The parents are the foundation for student improvement and success. The parents are the first teachers of children. It is the parents we need to involve, not criticize for being “a drag on every well-laid plan”. It is the parents we need to engage in their children’s education and help them find the time and the knowledge to do so. It is the parents we need to honor for their efforts.
The editorial states that “the principles that underpin the guidelines take into account the diversity of the population, the need for parental involvement, the necessity of cost-neutrality, and budget transparency and fairness regarding the city’s other schools.” These are the principles of every public school in New Bedford.
The administration and the teachers of New Bedford are dedicated to providing the most productive learning environment for the children of New Bedford.
The small autonomous school initiative that the UIA is promoting ties student success to high stakes standardized testing. This is not the key to meaningful student success.
I believe in public education for all children that develops well-informed, independent, and participating citizens.
I believe that all children should be afforded the same opportunities to learn and to grow as individuals.
I believe that the teachers and administrators nurture, engage, and challenge the students in a constructive way every day in every school.
As educators we know that there are very different pathways to student success. As educators we know that the individual student's needs must be recognized to achieve success. As educators we know that collaboration, cooperation, and commitment among teachers, administration, and parents are the keys to student success.
The structure of public schools may not be perfect; but it is inclusive.
I urge the UIA to work within the system to achieve what we all want: student growth and success.
The administration, the support staff, and the teachers of New Bedford challenge the UIA to work within the current structure to ask those who are in the schools every day.
I would suggest that the UIA ask these questions: What can we do to help you do your job better? What can we do to help parents become engaged in the schools for their children’s success? What can we do to improve student attendance?
3 comments:
DESE and Mayor Mitchell need to walk in our shoes for awhile and then tell me how to change things. It's easy to make plans on paper.Come see what we deal with. The problems start at home. Get on the parents who don't value education and like the welfare checks!!
The problem arises with babies having babies... they have not grown and matured themselves to appreciate and respect what a good education can do for you. Unfortunatle, our society has enabled a behavior that continues to perpetuate itself. Why go to school, get an education when I can stay home and get a check in the mail? We need to change the social service system and hold people more accountable for their actions, rather than allow them to point the finger elsewhere and "expect" to be taken care of.
Attendance, attendance, attendance! You can't educate someone who's not there. Furthermore, the state and federal government have to support inner city schools with more than $, they have to take benefits away from these people that allow their children to wreak havoc in our schools. Stop the blame game and address the real problem.
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