21 replies to this topic

[Lisa S]

Every year we endeavor to protect children from various forms of child abuse. Why? Because we've learned that the anxiety, stress and fear left caused by physical and emotional abuse are deep and long-lasting.
However, every year almost 20% of the children we send to school suffer undue anxiety, stress and fear simply because they do not learn the same way as the other 80%.
These children are not disabled or ill-behaved or broken, yet they are shamed, ridiculed, embarrassed and set apart only because the approach to learning that works for the majority of children does not work for them.
If it sounds like I'm blaming teachers, the answer is an emphatic, NO! Teachers are in a no-win situation assigned to an impossible task--to educate 20 or 30 unique children using one basic approach to learning.
On the surface, it appears that we have all these different methods available to teach children, but what we fail to recognize is that the fundamental nature of all these methods is skewed to a very specific style of learning. While these methods will accommodate about 80% of children, they are the very antithesis of how the other 20% of children learn.
It is difficult to predict the exact outcome for the children who suffer year after year of shame, stress, ridicule and embarrassment, however, if we consider the long-term effects of physical or emotional child abuse, the prognosis does not look good.
So what can be done? Get these children help. Stop assuming that just because a child doesn't learn like other children he or she is broken or stupid.

[SacKen]

Agreed. The entire education system is broken. It assumes everyone is the same. Teaches them all the same way and pushes them down the same path. Unfortunately, the minute you start separating children into groups (you learn this way, they learn another way; some take a college prep path in high school, others take a vocational/skilled labor path) you will get lawsuits from the stupid parents that care more about "labels" than the actual education and success of their children.

Also, the abuse, which was your point in this thread, would not necessarily stop. You can't effectively teach multiple styles in the same classroom. So you would end-up with some level of segregation. Treating the kids differently will still lead to abuse. Those will be the kids in the "special" class, etc. One way to help with this is to have entire schools dedicated to certain teaching methods.

I'd also like to point out that some districts do support the opposite; special classes, schools and teaching methods for the kids that are ahead of and are bored with the standard curriculum and teaching methods. When I was going through Sac City Unified, they had things like the GATE program, "Academies" in Jr/Sr High Schools, and elementary schools that were similar to the "academy" programs at the upper levels.

[Revolutionist]

Or, be a parent.
take responsibility for your child's education
understand your child's particular learning needs
and find the right fit. Be that public, private, homeschool, individual tutors, or whatever it takes.

You can't rely upon a system of any type to bend and twist around any single individual's needs.

If what you are calling abuse is indeed abuse, it is parent inflicted for forcing the child into a system that cannot meet his/her needs.

[SacKen]

Private school, home schooling, and tutors probably aren't a viable solution for most families these days. Besides, you already pre-pay for the public system, so we should be able to get our money's worth out of the effing thing! Otherwise, stop making me pre-pay and/or let me spend my education dollars how I wish. That's another discussion, though.

So, assuming you are pretty much stuck with public school and a system that forces you to go to a specific school, your options as a parent seem pretty limited. (This is all based on my general understanding, considering I don't have a school age child, yet.)

Nobody is talking about the extreme of catering to each individual. That would be nonsense and impossible. It is completely viable, however, to have more than one path/program that all must fit into.

The system in Finland is one of the most successful in the world. I don't know about the teaching techniques used, but the system at least supports the concept that not everyone is college-bound, and teaches them to be successful with the skills they have. They also spend a lot less than the US does, per child.

I firmly believe that everyone has something they are really good at. Our system is just not setup to find it and bring it out of them. Instead, we have a system that leads to many kids feeling lost and disenchanted by the time they get half-way through high school.

[mylo]

Mmmhmm.. education vouchers.

[Lisa S]

I firmly believe that everyone has something they are really good at. Our system is just not setup to find it and bring it out of them. Instead, we have a system that leads to many kids feeling lost and disenchanted by the time they get half-way through high school.

The funny thing is the technology to understand how children learn exists NOW! Every salesman worth his salt is able to "decode" a potential client's communication style, values and decision-making process. A similar technology is used by NLC Learning Specialists to identify a child's learning style and learning strategies.

It's not about segregating children into separate tracks. It's about simply taking the time and effort to understand and honor the child. In the years I've been involved with helping children and adults overcome learning challenges, I've never seen any evidence that an institution (such as our school system) can provide the individual attention required to understand and honor a child that doesn't fit the system.

I do agree with a previous comment that the parents are ultimately responsible. But they need to know that they don't need to settle--that help is available.

[amandarude]

This makes me sad

[asbestoshills]

While the public school system is broke, I think parents are to blame at least partially...We allow the schools to not take our child to a higher level of thinking/learning. The other day my son was learning how to look at blood cells through a microscope...How about taking it to the next level and have a guest speaker, go to a research lab, etc...The schools are rudimentary introductions to many subjects without really going into depth on any particular subject. Grammar is one of those subjects and cursive handwriting that are really evolving. I would call it grammar lite now and cursive as a choice at elementary, excluding the 3rd grade....Now, my son has an option and he just learned how to write cursive well in 3rd grade....Teachers don't like to decipher it....

[bookwom]

People, people, its just Lisa again trying to sell her "product", whatever it is.

[asbestoshills]

What is she selling? Because I don't think she's doing a very good job....Is this a product placement blog? She should try selling it to Folsom Cordova...oh yeah, they're broke!

[Bill Z]

I'm glad that I am able to sacrifice saving for my retirement at the moment to pay for private school for a few years. But in 4 years at the most, my son will have to enter the public school system. I look forward to the day with mixed emotions.

I sure wish I could voucher the $10K per year, I expect vouchers may get approved after I am in a situation to no longer benefit from them.

[bookwom]

What is she selling? Because I don't think she's doing a very good job....Is this a product placement blog? She should try selling it to Folsom Cordova...oh yeah, they're broke!

This is the same poster that complained about the "barbaric" practice of pre-testing. Now its "child abuse". Turns out, this is what "Lisa" is selling.

Gerald Hughes, Director
Neuro-Linguistic Learning Center
"We make learning easy, fast and fun."

Sweet mother of pearl, if you have a good product to sell, then sell it. But quit coming on this forum without identifying yourself as a rep for this company, using incendiary language about our public school system.

More than likely, you have a good service to provide that would be of great value to many parents in Folsom. But the way you are going about it shows a lack of integrity that makes me unlikely to seek out your services.

[Al Waysrite]

I've said it before and it bears repeating:

John you should set up a new forum "Whining about the schools"

[mylo]

I've said it before and it bears repeating:

John you should set up a new forum "Whining about the schools"

If we made subforums for everything people whine about, this site would be unnavigable.