Comments on: Some good websites…and this and that http://principleddiscovery.com/2006/07/07/some-good-websitesand-this-and-that/ If the foundations be destroyed, what shall the righteous do? --Psalm 11:3 Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:10:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Dana http://principleddiscovery.com/2006/07/07/some-good-websitesand-this-and-that/#comment-398 Dana Sat, 08 Jul 2006 05:03:00 +0000 http://principleddiscovery.com/?p=191#comment-398 oh, yes. And fourth...if parents cared, they would make sure their school had the materials they needed, even if it meant bake sales. oh, yes. And fourth…if parents cared, they would make sure their school had the materials they needed, even if it meant bake sales.

]]> By: Dana http://principleddiscovery.com/2006/07/07/some-good-websitesand-this-and-that/#comment-397 Dana Sat, 08 Jul 2006 05:01:00 +0000 http://principleddiscovery.com/?p=191#comment-397 Thanks, Spunky! I don't get too many discussions going on in my comment box and rarely have much disagreement. I like discussion...but it is very difficult addressing arguments made against something I have never said. There is enough that a staunch public school supporter can say against any of my posts without continually attempting to say I'm saying/implying/believing something I have never said, implied or necessarily believed.<br/><br/>What is so threatening about parental involvement? It is twice as predictive of academic success as any other factor in education. Pointing out that it is strangely absent from all discussion of education reform is somehow the same as implying the eradication of an entire system? I believe that an increase in parental recognition of their own responsibility in education would solve all of our education problems. First, there is the obvious and immediate benefit of modelling to the children. I'm sure those 15% of Christian youth who managed to hold on to their faith through public schooling had involved parents. Their input is twice as important as any other factor, after all, and hence able to balance a lot more of the garbage than we might think. Second, there is the direct effect on the school. If every parent reviews assignments, texts and classroom materials, a lot of things would not be accepted and pressure would mount. Third, if parents really cared and really took responsibility, they would never allow the state or federal government this sort of control. Instead, they see a problem mounting in their schools, they are concerned and they go to their legislator. So the state gradually takes over because the parents defaulted, the local government defaulted, and someone has to take over. Thanks, Spunky! I don’t get too many discussions going on in my comment box and rarely have much disagreement. I like discussion…but it is very difficult addressing arguments made against something I have never said. There is enough that a staunch public school supporter can say against any of my posts without continually attempting to say I’m saying/implying/believing something I have never said, implied or necessarily believed.

What is so threatening about parental involvement? It is twice as predictive of academic success as any other factor in education. Pointing out that it is strangely absent from all discussion of education reform is somehow the same as implying the eradication of an entire system? I believe that an increase in parental recognition of their own responsibility in education would solve all of our education problems. First, there is the obvious and immediate benefit of modelling to the children. I’m sure those 15% of Christian youth who managed to hold on to their faith through public schooling had involved parents. Their input is twice as important as any other factor, after all, and hence able to balance a lot more of the garbage than we might think. Second, there is the direct effect on the school. If every parent reviews assignments, texts and classroom materials, a lot of things would not be accepted and pressure would mount. Third, if parents really cared and really took responsibility, they would never allow the state or federal government this sort of control. Instead, they see a problem mounting in their schools, they are concerned and they go to their legislator. So the state gradually takes over because the parents defaulted, the local government defaulted, and someone has to take over.

]]> By: Spunky http://principleddiscovery.com/2006/07/07/some-good-websitesand-this-and-that/#comment-396 Spunky Sat, 08 Jul 2006 04:24:00 +0000 http://principleddiscovery.com/?p=191#comment-396 I thought you handled Tracy very well. NCLB is a sticky issue. The biggest problem is that people are isolating it out instead of seeing it as part of a larger reform sweeping through the nation. Further, many who critique it look at it from the vantage point of what is best for the child. That's not the main thrust of NCLB and therefore will give a very inaccruate picture of its success. From the stand point of the state it is hugely successful. "Failing" schools and districts boards are being taken over without voter approval. Local school boards in general are just figure head postions but without any control of what is really going on in their district. So NCLB and and its reform is humming right along doing what it was intended to do. Remove education from the local level and hoist it up the ladder to the state and federal level. That's why you won't see much parental involvement. All the decisions are being made at a level they never speak to. I thought you handled Tracy very well. NCLB is a sticky issue. The biggest problem is that people are isolating it out instead of seeing it as part of a larger reform sweeping through the nation. Further, many who critique it look at it from the vantage point of what is best for the child. That’s not the main thrust of NCLB and therefore will give a very inaccruate picture of its success. From the stand point of the state it is hugely successful. “Failing” schools and districts boards are being taken over without voter approval. Local school boards in general are just figure head postions but without any control of what is really going on in their district. So NCLB and and its reform is humming right along doing what it was intended to do. Remove education from the local level and hoist it up the ladder to the state and federal level. That’s why you won’t see much parental involvement. All the decisions are being made at a level they never speak to.

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