Boy, I love my local paper, the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Whenever I go to paint a room at my house (at the direction, of course, of my lovely bride) it's great for putting under the roller pan to make sure I don't get any drips on the floor.
Their editorial opinions, though, are somewhat lacking. In today's paper, for example, I find this editorial, all about ongoing testing for third graders in Georgia schools. The story is this: In Georgia this year, all third graders are currently taking the CRCT (Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests). The tests judge a third grader's competency on reading and on understanding what they read. If a child does not pass the test, then they have to go to summer school, and then get a second chance to pass. A second failure means the child has to retake third grade.
The bottom line of the editorial (emphasis mine):
Supporters of retention counter that holding children back is at least better than promoting children who can't do the work, the dreaded "social promotion." But retention and social promotion are not the only two choices; they're just the easiest and least complicated responses to children who aren't performing at grade level.What works best for struggling learners is smaller class sizes and individual attention. Ideally, if they receive one-on-one attention at summer school, many Georgia third-graders may be able to move ahead with their classes when school resumes in August.
Even without the results from this week's reading tests, most teachers can predict the one or two students in their class who will not pass. They knew these children had fallen behind months ago, but they couldn't take time away from the other 24 kids in the class to give the slower-progressing students the concentrated help they needed to catch up.
Gee, so students who receive one-on-one attention have a higher likelihood of moving forward with the rest of their class. Teachers in a class don't have the time to concentrate on the students who are falling behind. The solution the AJC seems to be promoting is smaller class sizes and hiring more teachers to help those students that are falling behind. In other words, throw more money down the education sewer hole in the hopes that those students will improve.
I have a better idea. Why don't the parents of those children who are not doing well in school get off their lazy asses and take an interest in what and how their children are learning? In other words, if your child is failing in school, then you are failing as a parent.
I've talked about this before, but I am a parent of a third grader in Georgia. My child is currently taking the test. Am I worried? No. I have been reading to my kids since before they were old enough to babble. I take an interest in what they are doing in school, talk to them about it every day, and help them with their homework and lessons. For my Georgia third grader, I have gone over a sample version of the questions she will face on the test, and discussed with her any questions that she has. In other words, I give both of my children the one-on-one attention that just about any student needs in order to succeed.
My second child is a kindergartner at the same school. I've seen her flourish too this year, becoming a prolific reader. Her kindergarten teacher, for crying our loud, told me that she wants my six year old to start writing five paragraph sentences with an opening idea, three supporting sentences, and a closing sentence. Nine months ago, pretty much all this kid could write was her name and a few basic words. Six months ago, all she could read were very basic books.
So while I am happy with the job the school is doing, all I believe they are doing is giving her the opportunity to succeed. Her mother and I do our jobs by getting her ready to learn, emphasized the importance of school, and most importantly, give her and her big sister the one-on-one time and attention that every child needs - but not that every parent provides.
So parents, if you are worried about your child's education, then put down the remote control and take an interest.
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