There has been a discussion going on for a couple of months that has created a bit of a stir. It seems that a couple of people who have been heralded by the education community (a.k.a. the people who think kids need Common Core) as being quite brilliant have come to the conclusion that parental involvement in a child’s education makes little to no difference at all.
If I had the chance to speak with these esteemed academics, I would suggest that perhaps they shift their focus. Instead of studying how what happens at home influences performance, they might want to look at what happens at school. This might shine a light on the true source of America’s education problem. As long as we keep grouping kids by age and using the lecture and textbook method in a multisensory world, we are in trouble – but that would be a whole new article for another day.
More troubling to me is that the study suggests that to be successful in our quest to “Race to the Top” and assure that ‘No Child is Left Behind” students would be better off spending more time in school and less time with their family.
I don’t have any special grants in order to do extensive research but it does seem that our education system was in far better shape in the days when the family was valued and before we began giving the US Department of Education so much reach.
Do the authors only hope for automaton children gifted in memorizing facts, figures and dates? The article suggests parents should impress upon their child that education is important, then leave them be. Having seen some examples of common core curriculum, I can understand the desire educators might have to keep parents from seeing what the kids are studying, but I do not agree with their advice. For a young adult to find true success after they leave school, they need parents who will teach them how to find answers to problems and to impart the values that will carry them through their lives.
I was always on the honor roll, but my grades never meant much once I got past my first job interview. After that, it was my responsibility to show that I could work as a member of a team, be respectful of others, be counted on to show up when I was scheduled, treat clients with dignity and respect, continue to learn and grow in my field, and be an asset to the people who signed my paycheck. I didn’t learn any of these things in a school building.
School is where I first learned about class system, cliques, and conformity. The lucky ones were elevated, others flew under the radar, and the truly unfortunate were systematically destroyed by their peers – picked apart piece by piece until they would dread waking up to face another day. Classroom achievement was okay for nerds or geeks, but the most esteemed classmates are often mediocre. Most of us leave our alma maters relieved to be done with it. It is smart to wait ten years for a reunion because, like childbirth, we need time to pass before we can look back on it with any kind of fondness.
These are not the things I learned at home. When I was with my family I saw my parents treat people with dignity because that is what they deserved, not because we had preplanned diversity lessons. We simply lived this way without consciously separating people into niches based on their income, race, or ethnicity.
I learned my most valuable life skills under my own roof. My father taught me honesty, integrity, and work ethic, along with practical matters like how to fix things and to stay safe. My mother taught me faith, compassion, homemaking, and the importance of having a few solid female friends. Both parents taught me about service and sacrifice. I learned how to recognize and honor heroes. My parents were the people who always answered the call, always showed up, and always found a way to make the important things happen even when it didn’t seem possible. I knew they always had my back.
I was one of four siblings, and I can assure you that this has also been a tremendous asset. We learned about loyalty – because no matter what happened at home, if you messed with one of my siblings my blood would boil. We had one television – so I learned how wonderful it was to escape into a good book and how to share a limited resource. There was also one bathroom and one hot water heater for the four of us, so anyone who wanted a hot shower before school had to come up with a well executed plan. The family dinner table was where anyone who hoped to have their case heard picked up great debating skills. I could go on and on, but you get the idea.
When I entered the work force, I always did well. I quickly became a leader and a person who was trusted and valued. This had a lot more to do with what my parents taught me than anything I ever learned in a classroom.
It is my opinion that the US Department of Education is overrated.
