Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Location: Mableton, GA USA (NW Atlanta suburb, 4 miles OTP)
11,334 posts, read 26,092,084 times
Reputation: 3995
Advertisements
Quote:
Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay
As a foreigner from an academic family, I think the purpose of schools and colleges is (or ought to be) academic, and that athletics is a very minor secondary feature of any educational institution. Evidently there are a lot of Americans, perhaps particularly southerners, who see things differently. I've never attended a football game in my life, and I'd probably regard strong community interest in the school's football team as a negative, if anything.
But... if you can relate to a child, you have a better chance to motivate them. I realize that you cannot reach every child, and your focus should never solely be on "mothering" the children, but I think it is extremely important for a teacher establish a good relationship with his or her students. If a student feels comfortable in the classroom, comfortable enough that he or she can forget about whatever problems exist, then the student will have a better chance to learn. You can't expect a child to learn if they are constantly distracted by what's going on in their homelife.
I am not saying that we should be hugging and kissing our students and treating them as our own children, but I am saying that we (as teachers) need to create a comfortable learning environment.... one that will motivate children to want to come to school.
Unfortunately, when that attention takes up too much of the teacher's time, to the detriment of the other students (whose parents care and provide a good home), there is a problem.
Parental involvement is key for success, and when there is a high percentage of students without that involvement, then the achievements in education suffer. I agree with cmtiger that the schools cannot attempt to fill that gap without it affecting the quality of education for all students.
Thanks neil for the support. I think that children should be helped where possible and that there probably needs to be some sort of support network for families to help them get on the right track and to help "un-mothered" children feel "mothered." I just don't think that the place for that is a mainstream classroom. It's not fair to the other 23 children in the class whose parents are busting their rears to raise them properly when two children take up 90% of the teacher's time with their "mothering" needs. It's sad for the two children, but it's sadder for the other 23.
This helped me out quite a bit. I am a teacher trying to move to ATL. Thanks for the help.
There will be an entirely new school which is looking into teachers right here inside this neighborhood. check the site and ask main office at www.heronbayinfo.com
Thanks neil for the support. I think that children should be helped where possible and that there probably needs to be some sort of support network for families to help them get on the right track and to help "un-mothered" children feel "mothered." I just don't think that the place for that is a mainstream classroom. It's not fair to the other 23 children in the class whose parents are busting their rears to raise them properly when two children take up 90% of the teacher's time with their "mothering" needs. It's sad for the two children, but it's sadder for the other 23.
Aries... I don't work for City of Decatur nor do I have any decision making authority there, so the world is safe.
So, you think it's fair then? You think that the best solution is for the teacher to provide the social services needed by a kid and family right there during the school day? You don't think that a better and more effective solution is to help that kid/family outside of school and get them to a place where the kid can come to school ready to learn? You dont' think that the money is better spent on ensuring that the family can make a living wage? You don't think that programs that help stabilize families and solve drug/alcohol problems would help more? You don't think that the money would be better spent in a focused fashion rather than to keep pouring it into the classroom to a teacher who is having to solve social problems while at the same time trying to get through the curriculum - all during a 45 minute class period? Of course, Aries, the teacher should be compassionate and should make every child feel welcome. S/he should also make sure that the classroom culture is such that her students make every child feel welcome. However, s/he should not have to give up teaching (remember, s/he's called a "teacher") to do that.
I'm not being callous. If you think deeply enough you will see that. FYI, I have tutored kids every year as a volunteer for my school system. I also end up helping them solve some of their social problems while I'm at it. Thanks to tutors, a lot of kids come to class ready to learn and on the same page as the rest of their class - and the assistance they need happens outside of the teaching period. I do know what some of these kids are up against and I can tell you that no one is served well when you rely on one teacher to try to teach 25 kids and solve all the social problems of 2-5 of those kids. Much more could be accomplished by spending the money in programs to help the family and the kid outside of the school house. Would it solve everything all the time?... no. Nothing solves everything all the time. However, the current system merely works as a band-aid and solves far less.
Yes, there need to be counselors, special needs teachers, intervention specialists, etc... I am talking about the regular classroom though.
Aries... I don't work for City of Decatur nor do I have any decision making authority there, so the world is safe.
So, you think it's fair then? You think that the best solution is for the teacher to provide the social services needed by a kid and family right there during the school day? You don't think that a better and more effective solution is to help that kid/family outside of school and get them to a place where the kid can come to school ready to learn? You dont' think that the money is better spent on ensuring that the family can make a living wage? You don't think that programs that help stabilize families and solve drug/alcohol problems would help more? You don't think that the money would be better spent in a focused fashion rather than to keep pouring it into the classroom to a teacher who is having to solve social problems while at the same time trying to get through the curriculum - all during a 45 minute class period? Of course, Aries, the teacher should be compassionate and should make every child feel welcome. S/he should also make sure that the classroom culture is such that her students make every child feel welcome. However, s/he should not have to give up teaching (remember, s/he's called a "teacher") to do that.
I'm not being callous. If you think deeply enough you will see that. FYI, I have tutored kids every year as a volunteer for my school system. I also end up helping them solve some of their social problems while I'm at it. Thanks to tutors, a lot of kids come to class ready to learn and on the same page as the rest of their class - and the assistance they need happens outside of the teaching period. I do know what some of these kids are up against and I can tell you that no one is served well when you rely on one teacher to try to teach 25 kids and solve all the social problems of 2-5 of those kids. Much more could be accomplished by spending the money in programs to help the family and the kid outside of the school house. Would it solve everything all the time?... no. Nothing solves everything all the time. However, the current system merely works as a band-aid and solves far less.
Yes, there need to be counselors, special needs teachers, intervention specialists, etc... I am talking about the regular classroom though.
Point taken. Thank you.
I'm actually commenting on the paradigm shift that has happened in CSD (brought on by many of the "newbie parents"...not including you, of course...you actually have the spirit of the former CSD...I'll explain...).
CSD has been a victim (somewhat) of its own success. It was the sense of volunteerism, community-building, and "helping the disadvantaged", in the late 80's and 90's that helped save the system and later caused it to shine (this was especially the case with Clairemont Elementary...ask around the system and have someone tell you the story of the principal that served there from 1986 to 2001...much what "is" CSD today (ie. EL) goes back to what happened at Clairemont in the late 80's/early 90's).
Now, there are many of what some call "conservative-suburbanites-in-the-city" who want all of the benefits the system offers without putting in the effort/time required to make the system what it is (and without realizing how everything came to be!).
There are some who now cheer the changing demographics and the upcoming "refurbishing" of Allen Wilson Terrace and Swanton Heights.
It's just a little sad, really...and unfortunate.
(and don't even get me started on how most of the schools are now overcrowded {especially Glennwood...yikes!}...and how they will have to reconfigure all of the schools/districts, again!)
I thought I'd give a shout-out to Mabry Middle School in North-East Cobb.
Mabry Middle in Marietta named a blue ribbon school | ajc.com (http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/cobb/stories/2008/09/10/mabry_middle_school.html - broken link)
My daughter, now a high-school freshman, spent her middle-school years at Mabry. Mabry was an NCLB (No Child Left Behind) receiving school for the award year (2007-2008), and accepted a significant load of transfer students from other county schools that are failing under NCLB criteria. The teachers deserve a lot of credit for the good results out of this challenging integration.
I thought I'd give a shout-out to Mabry Middle School in North-East Cobb.
Mabry Middle in Marietta named a blue ribbon school | ajc.com (http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/cobb/stories/2008/09/10/mabry_middle_school.html - broken link)
My daughter, now a high-school freshman, spent her middle-school years at Mabry. Mabry was an NCLB (No Child Left Behind) receiving school for the award year (2007-2008), and accepted a significant load of transfer students from other county schools that are failing under NCLB criteria. The teachers deserve a lot of credit for the good results out of this challenging integration.
Great yet another fantastic East Cobb school! Congrats to MABRY!
I could speak volumes as to why the Atlanta Progressive Preschool is an excellent choice , yet I will try to keep it concise. The Atlanta Progressive Preschool is an excellent foundation on which my son can build his future educational pursuits. My four year old son Diego attends the Atlanta Progressive Preschool and he loves it! They use many educational philosophies of early childhood , including Reggio Emilia, Montessori and Waldorf. As a result, the classrooms are set up as vehicles/tools for learning through exploration and discovery. He learns a great deal from the very skilled, supportive, professional and compassionate teachers. The Atlanta Progressive Preschool is environmentally and socially responsible. They pay incredible attention to the details that keep children healthy. For example, if a child has any type of allergy ( peanuts, milk,…) they will make sure that the allergen is not allowed in the class room. They create an environment where parents play an active role their children’s learning. The Atlanta Progressive Preschool has half-day classes for children whose ages range from 12 months through four years old. Having moved to Georgia 10 months ago, my only regret is that I did not come sooner so that Diego could have benefited from all that the Atlanta Progressive Preschool has to offer at an early age.
Atlanta Progressive Preschool
1911 Cliff Valley Way NE, Atlanta, GA 3032
404.634.5134, ext. 213
http://www.atlantaprogressivepreschool.org
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
south of atlanta - fabulous Heron Bay
