The Public Speaks: Education Still Matters

The Public Education Network (PEN) recently released its 2008 National Civic Index Poll, which addresses the public’s views on school progress and the strength of community commitment to helping improve education.

The poll was first conducted in 2006. According to the 2008 poll results, the public’s concern for education has diminished a bit since 2006, with rising gas prices and the current economic state of the nation now taking priority. But Americans still greatly value education, and 60 percent feel that not enough focus is being placed on education in this year’s election campaigns. Most Americans also feel that elected officials are not being held accountable for improving schools.

As of now, eight cities and counties will implement PEN’s civic index tool kit and use it to develop a local “report card” that measures community support for education. The goal is to involve the public in the school improvement process.

ASCD believes that involving the community is a necessary part of educating the whole child. Schools can't do it all; success stems from collaboration with all key stakeholders, including community members, school officials, students, and parents.

What is your community doing to improve its schools? What community–school partnerships have had the most impact?

Comments

[andrea]

Alas, there is a difference between broad social generalities, and local concrete issues. People talk the talk, but...

Sure, the public mostly agrees with the positive fluffy generalities about education in general, but too often the public does not necessarily transfer that into wanting to vote for local tax support and assorted support programs to help children succeed at school. Frequently people resort to "my kids are okay" and it's "everyone else's kids" that have problems and "everyone else" who should do something about them.

I think that connecting these rosy beliefs into concrete, proactive local support is the real challenge.

andrea

[Tom Love]

It is certainly important to involve parents since a recently article summary with comments of students saying that parents impact their Educational decisions more than any other role model.

Also, Professional Development for Teachers is essential with a collaboration between Students, Teachers and Parents. See URL!

http://www.itws.org/GardenMathematicsMainMenu.mht

[Karen]

Parent involvement is definitely a key to a successful learning experience for a child. Parents need to volunteer in the school and in their child's classroom.

With the continued decrease in funding for education, how can teachers be expected to do it all. They already provide materials, money, food, and lots of extra time. Officials need to be thinking outside the box and start planning how to make education the number one priority for all children.

[Margo/Mom]

I find there to be a disconnect between teacher expectations regarding parent involvement and parent expectations. As a result, teacher's expectations are seldom fulfilled and parents find that their best efforts at involvement are often thwarted.

A teacher who views an appropriate role for a parent to be that of "classroom volunteer," will be disappointed to find that many parents are at work, or caring for younger children during school hours. A parent with extensive management skills to donate will find that they are instead expected to provide brownies for the bake sale. Parents who lobby for ready information on their students'progress will find that they are frequently regarded as a nuisance.

And if a parent has an opinion on anything, it is merely that of an outsider who doesn't really understand what teachers have to put up with every day. There are industries and professions who do a much better job in meeting the public and "clients," and involving community. Schools could learn a good bit from "customer service" experts (it really matters how you answer the phone, or how long it takes to return phone calls, or what you do when there is a problem), or community mental health agencies, or public health or social service agencies. These are other professions that grapple with issues of parent/community involvement. There is much to be learned, if only the field of education weren't so gosh-darned certained that they already knew it all.

[KarenS]

If there is a disconnect between teacher expectations and parent involvement, then a conversation needs to take place so the parent who is volunteering understands the expected outcomes of the task.

Where else but in education do you have parents strolling in your room in the middle of a lesson requesting to have a word with their child, or removing a child from the classroom to take a vacation when school is in session, or expecting a response to a telephone call when you have no breaks during the day to make a call.

The appropriate role of all parents is to be a partner with the classroom teacher to ensure the success of the child. Sometimes that means that the parent must help the child create a learning environment at home to complete assigned tasks. A parent with good management skills would be a great asset to have in a literacy block to work with a small group of students. But that takes a willingness to learn what needs to be done by the parent and time before or after school to teach the parent. A classroom is not an environment where anyone with a degree can just stroll in and start teaching. There is so much more going on all the time.

Timing is everything in schools. Teachers cannot sit to discuss a child's progress with a classroom full of students. I have found that scheduling an appointment, like we do in the business world, to talk to a teacher is a wonderful way to check on how a child is doing. Of course it is also a good idea to ask the child and to review any work that comes home. Most children, even as young as first grade, have a good grasp on their progress in school.

There are many wonderful parents who work full time and still find time to volunteer at school. Some help in the classroom. Others help for special events. Some coordinate special assembilies for the students. Still others coordinate book clubs, chess clubs and science clubs that meet after school and work. Some volunteer to sit on committees at the school. Teachers appreciate any efforts parents make to develop a sense of community in the school.

Teachers must become experts in their field. This is a state requirement. But most teachers stay in education because they love children and want to make a difference in their student's lives. Teaching provides an opportunity for a group of separate students to become a classroom community, to learn to respect each other and to take risks in their learning. When parents and teachers work together with respect and open communication- the person to benefit the most is the child!!!