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February 13, 2012
Binyamin Rose: Back to the Bunker: How a life-risking act by a Christian family during the Holocaust saved a family and built a thriving community a world away
Menachem Wecker: Business Schools Teach Real Estate Despite Troubled Housing Market
February 10, 2012
Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
February 9, 2012
Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
Feb. 22, 2005
/ 13 Adar I, 5765
A school lesson for parents
By
Ruben Navarrette Jr.
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
I admit it: In the age-old turf war between teachers and parents, my sympathies are usually with the parents. Maybe it's because I always root for the underdog. Having worked for four years as a substitute teacher in my native Central California, I learned that in the public school bureaucracy, most of the power lies not with parents and students, but with teachers and administrators.
Look at bilingual education. Commonly misunderstood to be something done for Latino students, it is more accurately described as something done to Latino students. With students roped in and warehoused for years in classes where they learn little English, it's no wonder that in many school districts Latino parents are leading the charge against the program.
Or consider how students in San Diego were shortchanged after school trustees voted to allow less-demanding expectations of kindergartners in response to teacher complaints that existing requirements were too demanding. Previously expected to read a book by the time they finished the year, the tykes will now be able to get by with simply identifying some words, following along as a teacher reads, and reading some pages on their own.
Too often, especially where minority students are concerned, low expectations are the order of the day. And when students underperform, or don't test as well as they should, teachers can't wait to blame the parents and plead for more parental involvement.
But what about those cases where parents do involve themselves, and do so in ways that erode standards and jeopardize the educational process? I've seen some headlines recently that are causing me to rethink my blanket support for parents, some of whom suddenly don't seem so sympathetic. In many cases, they seem more like meddlers.
A recent article in The Wall Street Journal rattled off repeated instances of schools having to put up with protests from parents whenever the schools do anything to stiffen academic requirements. The simple act of requiring students to write more term papers, or longer papers, can get parents up in arms. So-called "senior projects" — written and/or oral assignments required before students can graduate from high school — have become a sore spot with some parents who complain the projects take up time that students could use to apply to college. In different parts of the country, the parents' responses have ranged from wearing black armbands at graduation to hiring lawyers in an attempt to change school policies.
Black armbands? Now I get it. Some of these parents are baby boomers who grew up questioning authority. They're still doing that. Worse, they're trying to lower the bar to make sure their children clear it. What good does that do?
No wonder Time magazine recently came up with the provocatively titled cover story: "What Teachers Hate About Parents." The head of a private school put it this way: "We hate it when parents undermine the education and growth of their children."
According to the educators quoted in the article, there are "monster parents" who can't wait to torment teachers with challenges and complaints. There are "helicopter parents" who hover around the school, waiting to swoop down at the first sign of trouble. And then there are "dry-cleaner parents" who simply drop their unruly children off at school and expect to have them all cleaned up by the end of the day. Then the article spells out what many teachers consider the ideal parent: "a partner but not a pest, engaged but not obsessed, with a sense of perspective and patience."
How big a problem is the decaying of parent-teacher relations? Big. According to a survey cited in the article — the MetLife Survey of the American Teacher — 90 percent of new teachers called it a priority to involve parents in the educational process but only 25 percent described their experience with parents as "very satisfying."
That shouldn't be the case. Parental involvement is fine. But parents need to know where to draw the line. They should make sure their kids do their homework, but they should stop short of harassing teachers or trying to micromanage every aspect of their child's education. It's OK for parents to focus on the big picture — whether their children are being stuck into bilingual education classes — but they shouldn't march down to the school every time their child gets a poor grade on a test.
Teachers are responsible for teaching students all about academics. But the manner in which parents relate to teachers — how parents treat teachers — will ultimately teach their children about things that are just as important: courtesy, humility, deference and respect for professionals.
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02/17/05: Bad faith on Social Security
02/15/05: Kids who have everything lack for something
02/10/05: Gonzales' other position
02/08/05: Getting serious About Illegal Immigration
01/21/05: Where does the money go?
01/18/05: Latinos are own worst enemy
01/13/05: Keeping the score on Gonzales
01/10/05: Parents on Strike
© 2005 WPWG
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