by Dave Perkins
The saying that it takes a village to educate a child is more than just a saying. I am going to present four different perspectives about how to approach education, three of which are faulty. My perspective of the responsibility for education has evolved over the years due to research, observation and experience. Experience in both the city and the country have also challenged my beliefs.
To illustrate the first approach, I am going to tell you a story of a teacher from many years ago. I was the principal of a campus that needed to become more child-centered.
“I taught the material, it is the student’s business to learn the material” by some of the staff, but far from all of the staff, had the attitude. Consequently, we had a handful of teachers who walked around with a pin on their chest sporting their failure rate – 40 percent, 45 percent, and occasionally 50 percent. I had a discussion with a teacher that went like this:
Principal: “Why are so many students failing?”
Teacher: “They aren’t doing the work?”
Principal: “So, what are you doing about it?”
Teacher: “I am giving them zeros; that is what they earned.”
Principal: “So, what are you teaching them?”
Teacher: “Responsibility!”
Principal: “So, did it work? Are they turning in their work now? Did they learn?”
Teacher: (pause) “I guess not.”
Principal: “So, what are you teaching them?”
Teacher: “Nothing, I guess.”
Principal: “I disagree. You taught them how to get around doing the work. You let them fail. Effectively, you are creating dropouts. I don’t care if you have to carry them to high school to get them there. Then, at least, they still have a chance.”
The teacher taking no responsibility for student learning and blaming the student is a surrender to failure. Having worked in the city for years, I learned that teachers must overcome obstacles from many directions. Sometimes it is lack of parental involvement and support; sometimes, it is an incompetent administration; sometimes, it is the student who does nothing to help themselves. Nevertheless, blaming the student and not searching for solutions is surrendering to failure. We must strive to find solutions.
The second perspective is that it is the responsibility of the school. Over the years, I have observed many cases of students who are practically raising themselves. It does not work to drop children off at school and leave it totally up to the school to educate students. Normally, the most successful students have at least one parent who is involved with them. Younger children and older students who are not taking responsibility for their own learning often need the parent all the way through high school. The blame for failure in these situations is often deflected toward the student or the educators. Even this is a surrender to failure.
The third perspective is where the student takes no responsibility for their own learning. Blame and excuses are usually abundant: “It is too much homework”; “The teacher did not teach it”; “I had chores”; or, simply, “I don’t know how to do it.” Again, this is surrender to failure. Successful students take responsibility for learning.
The final perspective is the perspective that I believe is the right one. Education involves a triangle – the parent, the student and the teacher. Any weak part will be detrimental to the education of students. We must work as a team to overcome obstacles, not attack or blame each other. Problems are solved together. We must communicate and talk. Custer Schools encourages teachers to talk regularly with parents. I will give you one example of a change this year.
In the past, parents were notified by the Athletic Director (AD) and/or office when a student is on the Warning List or Ineligibility List. Communication with the teacher was encouraged. Who can impact the grade and learning? The AD? The office? Or the teacher? Obviously, the answer is the teacher by communicating with the student AND the parent.
This year, the communication is by the teacher. An AD has no way to talk about the work from the class. They cannot arrange tutoring. Contact by the AD does not help solve the problem. At best, contact by the AD encourages communication. Problems are solved by a triangle – the parent, the student, and the teacher. Problems are solved when the teacher talks to the parent and the student. Likewise, problems and perceived problems are solved when parents contact the teacher. The responsibility for solving problems rests with the triangular team.
The “team” is responsible for the education of our children. Lack of communication often results in student failure. Blaming people solves nothing. In contrast, communication usually does away with erroneous perceptions and corrects problems.
I believe that one of the keys to successful education involves the three main players and the open communication between them. That is what makes a strong community, whether is it is the community at large or the smaller community within a classroom. We promote active participation by students, parents, and teachers with lines of communication that flow both ways.
