A student is to a school as.....

[MiniGirl]

I wasn't saying you were inferring they were slaves. I was more drawing on the many threads I read that essentially are inferring by their expectations that the teacher is to serve them at their will and nothing more. The complaints drive me bonkers at times.

Okay, good, because I have the utmost respect for teachers and the job they do. My own mom taught for over 25 years, and I know it is an even tougher job now than it was then, and yes, some of those threads make me bonkers, too.

While I have said that I don't agree with some of the policies in place in our local district, I don't consider myself to be a public school basher. In fact, I have posted many times on the DIS that we have a good local school here. As good as it is though, there is room for improvement. I know it is hard (okay... impossible) to teach each lesson in such a way that all learners are able to learn best. I just hate that we tend to have a "too bad, so sad" attitude toward those students. Many of these kids are so bright, yet they struggle in school. Eventually, they begin to believe they aren't smart enough to do _________ (fill in the blank). However, TPTB don't feel the schools should change to meet those needs. They seem to feel the student should change to meet the school's needs, (Notice I did not say the teachers. I think most of them take their job and responsibilities very seriously and do the best they can under whatever circumstances they find themselves in.) and I just think that is backwards.

 

[Pigeon]

I think it's a false comparison to try to make analogies out of schools and businesses, personally.

Our current school model is not that of a business, and I really don't see how you can apply the same rules or standards to it; the model that is in place in our society is based around societal and communal support, not capitalism. When the community support as whole for a school is withdrawn, the school fails. No amount of talk, theory or grandstanding can change that.

I agree, and I think it does schools, families and society a disservice to try to impose business models on schools in either direction. The analogy doesn't hold, and I think it's harming education.

Dh and I are both educators. One of the alarming trends we see is the move to essentially take students out of the equation. Teachers and administrators are always to blame if any particular student fails to achieve. Never is the willingness of the student to put forth some effort seen as part of the equation.

If you see the student as the customer, if the parents are paying taxes, shouldn't the kid just get an A? Or at least, just a passing grade, regardless of any actual educational attainment? We see that message being passed down to teachers all the time.

I think the school as employer model is just as bad. Schools are also increasingly involved in things that have nothing to do with education and belong rightfully to the family. That may or may not be the school's idea. Often it is a legislative mandate. But I think the school should be educating children in the disciplines, not teaching "character education," drug "awareness," or practicing medicine on the kids. The district my sister teaches in forces kids to complete hours of coerced "volunteer" work every year!

I am sick to death of the school trying to get involved in things that are none of its damn business, on our time. When I read in a different thread about schools doing home visits, I gagged. Keep your nose out of my home, thankyouverymuch. The amount of homework my kids get is insane. Every family vacation is ruined by the assignment of pointless projects. I'm tired of hearing teachers say that they are giving projects because "they think it will be nice for the family to have something to do together over vacation." Thanks, I'm the parent, and I can decide what we do in our free time.

 

[Pigeon]

A student is the equivalent of someone who is self-employed and school (if it's paid for) is the equivalent of buying Office Professional to help with your home business. If it's not paid for (public schooling) its freeware.

Public school is funded by the taxpayer. It is not free. And schools in many states also now impose all sorts of fees on families on top of school taxes. Don't get me wrong--I'm happy to pay my property tax and think I get pretty good value for my money. But free it is not.

 

[emma'smom]

A student is to a school as a painting is to an artist!