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Schools and Education General Discussion
We have an epidemic of terrible parenting—what is the solution?
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Anonymous
It isn’t defunding. Pay for the teachers, staff, buildings, materials, sports...normal school stuff. Stop inviting and funding additional “special programs” that are targeting to help further benefit and elevate poor kids and underperforming schools. They don’t work bc the root problem, as the topic says, is poor parenting. |
Anonymous
Ok, so redirect the funds to go directly to parents to pay for food for kids, instead of funneling it through school. Then parenting classes, more supports for parents because 90% of poor parenting (as you put it) is just the result of parents not having time because they are working. Solved. |
Anonymous
Except that wouldn’t work. Because 90% of poor parenting isn’t bc of money- as pointed out early. Being a good parent is actual hard work. And parents- of all income levels are lazier than ever now. There are plenty of terrible wealthy parents too. |
Anonymous
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Teacher here- Most of it is the parents. I teach in a very diverse school. Poor URM' s who have strong parents perform just as well as higher income whites. Students of ALL races and classes perform poorly when their parents don't care.
I think by middle school, parents slack off. They don't realize that at that age they need to step it up with parenting. About 20% of the problem is bad teachers.We need to clean house. |
Anonymous
We can’t just put our hands in the air, though. |
Anonymous
So if you've identified the problem as "lazy" parents, what is your solution to "lazy" parents? Tell us plainly, please. Or are you just complaining incessantly? (I don't agree with this; I think parents are often exhausted, or maybe were never shown how to be supportive parents, and therefore just don't have the abilities and resources to do what you'd like.) |
Anonymous
I think the problem of really bad teachers doesn't get addressed enough, or at all really. Bad teachers and unfair policies are the reason some parents check out when it comes to education. We have a system that is constantly telling even young kids that they aren't good enough when they miss deadlines or engage in age-appropriate behavior because they need to learn about the "real world." Meantime, their teachers don't respond to parents' emails, don't post assignments, don't grade work in a timely manner, have poor attendance, and that's completely ok. Then, if parents say anything, they are the villainous teacher haters. |
Anonymous
I suggested money *for children's food*, which the PP wanted to take away from schools. "Supports" come in a variety of options, including paid leave, better pay, minimum wages, better insurance coverage, parental leave, parenting classes. Sure, getting children out of poverty by direct transfers of funds is always an option (that works! who knew?), as poverty is probably a major thing that's leading to the mysterious issues the OP won't name. |
Anonymous
Exactly. No one sets out to be a bad parent. But we can become less effective parents when we are exhausted, overwhelmed, and feel unsupported when we try to help our kids. This type of disengagement happens to parents of all races and income levels. We all agree that teachers have difficult, if not impossible jobs. Does anyone think that railing on "lazy" parents is going to make that job easier? Who has ideas for promoting parental support and engagement? |
Anonymous
The children of lazy parents serve as examples to my boys of how not to act. |
Anonymous
again, what's your suggestion? |
Anonymous
Yes. I've taught for 22 years in public schools. The lack of parenting is much more evident in the last 8-10 yrs. Parents are much harder to get into contact with. There are many more ways to get into contact with them (Class Dojo and other apps, texts, etc) but many don't seem interested in hearing from teachers. For example, it has taken me until March this year to get every parent to join Class Dojo. This is how our school communicates with parents. In January, I still had 6 parents out of 22 who hadn't joined despite phone calls home, notes in the child's folder, etc. Of course, just because parents have the app doesn't mean they look at it. In the same vein, at least half of my students have folders that are full of work from the beginning of the last quarter. I empty them out myself at the end of the quarter because parents don't do it even after I ask repeatedly. There are multiple permission slips for various trips and activities that are blank. This is just how contact (or lack of) has gone downhill over the years. I will post about other aspects of parenting another day. |
Anonymous
Nothing. You can’t make someone be a good parent. You can’t make them put down their phone and engage. You can’t ban them from letting their kid watch an iPad all day or play computer games. You can’t make them buy nutritious foods and cook them. |
Anonymous
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Anonymous
So....you're just complaining? About parents? On a parent board? I understand the allure of screaming anonymously at people on the internet, I do. But maybe you want to find solutions to whatever your problems are would actually solve your problems. |