So there has been one over-riding thing that I can't stand about Texas. It is my children's school. It is everything that was/is bad about education today.
Here are my problems:
1. They use a bull horn to communicate with the children. Obviously their method of discipline of shouting children down isn't working very well.
2. Communication is terrible. They are so busy using the bull horn they can't answer email or phone messages.
3. Positive discipline is unheard of... instead of the arm on the shoulder and a admonition to try it again the right way if a child is caught riding their bike or running on campus, they use the old, "GET OFF YER BIKE!!!!"
4. They go on one field trip in five years of school.
5. They use television excessively in the classroom.
6. A kid called Carolyn the B-word on the bus and the response of the teacher was "that is normal for this age." Normal, maybe, something that should go uncorrected, NAY.
7. They are allowed one 10-minute period outside a day. They don't go out if it rains, is slightly cold, there is any dampness on the grass, or a kid talks out of turn.
8. Tests are ***IT*** at this school. They teach to the test, practice for the tests, stress kids out about the tests, tie everyone's worth to the tests.
I could go on and on. This chaps my hide every day.
Here in Texas they salute and pledge allegiance to the Texas flag every day. We, being the blasphemous Texans we are, changed the pledge...
The real Texas pledge:
Honor the Texas flag. I pledge allegiance to thee Texas. One state, under God, one and indivisible.
(funny story: the kids that lead that pledge all say "I pledge allegiance to THE Texas" instead of "thee Texas." We thought that was the right words and that the state of Texas was run by morons. We now know the right words but still aren't convinced on the Moron part)
Our new pledge:
Honor the Kohrville. I pledge allegiance to THE Kohrville. One school, in Texas with no recess.
We say it whenever we pass the school. It makes us feel better.
So does saying, "Boys and girls, it is entirely too LOUD in here" with a heavy southern drawl. It makes us laugh.
Also, we eat a lot of ice cream.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
That stinks!! I'll be sure to avoid your school district when my prophetic vision comes true ;). I have a friend who lives in the Houston Independant School District. Let me know if you want advice on which schools to avoid when you're ready to move.
Sounds pretty bad. Ever consider homeschool? You'd do a much better job of educating your children than those schools. I know, you're saying, 'but what about the social aspect of public school?'. If my kid was being called a "B" I'd say, the social aspect is doing more damage than good.
We're thinking happy thoughts for you on this one.
Much love from the B-bbbb-bbballards. :)
Annie, I have considered homeschooling but it isn't the social aspect that concerns me, because the social isn't good. I do like public school for other reasons--it teaches my kiddos to function in a variety of circumstances and teaches them to stretch themselves and find themselves in tough but good ways.
One example is that in Texas they do really hard and different science than we did in either California or Oregon. A lot of it is stuff I didn't ever see even having graduated from college and stuff Cyrus didn't see until college. Carolyn has had a really hard time with it but to her credit, she woke up and went to 7:00 am tutoring every day until she got caught up. She did all her science for three years previous in a matter of two months by studying her butt off and sitting with her dad and pounding out really hard work. But now she is at the top of her class. Her hard work and personal commitment and the stretching SHE chose to do and the lessons she learned are invaluable. Also, my children are going to school with kids who aren't as blessed as they are. They are learning tremendous charity and that they are truly blessed. The kids are mostly sweet but there are several from really tough homes and it comes out in their actions. On the upside the school is also beautifully diverse--our school is only about 30% white. There are some trashy kids but also some wonderful families. Hannah was in a spelling bee and there was an African American family with a mom and dad and six little children all lined up to watch their big sister. I would not trade the impression that that family left on my girl for any amount of sensitivity training this world could offer.
The school also does a lot of good things--their PE and music opportunities are just wonderful! There is good and bad to every choice we make in terms of schooling but for us, learning to laugh when things are less than perfect has been a lesson I wouldn't trade for anything.
Living here has been a struggle!!! The school and the administration have SO MUCH to deal with (kids with VERY REAL problems) and often they do less than perfectly, but they have one wonderful assistant principal and quite a lot of deeply committed and good teachers.
Post a Comment