When thinking about this question, I tried to put myself in a parent's shoes. They have so many decisions to make when it comes to their child(ren) their education should be one of them. Especially in some of the lower income areas, where the districts are on the weak side, parents should be actively involved in finding the best education for their child. I am a tutor, and I sometimes look around at some of my students and wonder to myself if they would be more successful in a different schools setting. I believe that if parents used the option of choice more often, there would not be as many problems in schools as there are currently."The population of charters has more than doubled, growing from 1,680 in 1999 to 4,128 in 2007." These statstics from Charter Schools on the Rise shows me that parents are using the option of choice for their children, by the great increase in numbers of charters schools in the last 10 years.
So what is the correct answer…charter schools…private schools…I don’t necessarily think that there is a correct answer, it really comes down to the individual child and where they will be most successful.
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I agree that parents should be actively involved in finding the best school for their child. Especially in weak districts the parents should have another choice of where to send their child rather then to a public school that is struggling. Charter schools provide choices to parents for their child's education and level the playing field between higher and lower socioeconomic classes (Mark F. Bernstein). Some charter schools still have yet to prove their academic worth but they should be given the chance to succeed.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Children enter you classroom with so many variables that effect their learning. If a parent has the option to choose an educational setting that works best for their child, then they should.
ReplyDeleteThe beauty of a parent having a choice is also that if one system doesn't work there is the other options,or sometimes there are different needs for different children under one household. I'm just curious...other than the funding issue and the different regulations involved...what is the real difference between charter and public? Are they both not there in order to educate the children, prepare them either for college or some type of higher training for life skills?
ReplyDeleteChoice allows parents to find the school that will fit their child best. That is what makes choice a great thing. ever child has the ability to find a schools that will make them a better overall person, they will become more intelligent and know how to be a functioning member of society. Ever child is an unique individual and this is why choice is so important. We need schools that will teach in differnt ways so all children have the ability to learn what they need to in order to have a productive life.
ReplyDeleteI hear what everyone is saying about choice and you know I'm all for it. My concerns are with schools (regardless of type) that fail it students and have poor unity within the school. Change does not occur over night. If the school is in a poor neighborhood with a staff that understands the basics of its surrounding area, those kids may still have a good chance at recieving a good education. The teachers care and realize what these kids are up against so they make an effort to educate kids. Choice is something we are thankful to have in our country. Its time we step up and exercise our right to choose and take responsibility for the choice they will make.
ReplyDeleteI agree that a choice is needed and I can see how especially in low-income areas a better choice is needed when failing schools are the only option. I think often low SES families are stereotyped as not caring about the education of their children, and I know that everyone has an example of this in one way or another, but there are also many families, especially in this economy that are in that situation due to circumstances beyond their control and they are trying everything they can to make sure their kids do better for themselves than they are, and will make as many choices as needed to so this.
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