Next year I will have three children in private school and it makes me sad.
I have always been a champion of our education system. I have always supported our schools, attended meetings, done what I can to make the teachers life easier, I have supported their decisions and I have sung their praise.
Over the last 5 years I have slowly lost my faith in our education system and educators and it makes me sad. It started when I was told my daughter was stupid, carried on when no one cared enough to help me find out what the issues with her were. It died a little bit more when I watched teachers snap at children repeatedly, tell them they were stupid and demean them in front of whoever was around at the time. I questioned the curriculum when we had to learn the different ballet poses and went on to question it when children were given marks just for showing up to class. I have listened to how my child does nothing for more days than he actually does something. The educators explain it away “Oh we are ahead” but then we have to accommodate extra classes to catch up.
I have seen educators who just don’t care and it makes me sad.
I am not ignorant to the challenges they face, they could probably be paid more and parents could discipline their children a little bit more but you know what, when you have been entrusted with one of the most important jobs in the country, you do not have the luxury of just giving up.
I also know there are some brilliant teachers out there, we have, unfortunately not seen many of them in a long time.
I have lost faith in our public education system.
Both Cameron and I are counting down the days until he leaves. He is feeling despondent and I think a little bit let down. He doesn’t want to sit in lesson after lesson doing nothing. He doesn’t want to listen to the teacher screaming at a handful of pupils for 30 minutes. He doesn’t deserve that, not from someone entrusted with his education. None of the children deserve that.
Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. Nelson Mandela
Disclaimer – this is not directed at all teachers, Kiara has some amazing educators who have positively influenced her life. This is too all the teachers who go to work, not to educate but to get their pay check.
7 Responses
Maybe we are lucky (or blessed) that our little ones are in Afrikaans classes. There is still a lot of discipline and love there…and the schools they attend still keep to the old values. My own children were in the same school years ago and things haven’t changed too much.
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Couldn’t agree with you more about these teacher. So sad that you get some that are so dedicated and others that don’t seem to give a dam about the kids they are teaching. Initially my daughter was in a private school(4 the smaller classes and u seem to assume the teachers are dedicated) anyway she has been at a remedial school now for two years (hoping for a third as it is just a short term school) and those teachers are just so dedicated to their jobs I wish she could stay there forever
I think we are blessed with the Afrikaans schools
cat@jugglingact recently posted…Longweekends at home
So far, so good with our school. I love it, he loves it and our teachers are amazing! I know it is early days though!
We’ve been very blessed with teachers for our sons. There is not a single teacher that I can complain about. My kids have only ever been in small classes so maybe this is what makes all the difference? This year is the first time I am dealing with a lazy teacher for Son1 and it made me see just how hard their teachers work. I do think that (sadly) you get what you pay for. It shouldn’t be like that with Education but, it is.
Logan has adjusted so much better the Afrikaans school.
Having said that, I have noticed that when the teachers are having a break by telling the kids to play or read or do arbitrary things that doesn’t stimulate them – Logan gets naughty! So I think the “we’re ahead of the curriculum” doesn’t work, sure they could do something extra, something different to stimulate them.
My 2 cents!
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Alet – Cameron has this same problem. When they are ahead they are told to occupy themselves. He hates it.