kitchen table math, the sequel: only one child

Sunday, May 3, 2009

only one child


I realize that you have an entire school system to worry about and that I am focused only on one child. However, after many years of experience with education, I have become convinced that a large percentage of children with real potential are brushed aside and discouraged by education systems that concentrate on the system rather than the needs of each child. The converse is also true. Where the needs of each child are understood and accommodated, schools succeed. I have experienced it personally.

a Grandfather takes a stand

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Even in the same family, different children may have different educational needs. I've known many families who have kids in more than one school (public &/or private) - one big/one small, one structured/one open, one special-focus/one general etc. How can it be otherwise for large groups of kids? Those needs cannot all be met in any one type of school. I'd like to see full school choice, public and non-public. Let the education funding follow the child.

Anonymous said...

What happens when Debbie's daughter posts an audio clip on youtube of one of her classmates getting reamed out, by name, for chewing gum/backtalk/etc?

Now classmate's parents sue the school for letting this embarrassing audio be recorded, or teacher gets sued for hurting classmate's feelings...

--rocky

Catherine Johnson said...

Hi rocky--

Apparently students have a legal right to record the classroom (I'm not going to take the time to find the cites --- )

Also, here in New York, people have the right to record whatever they please as I understand the law. (If I've got this wrong, someone should correct me.)

It's perfectly legal to record a conversation or a meeting without telling the other party you are doing so.

The parent of the child getting reamed by name wouldn't be able to sue the school.

Debbie told the school she'd sign statements (or whatever was needed) saying they would use the recordings for themselves alone, would not post recordings, etc.

Catherine Johnson said...

Of parents could sue schools for hurting kids' feelings....there'd be a whole lot of lawsuits going on.

Catherine Johnson said...

Anonymous: I agree.

Let the funding follow the child.

Enough trying to squeeze blood out of a stone.

Catherine Johnson said...

I've just found a fantastic article by Richard DuFour about focusing on the individual child, not the group.

Will get it posted.

I recall the Jesuit philosophy being that the individual child is the "unit of analysis," but have to track that down.