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I have read several of your posts here and think you are missing a great big point. You are probably the most wonderful parent. And yet you recognize that you have "weaknesses" in regards to your younger child.

But you entrust the education of your young child, in all areas, to a single person in their most formative years. If we are going to insist that kids have to be educated in public schools (where mine are not, btw); then we need to take a lesson from secondary and post secondary systems.

When a teacher is gifted in presenting reading and spelling and grammar, let that be the subject he/she teaches. But, if another teacher excels in science or math, let that person be the main provider of education in that subject. Otherwise you end up with imbalances in what students become proficient in.

No, perhaps you missed what I have said here, where did I say I blindly trust? DId I say I don't keep in contact with the teacher, or keep up with what or how it is being taught? No, I did not.

I said that not all parents are great teachers, in fact most people are HORRIBLE teachers.. doesn't mean they are bad people, just that that is not a talent they were blessed with (and I am not suggesting all people who are teachers by trade are blessed with that talent either.)

I said, that when you have a person learning something, whether they be a child or even an adult, and they are learning something in a particular way, and then you come in and push another way on them, you will often wind up with a very confused and frustrated student.

This is not simply a thing with children, it is with adults too. My wife and I have 2 completely different ways of doing things, her mind works completely different than mine in certain ways, if I go to her to show her something she is just learning from someone else, that I already know, she becomes rapidly confused and frustrated... now in the reverse, often I can grasp her view even though I may not fully understand the concept I am still learning... without getting too befuddled.. but not everyone can do that. I am very conceptual and grasp abstract concepts quickly, and can visual in my mind abstract and spacial things easily, she can't. She needs to plod through the intimate details while she is learning to build up the abstract.

Once she understands or has learned something, I can show her "my way" and she can often grasp it quickly, but mid learning curve, I learned a long time ago, not going to happen. And all its going to do is lead to us both getting frustrated and fighting.

ANd for the record my child is not in Public School either, so I fail to see why you are even pushing this as a factor! Children need help and support regardless of whether they are in private or public school! And the statements I have made here apply regardless of the school system they are in.

I just get tired of this senseless bashing... not all children are the same, not all parents are good teachers and helping a child learn doesn't neccessarily mean they have to learn the same way you did 30 years ago. IN fact when it comes to grammar, spelling and reading I sure as hell don't want my child being butchered by the whole language system I was forced through.

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