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To: AnotherUnixGeek
> Parental guidance has far more to do with it than media influence. The kids of immigrants excel at math because their parents insist that they study, review their homework and demand good grades, not because they avoid rap music. If schools let down, it's up to parents to pick it up.

All academically successful children are homeschooled. If they are institutionalized for their schooling, the parents are doing tons of "afterschooling" ( AKA "homeschooling") at home.

What government schools are really doing is sending home a free curriculum for the parents and child to follow. Little learning actually happens in the school. It is the parent and child who are doing 99% of the work **at home**.

Odd isn't it? When kids do poorly government teachers are quick to blame the parent. When good parents do a great job of "afterschooling" the teachers are right there to take the credit.

In truth, academically successful children do well **in spite** of being imprisoned and being treated like prisoners in their government indoctrination camps. This is true even in immigrant families. These parents find mentors ( cousins, aunts, uncles, neighbors) to teach their children at home.

36 posted on 10/11/2008 10:55:59 AM PDT by wintertime (Good ideas win! Why? Because people are NOT stupid)
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To: wintertime

Your generalizations about no learning happening in schools and schools being indoctrination camps really fail to hold up in the real world. Public schools are widely varied in this country. As a whole they need to be improved but there are some great districts and schools that do a great job of getting kids ready for college and life and their are some terrible ones. Most are in between.

Families make a huge difference in the success of a district/school and so do great teachers. To maximize success you must have both. Thankfully I live in an area with a district that has a track record of success. That comes down to good parents and good teachers. And success can build on itself. If a district, such as mine, becomes known for good performance then good teachers want to come to the district and parents want to move in for the schools.

The main point is that there are some absurd characterizations on this site about teachers. I think there are more good ones out there than a lot of people realize. I cannot speak for other places, but I think that the politicians and administrators deserve most of the blame for issues in my area.

Even with how dysfunctional many districts, testing regimes, and curriculum are we still have some very bright people who go into teaching. I’ve met many of them over years and benefited from some of them in my life.


39 posted on 10/11/2008 1:39:00 PM PDT by DemonDeac
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