So says this article in Slate. The author says that rich parents bring rich change, including time and money, emphasis on money, and parental involvement.
This argument assumes that the largest issue with bad public schools is money, but it's just not. It's mindset. It's the fact that schools are still based on an agrarian calendar, still educating factory workers, and still pushing standardized tests. Money won't fix mindset.
Even China is de-emphasizing standardized testing, and they are the experts at educating compliant factory workers. Srsly.
I sacrificed 12 years of my life, and five years of my child's life, and I am unwilling to continue being an educational martyr, offering up my only child as a sacrifice. If I was called to make some real change, if people actually listened and thought about what was best for kids, then maybe I would consider returning. If adults in charge thought about how they learn best, if they considered what information they remember from their years in public school, things might change. I have tried to make change happen in my own small school district, which could be a model due to its size and diversity and have been repeatedly rebuffed and repulsed by grubbing minions who are only interested in what looks nice, not what's effective. If my system was only graduating 72% of its students, I wouldn't be making excuses - I'd be making changes.
Until then, don't call me a bad person for not wanting my child's brain to languish. I am actively involved in education, as a teacher, a learner, a parent and a person actively seeking change for all students (not just the wealthy and over privileged or poor and underprivileged). Don't call me a bad person for leaving the sinking ship just as it touched the waterline and then refuse to throw me anything other than a dollar bill as a life preserver. It's not about the money. Change your mind, then we'll talk.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
The Next Phase
Hard to believe it is July 30th, that the summer here in Georgia is almost over for students.
The tiny house moves on, albeit slowly. Here's where we are:
La Petite Maison sits nestled on a 10'x20' concrete slab at the back of the yard, waiting patiently for siding and plumbing and insulation and other interior goodness. We have added storage on the back and had to remove it when it stuck out too far over the tongue and made parking it impossible. Our building story has been a series of starts and stops, mistakes that we didn't see coming because there was no way to predict for people who have never built a house before.
La herself has been traipsing around Disney all week; when she returns, off we go to the mid-Atlantic region for a five-week jaunt. We have family and friends up north, and we will stay with them for most of our journey, but we are also planning on "doing" each of these cities: Philly, Baltimore and DC. Trip Advisor has an awesome 3-day itinerary for Philly, but for the other ones we are going to plan it as we go. Our trip ends on Assateague Island: wild horses, Maryland blue crabs and beach camping. #Blissful
After we get back, more work on LPM, softball again, more travels north for Thanksgiving and west for Christmas. Time passes no matter what we do, so we might as well make the most of it. Hopefully this sabbatical will help us move forward joyfully.
Those of you who continue to follow our journey, thank you for your support and encouragement. La will be blogging our trip daily, so expect a few links to that blog in the next week or so. We are reminded daily that we are not alone in the world, and that has been invaluable to both of us. We are grateful.
The tiny house moves on, albeit slowly. Here's where we are:
La Petite Maison sits nestled on a 10'x20' concrete slab at the back of the yard, waiting patiently for siding and plumbing and insulation and other interior goodness. We have added storage on the back and had to remove it when it stuck out too far over the tongue and made parking it impossible. Our building story has been a series of starts and stops, mistakes that we didn't see coming because there was no way to predict for people who have never built a house before.
La herself has been traipsing around Disney all week; when she returns, off we go to the mid-Atlantic region for a five-week jaunt. We have family and friends up north, and we will stay with them for most of our journey, but we are also planning on "doing" each of these cities: Philly, Baltimore and DC. Trip Advisor has an awesome 3-day itinerary for Philly, but for the other ones we are going to plan it as we go. Our trip ends on Assateague Island: wild horses, Maryland blue crabs and beach camping. #Blissful
After we get back, more work on LPM, softball again, more travels north for Thanksgiving and west for Christmas. Time passes no matter what we do, so we might as well make the most of it. Hopefully this sabbatical will help us move forward joyfully.
Those of you who continue to follow our journey, thank you for your support and encouragement. La will be blogging our trip daily, so expect a few links to that blog in the next week or so. We are reminded daily that we are not alone in the world, and that has been invaluable to both of us. We are grateful.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
The Last Day
Today is our last day of the year, and I always find myself exhausted and reflective on this day. It amazes me how far everyone has come in a year (not just academically), and this song is how far I believe they will go in the years to come. Thank you to everyone who has supported the school this year (parents, friends, and community members), and have a great summer!
Monday, May 20, 2013
Springtime in Education
Today's blog comes from the folks at Imagining Learning; they conduct "listening sessions" all over the country to hear what students are saying about their schools and education.
Charles Kouns posted this blog post calling for reform, and, to date, it is the most personal, profound, articulate plea for why it's time for schools to change. Take a moment this morning to read and send him your thoughts.
Here's a brief video describing what Imaging Learning does:
Have a great day!
Charles Kouns posted this blog post calling for reform, and, to date, it is the most personal, profound, articulate plea for why it's time for schools to change. Take a moment this morning to read and send him your thoughts.
Here's a brief video describing what Imaging Learning does:
Have a great day!
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
First Hydroponic Salad
Sunday, May 5, 2013
On Adolescence
So La Petite turned 13 on Saturday, May 4th. This is a hard enough birthday, but in the wake of her father's death, it has been a bit more difficult. So I asked friends and family to send me their answers to two simple prompts: what is one thing you wish you had known when you were 13, and what is one wish you have for La's 13th year. I am in the process of assembling their answers into a book.
The answers were touching, personal, and painful. The answers shared many similarities; there were memories of insecurity, fear and uncertainty. Some respondents wished they had been kinder. Some wished they had been braver. One said that if she had known she would be alive for so long, she would have had more fun.
I can't share who said what. They are a private gift for La, and I think for some people it was difficult to re-visit middle school; they did not post their answers to my Facebook page but sent them via email or private message.
I remember clearly middle school. It was awful, for a number of reasons. I was awkward, physically and socially. I was smart and bored - a lethal combination. I was an outsider. I read a lot, listened to country music (everyone else listened to pop), and I was friends with my bus driver - also lethal. I threw up on an amusement park ride. I let a group of girls bully another girl. Not in the same vicious manner of today, but still bullying. That is my main regret.
The advice people gave was all the same, in different stories and examples: trust yourself. Be confident. Follow your dreams. Love yourself and your family, and take the time to cultivate good friends.
This is why I love this age. I love this age because it is crucial help them to do it right, to make sure that you are helping, not hurting. Because when we most of us look back, we see the awkwardness, not the beautiful potential and limitless possibility stretched before us.
Yes, teens are crazy. There is scientific proof. Teens and parents don't always get along, but most figure it out.
But during middle school, everything feels awful. It may not be totally dramatic for every teen, but every person who wrote to La indicated some level of insecurity and awkwardness, enough so that it stayed with them for their life to this point. Because teens can be so awfully frustrating, the knee-jerk reaction is to shut them down, fight back, exert control.
This is the exact opposite of how to parent a teen. Listen. Remember what it was like to be 13. Find out what they are interested in, and take an interest in it yourself (this last one can be very difficult, but try anyway). Recognize that your kid is changing and your relationship has to change, too. Every time La wants to snuggle or talk late at night when all I want to do is go to sleep, I remind myself that teens develop a different circadian rhythm during adolescence, generally, and she won't be around forever, so I prop my eyelids open and do the best I can.
La will remember this birthday as the first without her dad. There is nothing I can do about that, but I hope she also remembers to be strong and kind; I hope she sees her value and her ability. If, some years down the road, someone asks her to remember herself at 13, I hope she sees the beautiful, intelligent and compassionate human she is.
This is the job of parenting an adolescent. I hope I am up to the task.
The answers were touching, personal, and painful. The answers shared many similarities; there were memories of insecurity, fear and uncertainty. Some respondents wished they had been kinder. Some wished they had been braver. One said that if she had known she would be alive for so long, she would have had more fun.
I can't share who said what. They are a private gift for La, and I think for some people it was difficult to re-visit middle school; they did not post their answers to my Facebook page but sent them via email or private message.
I remember clearly middle school. It was awful, for a number of reasons. I was awkward, physically and socially. I was smart and bored - a lethal combination. I was an outsider. I read a lot, listened to country music (everyone else listened to pop), and I was friends with my bus driver - also lethal. I threw up on an amusement park ride. I let a group of girls bully another girl. Not in the same vicious manner of today, but still bullying. That is my main regret.
The advice people gave was all the same, in different stories and examples: trust yourself. Be confident. Follow your dreams. Love yourself and your family, and take the time to cultivate good friends.
This is why I love this age. I love this age because it is crucial help them to do it right, to make sure that you are helping, not hurting. Because when we most of us look back, we see the awkwardness, not the beautiful potential and limitless possibility stretched before us.
Yes, teens are crazy. There is scientific proof. Teens and parents don't always get along, but most figure it out.
But during middle school, everything feels awful. It may not be totally dramatic for every teen, but every person who wrote to La indicated some level of insecurity and awkwardness, enough so that it stayed with them for their life to this point. Because teens can be so awfully frustrating, the knee-jerk reaction is to shut them down, fight back, exert control.
This is the exact opposite of how to parent a teen. Listen. Remember what it was like to be 13. Find out what they are interested in, and take an interest in it yourself (this last one can be very difficult, but try anyway). Recognize that your kid is changing and your relationship has to change, too. Every time La wants to snuggle or talk late at night when all I want to do is go to sleep, I remind myself that teens develop a different circadian rhythm during adolescence, generally, and she won't be around forever, so I prop my eyelids open and do the best I can.
La will remember this birthday as the first without her dad. There is nothing I can do about that, but I hope she also remembers to be strong and kind; I hope she sees her value and her ability. If, some years down the road, someone asks her to remember herself at 13, I hope she sees the beautiful, intelligent and compassionate human she is.
This is the job of parenting an adolescent. I hope I am up to the task.
Monday, April 29, 2013
French Cooking
Ella and Sicily prepared a meal for HoneyFern on Friday, and the results are in: diners gave them an average rating of five stars on everything from food to service.
The girls focused on French food; they started with mini-quiches (spinach and simple cheese), then had tilapia in a beurre blanc (SO DELICIOUS. Seriously. I couldn't believe how subtle the flavor was, and how amazing. Perfect with the simple fish), a cheese course and chocolate mousse for dessert.
Diners were served in courses; here are the ladies, serving the fish:
This may be our last student cooking as we race towards the end of the year, and what a way to end. Delicious!
The girls focused on French food; they started with mini-quiches (spinach and simple cheese), then had tilapia in a beurre blanc (SO DELICIOUS. Seriously. I couldn't believe how subtle the flavor was, and how amazing. Perfect with the simple fish), a cheese course and chocolate mousse for dessert.
Diners were served in courses; here are the ladies, serving the fish:
This may be our last student cooking as we race towards the end of the year, and what a way to end. Delicious!
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