Greetings from La Jolla, CA and the campus of the University of California-San Diego. Jeff gave the keys to the website to my Dad (Tim Myers, Sr.) and he handed them to me with Jeff”s permission (Tim Myers, Jr. “Chip”) for some help from the most well informed group in the Santa Clarita Valley, the readers and commenters of SCVTalk.com.
The issue of the day is Charter Schools, which came up in SCV discussion recently with respect to budgetary problems in the Saugus Union School District. In published news reports administrators and elected officials in the District were concerned with “competition” from Charter Schools.
During the winter term I am taking an Economics seminar on Public Policy and Economics. The thrust of the course addresses how political dogma and deeply held beliefs that cannot be objectively verified often drive the political debate on both sides, while few consider actual facts. This course will require the development of a questionaire to administer to a small but statistically viable sample (36) to match up attitudes against demonstrable facts.
To avoid the obvious choice of health care reform, I am exploring a survey on Charter Schools, which both stridently pro and con folks assert will blow up the public school system in the US. To help me develop questions please comment with your attitudes and beliefs on Charter Schools: How they are funded. what impact they will have on public schools, etc. I may ask followup questions. Be assured that while I have inherited my father’s name I have NOT inherited his snarkiness and sarcasm.
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We’re a pro-charter school family. Our oldest attends the local charter school. Competition breeds evaluation and possible changes and that’s always a good thing. A good learning environment needs constant assessment and reassessment of the program and how it is working for everyone involved. Our current educational model, sending children to cookie cutter traditional school houses that are left virtually unchanged for decades is proof that we leave little room on a local level to allow for or encourage self assessment and change. The local charter school has thankfully been a great match for my oldest daughter and I hope the competition encourages SUSD to evaluate their own program and ensure that they are meeting the needs of their staff and students. I’m by no means faulting teachers or even district staff, by the way or suggesting that the current model isn’t great for many learners, but I believe it’s equally an awful fit for many learners. I believe that the teachers/district does their best to off a traditional education that suits the masses, but it is my hope that changes would come about that would allow educators the opportunity to teach to individual students needs (collectively as a group of like styled students) rather than requiring that each learner fit into a specific mold as to what we consider the ‘right’ way to educate a child.
I wanted to again say that my keyboard is all kinds of wonky and eats words, so ignore what is missing and pretend it looks right
Anyways. I also wanted to take a quick second to share a story. I volunteer in my younger daughters class (at a SUSD school) and there is this one little boy who is VERY bright, but constantly in trouble. He doesn’t fit the mold. He doesn’t sit still, he touches everything, he wants to have a discussion about EVERYTHING. The teacher has told me MANY times that she wishes she could offer him what he needs, but it’s simply not possible. She tries her best, but she also NEEDS him to fit the mold (sit still, do work as assigned, etc) because she is teaching to the masses. A discussion style class would be perfect for him, but awful for many of the other students. She has to balance all of these students needs and it’s a shame they can’t ALL be in the environment that best suits him. We have talked about the charter and how well it would suit this child, but obviously she can’t suggest such a thing. It’s a shame the district doesn’t have a single alternative educational option such as this so that parents could make informed decisions about the way their children are educated, but remain within the district.
How could someone offer or take a course with such bias up front? Is this in the actual course description?
During the winter term I am taking an Economics seminar on Public Policy and Economics. The thrust of the course addresses how political dogma and deeply held beliefs that cannot be objectively verified often drive the political debate on both sides, while few consider actual facts.
The thrust of the course addresses how political dogma and deeply held beliefs that cannot be objectively verified often drive the political debate on both sides, while few consider actual facts.
I hope your teachers, including themselves, realize that all people in all the world without exception evaluate the so called “actual facts” according unverifiable beliefs. It’s just a matter of life. Even the strictest materialist evaluates evidence according to unverifiable beliefs.
But philosophical worldview aside,
We homeschool through a charter school. We like it that we can control our kids’ learning with what is important and allow them to socialize with whom we want them to at this young age. Draw backs include having a charter school management that is a bit backwards in the implementation of educational standards. For example, my wife recently went around with a charter school rep on teaching the historical aspects of how Christmas is celebrated around the world in different countries. We were told we can’t teach religion. When we informed them that, a) its an historical holiday celebrated worldwide for crying outloud, and b) the California State educational guidelines insists (insists, mind you) that teachers teach the historical aspects of all religious groups, especially those holidays federally mandated, the lady was slackjawed because “she hadn’t read such a thing.” Also, they are slow getting stuff approved for teaching.
I should have guessed that Fred’s kids were homeschooled. I feel it is a disservice to children to be homeschooled. Recent studies suggest that the majority of homeschooled children are not better educated. In fact, they often display gaps in their learning. In addition, homeschooled kids often display delays in their social skills due to limited social interactions. They do not have the opportunity to interact with same-age peers on a daily basis.
Petz:
The dogma lines up on both sides of very sensitive issue. In the case of charter schools some extremists AGAINST think their sole purpose is to break the teachers unions because they tend to support center-left candidates for elected office. Some extremists FOR think they are the only hope because the public schools just teach people how to be homosexual. You get the idea.
And just in case you think there is some kind of monolithic, elitist academic structure, I would ask you to Google “Preuss School.” This is an 826 student charter college prep middle and high school for low income students founded and governed by the University. You may be happy to know the teacher’s union hates it!
Well some areas that should be considered as you evaluate charter schools:
What does the state require in terms of assessment of charter school students vs. traditional public school students? Are both held to the same requirements?
A public school must accept every student, regardless of language spoken at home or special needs.Do charter schools accept all students as well? How would you account for those differences in student population when comparing public schools to charter schools?
Are all the teachers in the charter school fully credentialed? If not, where are they in the process? Are they highly qualified under the federal guidelines of ESEA/NCLB?
What is the turnover rate of charter school teachers and staff? High, low, same as public schools? Why?
Leslie, charter schools are public schools so they are held to the same standards/regulations as the neighborhood public schools. The difference would be that they are free to create their own philosophy and curriculum on a school by school basis, something that is rarely afforded in the traditional neighborhood school where curriculum is often mandated at the district level.
Money, your attitude toward homeschoolers is nothing short of ignorant. I understand that there are studies that suggest that homeschooled children suffer socially and academically, but there are just as many (if not more) studies that suggest that homeschooling produces a better educated and well rounded student. It’s important to remember the variables (even state to state the homeschooling requirements vary enormously). The local community actually offers great services to homeschoolers. Ther
Sorry! Sensitive mouse screwing with me again
Can’t wait until I figure out how to fix this thing!
Anyways. The local community has various support groups for homeschoolers that allow for social opportunities beyond what the children would get from their ordinary daily life (which for MOST children is plenty, in my opinion!). Many of these groups plan trips that coincide with their studies, like trips to local museums and zoos, camping trips, and even travel to places most of our children only read about in books. The families are able to tailor their childs curriculum to get the most of these opportunities. There are also gymnastics, ice skating, swimming, etc lessons that cater toward the homeschooling crowd, allowing the children to get that social interaction as well as participating in a ‘PE’ component of their schooling that our public schooled children would never be given.
Yeah, we have heard that urban legend statistic stuff about homeschooling. I remember they were saying the same thing 20 years ago when I was in college.
Just for your information, the charter school we work through makes us use the same educational standards the state of California sets for the curriculum in all the state public schools. So if there are gaps in their education, its California’s fault. Of course, we get to set the curriculum for them based upon those standards, minus the liberal PC fluff and assemblies and environmental wacko nonsense and homosexual tolerance re-education they get fed in school. We concentrate on those things that are genuinely important like reading, writing, and math.
What we have also noticed is that because my wife and I actually value education, my kids have been way a head of the curve than their public schooled kids. My one kid is 7 and reads on a 5th grade level if not higher. The claim there is a gap in the learning homeschoolers is also bogus, too. There may be some among certain groups, but it doesn’t reflect homeschoolers across the board. When my kids get older, I actually plan to have them read the best literature the Darwinian evolutionists have to offer in defense of their position so we can evaluate it critically rather than being brainwashed to believe it without question.
The social stuff is also bogus. Our kids are regularly playing with children their age everyday. But instead, they can actually engage adults in meaningful conversations, show them respect. Most of the friends they have played with over the years show a tremendous lack of parenting and discipline. My kids also don’t have their heads stuck in their cell phones or video games. They don’t cuss or have any exposure to R rated movies like most kids their age.
We also get to go to Disneyland in the middle of the week.
Oh, sorry. My bad. I just watched some interviews with the recent National Spelling Bee winners and now I can clearly see how well-rounded and socially-adjusted homeschooled kids really are.
I bet all those kids on Spellbound are probably homeschooled.
I’m not sure if you’re being snarky or genuine Money, but either way I’d certainly not base my opinion of an entire group of people on my (media, no less) experiences of a few.
Listen, homeschoolers come in MANY different shapes and sizes and styles. Most stereotype homeschoolers into either the ‘wacky religious’ or the ‘wacky pageant’ (substitute a sport or speed staking or spelling be or any number of other things that keep a child out of traditional school) parent. The reality is that most homeschoolers fit into neither of these categories. Most of the homeschoolers I know are highly educated individuals who value culture and the arts, hands on education, student-led learning opportunities. Is this the norm for homeschoolers? Obviously not. People home school for many different reasons and with many different approaches and the product of their homeschooling certainly can’t be placed in to some sort stereotyped mold of experiences and expectations.
I am guessing that anti-homeschoolers tend to think we are all like the balloon boy’s family: sort of hippy like, letting our kids run around in grubby clothes and uncombed hair, building crackpot inventions, trying to make an easy buck. But we’re all ultra-fundamentalists or something.
Charter schools do not have to meet the same ed code requirements as public schools do. In fact, the only things that seem to be clearly mandated is requiring PE.
I guess maybe I’m not understanding what you mean by ed code requirements. They are held to the same attendance guidelines, NCLB, IDEA, participate in manditory state testing.
Fred,
I’ve known some families like yours. With the right parents, the right social network and the right children, homeschooling can do incredible things. I’ve also seen plenty of examples where it was the wrong decision. You seem like you’d be a tough teacher – good for you.
Charter schools do not have to meet the same ed code requirements as public schools do.
Don’t know where you’re getting your information, but ours does. We are using the same state standards as every other public school in the valley.
I’ve also seen plenty of examples where it was the wrong decision.
Mike, I appreciate the sentiment. I would say the same has happened in public schools when administrators have attempted to introduce some of their crackpot social experiments.
Hey Fred,
Is Vakay one of the administrators for your homeschooling program?
Just wondering.
Boo to home schooling.