An incident happened today, a very quick one,yet one of those unsettling moments when I feel I just want to haul my child out of school and educate her at home.
As you know I am generally a huge fan of state education, we both work within it and I feel that by and large my children have benefited from all the opportunities it affords.
Today wasn't a good example.
Mair has started a new school this term, because her wonderful little village infants closed due to lack of children!
This school is generally regarded as one of the best in the area, however in certain area I am, as yet not convinced.
Mair has been finding school harder this year (she enters year two) there is a lot more work and homework and she has been very tired. We have had to make sure that she is in bed much earlier in order for her to cope with the days work.
Last night we had our balloon release in memory of my mum. Mair got to bed a bit later, so this morning we let her sleep in. I phoned the school to inform them I would bring her in later. This is something we have always done with our children, especially when they were younger if we felt they were just not coping well with the longer days and increased workloads.
I took her up to the school at 9.30 am and was met in reception by the deputy head who asked me why she was late. I said we had decided to let her sleep in, too which she replied , were we aware that every late is now recorded on simms? (the computer system) this meant that the statistics would show every absence for the school (the sub text here being this would effect their school data, placing , etc) she said if Mair were late and a pattern showed then the school psychological service would have to be contacted!
I gave her a 'gob smacked' look! so many things went through my mind.
In the end I just said, if letting my child sleep in because she was tired warranted the school psychological service being contacted then please do so and I will be happy to speak to them and explain her absence.
With that I kissed my little girl and left. The most important thing was she was happy and unaware of the rather uncomfortable recourse that had just gone on.
I came away and fumed. I fumed at the condescending way I had been spoken too, but worse still I fumed at the fact a school is more concerned about their attendance data, than about a little girl's health and well-being.
For God's sake!
As you know I am generally a huge fan of state education, we both work within it and I feel that by and large my children have benefited from all the opportunities it affords.
Today wasn't a good example.
Mair has started a new school this term, because her wonderful little village infants closed due to lack of children!
This school is generally regarded as one of the best in the area, however in certain area I am, as yet not convinced.
Mair has been finding school harder this year (she enters year two) there is a lot more work and homework and she has been very tired. We have had to make sure that she is in bed much earlier in order for her to cope with the days work.
Last night we had our balloon release in memory of my mum. Mair got to bed a bit later, so this morning we let her sleep in. I phoned the school to inform them I would bring her in later. This is something we have always done with our children, especially when they were younger if we felt they were just not coping well with the longer days and increased workloads.
I took her up to the school at 9.30 am and was met in reception by the deputy head who asked me why she was late. I said we had decided to let her sleep in, too which she replied , were we aware that every late is now recorded on simms? (the computer system) this meant that the statistics would show every absence for the school (the sub text here being this would effect their school data, placing , etc) she said if Mair were late and a pattern showed then the school psychological service would have to be contacted!
I gave her a 'gob smacked' look! so many things went through my mind.
In the end I just said, if letting my child sleep in because she was tired warranted the school psychological service being contacted then please do so and I will be happy to speak to them and explain her absence.
With that I kissed my little girl and left. The most important thing was she was happy and unaware of the rather uncomfortable recourse that had just gone on.
I came away and fumed. I fumed at the condescending way I had been spoken too, but worse still I fumed at the fact a school is more concerned about their attendance data, than about a little girl's health and well-being.
For God's sake!
That's the way it is here in the U.S.. If they are late too many time (which it doesn't take very many times to be considered "too many") or if they miss more than x number of days they will send an officer to your house. Before they send the officer your child would be held after school, or during "free time" during normal school hours, and they would be calling you and asking you to come in, sending letters, and making threats. I don't know what your school system is like over there, but here it is very intrusive....and it just keeps getting worse.
ReplyDeleteHere, some schools will not allow certain foods or snacks to be eaten from home - if the school doesn't think it is healthy enough they will take it from your child. And it's all a matter of opinion of whoever is working in the lunch room.
There is so much here about the schools that doesn't make sense to me, and then if I add in problems with students and teachers, which isn't to say they are all bad teachers, but many of them are just as frustrated as I am with the system - it just isn't worth it to deal with it all.
I don't know, just some things to think about. I never really thought about how each country would have such different systems, but it makes sense that they do when I stop and think about it. Now maybe you can see a little more why people/homeschoolers from the usa bash schools. Which isn't to say that some of them aren't insulting, because even I as a homeschooler can be offended by some of the things they say, or the way the say it.
I hope that your little sweetie got some good rest, and I have no doubt that you will take care of the school situation :)
If the schools around here were like yours Michelle, then I would definatly home educate!
ReplyDeleteThankfully it's not so bad here and this is the first sort of encouter I have ever had!
Yes I can understand why people withdraw from the system, what I do not appreciate as a teacher is the rudeness and ridicule and downright ignornace of their comments towards state schools! Having trained for 4 years at uni then given 27 years in the classroom I am less than gracious at this.
If they had put their words as eloquently and kindly as you do it would be so much more effective!
I hope it doesnt get any worse here, and I hope that this is the last encounter i have, if not I will definatly look at moving Mair elese where!
I understand, I see a lot of comments that are made without seeming like the person talking had their brain to mouth filter on! They don't stop and think about what it sounds like to other people who DO send their kids to school, or they flat out say they don't care if they offend you.
ReplyDeleteI sent our kids to school a couple of years ago (they only went for 1/2 a year). A lot was going on in our life and I just wasn't capable of teaching them - they were basically getting NO education. I don't agree with that, so I sent them to school. I actually LOST "firends" because of that!! They are so anti-public school that it didn't matter who *I* or my *children* were as people, it only mattered that I had "turned them over to be slatered and ruined by the school system." Several people said that they would rather have their kids at home learning nothing than going to public school!! Seriously!!??
It's a personal coice, and honestly - there are pros and cons to both. And despite the many homeschoolers that claim it's all great - all you have to do is visit a homeschooling forum and peek in on their conversations to see that it DOES get very frustrating and hard to keep up with - they're just not always very honest and upfront about that. And then there are many that say they homeschool but don't.....you can usually weed them out by asking what curriculum they use. They call it UNschooling, which can work in therory, I guess, but it is also a catch-phrase to justify NOT teaching their children, for some.
Anyway - I'm sorry for both.....the problem with your school and the insensitivity of homeschoolers. I swear, we ALL have enough to worry about in our own lives I don't see how we have ANY time to worry about other peoples lives and the choices they make for their family.
Gosh Michelle, I cannot believe that people would not be your friend because you sent your kids to school, and for a very justifiable reason as well. I read quite a bit about 'unschooling' as I looked into it as art of one of my assignments recently. It was an interesting bit of research but I felt we had rather taken a step back to the dark ages really.
ReplyDeleteI can see many bennifits from homeschooling if it is done in the right way. A few of my close friends have chosen this route from time to time in their lives and very sucessfully too.
You are so right, we should appreciate and support each other rather than it being such a conflict all the time.
You have clearly done a fantastic job and all your kids are a credit to you.
Thanks for your kind words and support.