Today I received an e-mail from my son’s teacher containing a link to a news/blog story on how students are learning a different kind of math than we learned as kids. The story explained that with computers being so much more prominent in today’s world kids need to learn more about how to think algebraically. That it helps them interact with computers better. That parents of today can’t possibly understand how the kids are being taught in school.
Yeah, there are a few cusswords that come to mind at the moment.
Teachers deserve so much more than we give them. Good ones do anyway. But when they don’t allow a parent to participate in the education of a child they are shortchanging society entirely.
But this is not a new development; it has been slowly working its way into our world for years. I will admit that I am not smart enough to trace the origins of the educational rift but I know quite well the moment I dropped my child off at kindergarten I handed those educational reins over to another human being.
It became very easy to focus on my own goals and career as I trusted my children would be well taught and would report back to me more intelligent with each passing day. His first grade experience, though, was very difficult. The class dynamics and personality of the teacher absolutely clashed with my son’s learning ability. His days were spent focusing on his behavior instead of the items of study before him.
Now, he is in 5th grade and this particular issue has resurfaced. But I am a better mother now. I am better armed. When he gets home from school I have things for him to learn. Workbooks and discussions with some positive reinforcement thrown in for good measure have helped him in all phases of life. Now I use the internet for what a teacher was originally meant to do. Supplement a child’s learning process with information. But instead of trusting someone else I am his guide. As I believe it should be.
For instance, I know that my son learns better after physical activity. Though a teacher may be aware of this if he or she is paying attention the structure of the school day does not allow for him to go off and play football before each work session in school. As a result, in school, he suffers. He does not reach his potential. Had I been blessed with monetary means I would absolutely homeschool him. Unfortunately I do have to work. As such his real education does not take place in the class room but happens after we get home. It takes place over dinner and weekend excursions. I use the internet to tell me what my child should be learning in his class and what methods are generally being taught – all the information I should be getting from his teacher. But I also teach my son other methods as well. I think a well rounded mind is much more capable of creative thought than one who sticks with only “new math”. It is how I learned as a kid and I do not shy away from algebraic learning now!!
