August 30, 201016 yr George Will's column in Sunday's Ky. Enquirer (8-29-10) he mentioned a book written by a Paul E. Barton, America's Smallest School:The Family. Barton believes that the following 5 reasons are responsible for 90% of the successes and failures in school. 1) The number of days absent from school. 2) The numbers of hours a student spent watching TV 3) The numbers of pages read for homework. 4) The quantity and quality of reading material in the students' home. 5) The most important one, the presence of 2 parents in the home. I believe these reasons are the most important aspects to success in school, followed up by teachers who work hard to deliver the material in their respected fields. School is hard work and all the so-called innovations will not replace the 5 reasons for success by Barton.
August 30, 201016 yr George Will's column in Sunday's Ky. Enquirer (8-29-10) he mentioned a book written by a Paul E. Barton, America's Smallest School:The Family. Barton believes that the following 5 reasons are responsible for 90% of the successes and failures in school. 1) The number of days absent from school. 2) The numbers of hours a student spent watching TV 3) The numbers of pages read for homework. 4) The quantity and quality of reading material in the students' home. 5) The most important one, the presence of 2 parents in the home. I believe these reasons are the most important aspects to success in school, followed up by teachers who work hard to deliver the material in their respected fields. School is hard work and all the so-called innovations will not replace the 5 reasons for success by Barton. Mr. Barton is a master of the obvious. Considering that #5 is a problem that's not going away how does he suggest the education system deals with that issue? #5 goes hand-in-hand with #1.
August 30, 201016 yr Author Mr. Barton is a master of the obvious. Considering that #5 is a problem that's not going away how does he suggest the education system deals with that issue? #5 goes hand-in-hand with #1. School's have truancy policies in place. As far as number 5, there is little the schools can do about it directly. Teachers can do their best in trying to understand situations and trying to convince students to overcome their problems, but in the end it is up to the parent and the student to rise above their individual problems.
August 30, 201016 yr School's have truancy policies in place. As far as number 5, there is little the schools can do about it directly. Teachers can do their best in trying to understand situations and trying to convince students to overcome their problems, but in the end it is up to the parent and the student to rise above their individual problems. I agree overall. However, I'm not sure the gentlemen has exactly broken new ground here with his discovery. There are schools in areas that typically have this profile that are producing results. So it really boils down to our willingness to make the commitment from all sides.
August 30, 201016 yr 5 failures of Kentucky Schools 1. Legislature - lack of funding 2. Teacher accountability 3. Parent accountability 4. See Number 1 5. Schools boards and site base not being effective.
August 30, 201016 yr 5 failures of Kentucky Schools 1. Legislature - lack of funding 2. Teacher accountability 3. Parent accountability 4. See Number 1 5. Schools boards and site base not being effective. Your #3 should be #1 IMO and all the funding the schools can get won't cure parent accountability unless those funds are used to somehow get those parents involved with their kids education.
August 30, 201016 yr Your #3 should be #1 IMO and all the funding the schools can get won't cure parent accountability unless those funds are used to somehow get those parents involved with their kids education. AMEN TO THAT
August 30, 201016 yr I disagree with #5. I know many single-parent families whose children do better in school than 2 parent families. I think that it's about the amount of importance the parent(s) place on education first and foremost. I've seen kids from both single and two-parent families who do not apply themselves in school because their parents don't place education as a top priority. Think about it. How many parents spend time complaining about the amount of homework their kids have? How many claim it intrudes on the kids' time to be a kid? What about the parents who complain about how school and activities impede upon their own plans? To me, the number one problem is that as a society, we take education for granted. That's what happens when it's free.
August 30, 201016 yr I disagree with #5. I know many single-parent families whose children do better in school than 2 parent families. I think that it's about the amount of importance the parent(s) place on education first and foremost. I've seen kids from both single and two-parent families who do not apply themselves in school because their parents don't place education as a top priority. Think about it. How many parents spend time complaining about the amount of homework their kids have? How many claim it intrudes on the kids' time to be a kid? What about the parents who complain about how school and activities impede upon their own plans? To me, the number one problem is that as a society, we take education for granted. That's what happens when it's free.While I agree with you that many do well, I'm afraid that far more do worse with only one parent. Totally agree about the amount of importance placed on education by the parent(s).
August 31, 201016 yr More funding could equal smaller class sizes which would equal greater success rates.
August 31, 201016 yr More funding could equal smaller class sizes which would equal greater success rates. I support this one 100%. One of my most troubled students (bad home life, behavior problems, ect.) realized this last year when state mandated testing was going on and half the class was gone one day and the half the class the next. Our class was down to 15 students and due to less distractions and more one on one time, he felt like he "got it" for the first time all year long. His words, "if people really cared about education, they would keep our class sizes no larger than this." :thumb:
August 31, 201016 yr More funding could equal smaller class sizes which would equal greater success rates. Could is the key word. History tells us that more funding doesn't neccessarily mean smaller class size though.
August 31, 201016 yr Author You will never get the funding to reduce class size to 15 or even 20. But I have always believed the class size should be reduced for grades 1 thru 3. If we could be sure that everyone came out of the 3rd grade reading, writing and knowing basic math skills, I believe there would be far more successful students. If their not up to speed by the time they are out of the 3rd grade, I believe it would be very difficult for them to ever catch up.
August 31, 201016 yr More funding could equal smaller class sizes which would equal greater success rates. There was a recent article in the WSJ saying that the facts do not quite support this commonly-held belief. I'll try to find it.
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