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What
TeachersWish Parents
Knew
About School
W
HAT
can you do to
help your ch ild in
school?
There is a cri sis in education.
H igh schools are graduat ing il–
literates. Major universities and
technical institutes find them–
selves having to teach remedia(
mat h a nd la nguage courses.
Teachers are accused of bei ng
incompetent.
T he d ec l in i ng standa rd of
schools is becoming a major issue
in Europe and North America.
And yo u r c hildre n a re
caught in the middle!
What- if anything–
can
you
do to help
your children make
the most of their edu–
cat io nal o ppo rtuni–
ties'?
l t is time that many
of our r eaders ask
themselves this ques–
tion.
It
is too easy jus t
to blame teach ers.
schools or administra–
tions when our c hil–
dren bring home failing grades.
While it is true that sorne teachers
are not t he most skillful. sorne chil–
dren are clearly able to learn from
lhem. And even though many
schools do not have the best fac il i–
ties, sorne c hildren manage to get
an education there and go on to
graduate from college and universi–
ty with honors.
Why? Bccause what happens al
October 1983
by
John Halford and Dan Taylor
school is only one part of the educa–
tion process. You, the parent, also
have a vital par t in determining
your children's success al school.
To prepare this article, wc asked
teachers what they wished parents
knew about school and education.
You will find the answers reveal-
ing- and encouraging. They will
show you that there
is
somethi ng
you can do. (t does not cost money.
lt
needn't wait for government
intervention. Bul it may make the
difference between children failing
or succeeding in school.
You may not have realized it,
but your children's teachers want
your help. Most teachers take pride
in their work. They are competent
and dedicated. They resent the
slurs that t hey are j ust "in it for the
money," or because of the "long
vacations." They enjoy working
with chi ldren a nd a re eager to
teach them to read, write and do
arithmetic.
Teachers appreciate history and
literature-and want your son and
daughter to appreciate them too.
T hcy are fascinated by the world of
science- and thcy want to share it
with your children. They have tal–
ents that allow them to excel in
music and spor ts. Nothing gives
~
them greater satisfaction than help-
~
~
ing others develop those samc tal-
~
ents.
ó
~
But there are sorne things that
o:
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