I’m active in the PTA at my
son’s elementary school, and some of us feel like there’s
way too much emphasis in the classrooms on testing our kids for
specific areas of achievement rather than educating the “whole
child.” Any thoughts on this?
—C.A., Atlanta
We agree. It feels as if schools are being asked to produce “products”
rather than educate and nurture children. And in this era of the
global marketplace, you’ve hit on a controversy that other
countries as well as the United States are grappling with.
We were impressed by the comments of Colin Gibbs of the University
of Waikato in New Zealand at a forum for teacher educators in Auckland.
“What we emphasize in education is generally what we get,”
said Dr. Gibbs in an online report from ChildCareExchange.com. “When
we emphasize achievement above all else, then we are likely to produce
achievement above all else.
“High achievement is desirable. But at what cost? When education
becomes focused on production—namely, evidence of demonstrable
achievement—then we have lost what it means to be educated.
“Teaching and learning are not just about achievement or quality-assured
products. They are about care, compassion, love, hope, joy, passion,
grace, relationships, and more. They are about people and how we
nurture and are nurtured on our learning journeys.”
The reality is that many schools have made—and continue to
make—critical budget cutbacks. And when that happens, the
tendency is to eliminate the so-called “extras” and
focus on the three “R’s” that will be tested.
Your role as a parent is key. Try to get the PTA involved in enrichment
efforts, such as giving kids opportunities to participate in music,
art, theater, field trips, sports, recreation and a variety of after-school
activities. 
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Ellen Galinsky, M.S., Executive Editor of Work &
Family Life, is President of the Families and Work
Institute, a researcher on national and international
studies, and the author of over 40 books and reports
including the forthcoming Mind in the Making. |
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Susan Ginsberg, Ed.D., Editor & Publisher of Work
& Family Life, was Associate Dean at Bank Street
College. She is the author of Family Wisdom: The
2000 Most Important Things Ever Said about Parenting,
Children and Family Life (Columbia University Press). |
This
is your column. We invite you to send questions about
work and family life or tell us how you solved a problem that you think a lot of people face. Write to: Dr.
Susan Ginsberg, Work & Family Life, 305 Madison Avenue, Suite 1143, NY, NY 10165. Email: workfam@aol.com
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