I am the parent of an 18 month old son.
I will be an educator of middle school students in a public school setting.
I want to work in a public school, but I don't want to send my son to a public school.
I attended public school all my life.
The schools I attended were honors or major work schools as they were called back then and those are few and far between today.
It is safe to say that the public school education I received was far different from the one in existence today. There were few if any behavior problems in my classes and we were able to learn. We had homework everyday and were responsible for completing it and our parents made us accountable.
I believe that there can be positive public school experiences that rely on excellent teachers being able to overcome the financial, behavioral and political issues that burden public schools before instruction can even be addressed.
I do believe this is possible, but do I want to risk my son's education in the process?
Public or private is a debate I also grapple with in my mind. I attended a public school all of my life. Now that I work in a private school (going on my second year as an assistant teacher), it makes me wonder if I missed out on learning certain skills, such as critical thinking. Looking back, I do feel as if my teachers were "teaching to the test."
ReplyDeleteI also wonder: if I would have went to a private high school, would I have been accepted by different colleges?
Even more, your post prompted me to think about the pros and cons of working in public vs. private schools. Did I make the right decision by starting out my teaching career working at a private school? If I wanted to apply to work in a public school in the next few years, would I be at a disadvantage?
Deanna
You bring up a very good point. The ideas we discuss about public education all seem good and well when we're talking about someone else's kids. When dealing with our own kids, we want what is best for them, even if that's not what's best for our society as a whole. In some cases public school is perfectly fine. In some cases, it is completely unacceptable.
ReplyDeleteWhen we talk about society as a whole, we tend to have a very liberal, nice way of thinking. The second we involve our own children, we tend to be less "nice" and more real, honest, harsh even.
You brought up a great point!
Chrissy
I think a lot like home schooling everyone is going to have an opinion. I was in public school my whole life and had a wonderful experience. I understand why some families/children choose a private education but I think no matter what you choose, you will get what you put in.
ReplyDeleteThis a great blog Toya. I think this is a dilemna many parents face everyday. As a parent you want what is best for your child. Education when I was child is much different that it is now, in particular with behavioral issues as you pointed out in your blog. I believe at the end of the day a parent must do what is best for their child.
ReplyDeleteLatoya...I love your blog design! My personal favorite. Public v private is a hot topic. My husband attended private schools and he wanted our twin boys to go as well. They're pretty bright and I thought it would be a good opportunity for them. We waited until they were going into high school and by then, their circle of friends was established and they played sports and activities; they chose and said they would not get a better education at a private school. I think they made the right choice staying in public school. They have a wide and diverse circle of friends. However, each school is different and sometimes shopping for public schools is possible if relocation is an option. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI think each generation bemoans the downhill spiral of the generation that comes after it, because kids of my era were thought to be so much worse than those who’d gone before. But it was tame then compared to today. Toya, I know exactly what you mean: few behavior problems, learning, doing homework, and being accountable to parents. And if a kid got in trouble, the parent asked the kid, “What did you do?” Nowadays so many parents ask the teacher, “What did you do to my kid?”
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I were cowards and decided to have dogs instead of kids, but over the years I’ve wondered if I would have preferred public or private for children. I’ve especially wondered as I’ve watched kids arrive at public high school with fewer skills and watched high school atmosphere vary according to the principal. I went to public high school and private, Catholic colleges, so I know some of each. I think I’d have leaned toward Catholic school, even though we’re not Catholic.
Deanna, no I don’t think you’d be disadvantaged if you applied to a public school. You’ve had full-time experience in a school, and that’s a plus! Chrissy, I think you found a big issue: some public schools are great and some are unacceptable, so that would influence Toya’s choices. Lizz, I love your comment that each person gets what they put in. So true, no matter what school a person’s at! Rashad, yes! Toya needs to do what’s best for her child, choosing the best place without being distracted by a loyalty to one type of school or another. Deb, I loved your personal story about your sons. I agree that public school diversity is really great—as long as the academic rigor, safety, and structure are there too. I love seeing the variety of people in our district. One day I was walking down the hall behind a boy, who had hair down to his waist, and was wearing a yarmulke and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles shirt; and I just thought, “I love the individuality of this place!” Look in another direction, and you’ll see other races, other styles, other characters, and people of character.