Recently, parents have been asking themselves who’s the better parent: Tiger Mom or BFF Mom. Tiger mom is the mother who is so strict that her child has to ask her permission in order to do anything. Some examples that have infuriated parents all over the world are: the incident where she had her 7 year old daughter playing the "Little White Donkey" tune on the piano for hours without any breaks until she played it perfectly, or when she called her older daughter "garbage" after the girl behaved disrespectfully. BFF Mom is so busy trying to be friends with her child that she sets no boundaries and provides no discipline because her child can do no wrong. I know of one parent who went so far as to throw a party for her early teenage children as long as they agreed to let her party with them. She bragged about how her children and their friends really liked partying with her. Even though there are not many parents who go to these extremes, there are many parents who fall very close to either side. Tiger Mom is not a new phenomenon, we used to refer to these types of parents as “Drill Sergeants”. Research suggests that children who grew up with a Tiger Mom or Dad tended to be very rebellious in their teens and early twenties. Taking their new found freedom to the extreme and engaging in some pretty dangerous behaviors. The research paints a similar picture for the children who grew up with a BFF Mom or Dad. They to engage in some pretty dangerous behavior but they typically go through this rebellious stage in their early teens. It has been suggested that these children are pushing the envelope in order to get their parents to set some boundaries.
I would like to suggest that parents should take a more moderate approach to parenting by setting boundaries for your child, providing consequences when they step over those boundaries but not making all their decisions for them. I believe that allowing them to make some decisions on their own, shows them that you have confidence in their ability to make decisions and boosts their confidence in themselves. Following this more middle of the road parenting style will not eliminate the rebellious stage but it may go a long way toward curbing it.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Is a Charter School, a Magnet School or a Choices School Right for Your Child?
The first thing that you need to know is that charter schools, magnet schools and choices schools are all public school choices and do not have any tuition payments which gives you some school options that wouldn’t break the bank in these tough economic times. Although they may have different names in different districts, most districts have similar choices available. These types of schools are gaining popularity and new school options are popping up every year.
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to all of the rules that other public schools must follow. In addition to the district rules, Charter Schools are held accountable for producing certain results as outlined in the school’s charter. Class size is usually smaller than a public school and they are perceived to be safer because of the smaller size of the school population. Many Charter Schools have a waiting list and admission can be based on a lottery, so you may experience difficulty getting your child into these schools. Some charter schools provide a curriculum that specializes in a certain field such as the arts, technology, or mathematics. Others provide the opportunity for innovative teaching practices like cooperative learning, or self-paced learning.
Magnet Schools are Public Schools and therefore must adhere to all the rules and regulations of the district that they belong to. They provide an expanded list of classes in an area of focus. This is particularly beneficial to a student who has an area of interest that they want to explore further. It provides them the opportunity to gain experience in that area while at the same time letting them explore whether this is the right field for them. Some of the Magnet Schools in my area have focuses in: science & technology, government, theater, music, and medical.
A Choices School is not really a different school type, it is the option that districts provide parents at certain schools which allows the parents to choose between a set list of public schools that their child can attend instead of attending their zoned school. These transfers are offered for a number of different reasons. The main reasons that the district in my area does it is capacity, diversity and class size.
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to all of the rules that other public schools must follow. In addition to the district rules, Charter Schools are held accountable for producing certain results as outlined in the school’s charter. Class size is usually smaller than a public school and they are perceived to be safer because of the smaller size of the school population. Many Charter Schools have a waiting list and admission can be based on a lottery, so you may experience difficulty getting your child into these schools. Some charter schools provide a curriculum that specializes in a certain field such as the arts, technology, or mathematics. Others provide the opportunity for innovative teaching practices like cooperative learning, or self-paced learning.
Magnet Schools are Public Schools and therefore must adhere to all the rules and regulations of the district that they belong to. They provide an expanded list of classes in an area of focus. This is particularly beneficial to a student who has an area of interest that they want to explore further. It provides them the opportunity to gain experience in that area while at the same time letting them explore whether this is the right field for them. Some of the Magnet Schools in my area have focuses in: science & technology, government, theater, music, and medical.
A Choices School is not really a different school type, it is the option that districts provide parents at certain schools which allows the parents to choose between a set list of public schools that their child can attend instead of attending their zoned school. These transfers are offered for a number of different reasons. The main reasons that the district in my area does it is capacity, diversity and class size.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Is a Public School the Right Choice for Your Child?
Is public school the right choice for your child? That is a question that a lot of parents are asking themselves nowadays. Parents are finding themselves looking for an alternative to public school given all the violence and bullying that is popping up in public schools, the funding cuts and the believe that teachers are focusing their teaching on what is going to be on a standardized test. There is some validity to these concerns; however the reports of violence and bullying are over emphasized in the news. Make sure that you are getting accurate information on the violence present in the schools located in your area and how your district handles bullying behavior because there are probably as many ways of dealing with bullies as there are districts in the United States. Don’t rely on the information reported on television or the information provided by the district. Get your information from parents and students already attending the school your child is zoned to attend. It is also important to understand that bullying occurs in charter and private schools as well.
I don’t believe that there is as much teaching to the test as is reported. If your child attends school in a state that has standardized testing each year, it is important to understand that these test were developed to ascertain whether your child has learned the concepts that they were to have learned in that year of schooling. Having said that, I have run into some teachers in the public school system in the twelve years that I was working there that I would classify as teaching to the test, but they are few and far between.
There are several benefits to choosing a public school over any other school choice. One that you may not have considered is the number of different classes that they can choose to take at the middle school and high school level. Depending upon their interests they may have the opportunity to take classes in photography, specialized art classes, woodworking, theater, mechanics, band, orchestra, and electronics to name just a few. Be sure to research what your district has to offer.
If your child has a special need such as a learning difficulty, speech or language delays, autism, low ability or emotional difficulties, the public school provides support that other types of schools cannot provide. Charter schools do provide some support for these difficulties but not to the extent that a public school provides them.
Public schools have access to many different types of technology that other types of schools cannot provide for their students. Most public schools have several computer labs which provide students access to programs like movie maker, Google map, and educational games that help support what the students are learning. In addition, they can share information and interact with students all over the world instantly. In our technology driven society, this type of access may be very important to your child’s future.
As you can see it is most important to do your research when picking out the right school for your child. Be sure to consider what your child’s needs are and which type of school best meets those needs.
I don’t believe that there is as much teaching to the test as is reported. If your child attends school in a state that has standardized testing each year, it is important to understand that these test were developed to ascertain whether your child has learned the concepts that they were to have learned in that year of schooling. Having said that, I have run into some teachers in the public school system in the twelve years that I was working there that I would classify as teaching to the test, but they are few and far between.
There are several benefits to choosing a public school over any other school choice. One that you may not have considered is the number of different classes that they can choose to take at the middle school and high school level. Depending upon their interests they may have the opportunity to take classes in photography, specialized art classes, woodworking, theater, mechanics, band, orchestra, and electronics to name just a few. Be sure to research what your district has to offer.
If your child has a special need such as a learning difficulty, speech or language delays, autism, low ability or emotional difficulties, the public school provides support that other types of schools cannot provide. Charter schools do provide some support for these difficulties but not to the extent that a public school provides them.
Public schools have access to many different types of technology that other types of schools cannot provide for their students. Most public schools have several computer labs which provide students access to programs like movie maker, Google map, and educational games that help support what the students are learning. In addition, they can share information and interact with students all over the world instantly. In our technology driven society, this type of access may be very important to your child’s future.
As you can see it is most important to do your research when picking out the right school for your child. Be sure to consider what your child’s needs are and which type of school best meets those needs.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Picking the Right School for Your Child
One of the most important decisions that parents have to make is what type of school to send their child to. The choices available today are numerous. There is public, private, magnet, charter, virtual and home-schooling options. Every month it seems that there are new options available, and all the options seem to have their benefits and their drawbacks. I will be exploring each of these options in a series of postings to assist you in making this important decision. I feel fairly confident that I can speak on the pros and cons of attending public school, and I will be seeking out the advice of other parents and educators who know more than I do about the other options that are available. In addition to the generalized information provided in these postings, I hope that you will do your research on the schools in your area by talking to parents and children who are already attending the school and finding out how the school is doing compared to other schools nearby. The statistics on schools can typically be accessed through the State’s Department of Education and most schools are more than willing to give you a tour of their facility. Do not take it as a bad sign if the tour is conducted when there are no students in the building, many schools have adopted this policy to ensure the safety of their current students.
It is very important to keep in mind the stregnths and weaknesses of your child when picking out the right school. Not every child fits into every school setting, and finding the school that is the best fit for your child may be the difference between academic success and failure. If you are not sure of how your child learns, Howard Gardner's books on Multiple Intelligences may be a good place to start.
It is very important to keep in mind the stregnths and weaknesses of your child when picking out the right school. Not every child fits into every school setting, and finding the school that is the best fit for your child may be the difference between academic success and failure. If you are not sure of how your child learns, Howard Gardner's books on Multiple Intelligences may be a good place to start.
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