I am the mother of a five-year old daughter. As a former special education teacher, I have always been a huge proponent of education. Not just any old education, but an education which teaches to a child's ability level. Montessori, you say? NOPE!
In the school district where I live there are so many things that are going wrong. I know this as a former educator within the county, as well as the parent of a child who is "in the system". I believe in children getting the best education. Would it be nice to not have monetary issues to achieve this greatness? Of course! But what if it's not possible? What if the budgets are getting lowered and lowered each year?
My first years of teaching I was obsessed with having all the new things in my classroom, including technology, books, posters, supplies, and all the like. I was spending my salary (what was left after the bills, for the most part) on EVERYTHING! I still have some of these specialty resource books that teach to a lower level of higher interest abilities. I thought they were the thing to have.
With all this being said, AND getting back to my main point, I am thinking differently now that I am a mother.
The county in which I teach has its fair share of problems, as other districts do across the nation. My main concern these days is anything that effects my child. She is in Kindergarten. She is reading on a 2nd grade level. She LOVES to read anything and EVERYTHING! So, I should be happy about this, right?
Well, I am. No doubt about it. BUT... there is only so much I can do with my child on a day to day basis. I expect the school to reach out and take her under its wing and show her a world of opportunities, as was afforded to me when I lived in NY. The school system used to have a TAG program from Kindergarten and up. Due to budget cuts, TAG is not anything that is an option until at least the 2nd grade- and even then it is not pressed as a priority.
As of now, I am doing what I can for my child. I am exposing her to many different things, making modifications to her homework that fits her ability level, and encouraging her to join different activities and groups.
Suggestions?
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