As a veteran of parenting (3 children) and teaching (more than 10 years), I have a lot to say about education, both public and private, across all grade levels, among many curricula, but not a lot of conclusions about what education should be. I certainly have a political slant that will become apparent, but politics define things much too clearly to suit my taste. As opposed to ranting, I prefer to break down how complicated are the pressures that face American schools. And as you can guess and probably empathize with, those philosophical complications serve to make the practice of parenting and teaching difficult. No news here, it’s rare to find people who have clarity of purpose, and most of them are truly frightening in my opinion. So, no answers here, just questions that can at least help us to focus the dialogue.
August 14, 2008 at 1:50 am |
I know a lot of older “former” parents who were as beset with uncertainties as you and winged it, went with their gut. Many times they were surprised to learn it didn’t matter all that much, the kids proved resilient- or unconscious- enough to survive and even thrive.