Education is the key to success! We have all heard this statement, and some of us have probably even quoted it ourselves. I am a believer in education, hence the fact that I am a teacher, but when does the education "push" become too much?
Clint and I have always pushed our boys to work hard in everything from education to sports. We are always telling them, "Anything worth doing is worth doing right." or "We expect you to give 100+% in everything. Don't halfway do anything." Well, let me tell you that our introduction to international education has been a bumpy one. The school that the boys are attending here in the Land of Sand is rigorous. I am not saying that it is a bad thing for there to be rigor in education. Just the opposite, I agree that the expectations should be high, but where do you draw the line between rigor and excess?
Let me explain where I am coming from....
One of our boys has been struggling in a subject that has always been one of his best subjects, yet he is exceling in all other subjects. The teacher of this course said that he only helps students with specific questions about a lesson, and he would not reteach the lesson. Of course I disagree with this... what if the specific question is the fact that the student did not understand the concept of the entire lesson? How does that student go about choosing a specific question? The lesson itself has become the specific question at hand. According to this teacher, he is preparing the students for the "college world". In a way, I would agree with him, but I also would have to say that I disagree. Anyone, who has ever attended college/university, knows that even a college professor has "office hours", where students can make appointments for one on one help from that instructor. I had several in college that retaught concepts to me when I was lacking understanding. So not every college professor has the mind set of "I don't care about you". Now, according to this teacher, students are always welcome to come to him for help, but if you were told that unless you had a specific question about the lesson he would not help you, would you feel like you could ask for help? I know that I wouldn't feel as if I could. If a student does not understand the concept of the lesson, there is no way that they can pinpoint one specific thing to ask.
Another example....
One of our boys has been struggling with the new expectations that this school has regarding the use of technology. Every student has an email address assigned by the school, and the teachers email them about assignments, notes that they need to print out for class, and updates about assignments...among other various need to know info. The students also are given multiple web assignments that must be completed or corrected online by a certain time or the "window" of opportunity will close. So from grades 6th-12th, they are required to check their email on a regular basis. So here is the issue....our children have never had any use for an email account until now. So they can barely remember to check it on a regular basis, therefore, they miss reminders and "windows" of opportunity. It is supposed to be checked each day. According to the school/teachers, this is to help the students become more responsible as well as organized. Now in theory, I think that this is a great way to keep kids informed as well as up to date BUT for kids that have never had the need for an email account, it is a giant task!
Now all of this being said, I believe that our boys are capable of rising to the task and being successful BUT is this truly helping them be successful in their education, or is it causing undue stress? I know that there are several parents that think that these things are not overboard expectations, and I understand that we come from a very different format for education and this is an adjustment.
I can see some Pro's.... 1) start early on learning to juggle during times of extreme stress, 2) improve responsibility level, and 3) provide students with a feeling of being "grown up".
I can see some Con's... 1) undue stress from trying to remember to do things that they have never had the need to do before, 2) can a kid just be a kid, please, we have plenty of time to deal with emails later in life, and 3) sometimes technology is not always reliable or available.
In the end, I am sure that we will look back on this and see that these things have really helped them prepare for their futures....at least I hope that is the case. In the meantime, we are struggling. When I say we, I mean WE as in ALL of us...LOL!
So when is enough, enough? It is a puzzle. What fits? What doesn't fit? What is the best way to prepare kids for their futures? Where is the proper balance? Who has the answer-- Internationl format or the format we are used to?
Education--It is a Puzzle!
