Choose the Teacher – Not Just the School
A child spends most of his/her waking day in class for about ten months each year. The teacher not only becomes the daily educator, but also the parent surrogate, mentor, counselor, motivator, encourager, friend, advocate, and coach. Therefore what is more important – choosing the school, or the teacher in that school?
Pembroke Pines, Florida – February 1, 2009 -- The teachers’ common denominator is merely passing varied required college courses from varied institutions. Each teacher, however, is as different as one’s fingerprints. Personalities, characters, abilities, capabilities, physical attributes, ages, experiences, inner desires and passions are some variables that make teachers anywhere from incompetent to outstandingly skillful and capable. It’s easier to choose a babysitter, yet as taxpaying citizens, why shouldn’t we be able to choose the teacher?
When a child from any school grows up, do they remember that special teacher that made a difference, or the school itself? Isn’t it true that one could be in an “A” or “F” school as measured by aggregate academic scores, yet individually soar beyond the norm because of that special teacher? A school might have the advantage of having naturally brighter, less disabled in its’ population, thus producing at least on paper, higher reading and math scores.
Schools can have tons of books and materials being used to some extent by crummy teachers, and inversely can lack the same however, being taught superbly and effectively by creative, diligent, and superior teachers. Is it more important to have a plethora of school books or a teacher with a plethora of passion and proven effectiveness?
So what’s more important – the teacher or the school?
More often than not, parents choose a school for their child to attend without having any say or even any knowledge of the teacher. It’s analogous to being a consumer only able to choose the store to purchase goods. The reality is that we choose food, clothes, detergent and even chewing gum, with more careful thought and decision in any given store, than we do a child’s teacher in any given school.
In many states especially Florida being quite dismal, about half of all students never graduate from high school. Does that mean half of all children in Florida are stupid? Of course not!
More likely, schools are failing to meet needs for students to want to continue to become productive, fully educated individuals in our society. An overhaul of thought, perspective, and bureaucratic practice must ensue. Teachers’ personal styles; strong, personal relations; abilities, and heartfelt bonds with the child and respective family are integral factors for optimal and ultimate success.
If parents could choose their doctor, lawyer, baker, or plumber, why not the most important person molding their child’s life on a daily basis?
(Richard Ben Errera is a highly respected, published educator and inventor, currently teaching at Somerset Academy Miramar in Florida. All feedback is welcome and encouraged at bonjourrre@aol.com).
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