Editorials & Other Articles
In reply to the discussion: What Americans Keep Ignoring About Finland's School Success [View all]chervilant
(8,267 posts)A seminal study of public education in the US (The Coleman Report, 1966) substantiated that the strongest predictors of academic achievement are a student's family and peers. Yet, instead of motivating educators to explore ways to capitalize on these important predictors, this study was "widely interpreted as saying that schools {do} not matter." Our system of public education--and the teachers who carry the responsibility of EDUCATING our children--have gotten short shrift ever since.
BTW, a plethora of studies from the 60s to the present have shown a strong correlation between parental involvement and student success. And I can count on one finger the number of parents who visited my classroom to discuss their child's academic success.
IMHO, some of us "survive" our system of public education, and our critical thinking skills continue to stand us in good stead. Perhaps we become the parents who encourage our children to value critical thinking, and a good education.