Realigning Education & Career Expectations in Schools and Families

It's difficult to write a post like this one without appearing that I'm being (at least indirectly) critical of teachers, and parents. As a former teacher, I'm aware of the challenges in teaching, whether infants, primary or secondary. And as a parent, and more recently a grandparent, I understand how tough parenting can be. All levels of education have their own unique issues in 2022, but there are some issues that are common to all. 

 

As a teacher, you will be aware that parents tend to be more critical than they once were. Expectations are higher than ever! Every parent feels their child is unique (and of course in one sense they are), and many want them to end up working as brain surgeons, lawyers, engineers or some other high-paying role. Teaching is unfashionable right now partly because everyone talks it down, including teachers.

Many parents will also question what teachers do, even though the teacher is the education and teaching expert, not the parent. It is one of the few professions in the world where almost everyone feels they have the right to question the professionals. And of course, media critics of teaching abound.

 

As well, school education systems are constantly wanting to test and measure achievement with instruments (i.e. tests) that inform them on how students and schools are being judged. These measures never offer a comprehensive picture of what our students are learning, and always seem to end up producing negative stories in the press. Is there any wonder teachers feel unhappy?

 

It seems that many people are quick to criticize and slow to acknowledge that teaching and parenting are both challenging roles in the 21st century. What can we do about this situation? I want to suggest that both key parties need to review and reassess their hopes and desires for children. In particular, I think as parents, we need to think carefully about what our students' aptitudes and skills are, and how these might equip them for specific roles in life. At day's end our children can't all be brain surgeons, CEOs, lawyers, doctors or CEOs of their own start-up companies with their unique products and inventions that resulted from their university studies. So how do we set realistic goals and expectations for our children as they enter education? Let me ask a few pointed questions:

 

1. When your child first entered primary/elementary school, were you already aware of what you expected from education for your child? As well, had you already decided what profession you wished them to pursue?

2. When your child entered the secondary school, had you realigned your expectations much?

3. What factors shaped the above choices? Was one factor your desire to see them do something similar to you as their parents? Or, in some cases, perhaps something quite different and 'better'? And high paying!

4. How closely did you examine your child's natural gifts, abilities and interests in thinking through such decisions?

 

Why pose these questions?

 

I ask questions like these because I have observed for decades that many parents embrace goals for their children very early in life, that aren't necessarily based on an objective assessment of their children's aptitudes and abilities. Recent research in Australia suggests that a majority of parents expected their children to go to university, with 62.8% indicating either Yes, definitely or Yes, probably. As well, fathers who hold trade qualifications are less likely to expect their children to enter higher education. But both mothers and fathers tend to rate boys as being substantially less likely to attend university than girls, and overall parents over-estimate the likelihood of their child entering university. Some of my family members, and many friends always saw me as destined for engineering. I commenced mechanical engineering with Australia's major steel company (BHP) when I left school, but in a few months I tossed this in and pursued teaching as a career! My father was NOT impressed. My experience and that of many others, suggest that we need to think more carefully about the aspirations we have for our children.

 

                         Image: Aerial photo of the Newcastle Steelworks (c1960s) where I began training and work

In this post, I am composing the post against a backdrop of nail guns being used to build a luxury home near me. The workers are mostly men, who have completed 4 years of high school education followed by a trade course over 2-3 years at a technical college. I suspect that few were very successful at school. They all drive cars much better than mine and the builders I know live in homes (usually with minimal or no debt) that are better than many university educated people can afford. They seem to enjoy and get satisfaction from their time spent on site, with a predictable pattern of 3-4 hours’ work (7.00am till 11.00am), one hour for lunch (or 'smoko' as some call it), and then another 3 hours before they go home and forget about work till the next day.

 

All parents and teachers are different, but as an informed observer I want to offer a critique of some of the expectations parents and teachers seem to hold, and encourage all readers to answers the following questions.

 

What do schools seek to equip children for?

 

If you answered "get to university", "succeed in their final exams", "end up with a good job" etc, I think your response might just be VERY narrow. All schools, and particularly Christian and religious schools of all types, should be seeking to develop the whole child, not be setting expectations on the first day of primary/elementary school for them. Our will always reflect our relationship with the child and our personal aspirations. In my book 'Pedagogy and Education for Life' I point to Doug Blomberg's thoughts on the relationship between teacher and child. He makes a very telling point that has relevance to both teachers and parents when thinking about our hopes and career expectations for children. He states in 'Wisdom and Curriculum' that the task of the school, including faith-based schools is to use curriculum, which he defines as inclusing “the relationship between the teacher and the child” for a central purpose:

 

"... to create a (school-)world within the world, because it is a selection from and sequencing of an all-but-infinite range of possible experiences. It is a conscious (re-)ordering of the world for the purposes of teaching and learning. The ends to which these processes are directed provide the criteria for the selection and organization of school experience." (Cairney, 2018, p.44)

 

I underline the final sentence because it speaks to the issues I'm discussing in this post. The expectations of parents are (I suspect) pretty much set before school. While these might change across the years of school life, they do not shift easily, and in some cases never do!

 

Parents have the primary role in shaping future expectations early in life, but this tends to shift over time, with teachers and other students also playing a role in the development of every child's hopes and dreams for life after school. Teachers must be aware of this and reflect on how they might influence pathways for the good, or perhaps, NOT for the good of the child.

 

I might do a follow-up post on this topic, but for now I simply leave readers to ponder and perhaps discuss the issues I have raised with others.

Helping our Students to Make Connections between Life and School

I presented a plenary address this week at the Seventh International Literary Juvenilia Conference 2022. The conference explored Juvenilia, that is, youthful writing up to the age of twenty. As part of my plenary address I explored Intertextuality research which was a key focus for me in the 1980s to 1990s. Intertextuality refers to the "relationship between texts" (Kristeva). In my book 'Pathways to Literacy' (Cassell, 1995) I describe it as "the process of interpreting one text by means of another text".

Two people inspired me to explore Intertextuality. First, my dear friend and colleague Margaret Meek from the University of London (who died just two years ago), and Prof. Jerome Harste (Indiana University) who has been a close colleague and friend for almost 40 years. Jerry invited me to come to Indiana University (Bloomington) as a Postdoctoral Fellow in 1984. My purpose was to commence postdoctoral research and writing on Intertextuality.

While at IU, I collaborated with a Grade 5 teacher at an Indianapolis School. Barbara invited me to spend time at her school and assist her as a co-teacher, with a class that at times was challenging. I want to share a story from this classroom, that I also shared at the Juvenilia Conference this week. This student's writing, was to offer me a profound insight into why the task of inspiring our children as readers and writers can be at times challenging.

On an ordinary morning, as I prepared for the school day, I heard the yellow school buses arrive at the entrance, and the rush of students down the corridor shortly just minutes later. Students burst through the door and we did the usual crowd control, as they jostled their way to their seats. Some were shouting to one another, and a few were saying “Hi Sir”. A bolshie young African American named Nora (not her real name) threw her bag onto the desk. It missed, and its contents spilled onto the floor right in front of me. I started to help her pick things up. I grabbed a wad of writing paper with numerous texts that looked like stories.

 

I was shocked! Norah was a disruptive student and had the ability to spend a whole day without completing any task. She was from a difficult family and lived in a trailer court. It’s no exaggeration to say, she had not produced a single piece of writing in English while I was there. I said to her, “what’s this Norah?” She replied, “Nothin Sir”. I said, “looks like writing to me”. “It’s Nothin Sir, just stuff I do at home.”

 

I hesitated and said, “can I read some of it?” “No Sir, you won’t like none of it. It’s just stuff.” “Looks like poetry to me”.  “No Sir, just some songs.” I said, “please let me read some.” She replied, “well, maybe just a couple.”

 

The first untitled ‘song’ that caught my attention was this one ‘:

 

Lonesome all alone

She waits by the phone

Lonesome all alone

She wants to belong

Lonesome all alone

She listens and hopes

But there is no sound

Just a lonesome hound

Lonesome all alone

 

Was this great poetry? For this 11 year old child, yes! At home, it seemed Norah was a writer, whereas at school she was mostly a pest, and had not completed a single piece of writing at school. She saw little relevance in her school learning, but found inspiration in writing music stimulated by her own inner hopes and dreams.

I share Norah’s story, because I believe there are many children like her in our schools, for whom the literature of great authors has not been part of their lived experience. As such, the literary seedbeds of their storytelling and writing are different to the students many of us will teach in our schools. She was inspired by popular music at home and moved to write in response to her struggles as a disadvantaged African American.

I want to suggest 4 key ingredients for motivating and engaging our students as learners:

 

• First, know your students well. Who are they at home? What are their passions outside school
• Second, discover the things in life that our students might want to share with others?
• Third, consider what might unlock the passions and interests of our students leading them to become risk takers, willing to share the things that touch and inspire them most? 
• Fourth, as teachers we should try to help our children to build a "cauldron of stories" as a reservoir into which they can dip as writers.
  

The challenge in my talk at the conference was a simple plea. Get to know our students well, and seek to plough the seeds of the love of literature, into the lives of students like Norah, and I suspect many other children within our schools. In this way, we might just be able to help children like Norah (& me when at school) to grow as readers and writers as they connect their lives with the things of school.

Is School Homework Useful? Or is it a Waste of Time?

I hear two types of complaints about school homework?  

Type 1 - parents complain that their kids don't get enough homework.  
Type 2 - others suggest that the homework that children do get is often a repetition of work at school and that it teaches little.

The question 'Is homework useful?' is never far from conversations between parents about school, or between teachers when discussing parents. Like every teacher I have felt the pressure of parents wanting their children to do more homework. In spite of this I have never been a fan of homework in the primary years of schooling (age 5 to 12 years). Yes, homework does have a place, but not the exalted place that many parents want to give it.

Why you might ask? 


1. Because the vast majority of homework is banal and features drill of things that contribute little to the areas in which we want children to learn. Memorising spelling lists is a case in point (see my previous post HERE) with little contribution being made to the ability to write well.

2. Because school homework is often a substitute for things that are more critical to children's development. For example, play (posts HERE), discovery learning and problem solving (posts HERE), creative expression in varied forms and (dare I say it, rest at day's end).

3. Because it allows society at large to fill the school day with other things that parents have failed to teach their children and simply shift curriculum work to the category of homework, which has to be packaged in bundles that children can complete largely undirected (see #1).

4. Because it reinforces narrow definitions of learning, curriculum and assessment. Homework ends up being simply a test of work done at school, often in the name of practice.

In short, school becomes squeezed by the imperative to test children's learning for public assessment (see related posts HERE), and the hours after school end up being used for largely non-directed and repetitive tasks that help children to pass tests delivered at school.

Is there an alternative? Yes!

Step 1 - Ensure that any after school time whether at home with a parent or carer or in after school care is spent well. Set high standards.

Step 2 - Control access to the things that distract children from rich learning and exploration. I'm thinking of course about 'screen' time (limit daily screen time), computers, gaming and television.

Above: Screen time needs to be controlled, but it can also be a key tool for learning

Step 3 - Apply some simple tests for any after school 'homework'. Does it develop new knowledge and skills? Does it expand repertoires for learning - discovery, imaginative recreation, dialogue, observation etc? Is it enjoyable and challenging?

Step 4 - Make sure that you know what your children are doing, that you monitor it, and that you show genuine interest in what they are doing. 

What might post school time look like?

Hopefully time after school will have a level of planning (kids you need to do X, Y, & Z). Make sure that set agendas like sporting practice, music etc don't shut out everything else.

Start with down time - let them rest, talk to other people about their day, feed them, let them have some time to choose what they do (within predetermined limits).

Incorporate varied activities - some time outside to run around in an unstructured self-directed way; a time for exploration and discovery (this can include reading, viewing, hands on activities like craft drawing, construction etc); a time for school directed homework (I'd limit this in the primary years to no more than five times their age, i.e. thirty minutes aged 6, fifty minutes aged 10 etc); self-directed reading (e.g. HERE, HERE, HERE & HERE); family down time to chat and hang out.

Above: A different type of 'homework'

I understand that the complexity and varied nature of family life will always make after school time 'messy'. But we need to ask ourselves, how messy is it? What negative impact is the messiness having on family life and learning? What can I do to change things?

One thing I am certain of, the solution to the messiness isn't simply to ask schools to set more banal tasks, disconnected from 'real' learning which we police with minimal supervision.

I would love to hear your comments and suggestions.

Other posts

Other posts that address creativity, imagination and play (HERE)

Other posts that address homework alternatives (HERE)

Tips for Parents (& Teachers) in Week 1 of School

In Australia children are returning to school soon and some will be turning up for the first time. There will be many tears, and that's not just the parents and teachers! Yes, there will be anxious children as well. As always, it's a challenging time for everyone. Having received children on their first day at school as a teacher, having sent my own children to school in Kindergarten, and having worried over grandchildren heading off on day one, I have some experience as a worrier! So I thought I'd offer some quick Do's and Don'ts for parents and teachers.

PARENTS

DOs

#1 Assume the best of your child's teachers, not the worst. Give them a chance to get to know your child and encourage your child to show them respect.

#2 Try to help teachers understand your child by telling them things that will help (when you have a chance). This might include health issues, fears about school, special interests (help them with points of connection).

#3 Try to get to know some other parents from day one. This will help to give you a small support group, maybe someone to call to see if their child has the school note your child has lost, or to discuss the project work that is due, how the swimming carnival works, are parents expected to attend the school fete or fundraising day etc.

#4 When they get home (especially in the early weeks) let them rest, feed them, & allow them some down time before asking the 20 questions you've stored up.

#5 Pace yourself, there will be MANY years of school. Let your child grow into school, and as a parent try to learn afresh what school is like now compared with when you were at school or when you sent your first two children. 

DON'Ts

#1 Don't assume that your child is the only bright kid at school and tell the teacher as much on day 1. EVERY parent thinks their child is gifted. Let your child show their teacher some of the great things they can do.

#2 Don't criticize your child's teacher in front of your child. This will make it harder for your child to respect their teacher.

#3 Don't make comparisons between your child and other children, especially to your child.

#4 Don't hassle teachers from day 1 about homework, allow the year to get rolling before firing such questions at them.

#5 Don't expect the teacher to know your child as well as you do from day 1

TEACHERS

DOs

My eldest daughter on her first day of school

#1 Be patient with parents, especially those sending their first child to school, especially in the early weeks. This is a tough time for many.

#2 Inform them as soon as you can about your expectations on things like homework, special activities, and your approach to discipline.

#3 Let them know how they can contact you if they have questions. An email address will reduce many fears and DO try to answer them as quickly as possible.

#4 Look for good things in each child. While not all will be brilliant (even though their parents might think they are), there will be things that are worthy of praise and encouragement.

#5 Make yourself available at pick-up time to chat, answer the odd question and simply show that you're interested in connecting children with their parents.

DON'Ts

#1 Don't overwhelm parents with information early, keep guidelines to a minimum at first.

#2 Don't assume that parents have little to offer, while some may have unrealistic expectations, they will know their children well. Tap into their insights when possible.

#3 Don't ever talk about a child to the parents of a classmate.

#4 Don't expect too much of parents too early in relation to homework. Like you, they will be busy at the start of the year. A few might pester you for it, but try to maintain a balanced approach.

Other Related Posts

1. 'Starting School: Is there a best perfect age?'

2. 'Making Homework More Relevant and Useful for Learning'

Government to fund Family-School initiatives

The Minister for Education has announced funding of $800,000 for a Family-School and Community Partnership Bureau that will help develop partnerships between parents, schools and the community.

The Rudd Government will provide the funding over four years to two key national parent bodies - the Australian Council of State Schools Organisation (ACSSO) and the Australian Parents Council (APC) - to conduct research and develop pilot programs to ensure schools are more welcoming to parents and the broader community.

The government recognises that while formal education settings are an important part of a child’s education, parents play a key role in bridging the education experience a child receives at school and at home.

The new Bureau will work with organisations across the country in developing and encouraging effective partnerships between schools, parents and the broader community to improve students’ learning experiences and outcomes.

In announcing the initiative the Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard indicated that "the aim will be to reach the disengaged, the disempowered and those families that often are not drawn into their children’s learning."