I was researching schools and childcare centers with MC because I am looking to work in one. I wanted to see how the prospective new place of employment was faring and what their philosophies and goals are. Great apparently. I have great respect for the Reggio Emilia philosophy and the statistics backed up the approach really well. MOST of the children were in the ABOVE AVERAGE range. The school, Kindergarten and Childcare are all intimate with no more than 33 children per room and adequate staffing to make sure they are all supported on their learning journeys.. the campus is beautifully located in the outer limits of the town with a bush block owned by the school for kids to explore nature, learn risk assessment and have the time of their lives adventuring, stunning grounds around the office blocks and playgrounds for the children to really move their bodies and bring them to their optimum physical development. Also I can bring my children with me though of course it will mean a deduction in pay- to have my kids with me while earning money and doing what I love- pure awesomeness.
But then I broke my own heart. I had no idea it would until after I did it. I looked up my old school. My old Primary school, the object of my own personal torment until I was removed.
A few years ago what I saw would not have affected me. A few years ago I may even have been pleased. All the children of my bullies, all the children in the school actually. Like ALL of them, they're failing. 72% are in the Lowest quadrant. 22% in the below average quadrant and just 5% in the average range. Only 5% were passing and not well. Just. Barely. Scraping. By.
I felt a knot form in my throat. How did it get so bad? Even when I was attending (almost 2 decades ago) kids were at least passing. Now there was literally no hope. They were done before they entered kindergarten.
I didn't have to think long about that question. The answers were many and rather obvious. First is a lack of funding. Our Government gives funds based on performance with the poorer performers getting a bit more but there's only 49 kids. They still can't afford the programs that might really help them and other funds come from parents and donors the parents can't afford to spend more and as for donations- No performance no money.
The next is socioeconomic reasons. Every one of the 49 children attending this school are disadvantaged they have NO ACCESS to tutors and their own parents who (more than likely) attended the same school and did almost as poorly as their own children are doing now are unable to teach them because they don't understand the homework themselves. Many cannot be bothered with homework because doing their homework never helped them so why should it help their kids? They're also too busy working shifts in factories and chicken farms to scratch out a living to support their families- where's the TIME to help their kids?
The third reason is a lack of nurturing. Am I saying the parents don't love their kids? no I believe they love them as intensely as I love my own children. However you can only give what you have and generation after generation of lack leaves some severe issues in the family dynamics and parent/child interactions.
Since becoming certified I've learned to pick it in about 3 sentences and two body movements. Particularly when the parent says "youse or ay?" I know immediately that they didn't do very well in the education system and also that they have a certain persona that they project as a defensive mechanism. Can I blame them? absolutely no. This is how they protect themselves. Except they aren't protecting themselves from an enemy. They're protecting themselves from their children. Children who need to be connected. Which leads to misunderstanding and no idea of what normal child behavior is.
This in turn leads to insecurities and insecurity to behavioral issues which usually lead to the parent yelling and or spanking- because it is all they knew growing up. And this leads to more miscommunication, more insecurity and more parental frustration.. which then follows the child will act out at school also. And then these children will do the same. It's a vicious cycle.
And let us not forget that the people running the show are clearly having administrative/structural issues. Without good organization and the resources to oil the "machine" even the best teachers will not make a difference because the teachers will not be able to teach.
So what do we do? I say we bring back the village. Can we teach a skill? why not volunteer to teach it? good at reading? writing? Maths? It's time for the community to take back it's responsibilities- the kids are OUR KIDS. every last one of them. And it's unforgivable that we leave them behind to simply become the next batch of farm hands and factory workers. They deserve better than that. I truly believe that every child is just one caring adult away from being a success story.
Will I take the job opportunity? maybe.. but I do keep coming back to this conundrum. It's a real pickle since there is no easy fix. But if you come to morning reading you may just see me there, it's a start.
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