On Intentionality

The message of this post is simple:  Be intentional.

You have education choices.  Perhaps too many choices.  Maybe you long for the days when you could unthinkingly send your kids to the local public school, leave the education up to the professionals, and not worry about it.  As a parent, you have many options, but not thinking is not one of them.

The days of unthinkingly sending your child to the neighborhood public school are (or should be) over.  What if the local public school teacher is not competent?  Would you know it?  Have you observed the classroom setting?  Do you know your child's teacher on a personal basis?  Do you know her temperament, her teaching style, how she interacts with the children?  How well does she manage the classroom?  How well does she discipline?  What is her attitude toward Christianity?  Is she a believer?  Is she hostile?  You need to know these things before you let your child set one foot in a public school classroom.

But in the same vein, you must be intentional and involved in the private school setting as well.  These same questions must be asked of the private school teacher.  Be intentional.  Be involved.  And if your involvement is not welcome, that in itself is a tip-off that something is really wrong.

What about the home school?  Can parents be unintentional even while directly teaching their children at home?  You betcha.  Many home school parents rely on textbooks, workbooks, and computers to do the teaching.  Then, they fail to adequately test the child to be sure he or she has truly learned the material.  What is more, at the end of the year, they do not ensure that their child's portfolio is closely scrutinized periodically by a classroom teacher to ensure that the child is performing adequately.  As a result, many home school children perform at a subpar academic level.

Adding to the challenge is the fact that every parent believes her little Johnny or Suzie is an absolute genius.  The vast majority of children -- I hate to break it to you -- are not.  They are average.  This means that you as a teacher lack objectivity.  You must gain it in another fashion.  You must hold yourself accountable for how well you are doing.  You must give others permission to hold you accountable.

Think about it!  We all insist on holding the classroom teacher accountable for doing a good job.  In the school setting, teachers are observed and evaluated.  In the same vein, you need to ensure that others hold you accountable for doing a good job.  Have you heard the horror stories about homeschool children who attempt to go to a day school only to find that they are two grade levels behind?  I have.  Be intentional.  Find a teacher who will review -- truly review -- your child's portfolio.  Even better, pay to have your child tested  to be sure he or she is on grade level.  (If you need help in these areas and live in Tampa, Patsy Hinton of The Paideia School can assist you in this regard.)  It all boils down to intentionality. 

That's all I am trying to say here.  You are responsible for the result.  Be intentional and accountable.  No matter what decision you make, make an informed decision.