![[SeMissourian.com]](http://www.t-g.com/images/nameplate.png)
|
|
Fair ~ High: 66°F ~ Low: 43°F |
|
Thomas School
Posted Friday, November 6, 2009, at 3:47 PM<< Previous | Read comments | Respond | Email link | Next >>
I visited Thomas Magnet School last evening at the request of two grandchildren (cousins). I was absolutely amazed at the turn-out and participation. There literally were hundreds in attendance. This crowd, most of whom were fed dinner, was very obviously family including extended family such as grandparents and aunts and uncles.
I believe most students of the school participated in either art, history or music projects. The School Administrative staff as well as teachers were present and had clearly spent an inordinate amount of time with the students and their projects. To walk around and see the wonderful diversity as to the racial, cultural and economic make-up of the students and their families was heart warming and inspiring. All students were just students and all families were just families. Why should such a spectacle be laudable or noteworthy, and it is, rather than the expected norm? I personally, and hope all others do also, want to thank the School teachers, administration and staff for their time and unflagging support of the students. Oh were this attitude and activities to be transportable to all schools.......... Comments Showing comments in chronological order [Show most recent comments first] |
Near lifelong resident of Bedford County. Will comment on the issues of the day in, hopefully a cogent and certainly an honest manner. Will propose discussions not usually fully addressed in the mainstream media.
Hot topics Election 2010(0 ~ 3:57 PM, Nov 18)
Gambling Sentence
Wartrace Liquor
Gambling Update
Gambling Article
|
![[Feed icon]](http://www.t-g.com/images/icons/feed-icon-14x14.png){kind=icon}
I wanted to get over there as well -- my nephew was playing astronaut Gus Grissom in the living wax museum. I feel bad I didn't make it.
Mr. McClanahan, Every single school within our county can achieve the very same atmosphere. It is well known how to fill a schoolhouse with good teachers, involved parents, productive fundraisers and interested and motivated students. The key is selective admittance.
Unfortunately, when you compare Thomas to the other schools, you are neglecting to take this massive advantage into account. By the same token, if we concentrated 20% of our least students into a single school building, the result may be less than spectacular.
While I am sincerely pleased that you have personally observed racial, cultural and economic diversity, I hope the actual numbers from the state reflect what you witnessed. Further, if that is currently the case, I hope it remains so in the years to come. I am guessing that without some measures in place to ensure diversity, there would be very little of it.
I am glad that your grandchildren, and the other children at Thomas, are apparently getting the education they deserve. It is just that I also hope the rest of the student population gets the education they deserve as well.
Why would you think that the quality of education at any of the other schools would change just because we now have a magnet school?
Thomas Magnet School did not recruit parents or teachers or even students from other counties these students and their parents and these teachers are the very same people who have been scattered among each of you. They have always excelled they have always been there for their children they have always put forth the best possible classes. problem is nobody noticed them. They had always been there. Now you have these children who excel and parents and teachers who want these children to excel all in one place. These are the teachers who spend their weekends at the school making sure everything is in place for the coming week, they have always done it not just now. These are the parents that was at every school function, these are the parents who sat up until midnight studying those spelling words...these are the parents who took the responsibility to make sure that their child's class had the things they needed for school.. They've always been there. Will this hurt other schools and teachers who have depended on these children and their parents? maybe ? but then again maybe it will bring other parents to realize they can not depend on other parents to take care of every need of their child's class..maybe they will figure out it takes involvement in your child's life to raise a child to be the best he/she can possibly be.
Bravo Dianatn, bravo. My feelings also but stated ever very much better. So many believe that all they need do is bring the child into the world then it's the worlds job from there on.
Dianatn, The problem with that, is that it is not the parents in question who pay the price ultimately. It is the children of those parents who will pay. The objective of public school is to give every child the best available education. The children did not choose their environment. In this instance, there is no such thing as separate but equal.
There is no doubt that the quality of education will change at the rest of the schools. When you concentrate the best-behaved, most academically adept children, who as a rule have the most involved parents, along with the most productive teachers, you cannot help but to increase the concentration of the opposite elsewhere.
cherokee2, Yes there are, and there are also many who believe it is their only responsibility too look out for their own children's best interests within a public school system. Ironically enough, those are usually the same ones who also tend to complain about the undereducated underpaid individuals who drain the public coffers.
**There is no doubt that the quality of education will change at the rest of the schools. When you concentrate the best-behaved, most academically adept children, who as a rule have the most involved parents, along with the most productive teachers, you cannot help but to increase the concentration of the opposite elsewhere**
You ever think that maybe just maybe the quality will change for the better? Maybe the children who are not the best behaved, or not the most academically adept children or not the most involved parent along with the teachers who are not the most productive will try harder to become better because they no longer have these "others" to lean on. They don't have the higher scores of the better students to bring their classroom scores to a good average. They don't have these involved parents they once had so maybe now these other parents will try and replace them.
Look at the positives !!!
Be that parent who teaches your child to read and write before they enter Kindergarten: Don't be that parent who expects Barney and Big Bird to raise your child.
I sincerely appriciate your optimism, but it reads to me as if you are advocating an educational model of Reaganomics;)
I cannot predict the future. You may very well be accurate, and I truly hope you are. Time will eventually tell though.