Yes--our area is also plagued with parental apathy. Thankfully our staff and administrators are usually great. But when we need to advocate for the kids it is usually the same few parents sticking their necks out. As far as teacher involvement in the PTO meetings. We've done well this year. We've added a short curriculum piece to our meetings. ie. phonics program, new math program, new report cards etc. A different teacher will present each piece. We find once they go to one they usually come back. We also have posted sign ups in the teacher's lounge -- they are rotating amongst themselves communication has really improved. In addition, we have been doing a lot of cooperating events. Ie. school will host parent conference night and we will do a icecream sundae for the kids at the same time. We hosted a Holiday Night part of it the kids sang--teachers worked with kids during the day to get them ready for this. etc. Much better this year.
Here's my perspective. My kids are my #1 priority. We are fortunate that I can stay home to raise them. My kids are no longer young. My youngest is 10 and my oldest is 19 and started college in the fall. I feel very strongly about their education and have been involved at all schools (elementary, middle school and hs) in school parent groups as well as serving on a district Strategic Action Committee, where different groups worked on strategies to achieve certain goals. I even attend School Board meetings once a month, just as a parent.
I speak up fairly often and when I first started attending School Board meetings about 4 years ago, I thought, THIS is where the power is. However, I quickly found that the things that influence the school board are things that they have no control over. State mandates, Federal mandates even zoning laws that allow developers to build 50 houses without contributing to the cost of schools. I optimistically believe that I can make a difference but have come to realize that it takes many people to speak up with the same voice for anyone to listen. Let's all start yelling!
As more of these issues I'm having with our current educational system arise, I ask myself the same thing: Doesn't anybody else care? At the risk of sounding condescending, my own research into this has found: a growing number of parents are coming from third world (or close to it) countries, and are grateful for our educational system at all, a lot just don't know what does/doesn't go on in the schools, quite a few of the "don't knows" I've spoken to "don't care, good enough is good enough," so many are just jaded and feel "why bother, nothing will change anyway, and my child will be alienated to boot." Being lazy myself, I cringe at the thought of getting on the BOE, but I guess if I'm going to criticize, I have to be prepared to step up to the plate to make the positive change!
I guess I have a different perspective on this than most. I am a teacher. I'm fortunate enough to have a half-time position which allows me to also serve as PTO president at the school my children attend in a different school district.
I don't participate a great deal in the parent activities in the school where I work. It's just not where my passion is at this time. As a working parent, I want to use my "off" time with my family and their school activities. Is it selfish or is it being an involved parent? Probably a little of both. I'm still committed to my job and my students. I'm still available to them whenever they deem it necessary and I still give a LOT of my time to planning, preparing, shopping, making phone calls, etc., for my class-you know the routine.
However, the original post addressed another facet that concerns me. It wasn't really related to a lack of teacher participation with PTO but inferred that the quality of education was suffering due to teacher complacency, burn-out, etc. In that case I have to ask why the parents aren't more involved. As someone mentioned, the teachers can only teach what the federal, state and local mandates state. This is where parents need to advocate for their children. Be involved in policy making. Voice your concerns and opinions. Run for the school board or ask to be on your school's School Improvement Team (or whatever your school calls it). Write, call and e-mail your legislators frequently. Make sure you are heard about curriculum, testing, ratios, whatever the need is! It's a two way street and like it or not, usually it is the parent that has to meet at more than halfway. Hang in there! There are solutions for your situation.
This has been a really frustrating situation for me too. The teachers at my school are not all that involved and unlike your schools, these teachers are also parents at our school. Their kids attend here free as part of their package as there is no other school available to them. At the beginning of the year I spoke to the superintendent about this concern and what he did was arrange for the three team leaders (one from Elem, MS, HS) to be available for our PTO meetings. These reps bring info from their teachers and take info back. Just this little bit of exchange has made a world of difference. If a teacher needs to address the PTO, I make sure they can come in, say their stuff and leave without spending a lot of time. It has made it easier for our group to work and the teachers feel like they are a part without dedicating all their extra time to it.
Sometimes a compromise is the best solution! :cool: :cool:
Have to agree with C. Brooks. two and a half years ago when our new group really started getting going. It truly bothered me that we had very little teacher input. This year we have even less, I mean let's see we have had one meeting with a teacher rep. My principal and i would go round and round with this until I found out that this last fall she made it mandatory that we had a teacher rep, sure teachers signed up but GUess what? They never show. Like C. Brooks I would rather have them be there willingly. I do have to say that I just started a Parent Involvement Assessment TEAM and got my two teacher reps by coming right out and asking. They are so excited about it that they requested to meet twice a month, the input is GREAT. We have teachers who will help with our events such as our upcoming craft night. The whole realistic part is that so many of our teachers have their own kids and live in another school district. It means just as much that they send home our flyers/fundraising info, surveys, thank you's etc. Like I said earlier Yeah I would get really P
but now it seems so different. If they really support you you will know it even if they aren't at the meetings. Even a compliment/idea from them means alot.If someone would have asked me my feelings two years ago they would have been different than now, trying to understnd why they weren't there...oh the fights I had with my principal about staff..ha ha ha
"When you stop learning you stop growing."
