This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Coming or Going?

Invest in our children today to ensure our country's future.

It has been disturbing to read all of the news throughout our country that relates to the cutting of teaching positions. When budgets run dry on state levels, they take money from towns, the towns in turn have to find a way to reconcile the difference and, for some reason, it most often seems to fall on the education system.

While there are many immediately needed services that towns cannot cut, I wonder if this is not the old adage “steal from Peter to pay Paul” trick. By this I mean, do officials somehow think that if they “borrow” from the education fund, then there will always be time to give it back later when money is more available; which never happens.

Contributing money to the education of our kids is an investment. Like all investments, you give money and as time matures, the investment should also mature. Education is one of those investments that should be a sure bet, nothing to lose. Logically speaking, if we make the education of our children the priority, then as they grow, they will mature and grow in the capacity to keep our society working and advancing in future generations.

Find out what's happening in North Branfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Education cannot just be viewed as a business. It is personal and every teacher, administrator, aide, guidance counselor and all the rest will tell you that their job is deeply personal. We not only teach our kids a certain academic area, we teach them life skills.

We make due with less supplies, but we cannot make due with less teachers. Imagine the education you want for your child from the public school system. I imagine that I want my kids to build relationships with their teachers and peers. I imagine that I want my kids to be able to have debates and discussions that cause them to think in new perspectives. I imagine that I want my kids to have at least some one-on-one attention with teachers as they are working through notes and classwork.

Find out what's happening in North Branfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

I do not imagine my child sitting in a class or 35 other children, cramped and crowded, while the teacher does their best to individualize each student's learning. I do not imagine that my child is going to slip through the cracks because the workload on the teacher and the school has doubled since several teachers were deemed unnecessary by an adult who probably is not a teacher and probably had an educational experience completely unlike the one that he is proposing my child go through.

Speaking as a teacher, I am expected to do many things in my classroom. I am expected to create a warm and nurturing classroom environment. I am expected to create individualized instruction plans for my students based on interest and ability. I am expected to build positive relationships with my students, staff and community. I am expected to make parent contact on a regular basis regarding just as many positive situations as negative ones. I am expected to continue my own education in order to better my teaching and continue to gain deeper understandings of my content area.

If you think this sounds absurd, let me tell you that it is reality. I am protected from overcrowding in my classroom because of the diligent work of my union. I am not allowed to have any more then 28 students in a class. That is how my contract reads.

However, I can tell you that in my workshop model language arts classes, having 28 students is challenging, as I experienced it first hand this past year. In other districts, however, their contract language is worded in a way that states how many students a teacher can have in a one day. In this way, a teacher could have 35 students in one class. This is no way to help schools bridge the achievement gap for the students who need differentiated instruction.

Parenting Pointers

  • Get out and vote to support school budgets.

  • Go to the budget meetings in support of schools. Everybody in the room makes the difference- again- the politicians are tallying up possible votes in their head for future elections.
  • Find out if your school is in danger of becoming overcrowded or losing loved elective classes and find ways to support your child's  teachers

Our educational system has to be a top priority to our country. It has to be handled in a way that creates a fair education to all students. The key word here is support. We have to support each other in order to support our children.

Parent's Homework

Write a short note to the superintendent and/or contact the board of education through the North Branford Public Schools site explaining why the staff and classes are important to the success of your child and our community.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?