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Education: Diverse Means to the Same End?

© Melissa Sztuczko-Payk

As I've said before, I'm pretty active in our community's public school system--as a parent, volunteer, and now substitute teacher. Because I am a bookworm (now "networm" would be more appropriate, perhaps), I read all I can about education. Among my reading is a listserve dedicated to homeschooling--I use the ideas I find there when subbing, and to help my own kids learn. I've really begun to take notice of the different ways kids are taught today. Of course, supporters of each style of learning typically are pretty firm that their way is the best way. And I'm not going to argue with any one of them, because I think there is a right way and a wrong way to teach every kid--and no one way works for every child.

As a parent, my husband and I spent a considerable amount of thought debating whether to send them to public or private school; actually, I spent time debating, while he was always certain that public school was the best choice for them. In the end, I concurred. The key question, of course, was which method would best prepare the children for adulthood--emotionally and intellectually. In the end, I concluded there was little that private schools could or would offer that I couldn't handle myself.

For instance, I saw little need for religious training during school hours. We attend church, the kids attend confirmation classes, and God is a part of our everyday lives and conversation.

I examined whether schools truly welcomed parental involvement. Both private and public school did so, and both had similar records of success in parental participation.

I also looked at which would provide the best learning environment; in that area, it was more or less a draw. I knew some very, well, devilish students at each of the local private schools I had considered, as well as our neighborhood public school. I saw crabby teachers and patient teachers at both. In examining curriculum issues, my perception is that our local private schools had strong English & social sciences courses and weaker science and math; the public schools were just the opposite. So, not knowing which subjects would be my children's strengths, this issue was also a draw. In short, I found few differences in quality.

The deciding factor for me was that our local private schools were very segregated, not only religiously, but racially. And that, for me, was a big issue. So, my now middle school-age kids have attended the same urban school district since kindergarten, and they are well-adjusted, intelligent kids who like school (although they are still loving summer vacation!).

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