From the Parent's Desk: Joey McAteer on the Importance of Public Education and Being Engaged
Joey McAteer is a father of two daughters who attend Adaire School in Fishtown. As a former educator himself, he knows the importance of being engaged in school and in the classroom. Mr. McAteer shares his thoughts on the public education system, community engagement, and how to support schools in the essay below.
Public education is important for all members of a community, not just those with children or those whose children are already educated. It is important because students that are being educated in our communities are the next group of workers, inventors, politicians, entrepreneurs, store owners, lawyers, doctors, educators, and everything else that makes a community special.
Without good, quality education, communities fall apart. It’s a real shame that we as Americans do not value what can be learned in our schools. So often we hear people and politicians railing against teachers, but they do so little to help out.
It seems that education is the only field in which outsiders have a major impact on policy and requirements. Public school educators are not allowed to implement their own policies and requirements that define their students. Rather, it’s outsiders, such as researchers and politicians, who too often stick their noses into public schools and implement their ideals without asking educators.
As a former educator, I can tell you what will make students succeed, but as an educator, I was never allowed to implement those policies. For instance, one of the major policies that most researchers and educators believe has an amazing impact on learning is class size, but we never see this policy implemented.
Teachers are constantly fighting to have smaller class sizes, not because they want less work, but because they understand that they are able to have a higher impact on each child in the classroom. Plus, smaller class sizes would allow teachers to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their students, in turn allowing educators to tailor lessons for each style of learning.
There are several reasons why I chose to join the Home and School board at my children’s school. I get to see all that is happening at my kid’s school. Being in the school on a near daily basis, I can find out what they are learning and how it’s being taught. Seeing teachers interact with their students is an amazing and valuable lesson. Understanding how different my kids are in a classroom compared to home is an invaluable introspective into their lives. Being able to help out at the school connects me to my kids in ways I never dreamed.
Their classmates all know me by name now. It’s a real honor to walk down your child’s school hallways and be greeted by a few dozen squeaky “Hello Mr. McAteer’s!” Passing kids and seeing their faces light up to give you a high-five or those quick interactions is heartwarming.
I’m able to talk to other parents and learn different strategies for behavioral issues. By being involved, I get a chance to work with their teachers to find out what is needed in their classrooms. Then I’m able to either fundraise directly for those items or set up a Donor’s Choose.
The work that I have chosen to take on at the school is to create events that will be fun for the kids and bring money into the school. I have a team of wonderful parents and community partners that will spend hours walking around town soliciting or painting or volunteering to read to children.
A strong community starts in the classroom and extends outward into the streets. By knowing others and helping them succeed, public engagement is what makes a community strong.
These events do not need to be large and convoluted either. Start small and get your feet wet. Start with a bake sale or a happy hour at a local restaurant. Work with members of the community to get some things donated or sold to you at cost. You’ll be surprised at how many people will step up to support their local schools. Some places are better equipped to give you items, but ask everyone. You never know who will give and who will not.
If you are not engaged in your child’s school, it’s not difficult to get started. Talk to the principal, talk to the teachers, talk to other parents. Find out what is needed and form a committee to work on tackling that issue.
I promise once you start, you’ll be hooked. All it takes is for that one kid to come up to you to say thank you and you’ll understand all that work you did was worth it.
