Over dinner with friends, we talked a little about public education. My wife and her friend are colleagues at the same school and so it was natural some of the talk was about education. The colleague is passionate about education and has become disillusioned with what's happening in public education. In his opinion, we're robbing kids of a real education.
The whole curriculum and thought process of how we teach is wrong headed in his view. Which is why he decided to begin a private school project. Public education is so far removed from meaningful reform he's preparing to bail out. Indeed, there's the added dimension that Canadians blindly believe we have excellent education - and health care - when in fact what we're getting is just acceptable and mediocre. There's no focus on excellence in it.
One thing he told me that's part of the problem is the average teacher can't even explain what their education philosophy is. They just absorb and feed what the minister tells them. Few question ministerial authority. It's just a job that pays the mortgage and that's not good enough for him.
The other major hurdle is bad teachers are not held accountable. And it's basically impossible to fire those known to be under performers.
I know I'm saving money, even through an RESP, to send my kid to private school. I don't like what I see in the public system. Sure, there are some decent public schools. Our public school right around our house is acceptable enough for her elementary years. Beyond that though, I want more. I want her to be challenged because she's already showing signs of being an academic type of student.
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