Parents’ Poll: School: What’s Special? What’s Challenging?

Here's what you told us about what makes school special for your kids and how you'd like to see schools change.

Results of the Poll

1. What are your kids excited about this school year? (Check all that apply.)

Some of your comments:

• Riding the school bus.
• PE! (physical education)
• A new arts program.
• My homeschooled kids like doing activities with homeschooled friends during the day.

2. What are your kids most concerned about so far this school year? (Check all that apply.)

Some of your comments:

• Trying to learn how to behave in the new school.
• Wondering "Will I get the help I need?"

3. How do you stay in contact with your children's teacher(s)?

Most of you communicate with teachers through e-mail and conferences.

Some of your comments:

• Teacher conferences and weekly reports through e-mail, WHICH ARE WONDERFUL!
• E-mail and by volunteering in the classroom.
• A quick word at school pick-up and conferences and through e-mail and written notes.
• I see the teacher every morning at drop-off. Also, she lives in town, so I can call her if need be.
• Talking to myself (I'm the teacher!) always looks a bit funny, so I stay in contact with the principal (Dad) when he gets home in the evenings.
• We have a personal conference with the teacher after school for each quarter-year report-card period. Conferences are more frequent if my child is not doing well in class or is struggling with behavior or assignments.

4. How would you like to see schools change?

A number of you would like to see smaller class sizes, more individual attention, less homework, and less focus on testing. There were plenty of other suggestions as well. See if you agree.

Here are some of your comments:

• Smaller classroom sizes would help (in the public schools). I think more needs to be done about bullying, too.
• Later start to the school day. It's too early to catch the bus at 6:30.
• Learning that is more child-centered and specific to the individual. In elementary school, I'd like to see a more organic flow to learning instead of compartmentalizing subjects.
• No lining up outside!
• Less standardization with curriculum and less pressure on teachers for students to meet state and federal standards.
• Less homework would improve kids' lives.
• More school-sponsored sports.
• More programs to challenge the really bright kids.
• Continued recognition that children have different learning styles. Education is more "tailored" to my children than it was in my day. Keep going in that vein!
• Give more work in second grade so the load in third grade doesn't seem so overwhelming!
• Not as much focus on testing.
• More over-the-Internet programs, for instance, being able to visually see what my child is learning for the day.
• Smaller class sizes. No more than 20 students per classroom. More recess time and more physical activity.
• The teachers need more special-education support in the classrooms, and the curriculum needs to be more flexible.