6/24/25 Power outage, so sorry it’s late
- Intelligent
- Strong communication and listening skills
- Firm yet patient
- Charismatic
- Creative and actively engaged
I completed my formative years of education in the parochial school system, from kindergarten through eighth grade, and graduated from a Public high school. While there are pros and cons to both educational systems, I found that Catholic schools offer a more disciplined and structured environment, which contributes to effective teaching. These schools nurture students to succeed and strive to advance them through the educational system based on merit. The daily religious and moral teachings, supported by the local parish, are reflected in the high number of students who go on to pursue and graduate from higher education.
Public schools, which receive better funding from the state, offer improved teacher salaries and more services for students. This marks a significant change from the past, when schools often supported a parochial system for students interested in pursuing trades, a system that has mostly disappeared. I am not a fan of No Child Left Behind, as I believe it contributes to future failures. That is why we need to reintroduce trade schools. In today’s tech-driven world, there is not only a demand but also great alternative career paths for those who are more hands-on and creative.
The discipline in public schools does not compare to that in parochial schools; in parochial schools, students face consequences for distracting the class or misbehaving, and persistent issues can lead to expulsion.
Public school systems are increasingly striving to compete with S.T.E.M. education by focusing on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. In addition, they expose students to the arts and music through instrument education. Schools also encourage honors and advanced honors students to take full advantage of the opportunities available in this ever-changing environment as they work to enhance their competitiveness.
Point to Ponder: Point to Ponder: The school system has undergone significant changes since my youth. More parents were at home, often with one parent managing the household. Moral teachings and patriotism were emphasized both in and out of the classroom. Many factors have influenced the pros and cons of education from 1960 to today, including technology, electronics, television, radio, and news media, which were far less prevalent back then compared to today. Nowadays, knowledge about nearly everything is available at our fingertips. Most modern phones are more sophisticated than the systems used by NORAD and NASA when I was younger. Unfortunately, I feel it is a sacrifice to our kids growing at a slower pace and just being able to enjoy being a kid.
Over the past few years, a topic of conversation has evolved around a school voucher system for education; however, I believe the Teachers’ Union will oppose it, as it could weaken their position on the global stage. In the end, I think such a system could dilute both public and private education, negatively affecting them both, as it removes the catalyst of a friendly competition behind their successes in education. This is just my opinion, and we know what they’re like!
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