Who Teaches Your Child

As a father and public school teacher for many years,  I've thought a lot about the question of who teaches children.  It's not an easy question to answer.

 Another way of looking at the question is 'whose responsibility is it if the child fails in school? Is it the teachers? Is it the parents? Is it the 'system' or 'society'? Here's some thoughts on the issue.

So there is considerable debate as to 'is it the teachers job or is it the parents job to educate the children'?  The real answer of course is 'Yes',  but have you ever thought about how much more is involved in that question? Is school or schooling the only, or even the major concern when it comes to raising your children.  Which of the 'teachers' of your children really influences them the most. 

As a young father,  I was confident that I was up to the task of 'teaching' my own children well.   I felt that what I said, did, and valued would be the best 'teacher' my children could have.  I spent time reading to, playing with, and being there for my kids (not nearly as much as my wife however, whose giving of herself had no limits).  I took full advantage of  partnerships with family, schools, community groups, church groups etc, but  ultimately, I always felt that it was my responsibility, - and privilege - to raise my children.  As I grew older, I realized how optimistic my early confidence and neivete really was.  Though I had taken the responsibility to feed, clothe, and provide a secure and healthy environment for my children as seriously as anyone I knew, I never really accounted for how strong a factor so many other influences would be in the lives of my children.  It was when my children were grown, that we could really talk about these influences, and how important they felt these factors were to their growing process.  I jotted down a few of the influences that immediately came to mind.  I'm sure you would have others, but here are a few.

How important a factor are these other elements.  Here is a look at some of those other influences on our children, and what some experts have to say. 

Effect of family on children -   Domestic violence - Effect of friends - Children without friends - Sports - 

And then their is this sobering article in a recent Huffington Post:


Anders Behring Breivik (The Norwegian Mass Murderor) Lists 

Favorite Books, Music, Video Games

Food for thought

Ron Zell