A Shot Across the Bow for Parents

A column focused on the world of education, from bestselling author Tom Friedman (author of The World is Flat and Hot, Flat and Crowded), appeared in this weekend's New York Times, and it's been popping up like wildfire -- or trending, in the language of the moment -- across social media outlets ever since. Some people wholeheartedly agree with everything he has to say. Others believe he's grossly off-base.

You can read his column in its entirety right here, but the gist of it is pretty simple: Stop making teachers the whipping boy for the shortcomings of American students, he says. Our schools would be a whole lot better off if parents were doing their jobs in the first place.

Friedman points to a recent study from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which shows that students whose parents read to them at a young age, and who actively engage them in conversation about their schoolwork on a regular basis, score much higher on international standardized tests than students without the same benefit... regardless of socioeconomic background.

How much difference does it make? According to the OECD, the average differnce is about 25 points on the PISA test, which is the equivalent of about one-half year of schooling.

The column got our attention because whether you agree or disagree -- and we'd like to know what you think, by the way -- it does indirectly reinforce one of the tenets of The Big Brain Club's 'ground-up' approach. Namely, we focus on changing the culture of learning in this country. We're not overly consumed by the adult-driven arguments over teachers' unions, school boards, or tweaking curricula.

Those are all important factors, sure. But they don't amount to much if your classrooms are filled (or especially if they are over-filled) with students who don't care about their own education, who feel that it's more important to appear coolly indifferent to their classmates than to raise their hand and participate in the day's lesson.

Teachers make a huge difference, and yes, of course they should be held to high standards. But educating our kids is a group effort. Everyone needs to be rowing in the same direction. Teachers must be in command of their classrooms and engaged with their students, parents must foster a home environment where learning is valued -- think more books and fewer reality TV shows as a good starting point -- and, while we're at it, pop culture could do us all a favor by not portraying every nerd as a hopelessly awkward social zero.

Okay, enough from us. Weigh in and make yourself heard. Is Friedman on target. If so, why, and if not, what is he missing?

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If you liked this post, you should also check out:

Artificial Self-Esteem

An Unlikely Education Superstar

Seth MacFarlane is a Total Science Nerd

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