'Fr. Panagiotes Carras' frpanagiotes@yahoo.ca [OrthodoxInfo] OrthodoxInfo@yahoogroups.com
8:09 AM November 6, 2014
I have recommended for years that parents actively monitor their children's classroom activities and textbooks. Talk to your children every day about what they learned at school and what did they do.
Another suggestion is to monitor proposed new curriculum and books before - not after - the school spends thousands of dollars purchasing the textbooks.
Contact your school or school district today and ask for the schedule and the procedure by which textbooks are selected and purchased. Each school district has a curriculum director and often a curriculum committee.
Ask to be placed on a parent textbook and curriculum review board. If your engagement is not welcomed, be persistent. Politely ask that parents be involved in the selection of the textbooks and volunteer to help them engage other parents. Stay on top of it; keep contacting school administrators.
Work with other like-minded parents. Have them make the same phone calls to the school or school district. Insist upon parental involvement in the process. These are your schools; get on those curriculum and textbook review committees.
Divide the workload. In order to cover all the possible textbooks for all the topics for all the grades, you're going to need some help. Engage other parents. Engage grandparents. Then become an expert in one particular subject matter and continue to follow it through the textbook selection "seasons." This is not something that you will be doing just once; on-going vigilance will be required.
Graciously, but assertively, put forth your recommendationson the texts that are being considered. Always remember that the easiest way to protect your children is to stop inappropriate texts and educational materials before they end up being purchased and placed in the classroom.
In so many ways your schools will benefit from your involvement! This is a very positive and pro-active way to be involved.
In Christ,
+Fr. Panagiotes
