Hi diligent, before blaming the teachers look closer at the real problem, Teachers have zero powers in the public system (I can speak only for Qld-and not as a Teacher, but as a volunteer at the local Public primary School helping grade 2 students with reading) Homework is not compulsory, and the home readers are very rarely opened at home by a majority of this class. I find it absolutely disgusting that Parents are very quick to point the finger at the School and Teachers regarding their Children's lack of ability, but have no intentions of taking responsibility to help and encourage their own Child (the excuse of not having the time doesn't cut it-particularly in the important years of grade 1 and 2 where the home readers are very small, and if working prevents you from giving your Child this small 10 minutes of interaction then you should never have had the Child!!!) The Qld govt doesn't help any either, by allowing the pathetic excuse of a parent to refuse the Child repeating a year (this is how a completely illiterate Child is able to complete Schooling-which in turn does nothing for the Child's confidence or behavious when they know they are failing, nor does it help other students who have to have their education disrupted by the attention needed for the Child wrongly promoted through the years. The focus on the amount of sport which is now also compulsory(by govt)also cuts into the time which could be better used learning reading and writing. Personally I would love to see changes to the Education System starting with the parent no longer allowed to dictate if their child is promoted to the next year level.
