Should parents and communities play an active role in improving the
quality of school education?
☆Let’s Think
1)
In Japan, the board of education
manages the education of the community. They choose textbooks, change school
rules, and dismiss teachers if necessary. However, the board members are not elected
from parents or community members. On the other hand, the board of education consists
of anyone over the age of voting including parents, community members, and
students in many states in the U.S. Which do you think is better? Why?
2)
Have you ever seen a helicopter
parent or unreasonable parent who bothers teachers?
☆Hints
for Points
Agree
1.
The concept of children as the
asset of the community will be revived and this will lead to more involved
citizens’ actions to require the government to provide better education for
children.
2.
Parents are the most serious
about providing quality education to their children.
3.
The community, rather than the
government, often know what should be taught at school, so their voices should
be reflected more in education. e.g.
About 100 years ago, in Taisho era, merchants of the city of Osaka felt the
need of language skills in the international trade and funded to make a
language school for young merchants. The school was nationalized after WWII and
named Osaka University of Foreign Studies, later integrated into University of
Osaka.
4.
Mind development will be
accelerated. e.g. Some communities have started
support systems for learning by retiree volunteers and has improved
performances of children at school.
Disagree
1.
Helicopter parents interrupt
school education.
2.
Leaving education to specialists
is the best policy. The government has the department of education and trains professionals
to provide a good education.
3.
Voting is the channel to reflect
citizens’ opinions.
4.
Influential entities such as strongmen or a religious group can prevent proper education.
e.g. There are people who are
against girls’ education because of their faith or anachronism.
☆Sample Essay Structure
A
【Thesis】I am totally for the active role of parents and communities in
school education in terms of mind development. I
actually think they themselves should even directly help teaching.
【Supporting Details】The benefit of this policy is heightened awareness and cognitive
ability of the children that their exposure to various adults in the community
will stimulate. For example, after-school schooling volunteers can provide children
with knowledge and experiences crucial to mind development. They can teach
morals, pass down community history, culture, and tradition, and present new perspectives
that are not taught at school. The interactions and the organic way of
nurturing will give children a sense of security and help build well-rounded
personalities.
【Counterargument-treatment】It is true that too many cooks can spoil the
broth as the saying goes, but it is the golden rule of a good society that
youngsters are taken care of by all the older community members to raise the
next generation for the continuation of the community.
【Conclusion】Therefore, communal involvement is vital in school education. (171
words)
B
【Thesis】I think parents and communities should play
an active role in improving the quality of education, but I have a couple of
caveats.
【Benefits】Citizen’s involvement makes reforms appropriate, easier, and faster.
Financial aid from the community for education can increase. There will be more
interest in child-rearing and education among citizens as well as parents.
【Caveat 1】On the other hand, ideology can overwhelm reality and the school
system can be disrupted. For example, children could be forced to follow
unnecessary rules.
【Caveat 2】Also, the power structure among parents or in the community may
undermine the education, leading to greater inequality.
【Conclusion】Active participation of the adults in education is fundamentally
good, but unless it is decided to what extent parents and communities are
involved in education, adverse effects may follow. (135 words)
Write your draft on this
topic. Give feedback to other people’s drafts, asking questions and making
suggestions.
DRAFT
