If you’re a parent, you are probably very concerned with education. The education of your children is your responsibility… from kindergarten to 12th grade! But there are many school board standards, as well as a cultural change, that have taken place over the past few decades.

The big question, of course, is do you believe the current education system is setting your child up for success? Or maybe, you are one of those parents who had enough and decided on homeschooling your kids – which is exactly what my family did!

I know I certainly didn’t receive any entrepreneurial skills in school, and yet America calls small businesses the backbone of our economy? Hello, disconnect?!

I remember speaking with one of our clients, Annette, who is a teacher at a multi-cultural school. Annette has been teaching for 25 years, and I asked what she has seen change over those two-and-a-half decades in the education system.

She quickly answered, “The biggest change I’ve seen is the push for everyone to be successful on state tests. Which is not going to happen. That is the biggest change, because it takes away from the teaching in the classroom. Some of these teachers I have seen, who are more creative, are trying to teach them real-life skills along with what’s on these state tests.”

It’s true, not all students test well and it brings into question how important these standardized tests even are! Especially since teaching kids to do well on them is now the primary focus for most teachers.

Reports from my own children brought to my attention a huge change in the sexual climate of schools. When I was a kid, so-and-so being pregnant or having sex was a BIG deal in my school. It was crazy talk! But when my oldest daughter was in the 9th grade, she said it was common for kids to skip class to have sex! And not only was it common, but people spoke about it openly. So I asked Annette how she has seen the culture change over the past 25 years.

One thing she mentioned was how hard it is to keep their attention. There are an infinite number of distractions at their fingertips these days. Cellphones, Facebook, Instagram and selfies are all competing for attention against the instructional lectures, for students of almost all ages. And it’s opened the door to cyber-bulling, sexting and in general, just being able to disconnect from family and friends.

All the time I see kids out at dinner with their family, but they don’t look up from their phones! The worst part is, the parents are doing it, too! Our society has become so disengaged, I wonder how many are actually paying attention to what is a small or big issue in our schooling systems today. Take a look at your family dynamic today. Are you teaching them respectful and honorable people skills, or how to disengage and get distracted?

What do you think of our current education system? Do you think it is grooming kids for success? If not, which major areas come up short? Have you noticed big cultural changes your kids have to deal with, that are different than when you were a kid or teenager?

This is such a huge discussion, but let me know your thoughts! While you’re leaving a comment, remember to Like and Share today’s message with your circle of influence. Include other parents or even someone who is currently IN a school system on this discussion!

What big amazing things do you want to accomplish this week? Join us for tips on how to work toward those goals on The NEW Dani Johnson Show bright and early at 7 am, or on demand on your own time! You can tune into the show on either your TV or radio and please remember you can always stream today’s show right here on our website.

In great faith,

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