My frustration with the school system

I don't understand what they want parents to do. What to expect from us? I understand that they are our children. However, I send her to school for them to teach her. So if my daughter is so far behind, then isn't it their fault? If it is up to me to teach her, then I would just home school her. I don't home school her because I want them to teach her. I also believe that in the importance of standardized schooling. So where did my frustration start this year?

I had a meeting today at my daughter's school. My daughter's teacher and the special education teacher (I believe that is her title), thought that she was behind. So they did this assessment on her. And this meeting was because of that assessment. Here is the thing, this is the 4th assessment that she has had. The result of this assessment is that she needs another assessment that she has to go on a waitlist for, and will be done next year. My frustration is coming from the amount of assessments that they are doing with her. Instead of doing assessments for her, let's actually teach her.

I was so stressed going into this meeting. There were 4 different people in this meeting and then me. I just felt like there were so many of them, and so much information being put at me. I also didn't think that the amount that she is behind warrants a meeting of this size.

A lot of the things that they said were small things that I just didn't think were a big deal. For example, her teacher brought up that my daughter doesn't really make friends with people in her class. They even said that it doesn't seem to bother her. So if it doesn't bother her, why does it matter? I had to explain to them once again that she usually makes one friend outside of her class. Once she does that, then that is her friend, and it doesn't matter to her. I'm not sure why that is a big deal at all.

What was surprising to me was the fact that in the assessment they said that my daughter is very behind in spelling? This is surprising to me as my daughter is in grade 2, and I have never heard of them doing spelling work of any kind. So to me, I think that if she is behind, then it's up to them to be teaching her. Then I figured out in this meeting that they really just mean that they can't read her writing. The thing is that the third assessment she had was for fine motor skills, as she needs help writing more clearly. Am I wrong that I can't help but to think that they should just teach her to write clearer? Someone, please tell me if I'm wrong.

You want them to care about your kids. You want the teachers to try to teach them. But where is the point that the teachers need to stop assessing and just teach them? I guess the problem is that the teacher writes most of my daughter's work. A fact that I have been aware of. Instead of doing that, shouldn't someone be teaching her to write clearly.

I know that there are so many children that get ignored, that aren't learning anything and no one cares. So I feel like I can't be bothered. I would rather them be trying with my child, rather than not caring at all. But as parents, we are told that we need to do all the things. It's the feeling that I need to make sure that I am teaching her. I have been told after every assessment a list of things that I need to do. Homework she needs to do, classes to put her in, a lot of things. Being a single parent, there is only so much time in a day. There is only so much that I can do. I send her to school for over 8 hours for them to teach her. So teach her.

I just feel like the school system is a faulty system. I feel like we are failing our children. There has to be a better way for our children to thrive. A way that isn't overwhelming to the parents. I feel overwhelmed by everything that I feel like I have to keep up with. I can't afford to put her in a special private school. Those do exist in Canada, and some of them are great. However, I can't afford those places. So what are regular parents to do? Is there a better way, a better system out there?

-T