| Welcome to The New Coffee Room. We hope you enjoy your visit. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. Join our community! If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| The Millenial Parent | |
|---|---|
| Tweet Topic Started: Mar 21 2006, 11:21 AM (119 Views) | |
| Jolly | Mar 21 2006, 11:21 AM Post #1 |
![]()
Geaux Tigers!
|
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...6032001167.html |
| The main obstacle to a stable and just world order is the United States.- George Soros | |
![]() |
|
| QuirtEvans | Mar 21 2006, 02:01 PM Post #2 |
|
I Owe It All To John D'Oh
|
Totally missing here is a discussion of what ages we are talking about. For college and high school students, I'd agree. For elementary school kids, it's a different story. In our system, parents are actively encouraged to participate in the schools ... in elementary school. In junior high, it's time to say goodbye. That, in my opinion, is as it should be. At some point, kids have to learn to fight their own battles. The parent should be an adviser, not an active participant. But, below a certain age, that's what parents are supposed to do. The key is knowing the difference, and many schools (not ours, thank goodness) use the problems at the high school level as an excuse to impose limitations on elementary school parents. Simply because they don't like dealing with parents. Every teacher I know says dealing with parents is the toughest part of their job. Too damn bad. Every job has difficult or unwelcome aspects. Get used to it. |
| It would be unwise to underestimate what large groups of ill-informed people acting together can achieve. -- John D'Oh, January 14, 2010. | |
![]() |
|
| dolmansaxlil | Mar 21 2006, 02:39 PM Post #3 |
![]()
HOLY CARP!!!
|
Dealing with parents can be the toughest part of the job. But it's not the parents who want to be involved, or the ones that are really doing everything they can to advocate their child. My job involves dealing with parents and difficult situations more than most. I'm the one who makes that initial phone call telling parents that their kid needs extra assistance from the Learning Resource Teacher. I'm the one who makes the phone call saying we'd like to start an Individual Education plan for their child. I'm the one who makes the call saying we'd like to send their child for psychological testing. I'm the one who makes the phone call letting them know we want to identify their child with a learning disability. And-the toughest part of my job (I went through it last month, and it was heartwrenching) - I'm the one who makes the phone call letting a parent know that we feel their child needs to be placed, in grade 7, into a classroom where they will receive a modified program. I'm asking that parent, for the first time, to close a door for their child. They are making a decision for their child that means that they will not get a high school diploma. I've had phone conversations that have gone on for an hour with parents who are angry, distraught, confused, resentful, or just unknowledgable on how the whole process works. And I do not mind those calls at all. I don't mind the meetings with parents where they want to hear every detail of what this test score means, or how we are addressing the needs of their child in the classroom. Even the parents that can be frustrating because they want every detail are not a problem for me - it's easy for me to just remind myself that they are advocating for their child. The parents that I have a problem with are those who demand we go to lengths for their child that are beyond what we normally do - such as sending an email to the parent and the tutor twice a week, letting them know what is happening in the classroom so the parent can make sure their child is doing their homework and projects - but then the parent doesn't follow through with it, and doesn't respond to communication from the school and routinely sends in notes explaining how little Johnny's homework wasn't done AGAIN because he had a hockey game on the weekend. That is not helpful to anyone - teacher or student. Be involved - PLEASE! We need more parent involvement. One of my favourite comments to put on a referral is "Sally comes from a supportive home where education is valued." But there is nothing more infuriating than a parent who insists on doing all of those things that make it difficult to do our jobs, but obviously only do it for "show" not when it counts for the kids. Thank goodness I only have one of those parents this year. She's a doozy, but there's only one of her. |
|
"Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst." ~ Henri Cartier-Bresson My Flickr Photostream | |
![]() |
|
| QuirtEvans | Mar 21 2006, 02:45 PM Post #4 |
|
I Owe It All To John D'Oh
|
It's always best when there's a partnership between parents and teachers. You're one of the good ones, Dol. There are lots of good ones, of course, but you're one of the good ones. |
| It would be unwise to underestimate what large groups of ill-informed people acting together can achieve. -- John D'Oh, January 14, 2010. | |
![]() |
|
| dolmansaxlil | Mar 21 2006, 02:53 PM Post #5 |
![]()
HOLY CARP!!!
|
And you're one of the good parents as well, Quirt. Involved because you want to be, because your daughters' school has asked for the help and you are willing and able to provide it. You're not there to "spy" on the teacher. You're not there to interfere with learning - you're there to enhance what the teacher is already doing. That's something every school could use more of. |
|
"Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst." ~ Henri Cartier-Bresson My Flickr Photostream | |
![]() |
|
| « Previous Topic · The New Coffee Room · Next Topic » |








11:30 AM Jul 11