What teachers really want to tell parents

[dkf]

Editor's note: Ron Clark, author of "The End of Molasses Classes: Getting Our Kids Unstuck -- 101 Extraordinary Solutions for Parents and Teachers," has been named "American Teacher of the Year" by Disney and was Oprah Winfrey's pick as her "Phenomenal Man." He founded The Ron Clark Academy, which educators from around the world have visited to learn.

(CNN) -- This summer, I met a principal who was recently named as the administrator of the year in her state. She was loved and adored by all, but she told me she was leaving the profession.

I screamed, "You can't leave us," and she quite bluntly replied, "Look, if I get an offer to lead a school system of orphans, I will be all over it, but I just can't deal with parents anymore; they are killing us."

Unfortunately, this sentiment seems to be becoming more and more prevalent. Today, new teachers remain in our profession an average of just 4.5 years, and many of them list "issues with parents" as one of their reasons for throwing in the towel. Word is spreading, and the more negativity teachers receive from parents, the harder it becomes to recruit the best and the brightest out of colleges.

So, what can we do to stem the tide? What do teachers really need parents to understand?

http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/06/living/teachers-want-to-tell-parents/index.html

[Fumesucker]

1. Why is Disney naming an "American Teacher of the Year"?

Disney's sole function is to increase shareholder value.

And Oprah is the one that gave us Dr Phil, need I say more?

ETA: Not to say that I'm entirely unsympathetic to the idea expressed in the OP but the choice of Disney and Oprah as a vehicle for expressing it bites big rocks.

[dkf]

2. That is funny considering kids probably learn a whole lot from Disney.

And maybe things we would rather they not learn too.

[Fumesucker]

3. I've watched a lot of Disney in the last few years..

Three grandkids who basically control the TV at their home.


I'm not particularly impressed with the lessons Disney is teaching our kids.

[DCKit]

4. What you said. WTF? nt

[liberal N proud]

5. Disney has long honored several service sectors

Does it help their bottom line, I am certain it does.

Bigger still is that it honors people when many other times they might not get one at all.

[TBF]

6. What I see here is MSM driving a wedge between parents and teachers -

just another way to separate working folks. They do this every day. Right now they're focusing on teachers because they're out to break the teachers' unions.

Five years from now we'll look at teachers' wages, benefits, and job security and see that I am right.

[seabeyond]

7. ha. already had a meeting with sons english and math teacher. after conference english teacher

said...

these are the conferences i like.

there to address sons issue with motor skills. give me ideas, tell me what is acceptable and dont let him become jokster in class. any problems, let me know so we can nip ir in the bud...

i hear ya. for years i have been getting this from both teachers and listening to parents. i am completely on the teachers side for my kids education

[no_hypocrisy]

8. The other "challenge": the administrators

I was a substitute teacher 6+ years ago in a public school system. I had a third grade class one day in late February. Melting snow outside and cold. I noticed one of the boys in my class was wearing no socks and was allowed to go outside for lunch recreation (30 minutes). I reported the incident to the office and the school nurse to monitor in case he was being sent to school that way on a regular basis. I was concerned about possible neglect. In the afternoon, a girl reported she got a small "shock" from the computer. Not being qualified to determine whether it was static electricity or an electrical shock, I first sent her to run her hands under cold water. She tried that and she still had a sensation of the shock on her hands. I sent her to the nurse for treatment.

At 3:00 when the final bell rang, my name was paged on the school PA, asking me to go to the Principal's Office. I presented and for 30 minutes, I was read the Riot Act. Didn't I realize the problem I had created? No, I didn't. The principal told me that because I sent two children from the same class, to the nurse on the same day, the school was now subject to losing federal and state aid because (wait for it . . . . ) that meant the school allowed an unsafe academic environment. That's right. Instead of commendation for protecting children, making reports of their injuries or status imperiled the school.

I thought she was out of her mind but held my tongue and just listened. She was near a frenzy about this. And she made it clear that I was no longer welcome in the school.

To this day, I still can't get over the shift of priorities with regard to children in the schools.

[mwb970]

9. I love to teach, but I would never become a teacher.

Low pay, long hours, antagonism from right-wing wackos, unruly kids who don't want to learn, uncooperative parents, hostile administrators - it sounds TERRIBLE to me. Thus, my gift for teaching kids is wasted.

[Bunny]

10. He seems a little defensive to me.

He really doesn't like being challenged by parents:

One of my biggest pet peeves is when I tell a mom something her son did and she turns, looks at him and asks, "Is that true?" Well, of course it's true. I just told you. And please don't ask whether a classmate can confirm what happened or whether another teacher might have been present.

Sorry Ron, but I'm not going to accept your version at face value, no questions asked. If you claim my kid did something, I'm going to ask her if it's true. And if it's an especially egregious allegation, I'm definitely going to see if it can be confirmed by someone else who was present. Sorry if that bothers your ego, but teachers are human and make mistakes, too. If my kids screwed up, you can be sure she'll be reprimanded, but I'm ALWAYS going to ask for her version of the story.

In fact, you asked the same consideration of parents:

If your child said something happened in the classroom that concerns you, ask to meet with the teacher and approach the situation by saying, "I wanted to let you know something my child said took place in your class, because I know that children can exaggerate and that there are always two sides to every story. I was hoping you could shed some light for me."

Yes Ron, there are always two sides to every story.