Teachers Vs. Parents: Round 2... FIGHT!

[JakeStratham]

This thread is just to check where you stand on a particular issue. Here's the background:

An award-winning teacher (pic below) recently wrote an article for CNN. His piece lamented the fact that parents are often against teachers when it comes to their kids. For example, if the kid is getting bad grades, the teacher is to blame. If the teacher reports bad behavior to the parent, the parent wants proof. And so forth.

He goes on to claim that parents make teaching a more difficult job than necessary. Some teachers are driven from education.

Here's his article:

What teachers really want to tell parents - CNN.com

CNN followed up with some of the responses from readers. You'll find them here:

Teachers vs parents: Round two - CNN.com

You'll agree wholeheartedly with some of the responses, and say "C'MON, that's ridiculous!" to others. I like to know which side you take. If you know teachers, and can relate their personal experiences, even better.

So, do you side with the parents or the teachers?

 

[turbolapp]

Why would there be general sides? Isn't each situation different?

Edit: As a parent, I've found that in a class of 20+ students, understandably the teacher misses things. So when my kid gets called out for something, I think it important that the kids has a voice in what happened. That being said, those situations mentioned the article, the kid stealing from an empty classroom or the weapon on the bus is just silly. That's the kids responsibility and if that every happened with my kid I would be mortified and there would be consequences. I've had my son write a letter of apology to his teacher before for something minor but on the same situation I made sure that the teacher understood my child's side as well. I've found the teacher to be receptive once they realize I'm not going in with guns blazing.

 

[jsphfcll]

inb4 consequences will never be the same

 

[potentialeight]

inb4 consequences will never be the same

This is kind of random but that guy died of a heart attack btw.

 

[MSTeacher]

We are educated professionals who work with kids every day and often see your child in a different light than you do. If we give you advice, don't fight it. Take it, and digest it in the same way you would consider advice from a doctor or lawyer.

this and

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. It only demeans teachers and weakens the partnership between teacher and parent.

this and

Some parents will make excuses regardless of the situation, and they are raising children who will grow into adults who turn toward excuses and do not create a strong work ethic. If you don't want your child to end up 25 and jobless, sitting on your couch eating potato chips, then stop making excuses for why they aren't succeeding. Instead, focus on finding solutions.

this and

it's OK for your child to get in trouble sometimes. It builds character and teaches life lessons. As teachers, we are vexed by those parents who stand in the way of those lessons

this and

you shouldn't assume that because your child makes straight A's that he/she is getting a good education. The truth is, a lot of times it's the bad teachers who give the easiest grades, because they know by giving good grades everyone will leave them alone. Before you challenge those low grades you feel the teacher has "given" your child, you might need to realize your child "earned" those grades and that the teacher you are complaining about is actually the one that is providing the best education.

this x1000 and

We walk on eggshells in a watered-down education system where teachers lack the courage to be honest and speak their minds. If they make a slight mistake, it can become a major disaster.

this, no matter how much you think unions are there for us...

above all else, never talk negatively about a teacher in front of your child. If he knows you don't respect her, he won't either, and that will lead to a whole host of new problems.

Ron Clark is legit

 

[seous]

Hey errehbody. As some of you may, know, I'm still in school and stuff. Truth is, some teachers are to blame in some instances, but then again, the laziness of the student is usually to blame in most cases. I occasionally mess up when it comes to schoolwork and I know it's my fault, but when my friends fail a test that they knew was upcoming and had time to study for, they always say it's the teacher's bad teaching, teacher being boring, etc. etc.

For example, My AP Chemistry teacher is freaking hot -- and freaking model like, so I have no trouble paying attention in class (neither do any of my guy friends). All my female friends are always saying she's the cause for they're failing. It's stupid -- I know. Teachers should get more credit and respect from students for trying so hard, because a lot of mine are amazing teachers and amazing people at the same time (always the occasional bitch teacher though).

 

[seous]

Oh yeah. Pics if you guys want btw. /creeper <3

 

[SUP3RNOVA]

Doesn't matter. Perfect teachers and perfect students won't fix a shitty education system.

 

[MSTeacher]

Perfect teachers and perfect students won't fix a shitty education system.

true enough but saying it doesn't matter is silly. Of course it matters.

 

[SUP3RNOVA]

true enough but saying it doesn't matter is silly. Of course it matters.

As turbo pointed out, it's tough (and imo pointless and "not mattering") to speculate on something that is a case-by-case basis. I know a lot of amazing teachers, and I know a few lazy ones. I know a lot of good students, and I know a lot of lazy/delinquent ones.

If I have to pick a side, it'd be the teacher's side because junior high and high school are an absolute joke. I know complete idiots that never listened to the teacher and ended up with an 80-90 average.

 

[JakeStratham]

Last week, a buddy and I were discussing the way things have changed regarding how parents and teachers interact. Things were a LOT different when we were in school. If one of our teachers called to talk to our parents, our first reaction was always "Oh, shit!"

Our parents never doubted the teachers (and for good reason). If they said, "Jake talks too much," I'd be in trouble. Big trouble. There was no question. If the teacher said it, it was true. (And it always was.)

If my dad saw an A- on my report card, I'd be in big trouble. I'm talking grounding, no allowance, and maybe even the stick. He wanted to know the reason, and he had a finely-tuned bullshit detector. It was never, "Oh, your teacher must be bad." That wasn't even a possibility back then.

I know a LOT of teachers, and have heard countess stories from them over the years. So many parents simply don't know how to parent their kids. They coddle them, setting the stage for some of the stories in this piece:

Permissive parents: Curb your brats - CNN.com

Then, to Yucky's point, that same coddling leads to this later in life:

How to Land Your Kid in Therapy - Magazine - The Atlantic

To learn how to struggle, strive, and succeed, kids need to experience failure. There is no better lesson. Unfortunately, a lot of parents protect their kids, and prevent that lesson from taking place.

Sad.

 

[TigerUK]

If I was rich and succful as an internet market I would teach in my spare time to primary school or early secondary school kids. Only part time though, I could never be a full time teacher dealing with all the bullshit a teacher has to deal with.

I went to an innner city school as a kid, kids used to gety stabbed by other kids. We spend 10minutes of the start of the class, [out of an 1hour class] just trying to get the class to shut up. The rest of the time the teacher spent trying to keep the class time and deal with disruptions rather than teaching the class. In the class, we basically did what we were supposed to do at home [homerwork].

When I have kids, I will either send them to private school or home school them. Home schooling will be pretty sweet with Khan Academy, the only think wrong with home schooling is that the kids might miss out on the fun stuff like being around other kids, what would happen eventually is that they will need to go to high school or college and it will be a major shock to them if they've been home schooled all their life.

 

[-joe-]

Depends on the situation.

I've had a teacher so bad everyone would just have music playing loudly, people would be running around, playing on their phones, a few times there were even small poker games, the guy + girl behind my table gave each other a handjob & fingering in one lesson...

It was ridiculous how bad she was.

 

[MSTeacher]

junior high and high school are an absolute joke. I know complete idiots that never listened to the teacher and ended up with an 80-90 average.

I teach grades 7-10 and you are preaching to the choir. And it's really just as bad in the elementary schools, sometimes worse. And as you said, it's the system. A LOT of the problem is in curriculum and education theory which is handed down from the evil empire types in their ivory towers and think tanks to the dc clowns and put into law and policy.

If one of our teachers called to talk to our parents, our first reaction was always "Oh, shit!"

Our parents never doubted the teachers (and for good reason). If they said, "Jake talks too much," I'd be in trouble. Big trouble. There was no question. If the teacher said it, it was true. (And it always was.)

If my dad saw an A- on my report card, I'd be in big trouble. I'm talking grounding, no allowance, and maybe even the stick. He wanted to know the reason, and he had a finely-tuned bullshit detector. It was never, "Oh, your teacher must be bad." That wasn't even a possibility back then.

Same here and I'm all the better for it.

 

[Grindstone]

Oh yeah. Pics if you guys want btw. /creeper <3

duh...post up!

Last week, a buddy and I were discussing the way things have changed regarding how parents and teachers interact. Things were a LOT different when we were in school. If one of our teachers called to talk to our parents, our first reaction was always "Oh, shit!"

Our parents never doubted the teachers (and for good reason). If they said, "Jake talks too much," I'd be in trouble. Big trouble. There was no question. If the teacher said it, it was true. (And it always was.)

If my dad saw an A- on my report card, I'd be in big trouble. I'm talking grounding, no allowance, and maybe even the stick. He wanted to know the reason, and he had a finely-tuned bullshit detector. It was never, "Oh, your teacher must be bad." That wasn't even a possibility back then.

I know a LOT of teachers, and have heard countess stories from them over the years. So many parents simply don't know how to parent their kids. They coddle them, setting the stage for some of the stories in this piece:

Permissive parents: Curb your brats - CNN.com

Then, to Yucky's point, that same coddling leads to this later in life:

How to Land Your Kid in Therapy - Magazine - The Atlantic

To learn how to struggle, strive, and succeed, kids need to experience failure. There is no better lesson. Unfortunately, a lot of parents protect their kids, and prevent that lesson from taking place.

Sad.

More

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Our 6th grade teacher taught us science (aerodynamics/drag/etc) and respect all at once with Herkimer, a 24"x8" oak paddle with 1/2" holes drilled all over the striking surface. Only a couple of us needed more than one to shape and shut up. And differences were settled with fistfights after school.

Now the police show up on day 1 and threaten juvenile hall for "bullying", including verbal intimidation (ie, shit talking).

The pussification of America in less than 20 years is fucking stunning.

 

[seous]

duh...post up!



More

less

Our 6th grade teacher taught us science (aerodynamics/drag/etc) and respect all at once with Herkimer, a 24"x8" oak paddle with 1/2" holes drilled all over the striking surface. Only a couple of us needed more than one to shape and shut up. And differences were settled with fistfights after school.

Now the police show up on day 1 and threaten juvenile hall for "bullying", including verbal intimidation (ie, shit talking).

The pussification of America in less than 20 years is fucking stunning.

Alright I have her wednesday though (Benchmark testing Monday through Friday so I'll see if I can get a pic on my iPhone.

 

[TigerUK]

duh...post up!



More

If teachers were striking my kids with sex accessories I would be very concerned.

 

[REIMktg]

The pussification of America in less than 20 years is fucking stunning.

So true - and to think that today's puss ass parents were my delinquent peers growing up. What happened? When did everyone become so pathetic and weak?

 

[erect]

I got my last licks (food fight) in the 7th grade and loved it, consequences are definitely missing from education these days.

Did you guys know they're now teaching peasant classes in middle school? "Workforce Training" I believe is what the class is actually called.

My daughter rightfully calls it sheeple101

 

[danke]

When I was in school Nuns used rulers on our wrists and we actually had to write in everything with our Catholic school's heading and in cursive.