Here in New Jersey, the last days of summer are upon us. Soon it will be Labor Day and that means the start of a new school year. Every parent and child are waiting with baited breath to find out who their teacher or teachers will be for the school year. As a teacher, it was always hard for me to listen to other parents as they discussed what teacher they did or did not what for their child in the upcoming school year. Now I am not saying that all teachers are wonderful. As in any other profession, there are few that are just not good at their jobs. I believe those teachers should be removed from their classrooms and the profession. Most teachers genuinely want to do what is best for every student in their class. My challenge as an educator was to listen to fellow parents make broad statements about a teacher’s disposition, especially when I knew I was also the subject of those conversations. Often the parent’s “knowledge” of the teacher typically came second hand from the other parents and was very one-sided.
This is not to say that I as a parent did not have an opinion about a teacher or have to speak to a teacher to get more information about the way a situation was handled. But I never went into the situation thinking the teacher acted with malice.
As an educator myself, I was often the parent wanting the teacher that none of the other parents wanted. You see, I knew when the children said the teacher was “mean”, it often meant they were firm regarding the standards of behavior in their classroom. To me, that meant there would be no chaos. Time would not be wasted because the structure would allow for my child to have time to explore and learn. Lessons would never be rushed. Fun could be had because clear lines determined the boundaries of behavior.
One year when presenting at back to school night for my own class of 20 three-year-olds, I was using humor to try and keep the parents engaged. A dad casually says, “You are funny, my daughter said you were, but I didn’t believe her.” You see that dad only saw me a drop-off. A very hectic time in the preschool world. Some children may be having a hard time saying goodbye to a parent, and my gentle but firm assistance would help. Parents may be telling me about an alternate pick-up, vacation or the contents of their child’s lunch box. All the while I must be supervising the students already in the room. Every child and parent were greeted warmly but it was quick and matter of fact. My students had a morning routine to complete as they entered the class. That was not the time of day when I brought out my silly singing voice. That father had taken the few minutes he saw me in the morning when it was his turn to drop-off and defined who I was with those brief encounters. Then when we had the opportunity to spend just a little more time together his view changed.
I invite you, parents, to keep an open mind when you get your young child’s classroom assignment for the school year. Put the rumors away because I can assure you they did not include all the facts and trust that your child has been thoughtfully placed with the correct teacher. I also invite you to look back at the teachers that challenged you during your educational career, not undermined you, but supported your growth by moving you forward. Support your child’s teacher as they look to do the same. Take the time to get to know your child’s teacher and build your own trusting relationship. Together you will ensure your child has a wonderful year of growth and learning. Hopefully through play!
Copyright 2018 © Michele Fortier Early Childhood Strategies
All Right Reserved
Please do not sell, post, curate, publish, or distribute all or any part of this article without the author's permission. You are invited, however, to share a link to this post on your web page, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and other social networking sites.
No comments:
Post a Comment