Thursday, June 17, 2010

Summer's Almost Here...a new school year ahead

Two girls are looking forward to the end of the school year:  as usual, I kind of am, but part of me will miss having some alone time at home for those months.  Round about the beginning of August, I will be looking forward to the beginning of the school year!
I have to say, for the first time ever, I am REALLY hoping my daughter doesn't get a particular teacher.  Besides my daughter coming home so many times through the school year complaining, I myself am sure this teacher tells the kids one thing, and acts completely different around adults.  I did meet the teacher face to face, and although she was saccharine sweet to us and expressed concern that maybe my daughter was misinterpreting the teacher's actions (my daughter got the impression Mrs. X thought she was stupid), I just got this feeling that that wasn't real.  *Usually* my feelings aren't too far off.
Back in soccer season, I helped drive the girls to their games at nearby schools.  While waiting one day, a few girls came into the front entry exclaiming "Wow, Mrs. X REALLY does not like the kids leaving early for soccer!"  Not just a "Oooh, she doesn't like" but a "Wow, she REALLY does not like".  When talking to the vice principal later on, she admitted she'd talked to the teacher, but about a different matter surrounding the kids leaving early for soccer.  (A whopping 10-15 minutes usually!)  The teacher told the VP that she did not want people to think she was against extra-curricular activities.
Apparently, students don't count as teachers.
This teacher also 'calls out' students who have asked for help or are in need of it.  Can you imagine most of your classmates seem to have a grasp on a certain topic you're learning, and you have gone to the teacher and gotten the help you need, but maybe you still need more help cause you're not quite there yet...one day in class, the teacher comments that if anyone needs help, to please see her.  Just ask Sally, she asked for help!  Uh, I think I would be mortified.  Would the other kids think I was stupid?  I might even be hesitant to ask for help later when I need it.  Or maybe Tommy, who is struggling along..."If you don't understand this, please come back and see me.  No one???  Well, Tommy, you should be back here."  Poor Tommy.
Yes, the kids are in grade 7, and I certainly don't expect the teacher to hold their hands and walk them tenderly through the year, but a little bit of respect and common decency (and maybe some teacher/student confidentiality?) might not be amiss.

Hopefully, you can understand my desire for my daughter to NOT have that teacher for her final year of grade school.

No comments: