Public K-2nd ...What have they become?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Love your kid. Give them a strong foundation of confidence and basics of reading and writing. In first grade why do they have to know how to write an essay? I was 6 starting in K in 1978. I knew not one word of English. My English sucked until maybe 4-5th grade. My parents left me alone until then. My mom supplemented my English through xtra homework in reading and writing until about 7 grade from there. I tested at 7 grade to have like 10 grade vocab. I took AP English through high school and in college continued to get As on papers. I love literature and I studied international relations and journalism.

Again - life is long - preparing too early is not a guarantee your kid will excel or be who you want them to be. If they are not an idiot, they are going to be ok at age 5! At age 10 they will start freaking out and wanting to learn as I did. High school is when you want then to hit their stride you don't want to burn them or yourself out by age 10!

+1000 I love your philosophy and story. Love your child, give them time, life is long. Do you really think when you are watching your child on their wedding day, or the day they become a parent you will be remembering and still upset on what they did or didn't do in kindergarten? Remember, the life skills are what is important then.

[Anonymous]

Hey, I am an over involved, active parent. OK, I admit it I am an heli-parent; Whirly Mom.

I am nice and treat my kids teachers with the utmost respect. I think that most teachers prefer the over involved parent to the deadbeat parent that cant even make time for parent-teacher conferences or the occasional class party.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey, I am an over involved, active parent. OK, I admit it I am an heli-parent; Whirly Mom.

I am nice and treat my kids teachers with the utmost respect. I think that most teachers prefer the over involved parent to the deadbeat parent that cant even make time for parent-teacher conferences or the occasional class party.

I knew I would strick a chord on that one. Teachers do love involved parents, just not ones who think they are the only parent they need to respond to and demand the teacher justify every grade, and immediately question the teacher when something doesn't go right for Susie or Johnny. Agree also that teachers get very frustrated with parents who do not show for conferences and are next to impossible to reach, but in those cases, let's find out why and what are the barriers that are keeping the parent from being involved. This is getting OT from the initial question and for that I apologize. The OP mention sympathizing with teachers who have parents who are not involved. I'm just trying to point out the other side and other reasons to sympathize with teachers in some cases. Of course, we all know there are no parents like that here on DCUM!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So any parents of kindergarteners are allowed to discredit kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd as a babysitting service with no other knowlege of teaching other than their own experience and we're supposed to take their opinion as fact? That's what seems to be happening here.

OP here. Their children ARE in K right now. This thread crosses K, 1st, and 2nd in our public schools. Any parent that is actively involved in their child's education early on is going to have a voice on this topic because they want more than just a daycare or babysitting situation in K, 1st, and 2nd. As one PP said, they just want to feel like more is going on at the school at these early levels. I am sympathetic to teachers as well who are dealing with parents who are not actively or barely involved in their child's education. That is sad, unfair to the teachers, unfair to the other children, and unfair to the active parents of those children. Yes it is a total ripple effect but it is what it is until change happens. I am actively writing letters and making phone calls at the county level and to Congress. Is this frustrating! Yes...especially when I am being told that they have not received my kind of feedback from other parents. .

Actually I am most sympathetic to teachers who have to deal on a daily basis with over involved, active parents, the ones who question everything the teacher does, needs details about why their child does not have all 4's, always takes their child's side without listening, etc. These are the teachers who deserve the praise to endure this. Yes, communicate, but make sure it is a two way communication. Uninvolved parents may be too busy working to make ends meet, but are appreciative of what the teacher can provide to their child. Write your letters, and deal with the politics but listen to the teacher before calling it babysitting.

Amen! OP sounds like a loon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So any parents of kindergarteners are allowed to discredit kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd as a babysitting service with no other knowlege of teaching other than their own experience and we're supposed to take their opinion as fact? That's what seems to be happening here.

OP here. Their children ARE in K right now. This thread crosses K, 1st, and 2nd in our public schools. Any parent that is actively involved in their child's education early on is going to have a voice on this topic because they want more than just a daycare or babysitting situation in K, 1st, and 2nd. As one PP said, they just want to feel like more is going on at the school at these early levels. I am sympathetic to teachers as well who are dealing with parents who are not actively or barely involved in their child's education. That is sad, unfair to the teachers, unfair to the other children, and unfair to the active parents of those children. Yes it is a total ripple effect but it is what it is until change happens. I am actively writing letters and making phone calls at the county level and to Congress. Is this frustrating! Yes...especially when I am being told that they have not received my kind of feedback from other parents. .

Actually I am most sympathetic to teachers who have to deal on a daily basis with over involved, active parents, the ones who question everything the teacher does, needs details about why their child does not have all 4's, always takes their child's side without listening, etc. These are the teachers who deserve the praise to endure this. Yes, communicate, but make sure it is a two way communication. Uninvolved parents may be too busy working to make ends meet, but are appreciative of what the teacher can provide to their child. Write your letters, and deal with the politics but listen to the teacher before calling it babysitting.

Amen! OP sounds like a loon.

You are an ugly person. Get off this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:.

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Amen! OP sounds like a loon.

You are an ugly person. Get off this thread.

Woah!!!!! Has this now degenerated to the gutter where another local forum usually is or has member of FU shown up here? Totally uncalled for.

[Anonymous]

I'm the loon poster. Maybe I was rude, but seriously? OP is calling Congress because she doesn't like the education her kindergartener is getting?