Spinoff: Teachers, what would you like to tell parents, but can't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For your child's sake, please at least make an effort to learn how to speak English.

Ignorant comment.

No, it is not. Have you ever had to have a 6-yr old translate from English into Spanish and Spanish into English because parent can't speak a work of English and has been here for 15 years? A lot gets lost in translation and this burden should not be put upon a child.

I am not a teacher but have a small business and I see this all the time. I have two native-Spanish speaking employees and they were not hired to be translators.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is depressing.

The truth is not always enertaining but facing up to reality can change things for the better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would have been so grateful if any of DD's teachers had suggested she had ADHD before we had to figure it out ourselves. It could have saved us years.

Our DD's elementary school teachers said we were wasting our time to have DD evaluated. It was our DD's soccer coach and music teacher that suggested the evaluation, and we're so glad that they did!

Where were you that you didn't have an inkling that she needed help?

We needed to have it documented in multiple locations BY OTHERS and not just by us at home. We as parents stating that we see things on the soccer field does not qualify as multiple locations.

Amazing. I thought that parents were supposed to pay attention to the behavior of their children at home and all times when children were with parents. What kind of pediatrician or family MD do you have that would insist on outside sources if you believe your child has a problem?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:12:10 here. I'm sure there are some that don't feed their kids. But you shouldn't just assume that is the case. That is my point.

This was a general note to all parents so why are you taking it so personally? Maybe, you truly do not feed you child, or you don't give as nutritious a breakfast, as you claim. Why are you guessing your son is one of these children, why don't you just ask him?

[Anonymous]

What kind of pediatrician or family MD do you have that would insist on outside sources if you believe your child has a problem?

Not that poster, but because by DEFINITION in order to be diagnosed as ADHD the behavior has to occur in more than one setting. If it ONLY happens on the soccer field, or if it ONLY happens at school, it is not ADHD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For your child's sake, please at least make an effort to learn how to speak English.

Ignorant comment.

No, it's not. I teach mostly Latino children and some of their parents speak not ONE WORD of English. It's to their and their child's detriment. I speak Spanish, but as my Kindergarteners move on and up through school, not all of their teachers will be bilingual. The parents must negotiate the school system and because of their lack of English, some of their children's needs won't be met and they will fall through the cracks. Some school systems have Spanish language facilitators, but these positions are being cut back. So it's hardly an ignorant comment. Get a clue.

Exactly. Why don't you ask a kid who constantly has to translate for his/her parents how much they like doing it? And it doesn't just involve face-to-face conversations, but forms, permission slips, emails, etc. DH had to do this growing up (and still has to) and HATED it. His parents refused to learn English. Their skills now are not horrible, but I can't have more than a very simple conversation with either of them. He is the one who has to call for them to get things fixed, help with forms, and other things they would be able to do if they would take classes. And it isn't an issue of money, there are free classes right by them.

p.s.: It's not just Spanish, but other languages as well!

I agree. If you think it's an ignorant comment, it's very likely you're not the kid of a person who doesn't know English well.

I am a child of parents who don't speak English well and this comment struck me as ignorant. I had to do all of the things the other PP listed. My parents worked very hard to learn English, however, if you know anything about language acquisition you will know that it is very difficult to do when you are older. It bothers me very much that they are treated as stupid when I know they are intelligent, competent people. Oh and I also teach the children you are talking about and try to treat their parents with respect. What I would tell them is not to expect that what their children do in school is enough, they must also work hard at home.

[Anonymous]

There are cooperative wonderful parents, and then there's the overbearing (or absent) and annoying ones.

To the cooperative wonderful parents: "Thank you, you're awesome and your kids are going to grow up to be wonderful adults"

to the annoying overbearing types: "Your child is not the only child in this classroom. Your child is not necessarily the smartest and brightest..." etc

To the absent ones: I understand if you have a reason and if you try your best I see it. But if you are purposely absent and uninvolved and then blame the school for your kid's problems... "get a grip".

[Anonymous]

I'd want to tell parents that not every student is gifted and talented. Some are average and some are below average. They can't all be in GT classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And finally, They Don't Pay Me Enough To Do This Anymore. I'm Outta Here.

Thank God. Enough with whiny (and often unionized and tenured) teachers who take summers off and bitch about the pay they receive at a job they CHOSE to take.

And, by the way, the rest of us who work also spend more time at our jobs than we do with our kids. Suck it up or, if you can't handle a real job, do what you're doing - quit.

You're lovely.
I don't whine. I work hard. (BTW, I work summer school too. I've made the same salary for the past five years.) And yes, I know I chose this job, and I take responsibility for my choices. I don't think I indicated otherwise. I chose to teach because I am a kickass teacher. I love children, I can easily establish rapport with children, and I believe in every child's ability to learn. And I make a positive difference in every one of my students' lives.
I should have elaborated on why I'm leaving: I did not realize that those things don't matter to administrators, politicians or the media. I did not realize that everything wrong with education in America would be my fault, and that I would be lumped in with "whiny (and often unionized and tenured) teachers who take summers off and bitch about the pay they receive at a job they CHOSE to take"

I won't "suck it up". I'll change something about what I chose. I'll happily take a job that pays less if it gives me my life back. I'm just really sad that our country is going to lose more great teachers. (It's the crappy ones who stay, btw. The good ones realize that the job isn't worth the weight loss, the tears and the never-ending feeling of not doing enough.)

Bravo!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You're lovely.
I don't whine. I work hard. (BTW, I work summer school too. I've made the same salary for the past five years.) And yes, I know I chose this job, and I take responsibility for my choices. I don't think I indicated otherwise. I chose to teach because I am a kickass teacher. I love children, I can easily establish rapport with children, and I believe in every child's ability to learn. And I make a positive difference in every one of my students' lives.
I should have elaborated on why I'm leaving: I did not realize that those things don't matter to administrators, politicians or the media. I did not realize that everything wrong with education in America would be my fault, and that I would be lumped in with "whiny (and often unionized and tenured) teachers who take summers off and bitch about the pay they receive at a job they CHOSE to take"

I won't "suck it up". I'll change something about what I chose. I'll happily take a job that pays less if it gives me my life back. I'm just really sad that our country is going to lose more great teachers. (It's the crappy ones who stay, btw. The good ones realize that the job isn't worth the weight loss, the tears and the never-ending feeling of not doing enough.)

Bravo!

Totally agree. I was a great teacher who quit teaching college for all these same reasons. Well, for me it was weight gain but otherwise I could have written this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would have been so grateful if any of DD's teachers had suggested she had ADHD before we had to figure it out ourselves. It could have saved us years.

Our DD's elementary school teachers said we were wasting our time to have DD evaluated. It was our DD's soccer coach and music teacher that suggested the evaluation, and we're so glad that they did!

Where were you that you didn't have an inkling that she needed help?

We needed to have it documented in multiple locations BY OTHERS and not just by us at home. We as parents stating that we see things on the soccer field does not qualify as multiple locations.

Amazing. I thought that parents were supposed to pay attention to the behavior of their children at home and all times when children were with parents. What kind of pediatrician or family MD do you have that would insist on outside sources if you believe your child has a problem?

A damn good one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're lovely.
I don't whine. I work hard. (BTW, I work summer school too. I've made the same salary for the past five years.) And yes, I know I chose this job, and I take responsibility for my choices. I don't think I indicated otherwise. I chose to teach because I am a kickass teacher. I love children, I can easily establish rapport with children, and I believe in every child's ability to learn. And I make a positive difference in every one of my students' lives.
I should have elaborated on why I'm leaving: I did not realize that those things don't matter to administrators, politicians or the media. I did not realize that everything wrong with education in America would be my fault, and that I would be lumped in with "whiny (and often unionized and tenured) teachers who take summers off and bitch about the pay they receive at a job they CHOSE to take"

I won't "suck it up". I'll change something about what I chose. I'll happily take a job that pays less if it gives me my life back. I'm just really sad that our country is going to lose more great teachers. (It's the crappy ones who stay, btw. The good ones realize that the job isn't worth the weight loss, the tears and the never-ending feeling of not doing enough.)

Bravo!

Totally agree. I was a great teacher who quit teaching college for all these same reasons. Well, for me it was weight gain but otherwise I could have written this.

uh oh. . .I quit teaching high school to teach at a college with the hopes that it will be better. . .maybe not?

[Anonymous]

Don't assume just because I teach at the same private school my DC attends that I get a tuition break. I do it because it pays for some of the tuition and I actually enjoy teaching there! And, it keeps me off the street, out of the stores and adds structure to my life. Otherwise, i would be on DCUM all the time! 8)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would have been so grateful if any of DD's teachers had suggested she had ADHD before we had to figure it out ourselves. It could have saved us years.

Our DD's elementary school teachers said we were wasting our time to have DD evaluated. It was our DD's soccer coach and music teacher that suggested the evaluation, and we're so glad that they did!

Where were you that you didn't have an inkling that she needed help?

We needed to have it documented in multiple locations BY OTHERS and not just by us at home. We as parents stating that we see things on the soccer field does not qualify as multiple locations.

Amazing. I thought that parents were supposed to pay attention to the behavior of their children at home and all times when children were with parents. What kind of pediatrician or family MD do you have that would insist on outside sources if you believe your child has a problem?

A good one.

That is how ADHD is diagnosed. It's actually almost the same for diagnosing adults - they do a family history and evaluations from different sources. You're not going to accurately see and diagnose ADHD in a pediatrician or psychiatrist's office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
12:10 here. I'm sure there are some that don't feed their kids. But you shouldn't just assume that is the case. That is my point.

This was a general note to all parents so why are you taking it so personally? Maybe, you truly do not feed you child, or you don't give as nutritious a breakfast, as you claim. Why are you guessing your son is one of these children, why don't you just ask him?

I ask him, but he's 3. Have you ever had a 3 year old boy? I'll say "Son, are you asking the teacher for snacks?" and he'll say "Let's go play at the park, Mommy!" Then I'll say "Son, did you tell the teacher you wanted snack (8 hours ago, when you probably don't remember)? Tell mommy please." And he'll say "The T-rex ate my snack mommy!"

So yeah - I do ask. But I wouldn't call that answer definitive or useful. I did ask the teacher if he was asking for snack, and she said he does ask most mornings. I told her we feed him at home and he eats a good breakfast most days, and she didnt' really respond. She probably doesn't believe me. I think he asks because several of the teachers and aides are eating their breakfast at a table when he arrives in the morning and he just wants to feel included.