Reply to Flora Singer v. Oakland Terrace v. Rock Creek Forest

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I wonder if the parents complaining have run for the PTA or even go to the PTA meetings.  Do you try to organize get togethers with other families from the school?  Do you do anything to that effect?  You get out what you put into it.  I wish there were more PTA involvement from parents, but I can’t complain because I haven’t put much into it.  I’m currently considering ways to change that, but I’m also not out there criticizing it, either.

As for the principal not supporting her teachers: there wouldn’t be the teacher longevity there is if that were true.  If parents volunteering aren’t helpful, why should she support it?  As a parent, I don’t necessarily want a parent I don’t know in the classroom on a regular basis.  Why would I?  They’re not necessarily someone who would be helpful. This isn’t a coop preschool.  There’s a fine line between parental involvement and entitlement, and I’d rather less involvement if it also comes with less entitlement, as it seems to at OTES.[/quote]

You don't sound very involved so you have no idea what many of us are talking about or know.   Theres a reason for minimal PTA involvement.  There use to be a very active PTA and it usually starts out with a lot of parents going and after a few meetings its a handful of people.  I've tried to volunteer and gave up.

There are lots of kids who need extra support in the classroom where a parent could be helpful, beyond cleaning and copying.  There is usually a designated SN classroom and usually the focus is on the highest needs kids.  In older grades without immersion, kids are often translating for other kids who don't speak English.  There is also a lot of drama when there are centers and the teachers live the kids in charge of each other while they work with one group.  [/quote]

I have to disagree with you. The focus is more on the kids who are struggling and/or are almost achieving at grade-level expectations. It’s also not true that kids in the older grades spend most of their time translating for kids who don’t speak English. The number of kids that speak little English is quite low. The thing is parents aren’t really qualified to work with the kids who need the most help. These are the kids who are “double dosed” each day. They are receiving a specific type of intervention based on their needs. These groups must be taught by a staff member who has received training in the intervention being provided.  Parents just aren’t needed the way they were years ago, as things have changed. [/quote]

That hasn't been our experience at all.  Have you been in the classrooms and seen what is going on?  My kids regularly tell me other kids translate.  Who do you think is doing it for the ESOL kids when the teacher doesn't speak their language.  We've had kids on both ends - SN and high achieving and neither has had their needs fully met.  A lot of teaching is done by paraprofessionals and they have absolutely no background in SN and some of the parents do have more training and experience.    For us, we couldn't get basic supports in place like reading.  But, great if you did.  They really vary by child and family.  Some kids get a lot of supports and others of us, even after hiring advocates get very little.  Most of the high achieving kids are supplemented at home.  I'm not sure what you mean about double dosed as at best kids get 30 minutes of group support with 5-8 kids in a group a few times a week.[/quote]

In what grades are there multiple students who do not speak any English? Paraprofessionals do receive training if they are providing a specific intervention. If it’s a reading intervention, they have been trained in providing that intervention. There is also a focus teacher who provides support for certain students. The reading specialist also services small groups of kids. Of course, different families have different perspectives. That’s true of every school in the county. I just don’t fully understand why some stay at home moms are so determined to “volunteer” in the classroom. What exactly do they feel they are qualified to do? As a PP said before, it’s not a coop nursery school. [/quote]

How much training do you think the paraprofessionals have in each of the SN they serve, especially given how many types there are.  My child was mandated help but never got the 1-1 because other kids had higher needs.  A lot of parents like to be involved in their kids education.  OTES is a perfect school for a parent like you.  It has nothing to do with SAHP as many parents in the area have flexible jobs and work at home.   Lots of the SAHP had careers before kids and some do have more training than the paraprofessionals and teachers.  I'm glad you are having a better experience than us.  Not going to argue about the translator issue as you clearly aren't involved enough, but it is probably an issue at a lot of schools.  We have had to spend a lot of money privately on tutoring to make sure one of our kids got what they needed.  [/quote]

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