Parents and school involvement

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-17-2003
Parents and school involvement
2586
Thu, 08-23-2007 - 8:49am

My question stems from a personal experience. My middle child is starting kindergarten next week. I've become fairly close with one of my dd's friend's moms- this is her first child entering the school system. She WOH, I do not, plus I have experience with the school, so she's been calling me with questions and comments.

It started to go bad when she called to complain that the kindy orientation is during the day- when she is working. Then it led to complaints about the parents' read aloud program (when the kids are in library) and other opportunities for volunteerism in the school. I get that these things aren't convenient for her, but I'm getting annoyed with the complaining. How can the kids have an orientation at night when they go to school during the day? None of these events are mandatory for parents or kids. And plenty of activities are scheduled for evenings: Back to school night, the PTA picnic, etc.

She thinks because she can't participate, no one should be able to, apparently. Plenty of WOHP do show up for these things. I think she's being unrealistic if she thought she could put a couple of kids through school without ever taking a vacation day. Am I wrong? Am I missing something here?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-14-2007
Mon, 09-10-2007 - 12:47pm

Personal contacts:
1. Meet the teacher night. We met. Talked about Callahan in general (new school, rough starts in the past, etc).
2. Curriculum night. Fairly self-explanatory. We did, however, chat at the beginning of the evening (I was the first parent there), about how Callahan was experiencing the best first week in school in his short history. About how he was already telling me he liked her and liked second grade and what a significant thing that was.
3. Dropped him off on Friday after a dentist appt. I went with him to class so that I could tell her that if he tooth/mouth hurt after the anesthesia wore off to call me; that it was his first ever filling and I didn't know how the rest of the day was going to go.

email contacts:
1. To notify her he'd miss part of class for a dentist appt.
2. To notify her he'd miss part of class for a followup dentist appt.
3. To notify her that today he'd be picked up instead of taking the daycare van, and to ask her to make sure he remembered and to make sure he knew where to go for pickup.
4. To ask her to get me some contact information for the PTO. (I'm a little annoyed as it's 3 weeks into the year, the fundraiser is "over" and I have yet to see a signle name, email address, or phone number for any PTO officer.)

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-14-2007
Mon, 09-10-2007 - 12:49pm

First, I asked who had "said" that. To which the answer is still NO ONE.

Second, how does 4 emails turn into "every second"? Gee, if he's been in school for 16 days already, I'd think at least 16 emails/contacts would be required to even get CLOSE to "every second".

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-04-1997
Mon, 09-10-2007 - 12:51pm
Was she wrong? Would you be interested in discussing Rousseau, Heidegger, and Dewey, cognitive revolution and how educational philosophies differ?
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-04-1997
Mon, 09-10-2007 - 12:54pm
In our elementary schools, spelling was taught in the early years as a concept, where they learned what pass for the principles of English spelling. Things like practicing which words double consonants when you add a suffix, or how to form irregular plurals. I would be concerned if they were still mastering spelling as a "subject" in the 6th or 7th grade.
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-1998
Mon, 09-10-2007 - 1:06pm

Spelling lists, yes....they have spelling books from 1st through 3rd grade that emphasis specific sounds and groups of sounds to assist them in learning to read or improving their reading skills.

PumpkinAngel

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 09-10-2007 - 1:09pm

No you are mocking & belittling the individuals for something you are trying to portray as ridiculous. I do not wish to criticize parents for speaking to a principal every day or every week, when I don't know what the subject is, how it is executed and more information about the communication.

I also would not criticize any parent for being proactive. From working in the schools, the opposite tends to bug me--the parents that can't bother to show up for a meeting for their student when contacted (in special ed), the parents who don't send their kids with a lunch or other school supplies, or send their kid to school outfitted in proper gear for the weather.

VickiSiggy.jpg picture by mamalahk

Avatar for myshkamouse
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 09-10-2007 - 1:13pm
Could be totally different but I talk to the woman who runs my kids preschool about once a month......
I'll do the same thing when my kids are in kindy next year and presume I'll want to stay connected regularly to my childrens school as they progress....
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2000
Mon, 09-10-2007 - 1:16pm
I live in an inferior school district, but I haven't done any complaining.
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-12-2004
Mon, 09-10-2007 - 1:17pm

Perhaps it is controversial because some parents, myself included, would not be pleased to learn that our child's teacher was spending his/her prep hours meeting with other parents for "check-ins" and to have their lesson plans questioned.

Robin

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-29-2002
Mon, 09-10-2007 - 1:20pm
How does one "strive" to never be sick? And would this actually be a healthy thing to strive for?

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