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?

Pages

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Mon, 09-10-2007 - 3:53pm

A bit OT, but I think it was you I thought about now and then last year.... I believe that you are the poster who said that I would be frustrated with my DS1 in first grade in public school because he is an advanced reader. I remember you saying something about how he would be bored as the teacher was covering C-A-T over and over again. (I could have the wrong poster, but I don't think so - sorry if I do!)

Anyway, that was not my experience with first grade at all. I found that reading and writing was something that lends itself very well to working as a group at different levels. While they did break into smaller groups in the beginning of the year to work on reading mechanics, they did a lot as a group, and by the end it was almost all as a group. If the kids are writing stories or poems, or papers on subjects that they were studying in social studies or science, they will automatically be working at their own level. Some kids might need more help with spelling and punctuation, some might use bigger words, but they can all be doing pretty much the same thing without anyone getting bored or frustrated. And I felt that reading doesn't have to be precisely at a child's level for him to benefit from it. They read some easy stuff, but discussed it and worked with it more in depth, and they read stuff like Shakespeare sonnets and Maya Angelou poems which were probably above everybody's level, but they all enjoyed and appreciated. DS got so excited about Shakespeare he came home and read Macbeth (I doubt he fully got it, but he seemed to get the gist of who killed who).

Sorry so long, but if you are the poster who said that first grade public school would be frustrating with an advanced reader, I'm curious what your experience with it was, if you would care to expand on that. I'm curious if there was something about the process I should have been looking for and missed, or if our experiences were just different. Thanks!

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-04-1997
Mon, 09-10-2007 - 3:54pm

You realize that that claim there is generic and could be issued by just about any school district in the country?

What makes for a "quality educational program?"
What do they mean by "high standards?" For whom?
What is a "secure learning environment?"

What makes the educational technology program the best in the country? How does the educational technology program enhance the overall experience?

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-04-1997
Mon, 09-10-2007 - 3:57pm
So how come people in your community choose private schools or homeschooling if EVERYONE is being served?
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-04-1997
Mon, 09-10-2007 - 3:58pm
So why do you consider it an insult for Suzy to claim that you would not be interested in, or competent to, discuss the issues she is interested in, when it fact you are neither?
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-17-2007
Mon, 09-10-2007 - 4:00pm
but what you are missing is sometimes it is not about the teachers or getting extra help or even about how great the school may be, it is just about a parent having a basic philisophical difference with the school.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 09-10-2007 - 4:05pm
That is nothing more than a bland public-relations statement.

VickiSiggy.jpg picture by mamalahk

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-14-2007
Mon, 09-10-2007 - 4:09pm
But it's not about fair. it's about what's in the best interest of the CHILDREN. If that means having an unscheduled, one-on-one with the teacher, then doing so shouldn't be a burden on the teacher. If said unscheduled, one-on-one with the teacher is not in the best interest of the child, then the teacher and parent need to set some boundaries.
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-04-1997
Mon, 09-10-2007 - 4:10pm
Yeah, but now that we know that her district is fifty miles east of New York City, we can revive the "is she near New York City" debate!
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-18-2007
Mon, 09-10-2007 - 4:11pm

I think the studies indicate a child will perform better in school if his parents are involved parents - not necessarily that his parents are involved in his school per se.

<> I think schools need help to keep costs down. For instance, parents can volunteer for cafeteria duty or playground duty which eliminates the need for tax dollars for hired monitors.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-27-2005
Mon, 09-10-2007 - 4:11pm
If you can tell me how to tranfer a pdf file for me to copy, than I can give you more info. Thanks!

Pages