I come from a family of teachers. My brother taught science before he accepted a position planning science curriculum for a school district and was head of his science department. He was also elected by other teachers to represent them at meetings in which courses were planned for schools across the state.

At one of these major meetings, my brother told me that every person in the room came up with grandiose plans for managing the district. But not one idea would help the children. And not one of the people (except for him) had ever taught. Their plans included loading teachers down with paperwork, but not coming up with a single idea that would help children learn.

When New York teacher Jerry Conti recently resigned, I thought about my brother’s story because he said he wasn’t leaving his teaching profession. The profession left him and it no longer exists.  What a sad commentary on today’s schools.

My profession is being demeaned by a pervasive atmosphere of distrust, dictating that teachers cannot be permitted to develop and administer their own quizzes and tests (now titled as generic “assessments”) or grade their own students’ examinations. The development of plans, choice of lessons and the materials to be employed are increasingly expected to be common to all teachers in a given subject. This approach not only strangles creativity, it smothers the development of critical thinking in our students and assumes a one-size-fits-all mentality more appropriate to the assembly line than to the classroom. 

How I wish people would recognize this road our children have been led down and figure out how to fix it. Our children need this. And our future depends on it.

Photo by Robb North.

The chief of police is my town has one of the kindest hearts I’ve ever seen.  He was at dinner the other night and overheard teachers talking about how many children in their class wouldn’t be able to afford supplies this year. One had eight homeless children in her class last year, so got the supplies for all of them.

The overheard conversation has resulted in a huge school supply drive for the children in our community who can’t afford to buy markers, pencils, paper, and other basics that help start out their educational year.

I challenge every reader to pick up TWO of everything if they can afford it and surprise your own child’s teacher with an extra set of everything.  And remember, back packs are just as important to kids as the other supplies!

Photo by Jonathan Garcia.

Photo from Pinterest.

Babies have been in my world these last few days!  My former Girl Scout had her little Kayleigh.

This precious little one was just over seven pounds and 20 inches long. Her Momma is mad because the photographer popped in a pacifier after the picture and now the baby won’t stop crying without it!  Whoops!

Another story about a baby today is about a family whose lives were saved because of a doll baby simulator. Designed to make teens think about how a pregnancy and subsequent baby will impact their lives, a local girl brought one home over the weekend.

This morning at 3:30 a.m., the baby started crying.  She woke up to care for it and heard another noise outside her bedroom – a crashing noise.  When she opened the door thinking her Mom dropped a plate or glass, she was met with a wall of smoke.  The house was burning and she managed to save her Mom, another adult, the family pet, AND the baby doll simulator.

The smoke detector did not activate even though it had been tested the weekend prior because it was a detector that worked better in detecting FLAME rather than SMOKE.  Our local fire marshal recommends getting the ionization detector and the photoelectric, along with a heat sensor.  The extra cash is worth the investment because you just never know when you’ll need it.

Here’s a photo of the house that I took this afternoon.

I come from a family whose members have served mostly in the military or the education fields.  We have had plenty of Air Force and Army service, but also a lot of teachers.  My brother teaches high school science, sisters in law teach middle school special education and high school math.  My niece is now an elementary school teacher.  There are so many teachers that there is a special place in my heart for all educators.

This is LaVergne tells parents to treat teachers with respect, treat them as if your child spends HOURS with them every day,

This school year, your child’s elementary school teacher will spend more time a day/week/month with your child than anyone in the world but you.  (And depending on your schedule, possibly you, too.)  They are a huge influence and part of your child’s life.  Why NOT take some time here and there to let them know you appreciate their hard work, their care for your child, their patience as they deal with dozens of children day in and day out?

I have always approached teacher talks respectfully.  There may be some burnt out teachers out there, but possibly because of years of being beaten down by parents, administration, school boards, and mean kids. Show them some love this year!

Photo by “Comedy Nose” Pete.

Today, I watched my son receive an award for being on the honor roll all school year. I am over the moon proud of the little prince. Every year since he started school (he is finishing up third grade) he has done well with his academics. Whenever report cards come out we see wonderful grades, but average, if we are lucky, conduct grades. There is very little concern that he will put anyone out of the running for a good citizenship award.

So, I started thinking. Yes, my little prince can be a handful at times. But, which would I rather have, a nerd with a little attitude, or a slacker with perfect behavior? He wants to be a meteorologist when he grows up, lofty goals for such a young age. He will need the strong academic skills he is building now.

I know well enough that the angst he causes me know will ebb and flow as he matures and grows. I realize there will be days I want to pull my hair out. But, more often than not, I will kiss him every night and tell him how proud I am of him. Not just for the grades, but for the great kid he really is, and the wonderful man I know he will become.

Guest Author Theresa Hesse is full time mom of two rambunctious children, full time employee, part time student and devoted to her family and friends.  Being a tiny bit insane helps juggle everything!! Theresa enjoys writing, sewing and music.  Her dislikes include sorting socks, yardwork and scratchy blankets.

Photo by Woodley Wonder Works via Flickr Creative Commons.

A couple of years ago FIVE years ago, my friend wrote about how her daughter was sexually molested in school.  That would be elementary school.  The child who molested her 6-year old daughter (who was also 6-years old) was “off the hook” essentially because he was too young to realize his actions were punishable.

I was not prepared for the unbelievable “pulling of teeth” it took to get the school to take appropriate action in line with the severity of the offense this child committed on my daughter!

First, I was told the child would not be taken out of the classroom, even for that day, because it was one child’s word against the other. Then when I refused to accept that answer–and told them that he would not be in the same class as my child ever again–they offered to let me take my child home or to another class for the day.

Wait, what??? How is it justified that MY child–the victim–is the one who must have her routine disrupted even more than it has already while the offender is being coddled?

Today, we parents received the following message and Ginger is feeling vindicated.

The Board of Education recently added sexual misconduct to the zero tolerance policy. Sexual misconduct is any action that results in the student being charged with sexual battery, sexual assault, indecent exposure, rape or aggravated sexual battery.

If any of these charges occur, the student will be expelled for a period of not less than one calendar year, in accordance with the rules governing the district’s zero tolerance policy.

Finally.

Photo by Seth Sawyers via flickr creative commons.

My friend Ron emailed me about a mystery woman – who I assume works for a school somewhere in the Midwest – ate 162 lunches which she photographed and blogged about.  For now, her identity is a secret.  What did she find, though?

Aside from mystery meat and puddles of beans, school lunch wasn’t always bad. On day 29, she remarked, “Weirdly, this is the first time I thought the pizza was fantastic!”

Mrs. Q said her blog represents what school children who rely on reduced-price or free meals are fed every day.

I’ve eaten a school lunch or two in my lifetime as a Mom.  Most weren’t bad.  Others were pretty good.  Some were scary.  Corn was very popular.  And applesauce.  Hey I cook that at home too!

Today was the first day back to school for my sophomore.  Oddly, this year it really hit me that the baby is growing up – almost too quickly!  One would think the freshman year would do it, but because my oldest daughter started college last year (I had two freshmen), her moving out had more of an emotional impact than the baby’s first year of high school.

The second year of high school, though.  She has a new principal this year, although it’s actually the one she had in middle school.  He’s a strict overseer and that will be good given the way her school has been out-of-control these last few years.  There is one staircase with a bad nickname because at the bottom is the hiding place where high school “couples” go.  He’s already put a stop to that.

The school is also much cleaner – he brought over his head custodian who brought in his people.  All trusted to work hard and do what has to be done.  They’ve already painted the school hallways.  Now they’re working on the rodent problem.

When is your first day of school?  How much did you spend on new clothes?  School supplies?  For my two girls, I spent about $400 on clothes and $100 on school supplies.

Flickr Creative Commons photo by Kevin Dooley.

When Annie was in kindergarten, the bus brought her right to our driveway since she only went a half day.  One day I came home from work to learn that the bus zoomed right by the house without stopping, ultimately giving Annie’s Grandma, a heart attack.  Luckily the bus just circled the block and brought her right to our driveway like it was supposed to.

The same thing happened to Les the other day.  When the bus came up the street, his Katie wasn’t on it,

Just about that time Melissa said she saw the bus coming back up the street. Katie was on it. The bus driver said he had finished his route and was heading back when he saw Katie’s head pop up in his rearview mirror.

Melissa asked Katie, “Why didn’t you get off the bus on our street?” Her answer? Her friend Abby was reading her a story and she wanted to find out how it ended. “You still should have gotten off the bus!” “But I wanted to see where the bus went.”

I understand your heart clutched in your chest, Les.  I really do!

Photo by katerha via flickr creative commons.