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Public schools are factories and this one is clearly more interested in order than education. Scrape together the money for tuition ad get your kid out of there and into a private school before it's too late.
As I have stated, the school is great academically, the best one in the state and my son is doing exceptionally well there. It is just the odd, prison-like rules for some things that are a given or right of passage for children, like sitting with friends and talking and having time for lunch. And this point thing is ridiculous. I mean he got a point for being polite and helping out someone who dropped something on the floor because he left his seat. Points should be for unruly or dangerous behavior, not being polite or drinking flavored water or talking with friends.
The assigned seating in the lunchroom is by class, but it is done alphabetically, so they can't just sit with their friends in class.
I cannot afford to send my child to private school and frankly wouldn't even if I could. I went to one and hated every second of it. Talk about strict rules.
And David, obvioulsy you did not read my entire post or took things completely out of context. I don't insist on special treatment for my children regarding the dress code, what I expect is to be notified well before the school year begins if there is a change in the dress code, not a month into the school year after clothing was already purchased large enough for them to wear for a couple of years. And if you make my child change his shirt into some dirty shirt that was laying around the office when he looks perfectly neat and clean, then send home the kids who haven't showered and are wearing sweats or haven't bothered to brush their hair. NOTHING is done about them. Regarding the water, nothing was ever said to us that our kids could not bring flavored water to class. All it said was please do not send them in with soda. If other children are allowed to drink flavored water, everyone should. And it was sugar free. And he also got a point at a different time because his water bottle had a screw off lid instead of a pull top...again, nothing stated he couldn't have it and most bottled water comes with a screw lid.
And I do speak to the teachers so I get the same story my son tells me and I also speak to the principal quite often. I am not getting one story from him and one from the teacher. They confirm what I ahve been told and I then try to talk to them about it. As I said, the point cards come home every week and things are on there as well if he had one given. Again, you have not read my full post.
I am just thankful you are not my son's teacher.
Teachers should bring out the positives in children and let them know when they are doing a good job, not knock them down every chance they get for frivilous things.
Those rules sounds horrible apart from the dress code but you should have been informed much earlier about changes to the dress code. But not being allowed to talk to friends, assigned seating for lunch and only 20 minutes to eat (I can't eat lunch in 20 minutes - some people are just slower eaters) are unreasonably strict. The 10 minutes of silence sounds a bit weird but as someone else pointed out, it might be to calm the children down before going back to class, still seems excessive though. The points thing seems over the top too, might be good if its not overused but the examples you gave tell me its overused.
I wouldn't let my child go to a school with rules like that, I'd rather she went to a school that was performing worse academically than to a supposedly better school that stifles the children in that way.
I taught at a school where the children would eat in silence for the first 10 minutes. They were able to talk the last 10 minutes, and yes, it was a 20 minute lunch.
I thought it was a great idea, actually. Before the no talking rule, the children were throwing away most of their lunches and not eating. They were more interested in socializing.
This was a Catholic school, btw. The children also ate in silence on Fridays during Lenten season as a sacrifice. They didn't complain...good little troopers.
I would be more than willing to bet that the Principal introduced these to the PTA and they approved them. Or a PTA parent convinced the other parents to approve them and then presented them to the Principal with a united front, likely with a School Board member there for reinforcement. Actually this one is more likely. Either way, welcome to US Education 2013.
C'mon, you have parents who make their kids get in a line to open Christmas presents, how is this type of control any different?
Oh please, you come off soundly like a pompous *ss. You wonder why teachers do not get much respect, your attitude is exactly the reason. Calling teachers Professionals, especially at the lower grades, is borderline laughable.
I consider teachers professionals (one would HOPE so), and several members of my family are teachers, but I agree that the poster comes off as exactly what you describe, and I'd have my kids out of a classroom run by (not taught by, there's a difference) that person in a heartbeat. I also can't see that poster working with parents (never mind children) very successfully - and I've always worked quite well with my children's teachers and vice versa in both public and private schools.
Yes, there should be rules, and they should be reasonable rules and communicated, in writing, to the parents before they are ever enforced.
There's nothing worse than a teacher who forgets whose children they really are.
These stupid rules are a good introduction into the real world.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Glenfield
Public schools are factories and this one is clearly more interested in order than education. Scrape together the money for tuition ad get your kid out of there and into a private school before it's too late.
I would home school my child before I would put him through this school. Reading this thread it is obvious how some teachers REALLY enjoy all their power.
It is interesting that in three pages, I have been told I sound like a pompous a**, that one could not imagine me working with parents or children, lower level teachers are not professionals, and that I really enjoy all my power.
Maybe I do sound like a pompous a**. Get over it. The message is still the same. Schools don't create rules for arbitrary or capricious reasons. I do not teach at the elementary level, but I have great respect for those who do. When they do their jobs, I reap the benefits of well-behaved students who know the proper way to act in schools.
Truth is, I don't work with parents often, I work with my students. When problems arise, we work to solve the problems before involving the parents, counselors, or administrators. At Back to School Night, I make sure that the parents understand that their children and I will tackle most problems, and that if I am truly worried about their student, I promise I will contact them. It is important that students are able to approach me, and, conversely, that I can approach them when one of us has a problem. I am teaching these students to grow up and helping them get ready for college. Once in college, their parents cannot intervene (though some try) in the same way that they do at the high school level.
As for my power, I have none. My students and I operate out of a mutual respect for each other. I have not referred a student to the dean for any behavior issue in over 10 years. I have high expectations for their behavior, and they respond in kind. When their behavior does not meet those expectations, a gentle reminder is all that is needed to get them back on track.
I am also a parent, and I know how hard it is to watch your child struggle, but instead of jumping in to save my kids, I teach them to advocate for themselves. Sometimes it's hard for them to stand up for themselves, but when they do, their confidence level soars and they gain a greater sense of independence.
I personally don't see how these teachers could be focused on teaching and providing an education when they're so hyperfocused on what kind of top some kid's water bottle has and if they're drinking flavored or regular water. People follow rules they understand, and are more willing to comply when they see the purpose. Perhaps someone could explain to me how a bottle top twisting or pulling off affects a child's education one way or the other. If it doesn't, that makes it an arbitrary and meaningless rule. And if the rules aren't being uniformly applied, that makes them capricious as well. Not many kids need that kind of micromanagement and control, and if they do, they need to be in military school or some kind of alternative school for kids with behavioral problems. I know my child takes it very personally and gets very upset if she gets into trouble, and I can only imagine how upset she would be at teachers who nitpick over what flavor water she's drinking or speaking to another student at lunch. If these type of silly rules have a purpose, then perhaps they should be clearly explained and understood.
Teachers aren't saints or gods. They're people just like the rest of us. And just like the rest of us, there are some who like to exert every little bit of control they have in every way possible. Some teachers are there to teach. Some are there to collect a paycheck and feel important. Any teacher that is enforcing these kind of ridiculous rules are making a huge power play at the expense of teaching, in my opinion.
As I have stated, the school is great academically, the best one in the state and my son is doing exceptionally well there. It is just the odd, prison-like rules for some things that are a given or right of passage for children, like sitting with friends and talking and having time for lunch. And this point thing is ridiculous. I mean he got a point for being polite and helping out someone who dropped something on the floor because he left his seat. Points should be for unruly or dangerous behavior, not being polite or drinking flavored water or talking with friends.
The assigned seating in the lunchroom is by class, but it is done alphabetically, so they can't just sit with their friends in class.
I cannot afford to send my child to private school and frankly wouldn't even if I could. I went to one and hated every second of it. Talk about strict rules.
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Well it depends on the private school. My kids were in a private school that was absolutely opposite and lacking in any of the BS nonsense mentioned in this thread. They managed to find balance between creating a respectful environment, maintaining discipline, and allowing kids to be kids and not have to put a bunch of nonsense rules in place.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Natsku
Those rules sounds horrible apart from the dress code but you should have been informed much earlier about changes to the dress code. But not being allowed to talk to friends, assigned seating for lunch and only 20 minutes to eat (I can't eat lunch in 20 minutes - some people are just slower eaters) are unreasonably strict. The 10 minutes of silence sounds a bit weird but as someone else pointed out, it might be to calm the children down before going back to class, still seems excessive though. The points thing seems over the top too, might be good if its not overused but the examples you gave tell me its overused. I wouldn't let my child go to a school with rules like that, I'd rather she went to a school that was performing worse academically than to a supposedly better school that stifles the children in that way.
Pretty much what we did. We did private school as long as we coudl afford it. There, they got the best of all possible worlds; a great environment AND fabulous academics. Then when we couldn't afford that, we had a choice; to warehouse them in a neighborhood public school that spent most of the time practicing "crowd control", where a few rotten-behaving kids would ensure misery for the rest of the children, or an academically "iffy" and disorganized but more chill charter school. We try and bridge the gap with educational activities outside of school, lots of reading and discussion, etc.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady
I consider teachers professionals (one would HOPE so), and several members of my family are teachers, but I agree that the poster comes off as exactly what you describe, and I'd have my kids out of a classroom run by (not taught by, there's a difference) that person in a heartbeat. I also can't see that poster working with parents (never mind children) very successfully - and I've always worked quite well with my children's teachers and vice versa in both public and private schools.
Yes, there should be rules, and they should be reasonable rules and communicated, in writing, to the parents before they are ever enforced.
There's nothing worse than a teacher who forgets whose children they really are.
Or one who forgets WHAT children are, and that is, not "little adults"!
Maybe I do sound like a pompous a**. Get over it. The message is still the same. Schools don't create rules for arbitrary or capricious reasons. I do not teach at the elementary level, but I have great respect for those who do. When they do their jobs, I reap the benefits of well-behaved students who know the proper way to act in schools.
Schools ABSOLUTELY do this. And if not schools as an entity, definitely power-trippin' teachers. How many schools do you actually have experience with?
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Points should be for unruly or dangerous behavior, not being polite or drinking flavored water or talking with friends.
I would home school my child before I would put him through this school. Reading this thread it is obvious how some teachers REALLY enjoy all their power.
