Depends on who I'm killing, I guess.
Yesterday: Didn't get enough sleep, didn't have coffee, didn't have breakfast. You have no idea how hard it was looking completely awake during Orientation. My brain felt like a wet sponge.
Dave
Staff member
And then when you count them down they and their parents will complain to the office and make it seem like it's your fault. It's one of the main reasons behind grade inflation. It's easier to capitulate than to battle the students, parent, AND the administration.
And if they don't get good grades, they can't fail at a good job, and they'll instead have to fail at something menial.
--Patrick
Cajungal
Staff member
OH do I know that tune by heart. I got the most condescending email from a parent the other day... "______ is so upset by her performance on her project... and I didn't hear anything about a due date!' It must be my fault, even though we've been talking about this project for a month. AND I sent the parents a rubric at the beginning of the quarter. The teacher mustbe screwing up, because my kid is so awesome. I swear, that's one of the things that holds me back from having kids. That irrational love that turns logical people into rabid jerks who are suddenly experts in my field... JESUS. It's too much.
Tl;dr: I feel your pain.
On the one hand, I feel that you probably wouldn't fall in to that trap, both because you've been on the teacher side of things (and are still there) and because you're so obviously concerned about falling in to it. On the other, they say that people can never see the thing that they have the biggest problem with within themselves, and I have anecdotal proof of that through my mother-in-law, who's one of the state's leading experts in developmental child psychology, but whose own children wound up really, really screwed up through some fault of her own.
On a somewhat related topic, one of my best friends and his wife are looking into private schools to enroll their son in, and one of the schools they interviewed at last just boggles my mind that it's even allowed to still operate. It's one of those new-agey, the child must want to learn before we'll teach them kinds of places, where they have specifically stated that they will not teach your child mathematics or how to read until at least second grade, because those are too rigid for children and it'll stunt their imaginative and creative growth. So they would be paying tens of thousands of dollars a year for their kid to very expressly not be taught anything except how to paint and be creative and how to sit still and listen to other people read stories to them for at least two years. And even if the school started teaching him math and how to read in second grade, he'd have to wait until third grade for science and any semblance of social studies. The kid in question is four years old and is already reading at a first grade level. Oh, and they require a pledge to be signed by the parents that the child will be allowed absolutely zero "screen time" of any kind at any point until the school says that it's OK (and they usually wait until fourth grade at least before they deem that their students are able to handle "screen time."
And then there are parents like me. My son's teacher has been giving her students month-long homework packets since the winter break. That January packet marked the first time my son had to deal with coming up with his own timetable in order to get all of the assignments done. So, I "helped" him by
I also decided this month he would not have me hovering over him to get the work done. I have warned him already. He has to plan it out so he gets his assignments done on time without me practically forcing the pencil and paper into his hands. I will not do more than remind him of the due date and answer questions if he asks for help. I told his teacher my plan today and she practically high-fived me.
I teach high school. These little buggers need to learn some responsibility. It won't be long until they're in college and/or working, and no one is going to cut them any slack there. I feel like they need to get a taste of failure now instead of just being coddled, so they (hopefully) begin to understand what it takes to succeed in life.
"But if they fail, we lose government funds!" -Administration 
My mother is a high school teacher, and I sub mostly at her school. She teaches high level math, and the same thing happens every year. You get a group of kids who get in these classes who should NOT be there, but were passed through their previous classes because administrators either didn't want to deal with delusional parents or have a black mark on their record when funding time comes around. So then guess who looks bad when these kids can't pass her class because they completely lack the skills to be there in the first place?
My mother is a high school teacher, and I sub mostly at her school. She teaches high level math, and the same thing happens every year. You get a group of kids who get in these classes who should NOT be there, but were passed through their previous classes because administrators either didn't want to deal with delusional parents or have a black mark on their record when funding time comes around. So then guess who looks bad when these kids can't pass her class because they completely lack the skills to be there in the first place?
That was kind of my thought about my son. He's only a 2nd grader, but I still feel he should be allowed to fail and learn from it. That letter in Cajungal 's story where the student's mother said the girl felt bad about her performance on the project is a great example. If she felt bad, then the next thing is to ask her what she could have done differently. Let her learn from it instead of writing to the teacher to complain! But I'm just one parent who thinks about how one day my kids are going to have to survive in the world without me. I'm probably the 1% in this area. LOL
I work in Scholarships & Awards at the University of Saskatchewan. If you're on a major scholarship for more than a year, you have to turn in paperwork signed by your supervisor that shows that you're making satisfactory progress in your research. You get a reminder from me two months before your anniversary date and another two weeks before. If you don't turn in your paperwork, you get a memo from me announcing that I'm cutting your funding. The howls of protest and outrage are a balm to my shriveled soul.
tl;dr - teach your children well because one day they may have to put up with a bitch like me.
tl;dr - teach your children well because one day they may have to put up with a bitch like me.
No one should ever make me the boss of anything, because I'd do it like my father does, and he is strict when it comes to work. He even told me when I was a teen not to get a job at his store because he didn't want to have to treat his son the way he treats his employees.
Dammit, now I miss my dad. I should call him today.
Dammit, now I miss my dad. I should call him today.
Even when the issue was obviously the teacher my parents didn't take my side. I had a poor grade in high school geometry in the first half of the year, but vastly improved with the student teacher we had in the second half. My parents' explanation was that I finally decided to apply myself. It had nothing to do with the teacher not actually teaching the class because it was his last year and he clearly did not give a crap.
My parents took my side all the time...course I do have Aspergers and one of my teachers actually did tell my mom "I think your son is retarded". Yeah Elementary school wasn't a fun time for me.
Cajungal
Staff member
WasabiPoptart I love you. Can I teach your kids, please? We're making circuits and bridgeeees....[DOUBLEPOST=1362595784][/DOUBLEPOST]
Well, sometimes teachers suck and need to be fought/corrected on things. It's frustrating when the teacher's just trying to instill some independence and accountability.
You'd have to move to Hawaii. I wouldn't need a teacher for Noah for a few more years since his school only goes up to 4th grade, so you'd have some time to save up. And ukulele's are all over the place!
What. In the ACTUAL. FUCK?!
Well my back is in horrible pain again! I think it might be caused by gas this time though.
GasBandit
Staff member
...or you could fart.
I wish I could fart, thats the problem. Trapped gas is a mother-fucker.
GasBandit
Staff member
If only it were that simple. I know that pain, of having gas caught at a bend in the small intestine, pressure building only kinking off passage more and more thoroughly. Every bend. All the way through. And when it finally comes out, it's rarely just gas. It feels like a golgathan kamehameha right out the sphincter.
fade
Staff member
That is what I did all day yesterday... and I had terrible allergies.
GasBandit
Staff member
Went home for lunch today. Usually that entails a little "time" with the little woman.
Neighbors were having a blazing row, screaming at each other. Ruined the mood. Considered calling the cops as it sounded like they were on the edge of throwing stuff.
Have guests arriving this afternoon, probably won't get another "chance" until monday. NNNGGHH.
Mental note - dump neighbors in quick-drying cement, bury 6 feet under a dog buried 2 feet down.
Neighbors were having a blazing row, screaming at each other. Ruined the mood. Considered calling the cops as it sounded like they were on the edge of throwing stuff.
Have guests arriving this afternoon, probably won't get another "chance" until monday. NNNGGHH.
Mental note - dump neighbors in quick-drying cement, bury 6 feet under a dog buried 2 feet down.
GasBandit
Staff member