Crazy Kindergarten Teacher

[20kidsonhill]

I really try hard to not carry on about my own personal beliefs, but I am going to take a moment to support public schools. This is not a home-schooling bash, I think when done properly homeschooling can be a good option and each parent should have their right to choose.

My experience with public schools is limited to the same type of geographic region, mostly rural, and about the same income base. Even though I have experience in both Wisconsin and virginia with county public schools.

I strongly feel that the benifits your child gets from being exposed to a large variety of opinions and types of people is something I could never have offered my children home schooling. Yes, sometimes their opinions are not the same as my opinions, In this case, eating turkey during Thanksgiving, but what a wonderful opportunity for a child to learn about different people and how as an adult we handle different people's opinions and beleifs.

Even the fact that the teacher has called your child a lier is a wonderful learning experience for your child, Learning how to handle such a situation will be valuable through out your childs life. WE all have come across people like that. When a child sees how you handle it(hopefully in a mature responsible manner) they are learning how to handle it for themselves as they mature.

If I was in Elevan's shoes, I would address it, but I would try to use it as a learning experience for my child. In fact I may be even so bold as to thank the teacher for helping out in the learning process, helping your child to become more well rounded, when she gives you the look of, "What are you talking about," Then explain to her how she assisted in your child's growth as an adult. Oh and by the way, I have done that.


I still would address the fact that the teacher is soo strongly one sided on the turkey issue. I feel if she is going to have the right to share her beleifs and opinions with the class, the children should have the right to share theirs. I wouldn't try to squelch the teachers right to share her opinions, I would fight for the right for the children to share theirs.

Okay, I am done with my opinions.

I do hope you can come to a more peaceful situation for your son for the remainder of the school year.

 

[rascal]

I think you need to throw together a "Fall Fest" event and invite said teacher. Lets break her out that shell she has!!!! Oh, and hat off to the home schoolers... I only work around kids and I come home crazy. Think I'll stick to the four legged kind....

 

[elevan]

Thank you 20kids.

And to everyone participating: Please feel free to share your opinions but I do not want this to become a home school vs public school debate. Nor a vegetarian vs meat debate.

Honestly, I am quite happy with this school. It is my Alma Mater and they do a very good job with the students overall.

After a few discussions, this is what I believe went wrong: This teacher started the school year as a first grade teacher and 2 weeks into the school year the school decided they needed less first grade classes and more Kindergarten classes. The school then took a 1 week break for the county fair. So 3 weeks into the year this teacher was moved to Kindergarten and wasn't fully prepared for the across the board curriculum and so in a way winged it.

The principal is very oriented toward helping the children of the school become good students AND good people. I genuinely like him. B unfortunately and fortunately has spent a lot of time with him so far this year. It's unfortunate because he misses out of recess, "specials" and has to have lunch with the principal. Yet it is fortunate that he learns some good lessons from him about being a good person.

The principal has instituted several programs that ALL classes in all grades must use and believes strongly that grade levels be on the same curriculum regardless of class / teacher. I believe that B's class will steer towards following the program of the other Kindergartens very soon. Each teacher is allowed to put their own spin on things but shouldn't veer so far off of the course.

I have no problem with the teacher sharing different ways of doing things if she does it in a more appropriate manner.

Just last week I made dinner a trip around the world and we had dinner table discussions about different cultures. I make vegetarian meals some nights and we talk about the reasons to eat that way and that it's good to sometimes do.

Every day should be a life lesson for a child and adults too. I learn something new every day myself and expect the same of the boys.

B and I have talked about why the teacher feels her way and why we feel our way. These discussions are in such a way that allows him to ask a lot of questions and come away understanding what happened. He's very much still a "Why" child and asks a lot of questions.

B is very intelligent and my biggest concern with this teacher is him being stifled under her beliefs.

I think that we've got this worked out with the school and hope that we don't have to address any further issues of this kind in the future.