Parents,
Congrats! You've survived another summer, and now the chaos and regularity of school begins again. You are now entrusting your bundles of joy with adults who care about them more than you or they will ever know. And that can be scary, terrifying even, especially if you haven't had the chance to have a "meet the teacher" night - and sometimes even if you have.
I get it y'all. I think about the day in a few years when I will have to let go of HWD's hand and send him to school all day with a teacher who I know will love on him and hopefully pass on a little knowledge to him along the way. She or he will discipline him too, and HWD might be a little sad or angry about it, but guess what? He needs it! I trust even now that his best interests will always be considered.
Can I let you in on a secret? Never in all of my career have I worked with a teacher who was out to "get" a student, or to bring harm to anyone in that classroom. I've worked with some remarkable educators in the last 9 years - many who have high expectations, teach so much more than their content, develop an uncanny rapport with their students, and who challenge me daily to step up my game. They may do things that frustrate students or parents, but they've never been like Ms. Trunchbull with a "gotcha" attitude. A teacher's being hard on your child will only help prepare him or her for their future - whatever that looks like. I've bounced back from multiple unexpected turns in my career because I had teachers who taught me early on that it's ok to fall down, but it's not ok to stay there. They guided me back to success, and that's made me who I am today.
While there is no formal Hippocratic Oath for teachers, I would like to believe that we all take an oath to constantly grow our field, research and use best practices, instruct with passion, teach with rigor, and to always have the students' best interest at heart. Parents, your babies are our babies. I still call anyone who was in my class ever "my kid" or "my baby." Do they sometimes stand on my nerves - not like our own children ever do that - to the point of my nearly going bananas? Yes. But I still love them and will care for them just the same.
I say all that in preparing to ask you all for a favor. When you get frustrated with your child's teacher, when you feel they're not hearing you, when you wonder just how to fix the problem, please take a deep breath. Talk to that teacher one-on-one and don't come in guns blazing. Try to resolve the issue peacefully. If that doesn't fix the problem, seek an administrator.
But for the love, please please please do not take to social media to shame that teacher in an arena in which he or she is defenseless. Remember that while you were wondering when summer would ever end, that teacher was spending time, energy, and resources to prepare a classroom in which your child would feel safe. Remember that your child's teacher has a family at home too - one who they love dearly and are working hard in the classroom for in order to earn a living. Remember that your child's teacher is a member of a community that may or may not overlap with yours; no one on your friends list really should have to be put in that awkward position of having to "choose a side" if you will. In the age of internet shaming, let's all consider whether or not we would want to have someone with limited knowledge of a situation that took place at our place of work to blast us on the interwebs for all to see. Ms. Greene might frustrate you once or even twice, but social media is not the place to announce that. You may feel she should not hold that position, but remember you are looking at it through a momma bear or papa bear lens. On behalf of teachers everywhere, please think before you post.
