#7 The Teacher as a promoter of Peace in the Workplace and in the Community

TITLE: #7 What teachers really want to tell parents

                   The article is a few years old, but the sentiment still holds true. Ron Clark, writing for CNN, tells parents what many of our teachers want to tell parents today. Here are a couple of examples.

          Parents today have a reputation for being so supportive to their children to the point of making excuses and insisting that teachers change grades or otherwise be more accommodating. These so-called “helicopter parents” have become such a large problem that some colleges and universities hold separate events for parents and students in order to keep parents from intervening in student activities. It’s even gotten to the point where human resource departments get contacted by parents of recent graduate job applicants.

            Most parents in industrialized societies are conditioned by their own schooling to be obedient and unquestioning of their children’s schools and the so-called authorities therein. A frightening majority of parents are unaware that most everything that traditional school teachers do is developmentally inappropriate and even harmful for youth of all ages. However, a growing movement of parents is parenting through awareness, consciousness and connection to their children’s needs. Many of these parents are opting out of public and traditional schools are seeking refuge for their children in child-centered and democratic schools or through homeschooling and schooling.

And parents, you know, it's OK for your child to get in trouble sometimes. It builds character and teaches life lessons. As teachers, we are angry by those parents who stand in the way of those lessons; we call them helicopter parents because they want to swoop in and save their child every time something goes wrong. If we give a child a 79 on a project, then that is what the child deserves. Don't set up a time to meet with me to negotiate extra credit for an 80. It's a 79, regardless of whether you think it should be a B+. This one may be hard to accept, but you shouldn't assume that because your child makes straight A's that he/she is getting a good education. The truth is, a lot of times it's the bad teachers who give the easiest grades, because they know by giving good grades everyone will leave them alone. Parents will say, "My child has a great teacher! He made all A's this year!"Wow! Come on now. In all honesty, it's usually the best teachers who are giving the lowest grades, because they are raising expectations. Yet, when your children receive low scores you want to complain and head to the principal's office. Please, take a step back and get a good look at the landscape. Before you challenge those low grades you feel the teacher has "given" your child, you might need to realize your child "earned" those grades and that the teacher you are complaining about is actually the one that is providing the best education. And please, be a partner instead of a prosecutor.