We are back to school here, although it's 90+ degrees.  I know those long days setting up classrooms, making lesson plans and creating bulletin boards prior to the students' arrival are exhausting for the teachers.  So it's no surprise that they might want to let off a little steam. 

A week ago after registration day, many of the teachers from my child's elementary school headed to our local Chinese restaurant.   There they were sitting in the front of the restaurant enjoying a girls' night out, eating, drinking and a few were smoking.  A couple of parents from the school stopped in to grab dinner with their kids and the children saw their teachers doing things that are certainly legal for adults to do. But it really surprised the kids that their teachers were smoking!  A few parents asked me my opinion and I am not really sure how I stand on the issue.  They are adults and there is certainly a "do as I say, not as I do" component here!!  Maybe they should have traveled a little further out of the district they teach in.  Do our teachers have to be role models 24/7?  If so, that's a hard road to hoe.  Are we as parents expected to be role models 24/7? 

 

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I think it’s great that you are trying to break through the barriers associated with electronic communication to parents and their children. Our school has an excellent website but it’s taken a while to get it up and running so be patient. One thing you need to remember though is that so many kids are more knowledgeable online than their parents are. I found a great website and believe in what they are doing so have started working part time there. They have an online community where your parents can learn what it’s like to be on a “facebook” type site. They even have a “how to” guide to get everyone started that’s free. It would help parents figure out what their kids are doing online and help keep them safe. I’d love for you to join! http://community.connectwithkids.com/community/app/nf/vistafs.aspx

There is also a great internet safety tip sheet that is free. http://www.connectwithkids.com/tipsheet/2006/311_dec13/thisweek/061213_wifi.shtml

Let me know what you think about the info.

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The first day of classes are always nerve racking. I’m always thinking to myself will my teachers like me? Is this going to be a hard class? Sometimes I even wonder if I’ll make it through the year with out damaging my GPA too badly. It seems like every students in the class is just as nervous as I am so it always helps me when we play an introduction game to get to know everyone. It also helps me when my teacher talk about what we’re going to be doing and talk about not how hard the class is going to be. I know for me a lot of the time my teachers say, “this will be your hardest class.” Well when all of your teachers say that the work load steadily increases, so it’s helpful to me when my teachers give tips about how to stay on top of the work specifically in their class. At my school we often talk about what we did over the summer and that helps to loosen up and get people comfortable with each other. In the ideal world real schoolwork wouldn't start until the next week but that rarely ever happens. Most of the time we are giving small writing assignments or review work for the first couple days and that is always relieving so that you’re not stressed from day one. My main concern going into the first week of school is not getting too stressed out and my teachers help me with that.

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OK teachers out there... I am a volunteer teacher at Sunday School. I have been doing this for a number of years and truly love the interaction with my second-grade class.  But I have just been informed that this year's group is made up of 13 boys and 2 girls. 

I have already had a (bad) dream about the first day... and dreamed that I walked into the director's office and resigned. Is my fear warranted concerning the behavior of 13 seven- and eight-year-old boys for two hours early on Sunday morning? My lesson plans and activities will be well developed, but do you experienced teachers out there have any tips to share about setting the tone from the very beginning?

Thank you in advance!

 

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