So this year we have a lot of changes at my school. Namely, discipline. I have never heard of so many kids being suspended as they are this year. It's like, there are actual consequences for misbehavior and disrespect. In the past, kids have been "just expressing themselves" and a lot of things were let go that should have been handled more seriously. Not the case now! Last week a kindergartner was suspended and his mother sent him to school the next day anyway. The teacher buzzed the office and said he had arrived in her classroom. The principal said, "Oh no he's not!" Shortly after, his mother was called to come pick him up and informed that suspension was really not her decision. He went home. On Monday, a girl was suspended for stealing food from the cafeteria not once, not twice but three times this year! When I passed through the office that morning, she was writing lines ("I will not steal...I will not steal...") in the office while she waited on her mother to pick her up. Wow, and we thought that was outdated? I think not!
I appreciate holding kids accountable for their actions in school, because in life they will be held accountable too. I don't know why this is such a novel idea to some administrators. Sure kids are learning, and we are the ones parenting them for the most part! I told someone the other day I think teaching should be renamed "Paid Parenting." Helping a little person to navigate the world is no easy task, especially when you have 20+ little friends in your class at any given time. However, when we let them call the shots and run the show, we are disabling them for life. I try to express this in the classrooms I teach at church too. Sure it's church and they are just kids, but kids need limits and boundaries (i.e. jumping off tables in the Sunday School room is unacceptable and unsafe!). Sometimes I feel like the Supernanny...presenting the obvious and watching people be amazed when it works. Other times I feel like Mary Poppins...I come in, work my magic and then move on.
I appreciate holding kids accountable for their actions in school, because in life they will be held accountable too. I don't know why this is such a novel idea to some administrators. Sure kids are learning, and we are the ones parenting them for the most part! I told someone the other day I think teaching should be renamed "Paid Parenting." Helping a little person to navigate the world is no easy task, especially when you have 20+ little friends in your class at any given time. However, when we let them call the shots and run the show, we are disabling them for life. I try to express this in the classrooms I teach at church too. Sure it's church and they are just kids, but kids need limits and boundaries (i.e. jumping off tables in the Sunday School room is unacceptable and unsafe!). Sometimes I feel like the Supernanny...presenting the obvious and watching people be amazed when it works. Other times I feel like Mary Poppins...I come in, work my magic and then move on.
The other day I had a particularly challenging day and I told Kathy, "I need a drink!" She apologized saying, "I'm sorry I totally didn't bring you a sweet tea from Chick-fil-A!" I told her that wasn't the kind of drink I was referring to, but thanks anyway!
Sigh. Teaching is such fun!
A
1 comment:
I'm so glad those 20+ kiddos have you though!! Super-nanny indeed. :)
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