- Staying Within Law: Special Education Teachers and IDEA - September 1, 2020
- Teaching With Minecraft EDU - April 3, 2019
- Self-Care Is Priority One for This Teacher - February 13, 2019
- Preparing Students For Teacher Absences - February 12, 2019
- Respect in the Classroom: Earned, Not Expected - February 11, 2019
- Dissing the Family Crazies: A Christmas Story - January 6, 2019
- Band-Aiding The Mental Health of Our Children - November 23, 2018
- We Must Love Them - November 5, 2018
- Take One For the Team: The Need for Self-Care - August 19, 2018
- The New Teacher Smell - August 19, 2018
Ahhhhhh..... Christmas break. I've been waiting for this vacation since October when the honeymoon phase of a new school year began wearing off and the realization of 'normality' set in.
This break allows me time to reflect, piece my weary self back together and recall some of the craziest things that parents have said this school year.
So, friends of TER, I give you the "Top Ten List of Things That Came Out of the Mouths of Parents":
10. What time does school start/get out again?
We have been in school 87 days now. 87 DAYS. The only time that's changed since the beginning of school is when we fell back an hour from Daylight Savings Time.
9. My child says his/her supplies are broken/gone and you won't give him/her any more.
Well, see, I'm trying to establish some responsibility in my classroom so these kids can grow to be PRODUCTIVE citizens. I give out supplies once every nine weeks unless supplies are used up. When your child eats/breaks/loses his/her supplies and is not showing responsibility, he/she is SOL.
8. My child is NEVER to miss out on activities! Even if it costs money and I don't bring it. He/she is to always participate. I'll pay you back later.
Yeah. Let me go pick some extra cash off of the tree in my backyard and while I'm doing that why don't you plant a 'responsibility' tree since your tree of entitlement is doing so well.
7. My child doesn't like where he/she is sitting. He/she wants to sit by his/her friends. He/she is feeling secluded and lonely because he/she feels like he/she has been separated from his/her classroom friends.
Well DUH!!!!
6. Is it really necessary for my child to do homework/book reports/class projects? I mean he/she already knows how to do all this stuff and doesn't really want to do it.
Absolutely not! Matter of fact that totally makes my grading easier. Z-E-R-O.
5. Is there a field trip today????
Ummmm, yes. And you signed the permission form, paid your money AND turned it all in!
4. Ohhhhhhhh, you made bad choices AGAIN today???? Let's go get ice cream and talk about it.
OH. MY. GOSH.
3. Now tell me again what I need to bring to the party/program/field trip...
Did you not get the monthly newsletter, the three reminder notes or see the sign ON THE FRONT DOOR that you've walked through EVERY day this week?
2. We were too busy with ball/dance/church/picking our noses to do homework. We will get it done later.
Boy, I sure hope your child is going to be a professional ball player/dancer/pastor/nose picker because the schoolwork motivation just might not make the cut.
And the number one thing that has come out of a parent’s mouth since August...
My child would never say/do such a thing! He/she ALWAYS make good choices! How dare you accuse him/her of that!
Hmmmmm.... I saw it, the entire class saw it and I'm not sure what child you take home on a daily basis, but it sure ain't this one!
May your break be filled with peace, rest, joy, happiness and getting reacquainted with a family who never sees you without a book bag, a stack of grading, and supplies stolen from the home. We get to do it all over again come January.
And we all know how much longer the spring semester is.
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