A Modern Day Calling

I don’t know any teachers that are on a mission to destroy your child’s life but they do learn very quickly that they are expected to keep control of their classrooms or they’ll be the ones facing the consequences.
When I was in school I was totally convinced that at least one or maybe even two, ok most of my high school teachers were sent there by some unknown source to make my life a living hell. I discovered very quickly just how far I could go and not step over that imaginary line, never realizing that I was not only hurting myself but everyone else in the class. It was all about the next laugh and the 3 o’clock bell. It’s not a big surprise that I wasn’t an “A” student but I did do just well enough to get by. I’m sure to many teachers this is an all too familiar scenario and something that plagues me to this day. Let’s just say that my spell check regularly begs me to turn it off and give it a break, I married a woman who is an avid reader and has to be one of the best spellers I know, and as luck would have it, we have a son who is an English teacher. God does have a sense of humor!
That being said I’m around a lot of teachers from time to time and as I hear stories of first year teachers being seen out in the halls with face in hands trying to hold back the tears of frustration and literally trying to build up enough courage to return to the classroom, I find myself thinking, I was one of those kids. I was that student who not only wasted my time but had to have most of my teachers rethink their profession.
Things have changed a lot since I was in school. There were no alternative schools you just got your butt worn out. I will never forget being in class and “rudely” woke up by a math teacher asking me to complete a math problem she had written on the board. Of course I just stared at it until I heard her say, “You’re just like your dad” and then I felt the shock of my life. This little 5 foot tall, 70 year old lady showed me she could swing a well used 2 ½ foot paddle. I’m in no way saying this is the answer to our problems but amazingly I found the correct answer to the one on the board and never fell asleep in her class again. I fondly remember her as one of my better teachers, maybe because I started listening. She later told me that she had also taught my father and had to use the same teaching techniques on him, more than once.
Teachers now days are caught in the middle of “no child left behind”, parents who are too busy or are just not interested in keeping up with their children’s progress and an administration that has to answer to the school board. Is there any wonder why there’s such a shortage of teacher’s in this country?
I have found out over the years as a parent, that if a teacher says there’s a problem, they’re usually right. With our first child I was the parent who was always there defending him to the last breath. I was sure without a doubt my son was perfect and this teacher just had to have it in for him. But after a while we learned this just wasn’t the case and he became a much better student. With our youngest son things were quite different even though there were times I felt we needed parent /teacher conferences, there were very few times we needed to go up the chain of command. The second child always has it rougher; “it’s just a broken arm, shake it off you’ll be fine”.
We as parents can do our children a great disservice by not attending the schools functions like open houses, if you can’t be there at least send a trusted family member or friend to talk to the teacher so they know you’re involved and interested in your child’s educational future. If you have questions contact the teacher by phone or email. Email seems to work the best now days. If you don’t get a response call the school’s office and let them know you’ve emailed and tried to reach the teacher by leaving messages and ask that a person in administration call you.
Keep in mind that teachers are people too. They not only put up with your little angel all day but then have to grade papers, go to meetings and some even coach school sports, then are expected to further their education to meet certain state requirements and somehow in the mist of all this, make time for their own families.
Some people say this career was by choice, and for some that’s true, but then there are those that you never forget as making a difference in your life. I truly believe they are there for a much higher cause. I consider it nothing less than a modern day calling.

Just Saying!

Odes Roberts