Well, if ever my decision to homeschool came into question, it was just the other day. I was having a cup of tea, watching CNN Headline News, when a piece about a child being voted out of the classroom came on. I thought right then that the act was deplorable. It flashed me back to being the last kid picked for a team sport in elementary. That stunk to high heaven. Draw straws, pull numbers out of a hat, but don't let Mr. & Mrs. popularity decide who gets to stay and who gets to go. Well that very thing happened here in our own backyard in a local elementary school.
You can read the article here: http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/may/24/30gtteacher-lets-students-vote-out-classmate-5/
What kind of shenanigans is that? Does that teacher have any clue as to what damage she has done to that child's self esteem? She should not be allowed to be around students, no matter the age.
When I saw this article I ran to inform my local homeschooling group. But alas one of the other parents had beat me to it. And low and behold, it was our chairman. Come to find out that it was this very same teacher that pushed Mrs. G into homeschooling. This teacher ridiculed and made fun of Mrs. G's daughter to the point where she felt the need to pull her out. Mrs. G's daughter learned differently and maybe even a bit more slowly, but so what. Who's to say that we have to know our ABC's by such and such a time. That is hogwash...100%
We all learn at different levels and different time frames. the public school system is geared for the middle 80%. The top 10% is not catered to, and the bottom 10% is left out. so for those children who may need a bit more coaxing, they are left behind. Well not in my school. We do whatever it takes, and for how ever long it takes for my children to 'Get it'. My cooking skills did not take off until I hit my 40's. that is not to say I could not cook at all, they just got fined tune a little later on in life. Hmm, guess I would have been voted off straight away if I were in her classroom.
Is this a plug for homeschooling? Yes and no. It is more of an awakening to let parents know to keep on top of what is going on in your child's classroom. But many a parent these days see the public school system as a babysitter. I feel it is not anyone elses job to raise my children or maybe even educate them. Does my child know every single tidbit of trivia out there? No, and I am fine with that. Will either of my children win on Jeopardy? Probably not, but all I ask is that they love what they do and do it well. If you don't have it in your heart you will never succeed. But that teacher who asked her students to vote a child out, is squelching any spark that child may have had about himself. I honestly do not know how she sleeps at night.
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3 comments:
So this teacher had done this sort of crap before? Unbelievable! I had the impression she was some young, inexperienced teacher who didn't know better. It just adds to my case that teachers are bullies.
GREAT post. I hear your passion and I LOVE it. We just had a situation with some homeschool families where some kids were being excluded. I saw it happening and I ended up emailing the families involved and gently pointed out the situation. These families were quick to take it as a teachable moment with their children about how to be a friend, including others and so on...
I was so impressed that these families care. They know that it is our job to train our children to be kind hearted. They all took the actions that were necessary to teach the kids that behavior like that was no OK.
It did make me think that on the playground, no one would notice or care about typical childhood excluding. I am SOOOOO glad that my kids are learning and nurtured (and that they are home with me too).
Your story about the teacher who pushed you to homeschool made me cry. I was never so lucky to be home schooled. I went to a very small school, in a very small town. One of my teachers, the 5th grade teacher was just mean. I was 'big busted' even in the 5th grade. She called me 'trampy' and made fun of my clothes. I wore what I had. We were not rich people by any means. I wore hand me down clothes. Yet this teacher saw fit to make fun of the way I looked in class. I am now 56 years old. I remember it very well. Roxie
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