Help from my friends that have children.

[ginevra007]

So, I'm taking a class in early childhood education and I need some help from my friends with children. Like tomorrow. Teacher gave it to us last minute. It happens. I need to get the answers to the following questions from people I know with children in school or childcare

Comments

[flaviarassen]

I never specifically thought about it as a partnership, but it absolutely is. Prime example: teacher sends home homework. If I don't hold up my end of the partnership, it may not get done, or done correctly.

As far as encouraging parent participation, PuppyBoy's school is very careful to bombard us with fliers & phone calls about every stupid thing they decide to plan ("Multicultural Night! Come represent a culture!" Ok - we'll bring in a couch & a widescreen, & sprawl in front of it with beer & cheese puffs... & then there was the tine when I SWEAR they were planning a worskshop to help Spanish speakers to speak Spanish better - I brought the flier home for The Hubby (tm) to decipher, in case I was missing something. We concluded it was either very bad English on someone's part, or that yes, they were just stupid). OTOH, WombatGirl's school did not see fit to tell me either about Edline or the PTA online board.

PuppyBoy's school irritates us w/their often "no children" policy to some meetings. When WombatGirl was going there, we had to skip meetings because he couldn't stay w/anyone but me. I know the school thinks they are being helpful by having "child care (I'm betting it's someone in the gym watching them go crazy) & "dinner (The Hubby (tm) once went w/WombatGirl to a reading night when they had "snacks" - he saw children & ADULTS taking handfuls of cookies, right in front of those who had had none - G-d only knows what "dinner" would have entailed...)" but even then, there's going to problems (as I outlined). No, you can't please everyone - & someone always is going to have special issues, or someone else will always spoil things, so it's hardly the school's fault. What I guess I'm saying is that these are pretty good measures, but not foolproof.

We also deliberately skip things that are scheduled on Saturday afternoon when they could just as easily be scheduled for a Sunday.

I only participate if it's something if which I approve, and where I'm least likely to get in a fight w/anyone else. This means that anything connected w/Xmas is out, because no religion belongs in public school, even if they throw in a song about a dreidel - that doesn't belong there, either (This is why I do not join the PTA - very few people can appreciate my attitude, & I can't stand theirs). OTOH, I enjoyed helping decorate the school for Halloween, because it bugged the fundies to no end. We called it a "Harvest festival" & only allowed the children to dress as farmnrs (or farm animals, I forget), & you can bet I made sure PuppyBoy had a plaid shirt & overalls!!

I always do the bake sale - go w/your strengths, after all. & I always make sure the teacher has my number, and knows s/he is to call if there is a problem w/my child, or s/he needs help with anything. I've done field trips (where I dutifully refrained from introducing "100 Bottle of Beer on the Wall" as the bus song (except for my shortened version "100 bottles of beer on the wall, 100 bottles of beer - ew, yuck, throw it away! No more bottles of beer on the wall!")

Believe it or not, the teachers at PuppyBoy's school actually like me :-)

[ginevra007]

Thank you for your experiences. Not only were they helpful, but I find your writing entertaining. (I hope you understand what I'm trying to say, and that is a complement.)

[flaviarassen]

I was certainly hoping you'd find it entertaining instead
of irritating! I was definitely cuttin' loose, there....