Jumbo Crayons

[Jpurple]

Reyneth is right- As a teacher, I'd much rather deal with an involved parent who CARES about their child's education, even if they are a little overprotective, than a parent who couldn't care less and has no idea what's going on.
That said, I will never teach in the United States- the (public) school administration there seems to vary from sucky to truly evil.

[repsac]

One of the funniest things I had chance to witness occured last year around back to school time. I happened to be in one of the stores in town (wal-mart most likely) standing at customer service. At the time, I remember I happened to be waiting on something. Probably getting a TV brought in to return or some such.

Whatever the case, while I stood there, this lady was standing at the front of the counter just ahead of me fretting and fuming. It seemed, she had bought some crayons for her little darling (who, if I recall correctly, was off trying to reach their hand into the crane machine in an effort to rogue/steal a toy at the time) only to find out they were defective. The defect?

One side was flat.

I don't think they ever explained to her that they were made that way so they wouldn't roll off desks...

[CreepyCarrie]

The defect?

One side was flat.

I don't think they ever explained to her that they were made that way so they wouldn't roll off desks...

LOL! Why should it matter what shape crayons are in, as long as they color well? Kids don't care.

[Seshat]

But if he's not having trouble with the skills, the homework shouldn't hardly take any time at all.

It depends on the homework - and on the child. I HATED pointless tasks with a passion (I still do), and homework dragged on for me. I could never understand why I had to do meaningless make-work just because OTHER kids needed to do it.

For me, homework was a dreadful punishment, not a mindless task to get out of the way. Yes, I could have benefitted from some sort of psychological assistance to get over the 'do pointless tasks to make people happier' - it'd help with dealing with stupid managers.

But frankly, if I HAD been under a psychologist's care, there would have been other issues to deal with, more urgent ones. Like making friends at all.

[mscrybaby]

The school system we had in the Missouri had decided it was better for everyone to bring in the items on the list, name branded of course, and then once you brought them in they were all dumped into classroom community boxes and those boxes were set on a group of four desks for all the kids at those desks to share. This was pointed out to me one year when talking to my neighbor about the demand for the higher priced name brands that my child was not going to be able to use his own stuff. The neighbor informed me she didn't even send in the supplies as there were already enough there for her kids since everyone else sent them in. At the end of the year the teacher would dump whatever remained into four zip lock bags and sent home everything except the clip boards, scissors and rulers, these were kept in case they could be used again next year.

[sarahj]

I was never told what brand to buy for my school supplies! But in my classes I do the occasional very detailed engineering diagram, and for that it's best to have high quality items like a compass, set squares, etc. Things that last a long time cos I'm gonna need them heaps. Isn't the idea of the cheap store brand that if it gets lost or broken then it doesn't matter? Don't (most) kids break and lose stuff? Only art students etc. need name brand/expensive supplies.

[Primer]

I can name two off the top of my head, though one's in Korea...

Rapscallion

...and one is in central Texas...

At my college, the only thing I can require my students to purchase is the text book, and even the first few chapters of that is available online from the publisher.

I always have available extra paper and pencils for those students who either "forgot" to bring them, or could not afford to purchase them. Yes, I pay for these out of my own pocket. I even have about 10 extra calculators availble for use, although I do require some sort of collateral for those--keys or picture ID.

I teach at the "developmental" (high school) level. The majority of the students in my classes are there because of Texas' state law that requires remediation until certain assessment tests are passed. Very few are taking my classes because they want to, or because they realize they need to in order to succeed in college-level classes.

I love teaching this level because I can see, every now and then, that I really do make a difference, and those are the very students that keep me coming back.

About 15 years ago, I had a standing offer to go drive a cement truck for more money and fewer hours. The department head knew this. She did everything she could to keep me as a teacher, so I must be doing something right.

I do hate the beaurocracy involved. I am required to follow a set syllabus. I just quit telling anybody that I teach more than the minimum. I despise having to assign and grade homework, but I have been "chastized" by the higher powers when I did not. I refuse to dumb down my classes to lowest common denominator, and I refuse to dumb down my exams or inflate grades just because somebody's mommy is upset that their precious "child" did not ace the course.

I work very hard to explain the coursework, and I do not test over anything we have not gone over in class. I expect the students to do their share of work, also.

I need to step off my soapbox, before I get into how I really feel...

[Rapscallion]

...and one is in central Texas...

Sorry - I can do generalities regarding location easily enough, but more specific than country and I tend to get lost.

Rapscallion

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Picture the US. Texas is in the center bottom of the country. Right north of Mexico.

[Noelegy]

I know there are good, caring teachers out there--my mom was one, and I can name several others just from my own experience--but it's a shame that the bad ones have as much influence as they do. Just like there are good customers out there; it's the SCs we remember, unfortunately.

[Guardian Agwyn]

When I was in elementary school, we didn't have to mess with specific brands or colors, but what turned me off of school was the advanced classes for "gifted" students. I got into that group in third grade, and it was terrible. The kids in the class were all very intelligent, but they were soooooooo arrogant. They had that obnoxious air of superiority. I was in class with tomorrow's SC's

[April]

Ugh I had to stop reading before i terrify myself...My daughter is in kindergarten, no preschool but my husband and I made learning a game. Now she is reading at a 3rd grade level while the rest of the kids in her class are behind her. Her teacher informed me that there is no one to work with my daughter during reading time because the kids are seperated into reading levels and she is the only one at that level.

[NightAngel]

Her teacher informed me that there is no one to work with my daughter during reading time because the kids are seperated into reading levels and she is the only one at that level.

Then you need to inform her teacher that you EXPECT the school to advance your daughter's education. If she is left alone or is stagnated at the level she's at now because the other kids aren't there- she will lose intrest.

Perhaps she could take reading with a higher grade level- that isn't totally unheard of for students with advanced skills.

If not then they need to get their act together and find a way for your daughter to be taught. Period.

[tollbaby]

Then you need to inform her teacher that you EXPECT the school to advance your daughter's education...

If not then they need to get their act together and find a way for your daughter to be taught. Period.

Agreed, however, those services usually aren't available in most schools until AFTER kindergarten... It's unfortunate.

[April]

That's what I was told. That a "gifted" program wasn't until older grades and the other class thing wasn't available to K either.

I am going to speak to the principal though about that and the fact that the teacher told me even though my daughter DESERVES a "P plus" (A+) she doesn't give out p+'s in the first semester on report cards. WTF??

Maybe it's just an overly proud parent speaking, but I want her grades to reflect the level of work she is performing, especially if I am going to NEED that to get her into a gifted reading program.

We still work with her at home, but I don't want her to just sit around in school on reading days with nothing to do or no stimulation. That's why i send her to school (that and I just LOVE pretending to only have one child 2 hours ot of the day!!)