If you’re an elementary school teacher, God bless you. You
have a tough job. You sit through tantrums, stories, good days and bad days. You
are the eyes and ears for parents much like me throughout the day. Just so you
know, if you need crayons, I got you. If you need sparkly gel pens, I got you.
If you want a pretty journal to write in so you do not lose your mind, I am
your huckleberry. I have friends in schools all over the country who teach and
get to share their cool stories every day. I admire them for what they do.
I can not, however, get behind educators who are in the
school system for anything other than treating all kids fairly and providing a
solid education. Every child deserves a chance to the same resources as other
kids. Every child deserves a teacher who is less focused on apps that
communicate with the parents and more focused on putting the student first. Put
down the phone. Stop favoring the quiet kids and stop singling out and trying
to label the eccentric student. Teachers need to be trained on how to deal with
all types of behaviors in the public-school system before being assigned to their
school.
All this constant messaging and updating parents and
essentially tattling takes away from a student’s right to education. I remember
a time in elementary school where students who “called out” or were disruptive were
able to be corrected by the teacher themselves. If the disruption continued,
the student would get sent to the office. If the disruption persisted, a
teacher would reach out to the parent and set up a parent/teacher conference
via note home or phone call. A parent would be notified of a referral if
issued.
I receive at least ten updates on my daughter’s progress
throughout the school day. At least twenty kids are in her class. You do the
math on how much time is being used up on updates vs learning. I know the fancy
dojo app and similar apps are supposed to be used as a positive way to inform
parents about their child’s day. I know the app is in no way a reflection of my
child’s character and how she acts every day. This is just a friendly means of communication,
but technology is the very start to the decline in our children’s educational
experience.
Teachers are spending time communicating with parents
throughout the day and denying children their right to education. They are
taking away from another student’s right to learn by singling out a “disruptive
student” in the class vs correcting the behavior on site. They are passing off
the student to someone else and quick to label them or want to diagnose them
because they don’t have time to connect and do their job. Put the phone down
and teach! Put the iPad down and teach!
Educators cannot expect my kindergartner to sit perfectly
still in class. They cannot expect her not to hug other students and hide her
emotions. Teachers should not be able to shove an iPad in her face and call
that teaching. They cannot get upset at that her behavior is declining due to
the over stimuli. They cannot tell me that she needs a behavior counselor but
then deny her access because she isn’t on government funded healthcare. Her school
was quick to want to just label away because that is easier than teaching. Labeling is easier than leveling and understanding. Not everyone is cut out to teach and
that is okay. Public schools need to stop trying to fill the role of teacher
with a body and instead fill it with someone who cares about touching the lives
of others.
