Hey Parents, Leave Them Teachers Alone

Is it no wonder that teachers are leaving the profession by the droves? In addition to worrying about scores from NCLB-mandated state tests, teachers have to contend with a variety of distracting factions. Parents either become completely absorbed and obsessed with their children's education, or they completely ignore it hoping their children will miraculously fly through school without any outside assistance. Can we have some middle ground here?

Many school administrators walk on eggshells around parents dreading to hear "lawsuit". Please. If a parent wants to blame Mr. X for his or her child's performance, then I suggest we need to resort to video taping classrooms. Yes, let's up the surveillance. I know it will give us teachers a breather. We know that our stories can be corroborated by a video tape. Why not? Lots of alternative education schools do this, why not ALL schools. Heck, I'll even chip in part of my paycheck.

In addition, some parents become so involved in their children's education that they question a teacher on seat placement (when there is nothing wrong with the child). As people in our society become more in tune with their children's education and as their socioeconomic status throughout generations has improved, many parents feel they have a right to make sure their money is being well used. This new money in the wallet syndrome makes them really conscious of where it's going, and they better be investing it well. I have heard parents say "Well, we pay for you to teach." Not so--if you knew that you are only paying for about a nickel of my salary (if that) where would you direct your anger?

I believe a teacher has a right to use his or her professional expertise without being constantly monitored, drilled, and analyzed to death. I agree that teachers need to be accountable for their teaching as any professional should be accountable for the quality of his or her work. But there comes a point when parents needs to back off, and have a little faith. Parents need to realize that no educational environment is going to be totally in synch with what their children need. Guess what? Welcome to the real world. It's called adaptation, and unless children are taught to adapt to their new environments they will continually suffer from "I'm specialitis". This just doesn't fly in the workplace.

And many times, these overbearing, suffocating parents are the ones who threaten HOME SCHOOLING when the going gets tough at school. Yes, I can see how coddling your child in the comfort of your home will prepare your child for the harsh realities of life. Even more, I can understand that when things don't go your way (i.e. can't run the teacher or boss her around) you want to stamp your foot and pout. But let's think about the greater good here for the child--not your ego. Children need social interaction to become well-developed adults--they won't get this kind of interaction at home. In addition, the classroom prepares children for what they will be doing the rest of their lives: WORK. If children can't get along with their peers--how will they get along with their future coworkers? Education should be as individualized as possible for maximum learning benefit. At the same time, life doesn't adapt for US, we must adapt for it. So there also has to be a happy medium between giving children 100% of what they need and teaching them that life does not consist of everything being geared or catered to their needs.

I'm one of the biggest supporters of adapting classrooms, differentiating instruction, and helping special learners. But my job becomes increasingly difficult when I have to worry about whether I can sit Joe next to John and will I get a phone call from the parents. Hmmm . . . Parents, there are greater things out there for you to be concerned with. Just let the teachers teach, and we won't tell you how to parent or discipline your children--even if we can do it better than you can.