How would you have reacted to this? - Page 2

[captivatedlife]

I wouldn't say that teachers get a free pass for rudeness - and I've not been a regular ed. teacher, so I don't know what it's like to actually sit down to eat a lunch:

All I'm saying is that it is important for parents to have that contact. As a teacher, I was overworked, way overworked. I didn't have time to prepare for my class, much less eat a meal (might be why I'm no longer in a public school - special education setting!).

Good manners means introducing yourself to your kids parents. Being as polite as possible. Maybe first letting your parents know that your emails are going to be short. I really believe that. But I'm just trying to provide an alternate point of view. I don't know the teacher, I don't know this parent. I'm assuming the teacher didn't try to initiate First Positive Contact (which I strongly believe in) - I'm not absolving her of guilt. I'd probably be pissed to receive the note. I, personally, don't think the punishment fits the crime (not a fan of detention here).

I'm just trying to provide another pov. Show another perspective. As unsnarkily as possible be optimistic.

But I can definitely jump on the "What a horrible teacher" bandwagon. I have, in my short career seen way too many teachers, way too many bad teachers.

But this isn't my thread, so I'm not going to complain about the horrors that I've seen in public school.

[ecoteat]

Originally Posted by diamond lil

Just to clarify, I did not say all teachers treat students poorly; I said "so many teachers."

How unfortunate for you that you and/or your children must have had such poor relationships with your teachers. In my years as a student and then as a teacher, I have known hundreds of teachers and I can count on one hand teachers who have had moments of treating their students poorly.

OP, the tone of that message is pretty miserable. But it sounds just like the forms I used to get as a student and then give as a middle school teacher that was filled out in triplicate, with little attempt at resembling anything like a courteous correspondence. I would bet you got a form email (I hope) that is used the same way. Unfortunately, when we receive emails, we assume there is personal intent behind them, as if it were a letter. But that isn't always the case.

[ecoteat]

Originally Posted by diamond lil

I do not think teachers get a free pass for rudeness because they feel their time is somehow at a premium. Why can't teachers consider e-mailing parents (i.e. their employers) a normal part of their work day?

I agree with you here. Communicating with parents is an important part of my job, just like planning lessons or cleaning my desk or whatever else. But I don't work for the parents. I work for the students. Everything I do is for the KIDS--not for you. Technically, though, I am employed by the superintendent and the school board. If you are lucky, your school board will represent you, but the teachers don't work for you.

OK, I don't want to derail this thread. I've already added my thoughts on the OP.

[kathc1]

I'm pretty sure that lunch detention does not mean they won't eat. They are supposed to get their lunch and come back to the room to work on whatever they missed.

I sometimes get the "form" letter for my kids. Either its telling me they have missed an assignment and have afterschool detention or they never had me sign a test that they did bad on. Most of the time I get nothing and have no idea anything is wrong until the 5 week report.