If you are a teacher in the school your child attends, do you feel that you can safely voice your opinions to administration if you disagree or are upset about something happening at your child's school, also the one you teach at without compromising your job? If so how do you do it? I'm in my 5th year of teaching at the same school, and my child started kindergarten at my school this year. We are in a small town so only one school exists. We have a new principal this year. My child went to a drug assembly today that I also went to. I'm very unhappy about it as it was not age appropriate at all as I attended it as well. Many other teachers were also very upset about it. I mean it was beyond horrible! I felt the need to express my opinion to the principal about the need to screen these things before hand and how inappropriate this assembly was for my kindergartener, and the parent in me came out and I did express my opinion. I'm new to being a teacher and a parent in the same school ad worry that expressing my concern as a parent might affect my eval a done by this same administrator. Can anyone who's been both a teacher and a parent in the same school offer their suggestions, tips, and experiences on how to make it work with being in two different roles? Thank you, Carolyn
I've already decided that I won't be taking my daughter to my school, because I'm planning on opting her out of state testing for at least the first few years she is supposed to sit for them. My recommendation would be to leave your parent hat to your significant other. You can put it back on after school. I've never been a parent in my building, but I've had many parent/staff members. Without fail, the ones who handled it the best were the ones who left the parent concerns to the other parent as much as possible, with the obvious exception of P/T conferences, etc. If putting away your parent hat isn't possible, then at least keep parent concerns to a time when only other parents would have access to. Other parents can't just drop into the principal's office, so you should set up a parent meeting like they would. Don't use your work email. No talking to the teacher during contract hours unless you've scheduled a specific meeting.
I tried to get my wife to let our children go to the neighborhood school, not the school I work at....I lost the discussion. I wish my children did not go to the school I work at.
Both my boys attend my school. I'm their parent first. Many times this helps because those of us who have children in the building can speak from a parent's perspective when new ideas are tossed around. In your situation I would definitely make an appointment with the P and discuss my concerns. I'm not worried about making a distinction between being teacher in the building and being their mom. I'm always their mom, I am their first advocate, and it's my job to protect from things that they are no ready for. What would you do if your kindergartner attended a different school? You can also approach the P raising your concerns as a teacher viewing something you thought was not appropriate for young students.
I do not have a significant other and am my child's only parent so leaving it to them is not an option.
This is also my first experience, as my oldest started kindergarten this year, too. I make sure I always follow the proper channels with concerns (ie talk to teacher first), but I haven't had any concerns that need to go to administration. If it was where I felt admin needed to be involved, I would have my husband do it. Since you don't have that option, I would make sure you have talked to the teacher first. I also try to communicate through notes in the folder, email, etc. I will say her teacher and I do chat if we run into each other in the hall/ lounge/ etc. as we share a prep time, but it's almost always because she stops me with a cute story from that day.
My son attended k-5 at my school and was also in my second grade class However, I always approached admin. as a teacher first. Period.
Woah, we can't have our own kids in our classes where I live. Even subs can't sub in the same class that their child is in!
Sorry, but I just don't see this as an issue. I taught at the school that my children attended, and I had one of them as a student. I did email my kids' teacher if I had questions, but it was always in a respectful way. I also had teachers come down to talk with me about my children or email me when they had a concern. Oh, and I would certainly have talked with my principal about any curricular concerns. This year I have at least four students whose parents are teachers in the district, and they are always welcome to contact me with concerns.
I wasn't implying it was an issue...I was more surprised because it evidently is a regional thing, as I have never heard of such a thing.
I eventually see almost every student in my classroom, so there really would be no way for my children to avoid having me as a teacher.
Maybe you can speak with your child's teacher about it. Maybe if the teacher raises concerns to the principal then the Kindergarten class can opt out of assemblies that are not age appropriate.
I know this isn't related to the thread, but I can't believe your oldest is in kinder!! Time flies!! I have never had this issue as I've never worked in my daughter's school. If something like this did happen and I was in her school, then I would step up and say something....especially since you weren't the only one to voice concerns.
I taught both my oldest two kids for 6 years * (pe, some years reading, computer skills) and now have my two youngest kids for PE. I never had a problem and always had good relationships with their teachers and the adm. Very small schools. I loved and love having them in my class.
This is the way I handled things when my children were in my school. I had no problem approaching administration with my "parent hat".
