Sorsha
<font color=royalblue>People, don't be like the ch
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2007
- Messages
- 3,716
This is a letter I just sent to DD6's teacher. She is a very good teacher, but not one of my favorite educators I have ever had to deal with. She is so straight-laced, so old school, so sit-in-your-chair and be still. The children are punished for odd little things like not following your words with your finger appropriately when you are reading, and penalized for needing to use the bathroom at inconvenient times. I have put up with it till now, she is the teacher, and I respect her, and Caitlyn has learned well, but yesterday she sent home a scolding little note stating that Caitlyn MUST study her spelling each night and I had to return a signed copy to her. This is not the first time that she has inferred that we just refuse to devote enough time to homework, and I am so over it. I was seriously annoyed, and fired off the following. Did I over-react? I don't want to come off like one of "those" parents... SIGH.
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Dear Mrs. XZY,
Thank you so much for all you do for all of our children. Your guidance and your skill show every day. Caitlyn has made great strides this year, and I am very thankful that she has had you for her teacher.
I am writing you this note to make you aware of our schedule after school, and to explain why it may not seem like Caitlyn spends enough time studying or reading at home.
First of all, I am sure you understand when I say I am an advocate of free play time for small children. 6 years old is very young to be expected to spend all day learning and then come home and spend all evening studying. In my opinion, the lessons and skills she learns from free play time are just as important at this age as anything she might learn by extended school work.
Caitlyn and Alyssa have a very long bus ride. By the time they get home in the afternoons, it is 4:15 or later. Caitlyn comes in, grabs a snack, and goes out to play with her friends. Especially now that the weather is getting nicer, she spends most of the evening outside. Imaginative play, physical activity, problem solving, and the social lessons she learns from playtime with her peers are all so very important. At 6 PM, she comes in for supper. We always eat together, as a family, and have a leisurely meal. After supper, Caitlyn goes straight to the bath. This is not only her time to get clean, but also her relaxation and decompression time. It is not unheard of for her to spend the better part of an hour in the tub, playing and singing to herself. At 8 she is out of the bath, and getting ready for bed. Sometimes we read a story, sometimes we watch a little TV together, sometimes, if it fits in, we may study spelling words or look over her school packet. Shortly after that it is time for bed. Caitlyn keeps a very strict bedtime, as I feel her sleep time is important.
On Mondays, our schedule is even more complicated. Both girls take lessons at the gymnastics academy. I feel that organized physical activity is very important, so we have made time for this in our schedule, but it makes Mondays even more hectic!
I hope this give you a little more understanding into our lives. Although it may seem from the outside that we don’t spend enough time on school work, truly it is just that we have set our priorities and we stick to them. I truly believe that a young child’s life should include so much more than reading and spelling. Our values lie in free play, physical activity, and family time. We do try to study the spelling words and read stories together when we have time, but I hope you will forgive me when I say that it just isn’t a high priority in the evening. When a child is small, so much of their learning is done through free play and activities and interactions. 8 hours of formalized schooling should be sufficient for each day. Thank you for your notes reminding us to have Caitlyn study; we will continue to incorporate spelling words into our schedule as time allows.
Again, thank you so much for the time and effort you dedicate to educating our children. You have given Caitlyn such a good foundation for 2nd grade, and it is obvious how hard you work to educate those in your charge. Caitlyn has learned so much this year and I am so grateful for all you do every day.
Sincerely,
Tanya
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Dear Mrs. XZY,
Thank you so much for all you do for all of our children. Your guidance and your skill show every day. Caitlyn has made great strides this year, and I am very thankful that she has had you for her teacher.
I am writing you this note to make you aware of our schedule after school, and to explain why it may not seem like Caitlyn spends enough time studying or reading at home.
First of all, I am sure you understand when I say I am an advocate of free play time for small children. 6 years old is very young to be expected to spend all day learning and then come home and spend all evening studying. In my opinion, the lessons and skills she learns from free play time are just as important at this age as anything she might learn by extended school work.
Caitlyn and Alyssa have a very long bus ride. By the time they get home in the afternoons, it is 4:15 or later. Caitlyn comes in, grabs a snack, and goes out to play with her friends. Especially now that the weather is getting nicer, she spends most of the evening outside. Imaginative play, physical activity, problem solving, and the social lessons she learns from playtime with her peers are all so very important. At 6 PM, she comes in for supper. We always eat together, as a family, and have a leisurely meal. After supper, Caitlyn goes straight to the bath. This is not only her time to get clean, but also her relaxation and decompression time. It is not unheard of for her to spend the better part of an hour in the tub, playing and singing to herself. At 8 she is out of the bath, and getting ready for bed. Sometimes we read a story, sometimes we watch a little TV together, sometimes, if it fits in, we may study spelling words or look over her school packet. Shortly after that it is time for bed. Caitlyn keeps a very strict bedtime, as I feel her sleep time is important.
On Mondays, our schedule is even more complicated. Both girls take lessons at the gymnastics academy. I feel that organized physical activity is very important, so we have made time for this in our schedule, but it makes Mondays even more hectic!
I hope this give you a little more understanding into our lives. Although it may seem from the outside that we don’t spend enough time on school work, truly it is just that we have set our priorities and we stick to them. I truly believe that a young child’s life should include so much more than reading and spelling. Our values lie in free play, physical activity, and family time. We do try to study the spelling words and read stories together when we have time, but I hope you will forgive me when I say that it just isn’t a high priority in the evening. When a child is small, so much of their learning is done through free play and activities and interactions. 8 hours of formalized schooling should be sufficient for each day. Thank you for your notes reminding us to have Caitlyn study; we will continue to incorporate spelling words into our schedule as time allows.
Again, thank you so much for the time and effort you dedicate to educating our children. You have given Caitlyn such a good foundation for 2nd grade, and it is obvious how hard you work to educate those in your charge. Caitlyn has learned so much this year and I am so grateful for all you do every day.
Sincerely,
Tanya
