Observing elementary classrooms unannounced

[Nancy]

I'm not sure I understand why anyone thinks they should be allowed to enter a classroom. It's disruptive. Students need the class time to learn, not to be distracted by unexpected visitors who mean well, but end up being a nuisance.

I'm sure I'll get my butt kicked from here to eternity on this one but I really have to ask...WHY? What do you think is going on in a classroom?

Now I did ask for a tour of the facility before my son attended elementary school but that was conducted by the principal and I did not interfere with any learning going on in any classroom.

No butt kicking from me. I don't get it either. I have never known a parent that would do that and my kids tell me the only parents in the room ever were the room moms. In our schools you couldn't get past the front office and would never be allowed to roam the halls. In the middle school my youngest went to you couldn't even enter the building without being buzzed in and no way would they let you past the office.

I frankly would be a bit ticked if my kids came home and told me that XXX's mom was sitting in the classroom today watching us and taking notes. To me that is a disruption to the whole class.

 

[1stluvispooh]

My my my I've inspired my first pole!

 

[jdisnut]

Parents "observing" classes? Wow, how fast things change. Is this common now, because it's new to me.

I graduated high school in 2006, went to public school my entire life and never heard of this happening ever. Not even once. Actually, I don't know a single kid of any age who would not have either murdered their mother or died of embarrassment if anyone even tried that stunt.

Classrooms are for students and teachers. Parents should make an appointment if they have an issue.

 

[cm8]

Parents "observing" classes? Wow, how fast things change. Is this common now, because it's new to me.

I graduated high school in 2006, went to public school my entire life and never heard of this happening ever. Not even once. Actually, I don't know a single kid of any age who would not have either murdered their mother or died of embarrassment if anyone even tried that stunt.

Classrooms are for students and teachers. Parents should make an appointment if they have an issue.

Really, back in my days, parents did it all the time and also helped the teacher with the class too!


I voted yes, SC, public.... of course you do have to sign in first!

 

[wgwtgb]

I am a public school 3rd grade teacher in the state of Florida. Parents are NOT allowed to drop into a classroom unannounced.

You must:
1. Set up/confirm an observation with the teacher.
2. When the parent arrives at the school they must obtain a Visitor Badge.
3. The teacher is paged when the parent arrives in the office.
4. A school official must escort the parent to the classroom.

As a teacher, I never mind observations unless I know they're truly going to disrupt our lesson (please don't come observe when I'm trying to teach a classroom of 3rd graders about fractions.. come an hour earlier or after. PLEASE!). I'm always happy to meet with parents as long as the above procedure is followed. In addition, I always encourage my parents to schedule a meeting outside of the classroom first to truly decide if an in-class observation is necessary.

I teach in southern Louisiana and this is our procedure also. I have always had an open door policy, but please let me know when you are coming... I'll try to clear off a space on my desk for you to sit and observe.

 

[brenalexacamp]

we stop and sign in- But I have a child is special ed- whole due process procedings- a mess! I needed to go in there and document what I saw- down time, kids in wheelchairs sleeping, other kids biting themselves, I did not want this placement for my child.

Things are WAY better this year and I do not pop in any more-the really needy kids are in a different class so they get all the attention they need and my kid and his class don't have to wait. they write to me every day, I email the teacher back and forth- we have meetings once a month- I do not feel like they are hiding anything anymore. When I have a meeting at school, I walk down the hall to peek in on my poopsie- poke my head in say Hi, and leave. It is disruptive to the other kids-it's not fair. We are invited to holiday parties they have-

It is the law that you can go in-not the correct thing to do though

 

[wgwtgb]

Parents "observing" classes? Wow, how fast things change. Is this common now, because it's new to me.

I graduated high school in 2006, went to public school my entire life and never heard of this happening ever. Not even once. Actually, I don't know a single kid of any age who would not have either murdered their mother or died of embarrassment if anyone even tried that stunt.

Classrooms are for students and teachers. Parents should make an appointment if they have an issue.

I have asked parents to observe my classroom due to behavior issues with their children in the hopes of them picking up some behavior management strategies to utilize at home!!!

 

[singlefan]

I teach in a small private school in RI, but our public schools are run the same way. Doors are locked throughout the day, and visitors must be buzzed in. Volunteers are subject to background checks, and no visitors are allowed to just drop in to a classroom. Even recent grads are only allowed to visit at lunchtime, when they will not be disrupting classes. I can't imagine teaching effectively with adults just dropping in freely. It's not a social gathering place, it's a classroom where teachers and children are working.

 

[jdisnut]

I have asked parents to observe my classroom due to behavior issues with their children in the hopes of them picking up some behavior management strategies to utilize at home!!!

Fair enough, but what you're describing is an entirely different situations. By inviting and encouraging the parent to observe the class, and providing a clear objective and reason for the visit, you are willingly breaking the boundary between home and school life. I suspect the parent in question would benefit from the experience.

In my first post, I was referring to parents simply showing up at school and sitting in on the class, I suspect because they are somehow unhappy or displeased with the teacher's work.

I'm not a teacher or a parent. Just an disinterested outsider. But the idea of parents coming to school to observe -- read, spy -- on classrooms is foreign to my sensibilities.

 

[Tinijocaro]

What good does signing in at the office do? Any deranged person with a gun under their coat can sign in, enter the classroom, slip in quietly so as not to disturb and open fire. I like that our schools do not allow anyone in without the parent getting permission from the teacher first.

Our district used to allow parents in, but ever since Columbine, the outside doors are locked and you have to be buzzed in and go straight to the office. If you don't go to the office, someone is immediately sent to corral you to the office where you will be asked what your business is in the building.

It's for the safety of the children.

 

[torinsmom]

I teach at a public elementary school in NC.

Visitors must sign in and get a badge with their picture on it(kind of like ones at the hospital). They also have to go through the office. The school discourages parents observing without prior notice, but sometimes it happens. I have nothing to hide, but our work period is pretty much shot if a parent comes in. Most don't seem to understand that observing is what I call a "looking work" to my kids. You shouldn't be engaging kids in conversation or walking around the room. You should be sitting in one place observing. I also wish that parents could understand that they won't see the same behavior from their child when they are there as we do when they aren't.

 

[MM27]

I teach in NJ. In my district everyone needs to be buzzed into the building, teachers too and all visitors need to sign in with the secretary in the office. Unless you have an appointment, you aren't getting anywhere beyond the office. We have a system where all visitors, parent or not, have to present a photo id and they print you out a visitor pass sticker to wear with your picture on it. Our security guard is constantly doing building sweeps to make sure nobody got by without being seen.

If a parent insists on going to the class, my principal goes with them. Parents are not allowed to observe classes without him present. I had a parent come once to observe in June because she wanted to pick a teacher for her child for the next year and wanted to see each teacher teach. Again, my principal came with her. When he told me I was the chosen one I thought it was going to be a long year, but she was actually very pleasant and just wanted her daughter challenged and had some issues in the past with personality conflicts with her child and previous teachers.

 

[HelenePA]

I have no idea if its allowed.. it never dawned on me to go watch them...EVER. I went to the same district growing up and there were NEVER any other parents there watching us.. I do drop stuff off at the school all the time in the office....

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

I'm not sure I understand why anyone thinks they should be allowed to enter a classroom. It's disruptive. Students need the class time to learn, not to be distracted by unexpected visitors who mean well, but end up being a nuisance.

I'm sure I'll get my butt kicked from here to eternity on this one but I really have to ask...WHY? What do you think is going on in a classroom?

Now I did ask for a tour of the facility before my son attended elementary school but that was conducted by the principal and I did not interfere with any learning going on in any classroom.

I'm not sure I understand either.

I managed to send 3 kids through the public school system (youngest is 17 and a senior) without ever going in for the purpose of observing anything. I was a room mother some years and for those years I'd be there for events. I helped the art teacher occasionally for a year when she had to share the art room with the library, and needed an extra set of hands for setup and cleanup. The only observing I did was when I was in the school by invitation, to help or for an event.

I and/or DH went to every open single open house and parent/teacher conference for our kids, and got to know the teachers.

If, for any reason, I was in the school...they had a buzzer at the locked door to announce yourself and be let in, then proceed straight to the office and if you had a valid reason for entering any other part of the school, you had to wear a visitor badge.

No idea what any laws might be.

 

[suzannen]

My DD goes to a small private school in NYC. You must be cleared and "buzzed in" to enter the school, but once in, if you are a parent, you are definitely allowed to observe your children's classrooms unannounced. The school is very proud that whenever any parent may decide to drop by, they will have a very positive reaction to what is going on in the classroom and that the teachers have nothing to hide. Their feeling is if you are paying a large amount for your child to go to a private school, you have the right to check up on them at any time to justify that your money is being well-spent. There are no hidden agendas or things that parents should not know. I realize that public school with so many different classes and parents is a different situation, but this is one of the things that I absolutely love about my DD's school. They enourage parents to do this and to become part of the process!

 

[tikilyn]

Texas - Trying to enter the front doors of my kids school is like trying to enter Ft. Knox! They keep the front doors locked and you have to buzz the receptionist and you tell her why you are there. She'll unlock the door, you enter and she'll ask for your D.L. They scan it and give you a visitors badge with all your info on it. You then can either go to the office/ or nurses office. Beyond that you are escorted everywhere else in the school. Parents can't even volunteer in the classroom. Thats what the Teachers aides are for.

It's a sad state of affairs when the parents aren't even welcome into the school.

 

[Robindianne]

Parents are encouraged to come in anytime, but we do have to sign in and get a visitor's pass. I still put yes though because we can come anytime.

This

 

[daisyduck123]

Unless you have an appointment, you aren't getting anywhere beyond the office.

This is exactly the same where I teach....public elementary school in Maryland.

 

[design_mom]

I believe we could go observe any time we wanted. We would need to sign in at the office, but we could do so without telling the teacher.

I would really love to see what goes on in the classroom (one teacher says my DD is "fine," the other thinks she's a behavior problem. What's the difference?) However, I don't think observing in the classroom would help because I don't think DD would behave the same if I was there. What I need is closed-captioned TV , but the school doesn't have that!

 

[disfan07]

Fairfax County, VA- no...at least not at my old school

When I was on elementary school (only about 11 years ago) parents had to sign in and be there for a REASON. A real reason. Not just to observe. That was not allowed unless it was previously scheduled with the teacher.

Now, the doors are locked to the school during school hours and you have to be let in by the front office.

I think for that shcool, that just shows more of the changes in teh student bidy than anything else. When I was there, the school catered only to our neighborhood. We had 3 buses plus teh 3 after school care busses (kindercare, etc). Now, they have special ed preschool, separate GT program, special ed program, etc. It doesnt just cater to our neighborhood anymore. Now they have 9 buses plus like a thousand other after shcool buses. It seems like the more students they add to the school, the more security the add as well. We went back and visited last december (we live in California now) and I am so glad I am not there now. It was much better when I was there.