i would'nt have a problem with it, but i think likely the 'master teacher' (don't know what they call them now-back when i student taught that was the title) might be erring on the side of making sure you are maintaining a separation between your role as 'teacher' and that of 'classmate's mom'.
as a teacher you represent the school and while a comment or behaviour might be totaly appropriate or unoffensive as a parent-a 'teacher' saying it can be interpreted in a totaly different way (and like it or not-teaching is one of those careers where you are viewed as a teacher and held to sometimes totaly unreasonable levels of 'professional demeanor' even when you're on your personal time). it can get totaly insane-i've known teachers who were incredible people (inside and outside school) but something that a parent deems 'not appropriate' for their child's teacher to do can result in a huge issue (one i knew could barely support his family on his salary so he took a night shift in a liquor store-parents had a fit that the teacher was 'supporting alcohol abuse'
another was a tremendously talented actor-parents were fine until he got a role in a community theatre production that was never intended for a youth audience-the administration got a barrage of complaints that 'the teacher' by portraying a less than desireable character (on his own time in another town!) was 'passively endorsing that lifestyle to his students).
i don't think there will be an issue with this girl or her parents-but the 'master teacher' might be concerned if the comment spreads another disgruntled student or parent could use it as a basis for complaining about 'favorites' or preferential treatment (not that you would do it-it's just when people are angry they grasp at any basis to support their position).
i've never envied situations where parents teach in the schools their kids attend. the students i knew who were in this situation sometimes felt they were held to much higher standards of behaviour or performance than their peers. some found it realy hard to balance having people who regularly intereacted with the family on a social basis also interact with them on a power basis (which teachers do hold)-it got realy wierd for them. i recall one family of kids i attended jr and senior high with-their dad was a very beloved teacher who suffered through a horrendous bout of cancer and died. while they appreciated the support the school rallied around them-in later years they expressed that they wondered if they would'nt have done better with having school be a place separate and apart from their personal lives-an escape. they adored their dad-but when he was alive they were always known as 'mr. x's kids', after he died they were known as 'mr x-the teacher that died- kid's. they realy relished going off to college and having an educational experience that did'nt involve any association between them and their classmates/teachers opinions/feelings about their parents.
edited to add-some of our teaching programs as well as the schools won't permit a student teacher/teacher to work in the same school that their child attends. they argue that a teacher should'nt 'supervise' their child-and since the teacher round robin playground duty and some other stuff that involves supervising kids from all the classes there's no way to ensure the parent won't get placed in that situation. don't know if i agree with it or not.
as a teacher you represent the school and while a comment or behaviour might be totaly appropriate or unoffensive as a parent-a 'teacher' saying it can be interpreted in a totaly different way (and like it or not-teaching is one of those careers where you are viewed as a teacher and held to sometimes totaly unreasonable levels of 'professional demeanor' even when you're on your personal time). it can get totaly insane-i've known teachers who were incredible people (inside and outside school) but something that a parent deems 'not appropriate' for their child's teacher to do can result in a huge issue (one i knew could barely support his family on his salary so he took a night shift in a liquor store-parents had a fit that the teacher was 'supporting alcohol abuse'
another was a tremendously talented actor-parents were fine until he got a role in a community theatre production that was never intended for a youth audience-the administration got a barrage of complaints that 'the teacher' by portraying a less than desireable character (on his own time in another town!) was 'passively endorsing that lifestyle to his students).i don't think there will be an issue with this girl or her parents-but the 'master teacher' might be concerned if the comment spreads another disgruntled student or parent could use it as a basis for complaining about 'favorites' or preferential treatment (not that you would do it-it's just when people are angry they grasp at any basis to support their position).
i've never envied situations where parents teach in the schools their kids attend. the students i knew who were in this situation sometimes felt they were held to much higher standards of behaviour or performance than their peers. some found it realy hard to balance having people who regularly intereacted with the family on a social basis also interact with them on a power basis (which teachers do hold)-it got realy wierd for them. i recall one family of kids i attended jr and senior high with-their dad was a very beloved teacher who suffered through a horrendous bout of cancer and died. while they appreciated the support the school rallied around them-in later years they expressed that they wondered if they would'nt have done better with having school be a place separate and apart from their personal lives-an escape. they adored their dad-but when he was alive they were always known as 'mr. x's kids', after he died they were known as 'mr x-the teacher that died- kid's. they realy relished going off to college and having an educational experience that did'nt involve any association between them and their classmates/teachers opinions/feelings about their parents.
edited to add-some of our teaching programs as well as the schools won't permit a student teacher/teacher to work in the same school that their child attends. they argue that a teacher should'nt 'supervise' their child-and since the teacher round robin playground duty and some other stuff that involves supervising kids from all the classes there's no way to ensure the parent won't get placed in that situation. don't know if i agree with it or not.
