Teachers do you notice this...

[lillygator]

and I just want to add...


thanks to all the teachers...I can't tell you how much my DD's love and admire their teacher's. They - well one DD, speaks of her teachers all day/night long. I only hope they have such wonderful people when they get to "real" school!


Thanks again - !!

 

[lillygator]

That comment about not wanting students to see you buying tampons and birth control is hysterical. I am so paranoid about students seeing me. I hate when I get *caught* all sweaty in sweatpants coming out of the gym, or buying personal items.

I think this may apply to many........I would certainly hate my boss to see me at the liquor store although I am sure the implications for a techer may be much worse.



Oh and this is why I make my DH get the tampons!

 

[poohs_hunny]

Would you think of going up to your doctor at the beach and begin discussing your recent gall bladder attack? No.

I was trying also to come up with an appropriate analogy, and yours is great! I am SO glad that I teach in a different district than I live. I would would always feel like I am being "watched". I am already a bit self-conscious when I buy "personal" items in a store, and I think I'd turn 20 shades of red if one of my students (or their parents) saw me!

 

[delilah]

Now, I recently had an interesting experience with one of the teachers at my son's school, which is sort of related. She is one of the patients in my practice, and I saw in my office a couple weeks ago or so. When I came into the exam room, she gave me a big hug like I was her long lost friend. However, at school or church, I have looked directly at her, smiled and said "good morning Mrs. Xyz!" and gotten a blank stare. This is more than once, both before and after I had seen her in the office. On Sundays, I am a Eucharistic minister (giving the Chalice), and she has been in my line and avoided eye contact. (She is actually the SIL of one of my colleagues). Now, I just wonder what that is all about. Oh well.

I guess teachers give parents the cold shoulder in public as often as parents give teachers the cold shoulder. And, personally, if I recognize a patient, I never intentionally give them a cold shoulder, but, I am sure sometimes it may same that I do, if I am busy or distracted. (I have even seen patients/teachers/other parents at WDW, and visited with them when I encountered them 1000 miles from home).

Oh, yes, some people have no reservations at all about requesting a medical consultation at Target or the beach. Been there, done that.

 

[tnkbl]

no more testy than the OP~~~~!!!

What has happen to what I started! When was I testy?

 

[Disney Doll]

no more testy than the OP~~~~!!!

In all reality...my girls go to "school" - they are "graded" (not the correct verbage I am sure) on certain things in their respective classrooms. Now Sarasota is not huge and we have seen teachers from all the classes at DD's school out and about. Personally, have never asked about progress, etc....but I could see how it may come up. As a full time working mother who may not be able to schedule appointments during the teacher's workday I would hate to think that my children may suffer because I - as a concerned parent - chose to ask about my child during the teacher's "off duty" hours.

ETA: when we've seen DD's "teacher's, we never say more than a "greeting".....I would never - NEVER expect a conference outside of school...that would be up to the teacher - or the parent to schedule.

and even moreso now - we will simply smile and wave!!

Well, I didn't consider the OP's post testy at all...just more observational.

While I am sure you would never expect a conference outside of school that wasn't pre-arranged, there are many folks who do. And quite frankly, any discussion about a child's school progress should not come up in a public place when a teacher is on "off duty" hours, such as grocery shopping.

Most teachers I know are very willing to be very flexible about when they conference with parents...my next-door neighbor is a teacher and has been known to go back to school to meet parents at 6 or 7 PM, when it is convenient for the parent after they get out of work or to call parents at a later hour to discuss their child's progress, problems, issues..again, because that is a convenient time for the parent, after they get home from work. It would seem to me that the conference as a whole would be more productive for all parties involved if it wasn't held in the produce department of the local grocery store.

 

[AC7179]

My first year teaching I was 22 and teaching juniors in high school who were 17-18 years old.

It was a class of 17. Out of the 17 kids, 16 of them were boys. It was definitely an interesting year.

Anyway, one night I had to stop by Walmart and I picked up some backup birth control. Better safe than sorry, right?

Anyway, I was paranoid anyway and picked up five or six other items that I did NOT need so it didn't look like the BC were the only things I was picking up. I choose a little old lady's register and wait in line. As I am waiting, I hear, "Hey, Mrs. Smith!" OMG! It was a nkfully, my item was hid in my cart.

I wanted to die. The older lady who was ringing me up saw him speak to me and sized up the situation and smiled at me as she was ringing me up. Then, she tried to discretely scan my "item." It won't ring up! We totally needed a pricecheck! I feel my cheeks burn and make eye contact with the lady, who threw them in the bag! Free! She saved me the humiliation of a price check!

I will always be grateful..........

 

[Kimmielee]

My little guy came home on the second to last day of school very excited about which teacher he had been assigned to.

On the last day, as we were cheering the buses as they left the school lot for the last time I asked him to introduce me. I had never met her up to this point. Was that a bad thing?

She will be his first grade teacher and she was standing near his previous two teachers (Young 5's and Kindergarten) so I thought it was ok since he was so excited.

Now, without knowing her at all... I would never approach her with anything "school related" if we happen to run into her this summer but we most certainly would say hello!

 

[tnkbl]

Where did I go wrong...
I am not talking about kids coming up and talking to me, or parents, or asking advise...
I am talkign about a parent who generally blows me off when possible and then when it's about time for her child to come in my grade to start talking all of a sudden and every time she sees me it is not a hi, how are you, it's let's chat indepth.
I like when kids come and talk to me.
I like to meet their parents.
I don't mind if they ask me a question when they see me, though generally most don't.
I like to talk to the kids at the pool.
I was asking about a parent who does what is discribed in bold above.
It's amazing how things get turned around.

 

[challada]

I guess it is different based on where you are. We are in a small valley, live in one district, work in the other and I find kids/parents/etc. ALL seem to know me. I have NEVER been to Target in the time we've lived here without running into at least two or three people I know (and end up having small conversations with). My mom even jokes that I can't go somewhere OUT of town w/out running into folks I know...and it's true as every time we've vacation w/them hundreds of miles away, I end up seeing fellow teachers or students or such.

The good news is that I now work in a middle school. If anyone remembers that age, it's the time when you don't want to admit you know your own parents, so students definitely don't come talk to me at the store any more. Of course, their parents still say "hi".

As president of PTA for the last couple years of my kids elementary, I see LOTS of kids from that building (even if they are not in the grades my kids are). Those kids all come say "hi" as they probably think I'm a teacher there too.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

When school is out for summer and you see parents of kids who will be coming into your grade, do they break their neck to come and wave and talk. These are the very same parents who would not give you the time of day a couple of weeks before. Has anyone else noticed this?

I am talkign about a parent who generally blows me off when possible and then when it's about time for her child to come in my grade to start talking all of a sudden and every time she sees me it is not a hi, how are you, it's let's chat indepth.

To be quite honest, the tone of your post has a bit of an edge to it, as if the parents are the bad guys or something. I don't get it.

My children will be entering 3rd grade and to be perfectly honest, I don't know any of the 3rd grade teachers because they're in the other end of the building we've been in up until now, and I've never had any dealings with them. I certainly haven't been trying to blow anyone off, I can assure you. I'm actually very friendly - the 2nd grade teacher seemed to like me well enough.

In the fall when school begins, I guess I'll be one of those who will be meeting the teacher for the first time and yes, suddenly talking about our new common interest. I assure you, though, I won't be breaking my neck to wave and talk, and I promise I'll keep it on school grounds and also stick to the topic at hand.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

To be quite honest, the tone of your post has a bit of an edge to it, as if the parents are the bad guys or something. I don't get it.

My children will be entering 3rd grade and to be perfectly honest, I don't know any of the 3rd grade teachers because they're in the other end of the building we've been in up until now, and I've never had any dealings with them. I certainly haven't been trying to blow anyone off, I can assure you. I'm actually very friendly - the 2nd grade teacher seemed to like me well enough.

In the fall when school begins, I guess I'll be one of those who will be meeting the teacher for the first time and yes, suddenly talking about our new common interest. I assure you, though, I won't be breaking my neck to wave and talk, and I promise I'll keep it on school grounds and also stick to the topic at hand.

I didn't take it the same way- I didn't get any feeling that the OP had anything against parents. I think this is more about people who completely ignore you until they realize they might stand to gain something (or THINK they might stand to gain something) from being nice to you.

Although I haven't experienced that from students' parents, I've experienced that MANY times in other situations. Someone who didn't speak to me all of a sudden remembered my number when he broke up with his girlfriend, or someone else when they moved back to NJ. My SIL will be rude or curt to me often, and she never calls me but if she needs someone to watch her son, she will call me and talk to me sweet as pie.

Think of it like a kid- whenever I'd be cute and hug my dad or say nice things, he'd jokingly ask "What do you want?" Oftentimes, when someone starts *different* behavior, it is because they want something. JMO.

Sometimes people will act dismissive of others, no smiles, etc. until they think the association will benefit them. I don't think this behavior is limited to any one sector of the population, but everyone. A teacher noticing parents of potential students doing this is just one example. (Obviously not all parents, but some might.) I can see how this might make a teacher feel. I know I don't feel great when my SIL pulls the fake niceness thing on me (usually a day or two after a hidden dig, you know.)

 

[AC7179]

I don't think the OP had a negative tone to her post regarding parents, just regarding people who ignore you until the need something.

 

[BuzzBoyMom]

I don't ignore teachers...or anyone else....but sometimes I try to respect their privacy - give a polite wave and go about my business. Perhaps that is seen as blowing them off, but it has nothing to do with summer time vs. school time...I just respect their busy lives and that's that.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Where did I go wrong...
I am not talking about kids coming up and talking to me, or parents, or asking advise...
I am talkign about a parent who generally blows me off when possible and then when it's about time for her child to come in my grade to start talking all of a sudden and every time she sees me it is not a hi, how are you, it's let's chat indepth.
I like when kids come and talk to me.
I like to meet their parents.
I don't mind if they ask me a question when they see me, though generally most don't.
I like to talk to the kids at the pool.
I was asking about a parent who does what is discribed in bold above.
It's amazing how things get turned around.

Ummmm, yes there is a definage 'edge' to this post.

So, just because you are a teacher you think that every single parent in the school should be beating a path to your door. (otherwise, they are blowing you off???) How very vain.

Just honestly and realisticly, I would have no reason to be going out of my way to speak to a 4th or 5th grade teacher, as my DS is in Second grade. This makes me out to be rude and to be disrespectful and to be the bad guy????

You know, as a parent, my time and energy are valuable as well. If I am up at the school, I am there for a reason. And, chit-chatting with dozens of teachers who are not involved with my child in any way is not at the top of my list.

And yes, you can bet that I will be doing everything possible to meet and to get to know the teacher who will be responsible for my son every single day for the entire school year. (nobody mentioned inpromptu 'conferences' here.) I would not consider myself a good parent otherwise. I guess that makes me out to be rude and to be disrespectful and to be the bad guy as well.???

Looks like we are damned if we do and damned if we don't.

 

[tnkbl]

I didn't take it the same way- I didn't get any feeling that the OP had anything against parents. I think this is more about people who completely ignore you until they realize they might stand to gain something (or THINK they might stand to gain something) from being nice to you.

Although I haven't experienced that from students' parents, I've experienced that MANY times in other situations. Someone who didn't speak to me all of a sudden remembered my number when he broke up with his girlfriend, or someone else when they moved back to NJ. My SIL will be rude or curt to me often, and she never calls me but if she needs someone to watch her son, she will call me and talk to me sweet as pie.

Think of it like a kid- whenever I'd be cute and hug my dad or say nice things, he'd jokingly ask "What do you want?" Oftentimes, when someone starts *different* behavior, it is because they want something. JMO.

Sometimes people will act dismissive of others, no smiles, etc. until they think the association will benefit them. I don't think this behavior is limited to any one sector of the population, but everyone. A teacher noticing parents of potential students doing this is just one example. (Obviously not all parents, but some might.) I can see how this might make a teacher feel. I know I don't feel great when my SIL pulls the fake niceness thing on me (usually a day or two after a hidden dig, you know.)

Well said thank you.

 

[noodleknitter]

TNKBL, you do know that Wishing on a star hates all teachers, don't you?

Lulu, if my kids were in school, I would love to have you teaching them!

 

[Tinijocaro]

DH teaches over 200 kids (high school band director), and has them for 4 years, so he gets pretty close to many of them. We can not go ANYWHERE without him being stopped to discuss "things" with students and parents- "When is the band trip payment due?", "I can't march the parade because I have football", "Why did Suzie get only a 90% on her report card?" The list goes on and on and it drives me nuts, and my kids are getting sick of it too. We live 4 blocks from the high school, can't get through the supermarket without talking to several people. After ds' 5th grade graduation, the poor kid had to wait 15 minutes before we made it up to his classroom because of a student and a parent who "had" to talk to dh at that time. I really need to talk to dh about this and ask him to please tell these people to call him at another time. Oh- we get daily phone calls at home for various things- he has stopped putting our phone number on his letters hom a couple years ago, but they keep calling.

Oh- another vent- people who think open house is time to have a conference with the teacher about their child. Open house is a chance to see the classroom, learn the rules, meet the teacher(s), and that's about it! It's not conference time! Vent over!

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

TNKBL, you do know that Wishing on a star hates all teachers, don't you?

Lulu, if my kids were in school, I would love to have you teaching them!

Thank you so much!

This was so sweet!

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

I don't ignore teachers...or anyone else....but sometimes I try to respect their privacy - give a polite wave and go about my business. Perhaps that is seen as blowing them off, but it has nothing to do with summer time vs. school time...I just respect their busy lives and that's that.

Nope. A wave and a smile is cool with me!