What Drives Me Crazy as an Elementary School Secretary...

[dairyou]

Well......you better thank your lucky stars you don't have children who are dyslexic.

Enough said. It has changed my ENTIRE thoughts and feelings about the matter of memorizing numbers.

I'm glad that the people in ds's school office have some compassion and understanding of children with LD.

Of course there are allowances. I'm not talking about kids with learning disabilities. Some of the kids we've seen since preschool. We know most of our families and kids. Their like family to us.

 

[laurie31]

I overheard a conversation today where a parent called in, was trying to get an official transcript done up but didn't know the year their son had graduated from high school.

agnes!

I can see not being able to remember off the top of their head, but it seems like they'd figure that out before they called for the transcript. It wasn't the school calling THEM at a bad time.

I know this may not be the case of course, but maybe, just maybe you've caught these parents at a particulary stressful time. I get stressed. And in those times I cant tell you which kid is allergic to which meds, and I do not know what year my oldest graduated without a second or two to remember I was also breastfeeding my youngest at that time, and my brother was on his death bed, and my house was near foreclosure and my mind was often blank. You just never know the other things that are going on. I act stupid sometimes, and really, mostly, Im not stupid.

For the record, I think most school secretaries run the whole show! The school I have in mind would fall apart without her. Thumbs up!

I totally agree about those type situations making you forget things like that, but I was a PTA officer for 4 years and I was *shocked* by parents who were coming to school to eat lunch with their child and had no clue what grade the child was in or who the teacher was. Ummm...how is the office supposed to give you a pass if you don't know where you're going? Parents would come in for special events, like Field Day (which was about 2 weeks before the end of school) and still not know the kid's teacher's name. Some of them didn't even know the CHILD'S name! I am serious!

I also totally agree about school secretaries being the unsung heroes of the school system.

 

[mamacatnv]

Well......you better thank your lucky stars you don't have children who are dyslexic.

Enough said. It has changed my ENTIRE thoughts and feelings about the matter of memorizing numbers.

I'm glad that the people in ds's school office have some compassion and understanding of children with LD.

17 posts......hummm I wonder what the average is

 

[mamacatnv]

Yes, we expect it of course...unfortunately most men leave the school stuff for moms. Gotta praise the ones who actually get it right

I know there are exceptions but I think this is an accurate summary. I sat on a youth sports Board for many years, the details are the stuff that Mom's know and most Dad's don't and the ones that did were reading the note the Mom gave them.

 

[allison443]

Dad's are a whole different story. Us women up front don't expect them to know If they do, we tell them and praise them for it. I know it would make their wives proud.

You expect a third grader to have memorized a parent's cell phone number (which is fine) but a dad who knows his child's grade/teacher gets praised?

That's actually kind of insulting to dads, isn't it?

 

[kimblebee]

You expect a third grader to have memorized a parent's cell phone number (which is fine) but a dad who knows his child's grade/teacher gets praised?

That's actually kind of insulting to dads, isn't it?

Thank you! Someone else who gets it.

 

[arielsleepingbeauty]

You wouldn't believe how many 1st graders don't know their parents names...they just know "mommy" and "daddy".

One time, I received a note from a parent, & it was just signed with a first name. I asked the class, "Who's mom is named Kathy?" Many of the kids said, "Not mine", but several kids did not know their own mom's name. I had to pull out the emergency forms & go thru all of them to find out.

Couldn't you have just asked who brought in that note? That might have a saved a little bit of time.

 

[disfan07]

You expect a third grader to have memorized a parent's cell phone number (which is fine) but a dad who knows his child's grade/teacher gets praised?

That's actually kind of insulting to dads, isn't it?

Okay. Seriously, all of my 3 year olds knew their phone numbers at the preschool. There were 17 of them. All of them could tell you their phone number if the needed to.

Now, I love my dad to death. Wouldnt trade him for the world....but....when he remembers stuff like my teachers name, we are all so shocked. He has always known what grade I was in but teachers are a different story.

I dont think its necessarily JUST a dad thing. It's a, whoever deals with the school more, knows more. If the dad deals with the school on a regular basis, they should be expected to know, just liek if a mom deals with the school on a regular basis.

If dad hears the teachers name once at the beginning of the year and goes to back to school night or whatever, if they never see that teacher again or talk to them again and can remember their name months later, yes it is impressive. It would be just as impressive if it was the mother in that situation as well.

 

[arielsleepingbeauty]

Dad's are a whole different story. Us women up front don't expect them to know If they do, we tell them and praise them for it. I know it would make their wives proud.

As far as kids knowing their information... Maybe I am old but I would teach my kids at a young age their address and phone number. My thoughts came from paranoia. What if they got lost and someone needed their phone number. What if a parent was with them and they didn't take my number?

In the school we have all the children's information on the computer... but we all know computers at times are vvvveeerrryyy slow, electricity goes off in a rain storm ect. Kids come in and don't feel well while your trying to accomplish 10 different things. It would just be easier if the kids knew. On occasion they can use the school phone and call mom or dad on their own.

In case of earthquake, fire drills ect when we leave the office we take our emergency binders outside with us. All our little darlings information goes with us everywhere

I love my job and the kids. I feel like all their moms

Why shouldn't dads know their own children's information too? There is no excuse not to. It isn't just the mother's child/children. My ex knows just as much about my children's schooling as I do. As parent's, it is both our responsibility.
I would also say that my children have learned their phone number, but since they rarely punch in the numbers to call me on my cell or at work, I wouldn't be surprised if they had a moment where they could not recall it. Numbers are programmed into cell phones and home phones.

 

[Nancyg56]

How in the world can you not know what grade your kid is in or their teacher's name?

Oh my goodness! I manage to suffer amnesia whenever I am asked my own phone number, SS#, etc. I have no idea why I lose that info on occasion when I am on the phone but it seems to vanish. I raised three kids and there were days I that I scrambeld them all up.

I believe children need to know their own basic information but I wonder how many would forget it if they are on the spot. I don't mean when Mom or Dad is asking the child but when they are nervous and need to pull that information for the teacher.

My DH went to surprise our DGD for lunch. He was waiting in the area where the children enter and a teacher asked who he was waiting for. He got that right but it was a cluster after that. Teacher? Grade? Ooops.....trying to keep her 5 YO backfired, can't answer that one either. Teachers come out of the woodwork and wait until Kady arrives and shrieks that her Pa is there Now he had stopped at the office and got enough info correct that he was allowed to pass to the cafe but after that

 

[daisyduck123]

Couldn't you have just asked who brought in that note? That might have a saved a little bit of time.

Believe me, I did ask. But none of the kids knew.

When the students arrive, they empty their take-home folders (for homework, parent notes, forms for the office, field trip forms, etc) into a basket by the door. They usually don't look at what they're bringing in, they just empty the folders and go on their way.

 

[minniebeth]

dairyou, and all other school secretaries: As a former teacher, I just want to say, YOU ROCK! We all know that our schools can't run without you and that you are valuable and appreciated!

 

[golfgal]

DS18 called me from school early the the year when he was in 9th grade asking what our address was. We had just moved that summer and I really didn't think to TEACH the kids the new address-just didn't cross my mind and they really had no need to KNOW the address up until that point .

Yes, occasionally people forget, say the wrong year, etc. but my guess is that the OP runs into this issue from the SAME people all the time

If you asked me I could come up with one or two of our twins' teachers names but they are in high school and have 12 different teachers between the two of them-they have 2 classes together or it would be 14 different teachers

I DO know they are sophomores though.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

If dad hears the teachers name once at the beginning of the year and goes to back to school night or whatever, if they never see that teacher again or talk to them again and can remember their name months later, yes it is impressive. It would be just as impressive if it was the mother in that situation as well.

Why isn't said dad talking to their kid around the dinner table? Asking "How was your day" and hearing things like "Mr. Smith said we're going on a field trip to the zoo."?

I'm not impressed by a parent who doesn't know what's going on in their kids lives.

As a teacher, I agree, however, that school secretaries rock, we couldn't do it without you, that's for sure!

 

[karenos]

Every day I love going to work and seeing all the kids...but...this is what I don't like:

* parent that don't know what grade their kids are in...

* students who are over 3rd grade that don't know their phone numbers or parents cell number. Even at times their own address...

* parents that don't know their student's teacher's name...

* students that don't know how to tell time unless it's on a digital clock...

Okay... that's it. Rant over.

Deb

You know what bugs me about school secretaries (and I'm not saying YOU, but this has been my experience over the past 6 years at my childrens' school)

*please don't make me feel unwelcome in my childrens's school. I have a legitimate right to be there. I'm volunteering/meeting with a teacher/etc. I know some parents drop by all the time with frivolous requests, but that is not my purpose.

*if you don't like dealing with parents, then why bother working in a school. I mean really!!

vent over. Sorry OP, but you touched on a nerve.

karenos

 

[luvmy3]

I feel guilty when I can't remember what room number any of my kids' homeroom is, I couldn't imagine a parent NOT knowing what grade their own child is in. I could see having a brief lapse of memory when it comes to teacher's names, my dh is horrible with remembering names so it isn't about lack of communication with our kids, he just is genuinlely bad with names. Not to toot my own horn, but I have never forgotten

When my kids were in 3rd grade they didn't know my cell number, they never had a need to call it, and I filled out all the necessary forms for the school so if they needed to get ahold of me the info should be accessible to them. It never occured to me that would be a problem, since every year they are so darn adamant about filling out all the paperwork and handing it in ASAP.

 

[tinatark]

LOL... yesterday, my cousin's facebook post said, "If you have ***'s number, please have him call me, I left my cell phone at home and don't have it" (he is her live-in boyfriend!)... many, many people are lost without their cell phones.

 

[erincon23]

I'm a substitute teacher, and have come across several situations where it sure would have helped to have the kids know this basic info. For example, in our schools, the kids bring in checks to purchase a lunch ticket -- and if the parent's last name isn't the same as the kid's, that's a big problem! (Same with notes about picking up kids in a different manner than they're used to, but at least that usually says the child's first name. If it's readable -- and many aren't!, that helps.) I'm sure the regular teacher knows that Cathy Jones is Tyler Smith's mom, but I don't! And a lot of these little kids don't know that either. I always used to put the check in an envelope and write "lunch ticket money for Andy Pandy." And part of the 1st grade math book is "number" work -- phone number, address, etc -- some kids know it, some don't. You try to at least give them their area code -- this is getting harder, because our schools span two regular area codes, one just given for cell phones, and some use cell phones from previous addresses that have another area code. Forget it!

 

[Magpie]

Oh... I'm really, really BAD with people's names. Anyone's, not just teachers. I also sometimes forget what grade my kids are in, what year they were born, what day their birthday's on, my own phone number and address... what can I say, I'm an airhead. Typically, I write everything down that I need to know before I get on the phone. It can be embarrassing, otherwise.

Once my kids got out of the early grades and started getting multiple teachers, remembering all their names was just hopeless. I have no idea who anyone is, though I certainly can recognize them on sight and I keep in regular e-mail contact and go to all the meetings. I ask my kids when I need to know a teacher's name!

I did teach the kids their phone numbers and addresses before they started kindergarten. I also taught them how to tell time, and how to read, and basic math skills. However, I did all that because I have trust issues where school is concerned. Lots of people told me I was being paranoid.

So if a student can't tell time, why blame the parents? It's on the curriculum. And there may not be any analog clocks in the house, so how would the parent necessarily know that the school hasn't succeeded in teaching their kids this information?

I'm sorry I'm the kind of parent who irritates you. I really do try!

 

[tlbwriter]

You expect a third grader to have memorized a parent's cell phone number (which is fine) but a dad who knows his child's grade/teacher gets praised?

That's actually kind of insulting to dads, isn't it?

This. Seriously.

But I have a confession to make - now that my daughter has started middle school, I know all of her teachers' names but I can't always remember who teaches what! I know 5 of the 7, but World Studies and Language Arts throw me. Mrs. Jones teaches one and Mrs. Smith teaches the other, but which one? I'm not sure!