Would this be rude?

[N&B'smom]

Honestly, we've had issues with teachers in the past (1 in particular) but I felt that if I went into the class they would obviously be on their best behavior so it wouldn't really be of any help to me.

I think it would be great (and I'm sure some will think this is over the top) if we as parents had a password and such and we could log in and watch what was going on in our child's classroom whenever we felt like it. I would think that would keep some of the problem teachers on their toes a bit more.

 

[declansdad]

In New York, at least in our district, parents are not allowed in the classroom without the teacher knowing about it.

Nor should they. I don't get why some parents feel that they can simply walk into a classroom. In no other workplace would you be allowed to do this.

 

[declansdad]

Oh, you betcha! - IF the patient is my minor child under the age of 12.

If the patient was under 12 they wouldn't be going into the doctor's office be themselves in the first place. Not a good comparison.

 

[Hannathy]

Slightly OT but this has just piqued my curiousity... do have have young children and send them into the dr's office unattended? If so, how on earth do you have any idea what the diagnosis is and provide recommended treatment without taking time from other patients waiting to be seen as the dr explains it all to you afterwards? That never even would have occurred to me...

I am not the poster but I do believe they are referring to walking in on the DR and sitting in on exams of other people to observe the DR. without prior warning or permission.

Because let's be realistic that is who the OP is observing. She is putting the teacher under the microscope when she is sitting in on the class. And by walking in with a notebook to take notes she is practically screaming it.

 

[Erin1700]

You can not just walk into my childs school either. And so many of you are saying you should be allowed to, it is your child, etc. But there are 20 or so other kids in that class and you do not have a right to observe them.

If your child was in a one on one class then of course you should be allowed to observe. Just as a PP mentioned, if your child was in the dr office you could go!
But if it wasnt just your kid in the doctors office, you have no business being there. You would schedule a private visit with just your child.

Besides the safety of the other children, the privacy of the other children is also being protected.

 

[okeydokey]

I think it is rude to walk into the classroom unannounced. If you want to be more present in your child's class, then volunteer regularly a couple of hours every week. You will get a much more realistic look at the classroom over time than in a surprise visit. And the teacher gets a helping hand too.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

You can not just walk into my childs school either. And so many of you are saying you should be allowed to, it is your child, etc. But there are 20 or so other kids in that class and you do not have a right to observe them.

If your child was in a one on one class then of course you should be allowed to observe. Just as a PP mentioned, if your child was in the dr office you could go!
But if it wasnt just your kid in the doctors office, you have no business being there. You would schedule a private visit with just your child.

Besides the safety of the other children, the privacy of the other children is also being protected.

EXACTLY!
A parent "observing" is nothing more than a distraction and completely absurd imo. It is not allowed here and I am grateful that it isn't. My children are at school to learn. Not have Suzy or Johnny's Mom watching their class. Not to mention it is non of that Mom's business who needs help/is loud/picks their nose ertc. It is not only innappropriate it is pointless imo. Does anyone really think they will see what class is really like? Those kids will be on their best behavior or keep turning around to look at the Mom and whisper to each other about it. JMHO YMMV.

 

[Disney Doll]

Notebook not a problem.
Unannounced vist-problem.

But since you plan to do what you plan to do, this is kind of a waste of time.

I'm kind of glad that my mother didn't feel the need to observe my clas when I got knocked own at recess. She didn't expect the teacher to see everything and I learned to fight my own battles.

Best of luck to you and your child.

 

[Jeafl]

You can not just walk into my childs school either. And so many of you are saying you should be allowed to, it is your child, etc. But there are 20 or so other kids in that class and you do not have a right to observe them.

If your child was in a one on one class then of course you should be allowed to observe. Just as a PP mentioned, if your child was in the dr office you could go!
But if it wasnt just your kid in the doctors office, you have no business being there. You would schedule a private visit with just your child.

Besides the safety of the other children, the privacy of the other children is also being protected.

Absolutely! As a special ed teacher we NEVER allow parents to walk in unannounced. They need to be buzzed in by the office and can only come in to a classroom by special arrangement. I have anywhere between 20 & 25 kids in my class at any given time and if all parents decided to just drop by it would be chaos. Some children (and NOT just special ed kids) are very easily distracted and one parent sitting in the back of the room could disrupt an entire lesson.

I also agree with those that said you wouldn't get an accurate picture anyway. Any parent sitting in the back of a class taking notes would put any teacher on the defensive, and frankly also on their best behavior.

If I were you (the original poster) I would talk to the teacher, then ASK if she/he minded if you dropped in to observe. That way everything is above board and you can both work toward a common goal of a good experience for your child.

 

[daisyx3]

As a parent, I would not want just any parents watching my child's classes. As a teacher, I would not want Jane Doe plopping her butt in my room either. I have 30 kids in one class, and no extra desks...would she stand?
I teach 12th grade, and thankfully these parent enablers are usually all tuckered out by then. But sometimes a student will say "I have a friend from another school and he is off tomorrow, can he shadow me?" My answer is always no, although sometimes I am overridden by more easygoing administrators. I have enough going on without everyone asking the "new kid" where he is from, etc.
OP, when you have your education or psychology degree, feel free to drop in to observe. Until then, if you feel your child needs an observation, contact the school psychologist.
Daisyx3

 

[mhsjax]

As a parent, I would not want just any parents watching my child's classes. As a teacher, I would not want Jane Doe plopping her butt in my room either. I have 30 kids in one class, and no extra desks...would she stand?
I teach 12th grade, and thankfully these parent enablers are usually all tuckered out by then. But sometimes a student will say "I have a friend from another school and he is off tomorrow, can he shadow me?" My answer is always no, although sometimes I am overridden by more easygoing administrators. I have enough going on without everyone asking the "new kid" where he is from, etc.
OP, when you have your education or psychology degree, feel free to drop in to observe. Until then, if you feel your child needs an observation, contact the school psychologist.
Daisyx3

You know, I really didn't agree with the OP going in without permission or scheduling ahead of time.

But, and there is a big but here. I don't think she is an enabler, she has said that her child is having problems and she wants to see what is going on. Maybe this is not the best way. Also, no one knows your child better than you, it doesn't take a degree in education or psychology for that. Nice attitude.

I wouldn't trust our school counselor to evaluate my child without me observing also. Fortunately, my child doesn't need an eval and I have never observed a classroom.

But it is that holier than thou attitude that make parents crazy.

 

[nowellsl]

In my county the teachers are required to be given a 24 hour notice before being observed. It is written in their contracts.

 

[Graciesmom77]

So I assume that you wouldn't have issues with a disgruntled parent coming in to "observe" and maybe pull out a gun and take out a few kids and maybe the teacher too, right?
If you have concerns with your teacher, make an appointment with the teacher and discuss them openly and honestly without disrupting the classroom.

That may be the caziest response I have ever heard! lol I'm thinking that if a person is crazy enough to go into a school to shoot people, that having or not having an appointment wouldn't stop him!

So now parents shouldn't be allowed in to school at all? What about parent volunteers, which many schools rely on? What about school parties or assemblies? Not allowed in then either? Maybe we shouldn't be allowed on school property to pick up our kids when they are sick, or when they get out of school for the day? Someone could throw a pipe bomb!!! Come on, common sense should tell you that you should have access to your child at all times.

For all the people saying that you have to be buzzed in and sign in and all that, I don't think the OP was talking about sneaking past security. She probably meant that without warning she was going to go into the school, sign in, explain what she wants to do and go sit quietly in the class to watch. Not for her viewing pleasure, but to figure out what is going on with her OWN daughter. Should she have to rely on a teacher who is busy watching 25 or 30 other kids to catch a problem with her child? Maybe the teacher would, but probably not. Teachers have a million things to do and can't take the time I amsure they would like to sort out all problems with all kids.

I can't get over the idea that people would see a problem with their child and not think it was appropriate enough to go in and find out whats going on?!? Isn't that your job as a parent? Who cares if it bugs the teacher. If she is that "bugged" than maybe you have bigger problems than you thought.

My girls do not go to a private school. They have in the past and hope they can go again soon, but right now they are in a public school. I feel it is my right and responsibility as a parent to stay informed about whats going on with my children at a place where they spend 7 hours a day. If I felt the need to pop in and observe you can bet your butt I would be there.

 

[MELSMICE]

For all the people saying that you have to be buzzed in and sign in and all that, I don't think the OP was talking about sneaking past security. She probably meant that without warning she was going to go into the school, sign in, explain what she wants to do and go sit quietly in the class to watch.

The question some people have though is will she really be able to do this. I never tried it with my DD's, but I don't think, even as a parent, I would have been able to go to the school & say I just wanted to sit in on my child's class because I wanted to observe.

I could be wrong, but I think I would have had to set up an appointment & speak with the teacher about it first.

 

[aprilgail2]

I wouldnt send my kids to a school where I wasn't allowed to come in and observe! Are you kidding me? If you sent your child to daycare and the babysitter wouldn't allow you to come in and visit your child and observe his or her day, this should set off HUGE red flags. The same goes for a school. !

I would never send my child to a school where parents can just come in and disrupt the classroom whenever they felt the need to see little sally snowflake. This is a school- this is my childs place away from me, their place of learning not some place for some bored mommy to sit and watch her kids at all day.

 

[allison443]

For all the people saying that you have to be buzzed in and sign in and all that, I don't think the OP was talking about sneaking past security. She probably meant that without warning she was going to go into the school, sign in, explain what she wants to do and go sit quietly in the class to watch. Not for her viewing pleasure, but to figure out what is going on with her OWN daughter. Should she have to rely on a teacher who is busy watching 25 or 30 other kids to catch a problem with her child? Maybe the teacher would, but probably not. Teachers have a million things to do and can't take the time I amsure they would like to sort out all problems with all kids.

But then there is no reason not to schedule this with the teacher. What if it is a day they are working in groups, and that's not what dd has a problem with? Or if they are covering a subject at that time that is not causing dd a problem Also, if a parent is trying to see if someone is bothering/picking on her child, I'm pretty sure no one is going to pick on her dd if dd's mom is sitting in the back of the room.

 

[polkadotminnie]

What about the privacy rights of the other 20 kids in the room?

 

[aprilgail2]

What about the privacy rights of the other 20 kids in the room?

I totally agree!! I can't believe some schools even let parents volunteer in classrooms with other peoples children nevermind be able to waltz in and out of classrooms whenever they feel like it!

 

[ajk912]

You can not just walk into my childs school either. And so many of you are saying you should be allowed to, it is your child, etc. But there are 20 or so other kids in that class and you do not have a right to observe them.

If your child was in a one on one class then of course you should be allowed to observe. Just as a PP mentioned, if your child was in the dr office you could go!
But if it wasnt just your kid in the doctors office, you have no business being there. You would schedule a private visit with just your child.

Besides the safety of the other children, the privacy of the other children is also being protected.

I agree, I can't believe some schools actually allow parents to observe. It seems like an incredible invasion of privacy. I am glad my kids' school doesn't allow parents to just drop in.

 

[mhsjax]

I totally agree!! I can't believe some schools even let parents volunteer in classrooms with other peoples children nevermind be able to waltz in and out of classrooms whenever they feel like it!

All of our school here let parents volunteer in the classrooms. We do things like Tuesday folders(sending home graded papers for parents). i do this once a week, 2 years ago I did it for my DS and them went straight to DD class and did it.

Also some time parents come in to help with projects. We aren't there to watch other kids. We are getting the paper work done so the teacher doesn't have to.
Every class has a Tuesday folder mom, and yes we see all the grades, and you know what, we do it so fast they we don't even look at the grades, we could care less. We are there to help the teacher.

You have get a background check and then anyone can volunteer for their child's classroom. This in one of the reasons our schools are the ones people want to get into. The parents care. They volunteer, freeing up the teacher to actually you know, teach.

Also unless the classrooms are in the portables outside, the volunteers go into the connecting teachers office to do their work, only on the outside do you sit inside the classroom.

OUt teachers and parents love the volunteers, it makes our school work. But I have to say that I have never seen a parent come in to observe a class.