Oh. My. Gawd. (Musings on Parenting and School.)

[in_the_blue]

It's about time.

I just got back from catching up with Hannah's teacher (back to school night was last night, but since I had no one to watch Hannah and kids weren't allowed to attend, we did it this afternoon after school instead) and all I can say is THANK HEAVENS. She finally has a teacher worth her weight in gold (this is the teacher she had for Drama Club last year).

For example: the past couple years, her teachers have finished up their big fall integrated study with some sort of thing or other the day before Thanksgiving. Well, we always travel that week because my family's on the east coast and I actually want to be there for Thanksgiving day instead of arriving dead tired the night before and having a lousy time... but Hannah used to get so upset because she missed the big culmination of whatever it is they were doing, had to sacrifice that. So I asked her teacher what she had planned for the week before Thanksgiving and she said "Oh, I would never plan anything major for that week; too many people have travel plans."

THANK YOU.

She's also really big on letting the kids take responsibility for their own work and their own actions, and I tell you, I couldn't be happier. I figured the past two years that part of the problem we had with Hannah's teacher was that she treated her too much like a little kid, and that's why Hannah didn't respect her. My daughter's really pretty self-sufficient and really, really smart. She doesn't like being patronized (who does)? This teacher is so married to the idea of treating these fifth- and sixth-graders like capable human beings.

I'm so relieved.

So... I can still volunteer a morning a week with the kids going to the technology lab, and I checked with Hannah and she said that's okay with her. I figure she's at the age where she can tell me if she wants me around her at school or not; if she doesn't want me there I'm not the kind of mom who will just barge in and work there regardless of her wishes. So now I get to pick a day and hang out with them for an extra half-hour in the morning after I already drop her off; it's no big deal timewise. And this year they need extra parents for field trips willing to drive to wherever the event is because the bus they have isn't big enough for all the kids and the teacher to fit. So I can do those things, too.

I also volunteered Hannah's dad to come to talk to the class about India after he gets back. I would love him to have a little bit of involvement like that.

Anyhow, color me RELIEVED. I was really afraid that slugging and sloshing through the past couple years wasn't going to be worth it but I tell you: it's the best feeling in the world to pick my daughter up at school and see her laughing and smiling and playing and just in love with everything there.

It's about time.

Comments

[shellebelle93.livejournal.com]

Oh, hooray! That sounds great. I'm so glad for you both! *hugs*

[mme-publisher.livejournal.com]

Me, too. Meeee, tooooo.

I meant to tell you this when you were talking about what Nicholas said about playing at your house: We need to go to the music store this week and I said, Hey, we can go after school, but it needs to be Thursday because we're meeting with your teacher on Wednesday. He says, But, Mom, Thursday is a play date. I said, No, we don't have one planned. He said, We always have them on Thursday and I'm sure I heard you say something about a play date on Thursday. I said, Well, G and I have one on Thursday morning while you and H are at school... He said, Mo-om? Is that fair?

:)

Yes. It is fair. Very fair indeed.

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

I also volunteered Hannah's dad to come to talk to the class about India...

heeheeheeheehee

Ahem. ^_^ Anyway, lovely to read all that! It'll be such a relief for you all year, not just now, of course. You can use a break.

You are in... The Zone. ;)

[proudofthefish.livejournal.com]

*note to self about the kind of teacher I want to be*
Yay for Hannah's happiness