ODE TO SPECIAL LADIES

Told you it wouldn`t take so long.
Actually, I hadn`t plan on posting so soon.
This is therapeutic posting.
I need to post this before I implose.

I `ve just come back from my second parent-teacher meeting at Curé Brassard.
I met my daughter`s teacher Monday night and my son`s teacher this evening .
What a show tonight !
Now I remember why I quit teaching elementary school.
Yes ladies and germs, I once taught elelmentary , I have a group picture to prove it.

The evening started very nicely.
Let it be clear my son has a wonderful teacher ( AGAIN ) this year and has my outmost respect and collaboration.
The show started at the end of the evening when the teacher explained that she would bring her GRADE 4 class ( they are 9 years old ! ) to the Lac en Coeur at the end of the year.

You should of heard the parents complaining how bad the idea was.
"Going to the Lac en Coeur is way too boring, there could be so many things better, my kid won`t want to go, couldn`t you do better ? and why don`t you bring them somewhere and sleep over like at Valcartier ?" and so on , and so on.

I was sitting at the back , at my son`s desk, almost eating my son`s pencil on his desk.
So I `m sitting in the back, biting my tongue, almost hitting the roof, doing my breathing exercises my doctor taught me so well when I wanna harm someone for their stupidity.
Who the HECK ( that`s not quite the exact word I had in my head ) do they think they are these parents ?
I have 2 bachelors degree in teaching and would NEVER, EVER tell my kids`teacher HOW to do her job !
After 6 minutes of this nonesense ( I timed it ), I had to speak.

" Your son is blasé already at 9 years old ? "
Total silence in the classroom.
" Do you have any notion how much work it is to ORGANIZE and COORDINATE this whole shingding with 24 9 year-old kids ? "
" She is a TEACHER, not a G.O at Club Med ! "
And finally to the teacher : " I`d rather you be a G.E - A GENTILLE ENSEIGNANTE than a G.O ( Gentille Organisatrice at Club Med ). If you don`t bring my kid out of town for a sleepover , I will appreciate you anyway. "

My son`s teacher laughed, but,needless to say, I didn`t make friends with SOME of the parents there.
The teacher did respond that it was NOT in her job description to do any trips whatsoever.
AMEN.
Because she is right.
Bottom line, a teacher is paid to TEACH.
You want your daughter or son to go to VALCARTIER for a sleepover ?
Bring him/her yourself.
Bring the rest of the class while you`re at it since, according to you, sounds so simple.
Why not reserve it now ?
And if your only priority is your kid`s minimum choice of activities, you got your priorities all screwed up lady.
Like fractions, French verbs, history,reading, you know what I mean ?

And my point also is : I`m so sick of parents telling teachers HOW to do their job !
I have no right to tell any parent how to do their job, why should they ?
How about I show up my a parent`s workplace and tell them how to do their job more productively?
I`d get a kick in the behind, let me tell ya.
Well that`s exactly what I wanted to do to SOME of the parents tonight.
I don`t tell them HOW to parent their kids either, and seriously, some are in dire need of advice in the domain.

My son`s teacher is near retirement.
She has lots more experience than me.
That would explain why she kept her cool, stayed open, and respectful.
She was a professional.
I`ve been in the same position not too long ago.
But to see a fellow colleague being under the axe like this was too much for me.
Especailly to elementary teachers who do so much.
They practically give their students a bath and put them in their pyjamas before they get on the bus now !!!!!
Give them a break will ya ?

It is YOUR job as a parent to take your kids to activities, museums etc.
Not the teacher`s.
Teachers TEACH, the rest is extra.

Oh my God, I feel so much better !
Better I vent here than in my son`s classroom a few hours ago.
I really would have been in the orbituary.

On that, I`m off planning my next activity for my students.
Just kidding.
That`s later next week.

Peace out before I hit someone.
( that was meant to be funny too )
Enough,
Tata