Parents and Teachers Must Be Allies
Matthew Nagel, The Salt Lake Tribune
I am uniquely situated at both ends of the school system. Recently I began teaching 12th graders English, and I let my oldest child climb aboard the kindergarten bus for the first time.
From my perspective, it seems that, for teachers, parents are either overbearing or apathetic, and that, for parents, teachers are either inadequate or (less often) heroic. My hope is that parents and teachers will be more empathetic of each other this school year.
It is very difficult to relinquish my child to the unobservable influences of others. But advocating for him in this anxious undertaking might easily be received as meddling.
On the other hand, I know that teaching goes under appreciated as a technical skill that requires current training and experience. Unfortunately, our classrooms do not have a “co-pilot” or “second-string” role for novice teachers to grow into this difficult profession. Moreover, the ratio of demands (especially class size) to reward (that some salaried teachers qualify for public assistance is deplorable) constrains even the most excellent educators.
As another carefree summer fades into the routine of fall, may we teachers respect the emotional difficulty of giving children up to the system for several hours each day, and may we parents respect the efforts and intentions and constraints of teachers.
Parents and teachers must be allied for the benefit of daughters and sons, and allied for the imminent fight against the educational absurdities that are targeted pay and as-proposed voucher programs.
