Mom Is Teaching

As you may or may not know, my local newspaper ran an interview with me in this past Monday’s paper.  It was actually on the front page.  So, as I continue to write in various places, I can’t help but wonder who is reading and if they will hold what I’ve said against me. 

I’ve also been reading The White Trash Mom Handbook by Michelle Lamar and Molly Wendland and simultaneously reading The Case Against Homework by Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish.  (Both of these books also have blogs authored by the same writers.  White Trash Mom can be found here and Stop the Homework can be found here.

Now, before you flip out and wonder how in the world these 2 are related, give me a chance to explain. 

I live in a small town.  I’m not sure exactly how many children are in my son’s school but let’s just say that for estimation purposes, there are 3 kindergarten classes with approximately 20 children in each class.  Now, there are 9 grades, K-8.  If that holds true for all grades, we are talking about less than 200 students.

So, again, how do these two relate?  It’s easy.  Everything that is said in one book as well as everything I’ve read thus far in the other connect by one essential thread.  If I decide that I want to bulk the system and attempt to make an impact on the teachers in my child’s school and school system, do I have to inherently be terrified of one of the main issues in the other book?

Now, that sentence was worthless I know.  What I’m saying is this, I’ve read all of The White Trash Mom Handbook and over half of The Case Against Homework.  And, if you’ve been reading here lately, you know how I feel about homework.  I feel exactly like Bennett and Kalish.  I think it is foolish and out of control.  But, at the same time, if I attempt to sway the educators in my area (who all know me as a peer for the most part or at the very least the child of a teacher), do I risk what Lamar and Wendland try to warn readers about?  Their warning….whatever you do will be projected onto your children.

Now, as adults, professionals and absolutely for teachers, there should be a magic line where the child’s well-being is taken into account without prejudices from the outside.  But, you and I both know that this simply isn’t true.  We are all human, we all have a difficult time separating such issues as “I’m teaching this child, and his parent(s) are causing trouble for me and/or other teachers and thus I’m going to make it difficult on the child to get revenge.”

Honestly, just writing that sentence made me sick at my stomach.  But, the bare fact is, that revenge is exactly what happens.  No one is immune, not even teachers and administrators.

So, in the coming posts, I’m going to go over some of the issues in both books that I’ve read that I think are important, interesting and that I can lend more information too. 

As you go about reading the posts in the coming weeks, remember, I am the product of a well-known school teacher (and the child that took some emotional as well as obvious prejudices from teachers who didn’t like my father) as well as one who has taught in the public schools myself.  I have owned a daycare and I have that experience to add to  many portions of both books.

So, I ask you, if it were your child, your teacher, your school, and your child’s well-being, would you speak up, regardless of the fact that your own child might be made to pay the price for something that you did?  Be honest.