Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Back To School Suggestions for parents

Normally, I use this blog to introduce new products, speak on market trends, review trade shows, etc. Today, I'd like to use this medium to spread a message to parents everywhere.

Throughout most of the US, school is starting this week or next week (or has already begun). Lets take some time to remember what our teachers do for our kids:

1. They are the most underpaid (along with servicemen/women) profession in the country, yet they go far out of their way to help our kids.
2. They're budgets have been drastically cut and yet they still fill their classrooms with curriculum, many times out of their own pockets.
3. They only ask for our trust and respect back.

As I approach my 35th birthday, I realize that this next comment will make me feel twice that age: When I was in school, parents and teachers stood on the same side/team and worked together. Now, its always the teacher's fault and that is in virtually every case 100% wrong.

I'm putting a call out there for all parents to take a lesson from our parents and give our teachers as much respect to them as they show interest and dedication to our kids. Now is the time to take a stand and believe and support a teacher who brings up a behavior or academic issue to our attention. Let's work towards solutions and not assign misguided blame.

I've seen too many cases where parents tell me that teachers are "picking on their kids" or where the school "doesn't know what they are doing". If a teacher were to tell me that one of my kids were being disruptive or not treating his peers with respect, we'd discuss it with our child based on the observations that the teacher shared with us, not immediately turn it around and accuse the teacher of picking on our boys.

To all of our teachers out there, thank you for what you do and have a great school year!

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