[angelkisses0102]

Originally Posted by pwnort64

So I say, bring on the strict teacher!

Speaking from very positive experiences with both of my kids and strict teachers...I agree 100%. Strict does not equal mean...it means setting an attainable goal...a bit of a stretch...but a goal that causes my child to grow and become the best they can be. What more can we ask for?

[BethanyB]

I love it when a parent works with me and actually believes me when I describe an incident that happens at school. As a teacher, I HATE having to make bad phone calls and I wish all my little angels listened all of the time. It's sad to say though, that teachers get defensive attitudes from parents quite a lot these days. It's like another thread that was started here about not liking other people to discipline their child or tell them something bad about their child. Some teachers don't say anything to parents at all about a students bad behavior b/c they are afraid to deal with the anger. But that does not help the child. The child continues to misbehave and as the child gets older, those habits are hard to break.

It means the world when a parent tells a teacher that they are happy with them or with what the teacher is doing for their kids. I love my students like I love my own children. I want the best for them, but I can't let them run over me. I punish when needed, even when they cry and call me the bad mommy for doing it. They don't always know it but we are helping to shape them for the future, and discipline is SO important in life.

And what may seem minor to a parent is not always minor to a teacher who has 21 kids to look after. Several kids in the class doing those minor things create a major thing and it can be hard to get the kids back.

Again, communication is a must, and a little trust goes a long way.

[Kasey]

I agree, strict doesn't equal bad. My son has done so much better in pre-k when he has had the teacher who is a little stricter. I loved her, she always managed to be caring and gentle yet strict. What a great combo, so far seems like our kindy teacher is very similar, so I hope that is the case.

I think though it can be hard sometimes for parents to be able to find that balance themselves. After struggling for so long to have children, I just want to protect them and stick up for them, but I also know that is not always needed especially in school situations.
I have absolutely no problem with other people disciplining my kids (to an extent), hey it takes a village and as much as I like my kids to think so, I do not have eyes in the back of my head! )

[Ebadge90]

No matter how strict the teacher is, or what sort of color system or the like that they use, I think all any of us want as parents is for the teachers to be consistent. Consistency not only with our child, but also from child to child.
My 4 year old, and he only turned 4 a week ago, was suspended from nursery school for 2 days because he hit another child with a toy, and caused a mark on the other childs face that the parent wanted to be looked at by a doctor. I am by no means condoning the actions of my son, but my wife and I are irritated with the school for the way they are handling the situation. Our son was hurt 2 days prior. Another child hit him in the head, enough to cause an egg on the back of his head, which was treated by the staff with an ice pack. The other child was not suspended for causing the injury to our son. We were told that our son was suspended because in the handbook, injury to another child requires suspension. We were never notified of the injury to our child, which is also in the handbook.
I am not trying to hijack this thread at all. The point that I am trying to make is no matter what system is set up, it is being run by human beings. We all have to do what is best for our children, and make sure that school officials/teachers are doing the same. Do for all children the same, and we as parents will be able to live within the guidlines. As soon as individual children are being disciplined differently for the same infraction, is where the problem occurs. How are they supposed to learn what is right and wrong if we as adults do not show consistency?

[LeighM]

I had a Dr who also would not do anything with my son until third grade. Well it set the tone for school. He missed out of those three important years of establishing good behavior at school, build a strong foundation in regards to the fundamentals of reading/spelling/math. Once medicated for ADHD we fought to get him caught up as much as we could. However, at 15 he hates to read and struggles with spelling. Plus he hates school because of having to work so hard to catch up and feeling stupid.

Our ad is also ADHD I did not wait. We addressed it early and yes she is on medication. Yes she has stuggled a bit in 1st grade this year. But the reason is - she reading and spelling on a 2nd grade level. She gets borded because she is done with her work way before the other kids. So what we have done is asked the teacher to give her either extra work or do something that will help the teacher while the other kids finish up their work.

Being the class clown is a way kids hide their struggles. As someone said it might be cute now but it won't be down the line. Which will cause problems in school and with peers.

[Katie63011]

I just saw this and could have posted many responses as we had a bad year in Kindegarten, lots of yellows and occassionally orange, thankfully no reds!

This year, has been completely different. My son is happy and coming home with green's every day. I asked him one day as he was walking out of school, what made him so happy this year with school. His comment back to me was " Mrs D was grumpy every single day of the year" I kick myself now for bringing the behavior and punishments home last year. I think a lot of it is personality and frankly Mrs D didn't have control of her classroom last year, he was far from the only kid getting consistent bad cards. This year, his teacher is sending notes home about what a "leader" he is etc. You cannot tell me that he changed that much over the summer. If anything this year should be harder since 1st is academics and not playtime.