I am all for Valentine's Day, really I am, but I was still surprised by what I saw today.
Since I travel, I get to see a lot of schools, and at one of the most rural, the office was pretty much hidden by the balloons and flowers that had been delivered. I walked out with one of the secretaries and commented to her that, judging by the office display, her school must have the most popular teachers in central Indiana. "Oh, no, " she replied, "those aren't for the teachers. At least most of them aren't. They are for the kids."
What" For the kids? In a K-5 elementary? Why is that necessary? I am sure the secretaries have better things to do with their time than to either deliver the balloons/flowers themselves or call the students down to get them. And I am really hoping that the kids who received the balloons get picked up at the end of the day. I have always thought I would hate to be a bus driver, responsible for the safety of all those kids who sit BEHIND me. How safe would the bus be with bouquets of balloons floating around? And are elementary students mature enough NOT to let them float? What about bursting them?
At my next elementary, I could hardly find a parking place. Why? Because so many of the parents/grandparents were arriving to help with class parties. This, I thought, was a much better deal. I'm sure having a lot of parents can be a disruption to an elementary teacher, but on the other hand, the extra pairs of hands have to be a blessing. Having stayed past my allotted time to help on occasion, I know that to be the case.
If kids are getting balloons and things like them delivered to elementary school, what is there for them to look forward to in high school or even later? Wouldn't it be better to keep things simple and, if you can, show the kids that you care by being there for them? My teaching and parenting experience has been that children appreciate the little things.
Like your time.
Since I travel, I get to see a lot of schools, and at one of the most rural, the office was pretty much hidden by the balloons and flowers that had been delivered. I walked out with one of the secretaries and commented to her that, judging by the office display, her school must have the most popular teachers in central Indiana. "Oh, no, " she replied, "those aren't for the teachers. At least most of them aren't. They are for the kids."
What" For the kids? In a K-5 elementary? Why is that necessary? I am sure the secretaries have better things to do with their time than to either deliver the balloons/flowers themselves or call the students down to get them. And I am really hoping that the kids who received the balloons get picked up at the end of the day. I have always thought I would hate to be a bus driver, responsible for the safety of all those kids who sit BEHIND me. How safe would the bus be with bouquets of balloons floating around? And are elementary students mature enough NOT to let them float? What about bursting them?
At my next elementary, I could hardly find a parking place. Why? Because so many of the parents/grandparents were arriving to help with class parties. This, I thought, was a much better deal. I'm sure having a lot of parents can be a disruption to an elementary teacher, but on the other hand, the extra pairs of hands have to be a blessing. Having stayed past my allotted time to help on occasion, I know that to be the case.
If kids are getting balloons and things like them delivered to elementary school, what is there for them to look forward to in high school or even later? Wouldn't it be better to keep things simple and, if you can, show the kids that you care by being there for them? My teaching and parenting experience has been that children appreciate the little things.
Like your time.
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