Friday, November 12, 2010

School Issues

My triplets have been in all day public school since they were 3 years old, thanks to the PEI program having a speech Pre-K class. They were together for their 3 years of pre-K (we held them back a year simply because they were right on the cutoff date) and have been separate ever since. They are currently in 3rd grade.

I have been a huge, big-mouthed proponent of separating multiples, but that has now changed!

The separate homework has never been a problem. They learned early on that only they are responsible for doing their homework. They can come to us if they need help. Otherwise they know when they are to do it and where they are to put it when they're done. They are to bring me anything that needs signing, without my asking, and to put it where it belongs afterward so that it gets turned in! This method works great for us. Two of the kids have no problem doing things the way they are supposed to. One of my boys is flaky and absent-minded (like his Mom!) and is constantly forgetting things and losing them. Some Moms might compensate for that by reminding and micr0-managing. I don't believe in that. It's better he learn to get organized now than in high school or college! And he is learning. He is exponentially better just this year. By the time he gets to 4th grade I believe he will have it down.

Fourth Grade. That is where the problem comes in. They will be at a new school, which will be enough of an adjustment in itself. The fourth grade has four classes - but it's in two blocks. Each block has one teacher in the morning and the other in the afternoon. So it's possible to have the same two teachers, yet not be together.

And this is exactly what I am going to ask for. I would like to have the exact same teachers for all three. In my perfect world, two will be together in the same block. The other - yep, the one who needs to work on his organization skillz - will be alone, on the opposite rotation of the same block.

So we will have the exact same homework, which will make things much easier. Homework hasn't been a problem yet, and I don't anticipate too much change next year, although with the other adjustments I would like to ease it for all of us as much as possible.

But the main issue for me is a certain teacher. I'm sure we have all known people who are simply in the WRONG JOB. This is a prime example! This woman has no business teaching children. She may do ok with teenagers, but she is horrible with younger ones! I know, because my current 7th grader had her. I was all set to demand he be moved, when they added an extra block and he lucked out.

You have to realize that I have never demanded ANYTHING from any of my kids' schools. I have not even asked nicely. My kids have always taken what they got and it has worked out fine. But my Mama Bear comes out when I think of this bitch.

She is a shouter. She belittles, insults, screams, all in front of the entire class. My son, who has loved school always before and since his experience with her, came home in TEARS every day for TWO WEEKS. He is not an overly sensitive child. I confirmed his experience with his friends and with other parents. I've confirmed through parents, children and other teachers that she has not changed one bit in the past few years. How in the HELL does someone like that keep a teaching job??

I was ready to pull my son out and home school him for fourth grade. Which is exactly what I will do with the triplets if I don't get my way. I'm ready for battle. I'm not exactly sure how to go about it - but I am ready to start my battle shortly after the holidays. We'll see what happens!