Wednesday, April 23, 2008

First Year Poopy Head

I'm sure I have written this before, but let's be clear, shall we? Peyton's kindergarten teacher is a brand new, straight out of school, no prior experience first year teacher. Her first ever kindergarten class is not so forgiving. There are several children that are a bit of a handful, Peyton included, but in the times I have helped out with parties and such, they aren't mean spirited children, just rambunctious.

That being said, Ms G has a little bitty voice to go with her small frame and does not command the respect or the attention of the kids at all. I also feel that Peyton was targeted from the beginning of the year as a "problem" child and now he doesn't catch any breaks. The parties I have helped with, he would sit on the carpet when asked and then when Ms G picked people to go to the different centers, he was often overlooked till the end.

Yesterday, Peyton tells Larry and me that his class is having a sleepover with their second grade buddies and Ms G told him he can't go. Do huh? So he hands us a letter and I wish I would have saved it to quote it verbatim, but I was so aggravated I threw it away last night.

The gist of the letter was we're having a slumber party, we (kindergarten teachers) feel that some of your children would not behave properly at a slumber party causing it to be unsafe for others and not allowing the children to sleep. If you didn't get a permission slip with this letter, then your child is one of these kids. If you speak with your child and they behave properly the rest of the week, then I may give them a permission slip.

Peyton did not get a permission slip.

You know, I am the LAST one to say that Peyton is perfect. I know he talks a lot. I know he gets frustrated easily. I know he likes to hit people on the butt to show affection, but I also know that he is not a vindictive child and if you keep him properly engaged as a kindergarten teacher should, he will do his work and be your biggest helper. Also, if they really feel he would be a problem, then ask me to chaperone. I just don't see how they can have a school event and exclude some of the kids.

You know what even bothers me the most about this whole thing? Every correspondence and newsletter, including this one, that I have received from this teacher has had at least one, if not more, grammatical errors. Larry was reading the permission slip letter out loud to me and even he stopped and said to me, "This doesn't make sense." If you are going to teach my child and have the nerve to complain about my child, then you damn well better express yourself in complete sentences.

I'm going to the school today to read with my fifth grader and I am going to find out who I need to speak with in order to ensure that Peyton has a teacher next year that properly handles their classroom and has a grasp on the English language.

5 comments:

Rebecca said...

I would be so angry!!! Does the administration know that they are having a "school" event and excluding some of the children? What does that teach the children?

tamblair said...

There are no words for this. It makes it even worse that Peyton knows he is being left out. But more than that, are these teachers crazy for wanting to have a slumber party with any of these kids or what???

Chelle said...

My grasp on the English language is perfect; that woman be a bitch and that school administration needs a time-out.

It is inexcusable for a school to allow a class-sponsored event to discriminate against certain students. This just make my blood boil.

Anonymous said...

I think Bug and Peyton have a LOT of similar characteristics. And the biggest problem is they are bright and their teachers...not so much. The biggest complaint? He acts inappropriately...you know...like a five year old. She has never taken the time to even consider the fact that my child came in knowing a great deal of the things they are trying to 'teach' him...and he is BORED. If teachers were paid better the good teachers would stay...and people who would be good at teaching would enter the field. As for the slumber party...it's a public school right? That is absolutely WRONG of the teachers to exclude children. Especially at this age. I would make sure that Peyton also got to go to the sleepover while you are there tomorrow. They canNOT single out children in this way. We aren't even allowed to bring invites in to school for our children's birthdays because they don't want the children that are not invited to feel left out. And here it is the teachers doing it.

carrie said...

Wow! I cannot believe this story! We would never be allowed to have a slumber party and even if we were, I would not in today's society. I can't believe they would exclude children. I think your suggestion of being a chaperone was a good thought. Thanks teacher for giving teachers an even worse reputation. I would definately share a few words with the administration!