Being a teacher, I agree with that. There are parents who…instead of working with their children and instilling some accountability and responsibility in them…blame the teacher for the student’s shortcomings (be it irresponsibility in submitting assignments, slacking off, carelessness, disrespect, etc). The first teachers are the parents…because you spend time with them…BEFORE you begin your school career. You also spend more time with your family…and it’s essential that they establish a strong foundation with a healthy upbringing…because education/schools can then enhance/further develop that. I think some teachers feel that lack of parental involvement makes them feel like they’re parenting…when they feel that’s not really their role.
As a teacher, I find it frustrating when parents hold the teachers accountable for their child’s shortcomings. I’m not talking about learning disabilities. But more basic stuff. The kind of parents who think it’s the teacher’s fault that their child is not submitting assignments in a timely manner (even when due dates were mentioned orally and written)…doing careless work…discipline problems (disrespect, cheating, etc). The kind that make excuses…and as a result the children have little accountability. And I’ve seen that this is the case with parents that are not very involved in the first place…so when a problem arises…they think the solution lies with the teacher.
^I know this is not what your thread was about. You’re an involved parent…I’m just referring to the dysfunctional variety of parents.
I can see where you’re coming from. You do have to give kids time to adjust rather than jump to the conclusion that something is severely wrong with them. Sometimes it’s the hormones of adolescence…sometimes they’re just tired and are slacking off or they’re distracted by a field trip or a party or lunch or recess, etc. You give it time…bring up the concern with parents because they might be able to guide their kids…work with the parents/try various interventions, etc. And sometimes, the kids get back on track. I think it becomes more of an issue when the problem is frequent…consistent…has a pattern… the child is not responding well to interventions that the teacher and parent have decided to implement…and the problem is getting worse and is hindering academic/social growth.