More Thoughts on Education
I have been thinking about yesterday's post and why I am so irritated with my children's teachers. I think it's partly because whenever a teacher says something about my kids' abilities, I feel that they are criticizing me. Part of me also believes that these kids are at a disadvantage because my Japanese is inadequate. I am learning new vocabulary words from my children's first grade Japanese textbooks. I thought I would understand everything up until at least third grade!
At the deaf school, it was hammered into the mothers that our children's success in school, nay, in life, depends on our efforts. (No one expects the fathers to do anything, by the way.) When Lilia was three (!), her teacher was always telling me that if I couldn't find a way to make her buckle down and study, she could forget about college. (I'd said that my future hope for my daughter was that she go to college...)
I never really had any problems with school. Everything came pretty easily to me, so I'm a little frustrated by my kids' difficulties with basic math. Also, it drives me mad when Lilia's teacher insists that I teach her math because there isn't enough time at school to work on it. I am not the special ed teacher! We send Lilia to deaf school where she works one on one with her teacher because she needs help.
For the record, I believe in the value of education. I want them to learn all this stuff. I help them with their homework every night. I guess I'm worried that I won't measure up.
At the deaf school, it was hammered into the mothers that our children's success in school, nay, in life, depends on our efforts. (No one expects the fathers to do anything, by the way.) When Lilia was three (!), her teacher was always telling me that if I couldn't find a way to make her buckle down and study, she could forget about college. (I'd said that my future hope for my daughter was that she go to college...)
I never really had any problems with school. Everything came pretty easily to me, so I'm a little frustrated by my kids' difficulties with basic math. Also, it drives me mad when Lilia's teacher insists that I teach her math because there isn't enough time at school to work on it. I am not the special ed teacher! We send Lilia to deaf school where she works one on one with her teacher because she needs help.
For the record, I believe in the value of education. I want them to learn all this stuff. I help them with their homework every night. I guess I'm worried that I won't measure up.
posted by Gaijin Mama at 7:57 PM
1 Comments:
Suzanne, I know what you're going through and I remember the uncertainty. I now have a 9th grader and 5th grader and I have to say it gets easier on you, the mother, after first grade. After your son learns the ropes he'll rely less on you. I remember first grade as lovely in one sense; I acquired quite a rock collection as they made their way home on their own. Then again, there was the tension of getting used to a whole different system. The kids are feeling it, too. My daughter encountered her first and only bully situation at cleaning up time, too. It was a kid who attacked everyone equally. I haven't been able to contribute a lot, because of my health issues, so I figure if we could get through it just about anyone can! I have filled in the gaps by reading to them and helping them keep up their English skills. That's a lot, actually. Gambatte!
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