Teaching is a bittersweet experience. There are moments of heart-break, exhaustion, discouragement and there are good days. The disheartening days often feature a parent who doesn't put in the work, after calling her to a meeting or meetings to explain how to go about assisting the child.
I've realized, and this is a painful realization, that there are parents who just don't put effort with the child. The child will only learn in the classroom and at home they'll just write homework without reading for understanding.
Child x never practises writing the verse at home for her weekly Bible tests nor practises spelling at home. I have to ask other kids to teach her in the morning and even then, she doesn't take it serious. This is a child who failed grade R and often, I wish she had repeated grade R. She doesn't possess the ability of a grade 1 learner- by now a grade 1 learner knows she needs to read and spell at home, do her readings, co-operate in the classroom and write neatly. I give up! Only God can help her. And I told her, she needs to put effort and cannot do less. I told her grade R learners know they must do their best. And I personally wish she started there (I know, I should've counted my words). And next thing, her mom is sending the principal a voicenote claiming I'm mean to her child.
This is a parent who has never addressed this before. It'd make sense if I was actually continuously abusing her child. Is telling a child to do her best being mean? Is telling a child she needs to read for exams like her classmates a sin? Is telling a child to stop roaming the streets and focus on her books being mean? Mind you, I tell all my learners to work hard. And I do call out those who don't read, including her. I'm defeated. I hope God will grant me peace and I'll continue to teach her without avoiding her.
I don't even want to mention the behaviour alone, but I'll say this: as a parent, your duty is to address your issue with the teacher FIRST. Secondly, your child must work hard. Be honest about mental or behavioural issues because we observe and see them.
I've never seen such a generation of laid-back parents with no conscience of helping their children. These parents will help a child answer an English reading without reading it first with the child. I'm appaled. I've concluded, meetings explaining homework aren't enough. We need to have training sessions on how parents should assist their children and what the goal is behind homework because it seems they don't get it. Overall, yesterday wasn't a good day. It's a reminder of how much you can do for a learner - from not knowing how to write, read, count, colour and how a parent would still be ungrateful when there's improvement. Anyway, we do what we do for the child and God.
I've since learnt or this is a reiteration: where there's a human, they'll always be rough patches to go through. We differ in view and we do err. But the important thing is understanding and patience. I'll be okay.
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