Comments on: Taking Responsibility.

By: amy

amy — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 01:19:58 +0000

cate: that is a BRILLIANT idea, but you are right, it might involve interaction with the PTA so maybe keep it to ourselves.

heather: i think we have to let them fail. a little. it completely sucks.

yolande: thank you for reporting from the other side. THANK YOU. xo

By: Yolande

Yolande — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 04:26:57 +0000

Amy, loved this. Brought back memories… Thanks.

As for not helping with homework – I have to tell you that this strategy works works works. I am so happy I trusted our middle school principle when she assured us (the parents) that if we allowed her to fail them (our kids) in grade 6 (if needed) that no one would ever know but that they would learn that painful lesson and choose success and when it really counted in College, they would definitely not fail.

with a HS Senior and a HS Junior, so far so good. I don’t even ask if they have homework. It’s not my department.

By: Karie Russell

Karie Russell — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 03:44:28 +0000

P.S.- Office Max is for Suckers…..Staples has better prices, offers better discounts to teachers and Walmart and Target beat them in prices on EVERYTHING.

By: Karie Russell

Karie Russell — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 03:42:08 +0000

My first thought was “really, a black binder- very hard to write on with a black sharpie and did it have the clear view pocket for an insert?” It would be nice if the govt. could get their shit together and provide the majority of supplies like they used to, or like some districts are able to. However, as it stands I regularly spend at least $400 a year on classroom supplies and honestly, I hit that this year before school ever began……

By: Poke Princess

Poke Princess — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 03:36:39 +0000

Here’s hoping they pay as much attention to creativity, love of learning, art, play, curiosity and exploring as personal responsibility, organization, multiple choice and “the right answer.” I read an interesting book once (Herb Gintis and Sam Bowles) that suggested public education was really all about training our kids to take their place in the capitalist machine of rote repetition and mindless “stay within the lines.” That’s not personal responsibility or staying organized, but oh how I hope that school doesn’t crush that wonderful spark that Annabelle and Sophie (and Mom) so obviously have.

By: heather h

heather h — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 01:14:31 +0000

ok, can I say that the whole personal responsibility thing is killing me?!

My son is academically all there, but holy heck that child can not stay organized to save his life! Forgets homework, class assignments, his desk is a sty ( i learned this thanks to an email from his teacher) etc. It’s all I can do to hold myself back from marching into his classroom and organizing his desk for him. I even went so far as to put a big bold sign in his (2″) binder asking “Did I remember my homework”.

I don’t want him to fail, how the heck do I teach him this responsibility stuff without letting him fail?!!!

By: cate

cate — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 00:47:03 +0000

I am seriously thinking that our PTA should fundraise by selling a pre-packed kit of the school supplies. I’d overpay for that. Went to Target today and they were all out of pencils. Pencils!

I would suggest it but I’d probably have to be in charge of organizing it, so I’ll just whine about it into the ether here.

I hope Sophie’s stuff is just settling-in bumps. New year and all.