School costs and parent involvement

[jelli]

Originally Posted by greeneyedgrrl

I am all for going on field trips...but so NOT down for spending mah hard earned $$ on crap trips to consumerville like disneyland. i want my kid to go to places i haven't, but i want the trips to have some substance too.

I know exactly what you mean about having substance vs. touristy travels. Our district has been trying to find some balance, but I am not sure if the balance is where the trips start getting costly.

We want to go to Disneyland, but we need our educational stuff too. So let's see what is all on the way down and back that we can integrate as part of XYZ curriculum.

[greeneyedgrrl]

Originally Posted by jelli

We want to go to Disneyland, but we need our educational stuff too. So let's see what is all on the way down and back that we can integrate as part of XYZ curriculum.

i get that some people want to go to DL, but i don't feel it's appropriate for education, especially when things that are important AND essential to children's growth and development are being cut, like outside time, creative teaching, music and the arts. i feel that the fluffy trips (those that lack substance) should be family trips, not school. the child who comes from a low income family isn't going to miss much by not going to disneyland. hiwever, denied the opportunity to leave their neighborhood and see something of substance (our government in action )or inaction as the case may be) or seeing one of our national forests, could be life changing. i also don't think that DL should in any way be funded by taxpayer money. ...and i've been there, really isn't all that. your $70 (just to get in?? really?? why??) or whatever it is could be spent better elsewhere. jeez you could take a family of four to the local aquarium for that. i want my kid to be out in nature, or learning how our government works, not learning how to buy more ish...she gets enough of that without adding it into the curriculum. it pisses me off that the 8th grade DC trip got cut in favor of GA or 6 flags...sad day for education--end rant

[cane]

Where I live all supplies are paid for by the school, and I have a special budget for that. Also we tend to make all our projects on school time, to compensate for absent parents and so on. I think that is a good solution to the problem.

One thing I wanted to point out though, is that I, as a teacher, of course I can see when a kid has made a project without any help.

[jelli]

Originally Posted by greeneyedgrrl

i get that some people want to go to DL, but i don't feel it's appropriate for education, especially when things that are important AND essential to children's growth and development are being cut, like outside time, creative teaching, music and the arts. i feel that the fluffy trips (those that lack substance) should be family trips, not school. the child who comes from a low income family isn't going to miss much by not going to disneyland. hiwever, denied the opportunity to leave their neighborhood and see something of substance (our government in action )or inaction as the case may be) or seeing one of our national forests, could be life changing. i also don't think that DL should in any way be funded by taxpayer money. ...and i've been there, really isn't all that. your $70 (just to get in?? really?? why??) or whatever it is could be spent better elsewhere. jeez you could take a family of four to the local aquarium for that. i want my kid to be out in nature, or learning how our government works, not learning how to buy more ish...she gets enough of that without adding it into the curriculum. it pisses me off that the 8th grade DC trip got cut in favor of GA or 6 flags...sad day for education--end rant

I am all for the students creating ways to raise the money or at least a portion of the money. This will not only ease the burden on parents, but also (hopefully) teach them about working and saving towards something they truly would like to do.

We have 5(4 that lived full time) kids and in no time would $70 have taken us to a local aquarium, zoo, fair, or out to a decent dinner for that fact, but I get what you're saying.

Did anyone see where I talked about kids not being able to use a dictionary, phone book, balance monies, etc? Yes, a said day.

[luv2luvgirls]

I must comment I have been ranting about this since my kid started school...Why do I need to buy the tennis balls for the chair and table legs? dont they have funding for that type of supply ...further more the older my kid gets the more it seems that they corner you into buying the "ice cream parties for good behavior or meeting some goal,my problem with it is this...first off w/o a heads up I get my kid coming home telling me what I need to purchase for w/e thing they are doing...and its needed the next day...so then I get an email from the teacher telling me if I could help as most of the parents cant...then to find out the next day that its not just her class but the whole pod I need to bring ice cream for....if your gonna reward kids for meeting a goal ...why am I the one doing it? and if I tell my kid I am not doing it this time I do it everytime let another parent do it...she comes home after not getting the said party and now its my fault as the teacher states sorry but no one brought stuff...grrrr

next subject,projects..I dont know about you guys but the parents here get graded for involvement I have to sign this and initial that after checking her work to show i do..and from what I have been hearing, from other parents and teachers is if you are not involved to thier expectations you get a visit from dcf or w/e it may be called im not sure...but the projects,at the beginning of 3rd grade last yr she had to do a power point presentation...I was like huh!!!I wonder how they heck is my kid going to do that?amazingly she does with guidance

I think im the only butch parent there anyway lol and I want to know what is going on in the school so I go to all the meetings.. the fund raisers are much more different then when I went to school,it says dont go door to door,parents take it to work and get donations or sell the suff. doesnt that defeat the purpose of teaching kids about fund raising? school is so changed.
in a way it is looking like its going for the better only in the fact that they are holding parents responsible more now and that I think needs to be done. but what if thier perception of "parent involvement" isnt what I thought...am I going to get a visit because you think I should have paid for all the parties? its kinda worrisome

[jelli]

Originally Posted by luv2luvgirls

I must comment I have been ranting about this since my kid started school...Why do I need to buy the tennis balls for the chair and table legs? dont they have funding for that type of supply ...further more the older my kid gets the more it seems that they corner you into buying the "ice cream parties for good behavior or meeting some goal,my problem with it is this...first off w/o a heads up I get my kid coming home telling me what I need to purchase for w/e thing they are doing...and its needed the next day...so then I get an email from the teacher telling me if I could help as most of the parents cant...then to find out the next day that its not just her class but the whole pod I need to bring ice cream for....if your gonna reward kids for meeting a goal ...why am I the one doing it? and if I tell my kid I am not doing it this time I do it everytime let another parent do it...she comes home after not getting the said party and now its my fault as the teacher states sorry but no one brought stuff...grrrr

next subject,projects..I dont know about you guys but the parents here get graded for involvement I have to sign this and initial that after checking her work to show i do..and from what I have been hearing, from other parents and teachers is if you are not involved to thier expectations you get a visit from dcf or w/e it may be called im not sure...but the projects,at the beginning of 3rd grade last yr she had to do a power point presentation...I was like huh!!!I wonder how they heck is my kid going to do that?amazingly she does with guidance

I think im the only butch parent there anyway lol and I want to know what is going on in the school so I go to all the meetings.. the fund raisers are much more different then when I went to school,it says dont go door to door,parents take it to work and get donations or sell the suff. doesnt that defeat the purpose of teaching kids about fund raising? school is so changed.
in a way it is looking like its going for the better only in the fact that they are holding parents responsible more now and that I think needs to be done. but what if thier perception of "parent involvement" isnt what I thought...am I going to get a visit because you think I should have paid for all the parties? its kinda worrisome

Parents purchase the tennis balls? Please tell me you are joking???

Butch parenting can be one of the hardest things in my opinion. Especially if you live in the Bible Belt like we do. Between the responses from faculty and the response of peers towards your child(or in our case children) it can be maddening. "Here be involved, but can you do it invisibly?'

fund-raising has to be done sometimes, but the door to door stuff I refuse to let my kids sell. I'm sure it's the profit return on that over priced wrapping paper, trinkets, etc that is the appeal for the school. What happened to bake sales, car washes, cake walks, you know, the good times, old school, community involved, fund raising. And if a child has a parent that can not afford to be involved then perhaps let their involvement be in trade... like making signs for the event or volunteering time. Don't punish the kids for their parents level of involvement to me that just promotes guilt/shame or a damned if I do mentality(depending on the age level of the child).

[luv2luvgirls]

Originally Posted by jelli

Parents purchase the tennis balls? Please tell me you are joking???

Butch parenting can be one of the hardest things in my opinion. Especially if you live in the Bible Belt like we do. Between the responses from faculty and the response of peers towards your child(or in our case children) it can be maddening. "Here be involved, but can you do it invisibly?'

fund-raising has to be done sometimes, but the door to door stuff I refuse to let my kids sell. I'm sure it's the profit return on that over priced wrapping paper, trinkets, etc that is the appeal for the school. What happened to bake sales, car washes, cake walks, you know, the good times, old school, community involved, fund raising. And if a child has a parent that can not afford to be involved then perhaps let their involvement be in trade... like making signs for the event or volunteering time. Don't punish the kids for their parents level of involvement to me that just promotes guilt/shame or a damned if I do mentality(depending on the age level of the child).

im not joking in the least that is just an example for kindergarten,but you always have to supply the disinfecting wipes the paper towles the sanitizer,tissues,bandaides...all of IT!!!!! and the personal ones you need for your kids,like a lil bottle of sanitizer,travel pack tissues..the list goes on and on I swear.
It is hard to be a single butch parent,but it was the best decision I ever made wanting to be a parent, Im in freakin KY of all places :O :S for real...the hills have eyes and shit :O coming from Fla to this was a change for sure but I did it for my kid so I could slow down and let her be a kid you know? they are so lil divas in Fla such attitudes by the time they are 5 its unreal.Such violence as well...kids in preschool biting the others nose clean off!! lil boys cornering the one lil girl and her begging to be let go,trying to kiss her and when you bring it up to the facultiy...they think its cute!!! thats cute to overpower a lil girl?!! thats why there is so much violence against women now...cos its cute *rolls eyes*

oh my kid gets embarressed by me for sure...after she hit 2nd grade,now she thinks my faux hawk is too much...and she started saying stuff like why do you like to look like a boy? so I had to have a talk w/ her...must have been something said as I have always looked like this,well maybe not the blue mowhawk but always dressed acted and looked like me *shrugs shoulders* she just wants a family she said she would rather have a mom around since im not girlie so she wants me to bring one home lmao...kids smh...I have never dated or brought anyone around her ever...she does crack me up tho

[luv2luvgirls]

forgot to mention...the teachers and facuilty love me....but I dont bring a partner so I think that has a lot to do with it...all of em email me or invite me to functions all the time.the kids like me too...they giggle and stare and wave and make stuff up just to talk to me

[jelli]

I always buy the "normal" stuff, but I promise you I would go to the board before I bought tennis balls for anything other than gym class.

The only thing that might be harder to me than Butch parenting is Step-Butch parenting.