Meagan and Natalie came with me to pick Matthew up from his first day of school. They were bouncing up and down in excitement when they saw Faith (as in the Faith of Faith Montessori. People are always surprised when I say that my kids go to Faith Montessori, thinking that it is a religious place, but it is just the director's daughter's name) arriving with her dad. They initally didn't recognize the other girl with Faith, but it clicked soon enough. Kirti was also in Meagan and Nati's class a few years ago and they loved playing together.
Natalie attended her first assembly today. She is definitely becoming a little Patsy Sommer advocate. She already tells us, "Ms. Erickson said this or that", and she uses all of the proper kindergarten jargon. Meagan has already started complaining about the homework. We find this sort of funny, as they have yet to have any homework. I guess the teachers are preparing them!
I listened carefully to what the second grade teachers said at Back to School night (Andy went to Kindergarten) because as I think of heading back into the classroom I want to know what elementary teachers are responsible for every day. Wow. There is a lot. As a special education teacher, I am no stranger to differentiated instruction, but this is a whole new ballgame. I so admire elementary teachers. I can't imagine all of the assessments, problem solving, writer's workshops, etc that they are expected to do. I hate to go off on a tangent on America's lack of prioritizing education or teachers, but I can't help but think that unless we begin to pay teachers a bit more money, the problems our schools will continue. I, along with all of my teacher friends, knew that I would not become rich by my choice of a profession, but teachers in the past truly were not asked to do all of what they are expected to do now. I can tell you that there is absolutely no way that any of those teachers at Sommer are working 40 hour weeks. Luckily, the elementary students are very cute and sweet.
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