A Link and A Vent

Today I read Jen Hatmaker's blog and laughed so hard...several times.  I can so relate to everything she said!

I'm a teacher and I love school, but I seriously think elementary school is turning in to something ridiculous.

My son is in a preschool that is operated through our local school district.  He attends four mornings a week.   Some days he loves it, some days I have to bribe him with donuts to get him out of bed ...great parenting, I know.

I'm thankful for his teacher and that he has made a ton of progress this year, but I just think the powers at be have maybe forgotten that preschool is mostly about learning to like learning and learning to get along with others.

A few examples to prove my point...

• In January all of the preschool teachers started sending home reading logs for us to tally our reading minutes each month.  I'm a teacher.  I get that reading is important.  We read all the time.  There is nothing I love more than a good book.  My kids will sit for almost an hour at a time and look at books.  They sit and listen to chapter books.  But, I don't think I need to report to the school how many minutes we read.  I mean, really.  Can't I be trusted to read to my child as I am supposed to/because I want to.  I haven't turned in one reading log...shameful, I know.  I'll do better next year.

• Then there's the report cards.  That's right...report cards in preschool.    I get that it is probably tied to state funding.  My concern is that all the data is based on a few days of "testing".  I try to keep all of this in perspective, but all those needs improvement/doesn't meet standard indicators do get to me.  I want what's best for my child.  I want him to do well.  I see tons of progress.  Too bad none of those anecdotal observations matter in this current educational age.