It's 11 O'Clock A.M. Do you know what your kid is doing?

In elementary school the majority of parents frequent their child or children's school often.  By middle school, when children are perhaps trusted more or involved in lots of activities, parental involvement decreases.  By high school, however, many students have cars or friends with cars.  High school aged students express less need or want for parent involvement and so many parents drift outside of their children's loop.  This is a major factor, I believe, in student/ teacher sexual relationships getting started, or lasting as long as they sometimes do without anyone's knowledge. 

The adult in the inappropriate relationship is utterly WRONG! As an adult, one especially who has been called into the field of education, we know that it is our moral duty to protect all of our children from any misguided, perverse acts that should attempt to disturb or influence them. 

I am aware of many, many nontraditional situations in which children are not cared for properly the way that a child should be in their out-of-school setting.  However; for those who are being cared for by a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, cousin, brother, sister, guardian or otherwise IT IS OUR UNCONDITIONAL, FUNCTION TO TALK TO OUR CHILDREN AND SEE TO IT, THAT THE ONES WE CARE FOR ARE IN THE HANDS OF HONORABLE, UPRIGHT, EDUCATORS.

I can account, from personal experience, how deceptive teenagers can be. Even when they have the best of parents.  In the most perfect of situations, when you think you've raised your child to be an honest, hard working, serving member of society things still happen, they get caught up in the moment, in the hype, in whatever it is to get caught up into.

All of the recent news coverage of sexual teacher/ student relationships has only fueled my protective gene a little more. 

Whatever we call ourselves

I remember having a whole class discussion with a professor last semester about whether we, as future classroom teachers, preferred the term teacher to educator. I, of course, had my opinion and voiced it for why the term educator was superior and is what I envisioned for my life. I now have a new opinion and it is deeply parallel to the saying, "a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet."

I know how I define the word teacher and the word educator but I also know that my mind is not the only one defining these words and that I am not the only person identifying myself using these terms. No matter how you say it, if the adult in the room, in charge of training and instructing young minds, doesn't want to be there, isn't prepared or has a bad attitude everyone looses.

Some have an extreme passion for extending knowledge to willing and sometimes not-so-willing participants.  Others who just want to jump into a career because their first five choices didn't play out should just walk away.  It would be better for all parties involved if the persons not going to do what needs to be done to be honest with themselves and everyone else.

So, whatever we choose to call ourselves making sure things are being done the proper way is what is important.

Read Across America Day!

So, my baby daughter's day car is wonderful! For the past two days they have been advertising for students to where their pajamas because they would be eating 'green eggs and ham' to celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday. This morning we dressed in our cutes p.j.'s and headed to school with much excitement. This, of course, made me curious. After a very brief internet search I found that the National Education Agency has selected today as their 'Read Across America Day!' There was a big kick off in the New York Public Library to spread awareness of their year long program. While I am familiar with the National Education Agency I was unaware that this is the programs 16th year in existence. On the  NEA website  I read about many methods and resources I could take advantage of in my classroom and in my home in helps to raise and grow a nation of readers. the resources are relevant and the extensively, categorized book lists are very helpful for year round participants.

Now my school aged children spread the word at their school; and so the process continues. Their school will now be participating in the Read Across America program as early as next week! I am so glad that Dr. Seuss and this event have positively affected our lives. Though my children posses many Dr. Seuss books and they are read to the point of falling apart, I am glad to know that other children will be able to experience his magnificent writing.