Mum Sunday

This is where I hopefully will post the other side of me. The parent side -that has a child in education. As a mum/teacher I am terrible at being the mum of a school aged child. I admit it and I know that I can’t switch off my teacher side when it comes to my own children’s education. My husband hates it and on many occasions has clearly voiced his opinion on this. Even my colleagues joke about what I am like.

I’m not all guns a blazing on the teacher’s my son has I am just (as my husband puts it) passionate to the point of frustration. I don’t expect that because I am a teacher my children would be academically bright. And yes, this comment was made to me by one of my son’s teacher in regards to the fact she was very surprised he hadn't done better in an assessment as I was a teacher!

Like any parent, I just want the best for him. What I give to my own students, I want to see this happening with my son. I’d be such a hypocrite if I didn't. I work full time, never get to meet the teachers therefore I want to develop a relationship with them so that I know they have my son’s best interests at heart. Yes, I know there are nearly 25 more students in the class but as any parent will tell you those other 25 are obsolete. And as a teacher I am very mindful of this in my own class.

The reason being is my son struggles academically. Sport, art and creating are his passions and something he excels at. However reading, writing, mathematics are things he has to work hard at and I can already see with writing and maths he has slowly turned off and is beginning to hate them. I spent a lot of time learning about ‘boys education’ well before my own son was born, so I know that even before year 3 boys can be turned off learning. This is what I don’t want for my son.

This is something I am very mindful of in my own class. I can see the students who struggle in certain areas and I want to help them to see they can do it. I’m a fixer- I want students to enjoy school, enjoy learning and realise they can do it. I want them to know that they can be anything they want to be. I tend to question what I can change/do in my own teaching when it comes to students succeeding. 

My first gripe to his year 1 teacher was the fact he was being sent home reading books that were more ‘girl’ orientated than boy. He didn't want to read about girls and teddy bears. I queried this and wanted to know why. One way to engage boys into reading is to give them books that interest them. Something my own school has thought a lot about and purchased a whole lot of PM books that were more boy orientated. I know a lot of schools do this which is great!

We are all the same, as adults we read what we enjoy, what interests us. Yet when it comes to children we expect them to read what we choose. Yes, we need variety and children should have this as well but shouldn't we be encouraging a love for reading first? Doesn't a love for reading then develop a desire to read more of a variety of books?

I love the fact that another one if his teachers allowed him to look through all the books and choose the ones he wanted to read. The excitement he shared with me that evening was amazing. And he wanted to read them all at once!

Children are like adults, we know what we like and if we are interested in it we will be keen to learn.