Back To School Night
Posted by Rebecca Teti in Just me on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 8:35 PM
I’ve just returned from back-to-school night at our local parish school. Though it’s a quick walk—mere blocks away—it’s a long night if you have multiple kids in school.
We begin in the chapel, which is where Sr. Principal feels safest delivering her annual, “Parents are the first teachers” lecture, which is always lovely and inspiring—but sometimes a little bittersweet in the sense that there are some things she must say with respect to parental involvement and support that really shouldn’t need saying.
Then our pastor gives a little homily on charity and what that means in a school environment and blesses us and the academic year, and only then are we dismissed to cross the street and visit our children’s classrooms to hear from their teachers.
I can report that in 6th grade, the desks finally get big enough for adults to fit in comfortably.
And that our daughter’s 5th grade teacher is a doll. By which I mean mostly that besides being an enthusiastic teacher, she has high standards and high expectations.
Back-to-school night is always great for people watching as well.
There are parents who seem discomfited by being back in school—as if the teacher might rap them on the knuckles.
There are the stickler parents who brook no nonsense from their kids and want everything done correctly. One parent tonight let be known in a booming baritone that he wants his kid to bring home every book every night, “I don’t care how heavy the backpack is.” And he had a list of things he’s teaching at home he wants the teacher to reinforce.
There are fretting parents who are concerned their children are already falling behind and missing assignments.
There are tender-hearted parents who question whether their kids aren’t getting too much homework or carrying too much in their backpacks.
And there are the old hat parents who’ve sent six or more kids through the school, know every teacher intimately, and seem relaxed and amused by it all. They tell jokes and make everyone laugh.
We seem, come to think of it, just for one night, a lot like our kids. Something about sitting in an elementary school desk, I think.
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