What a wonderful person to have in your family.
I think most people who go into teaching are nice people. After all it isn't the money that draws people to the profession. But I think some people are attracted to teaching for the wrong reasons- a minority of people- but they are there nevertheless. My children have had a few bad teachers, mostly in middle school and oddly enough they've all been men. I cut teachers a lot of slack, but one of my daughter's teachers would swear and yell at the kids. Now he did have some unruly students in his class (of 6th graders) , but that kind of behavior doesn't make matters any better. And it scares the heck out of some of the good students (like my daughter). I have much younger kids now in my permanent class, but I've subbed up to 5th grade and I've never had to yell at anyone ever. I find whispering actually works much better than yelling. People naturally quiet down to hear a whisper. And of course if you are kind, like your aunt obviously was, your students will naturally want to please you and they won't misbehave that much in the first place.
I was telling my daughter about the discussion here and about what I said about my little Buddhist and his little table companion. My daughter reminded me that she has had several teachers who did say in class that they believed in God, or alluded to God. This is not something I would ever be comfortable doing, in terms of discussing my beliefs. I don't think it is the teacher's place to model or push any one religion. And anyone who thinks it is ok needs to think how they would feel if a Satanist (for example) was teaching the kids that they were a Satanist. I know the kids who believe in God think I believe in God- all the kids pretty much assume I believe what they believe, because they like me, and because I am accepting. My little girl who so desperately wanted me to take on the Buddhist boy always draws me pictures of crosses with flowers all around them. I have an art board and I put her art up along with everyone elses. I consider that a matter of free speech. If I didn't I would be telling her that I excluded her art because of it's theme. and I don't think that would be appropriate. I would never make an art project for the whole class with a religious theme, but if she wants to draw crosses, and my little Jehova's witness wants to draw pictures of Hell, and my Buddhist student wants to write stories about Buddhism, I'm certainly not going to stop their freedom of expression- EXCEPT where it interferes with someone else. I am a role model to my kids and I don't want to model any behavior that might be a threat to their parent's religious choice for them (except for tolerance, I can't help that- I am supposed to keep a peaceable classroom- I can't teach effective if I have religious wars on my hands).
I don't even know what all religions I have in my class. I have talked with a few of the parents- I have some Catholics, two Jewish children, my Buddhist, a Jehova's Witness, some children who are obviously some sort of Christian (like "Jane"- although I've no idea what sort of Christian she is- our valley is full of many flavors of Christianity- and it isn't my place to inquire into religion.) If parents bring it up to me because it is an area of special concern I am always willing to work with them. I've tailored Halloween parties for religious children (to emphasize fall and harvest instead of ghouls and ghosties): I've made sure children don't have to stand for patriotic songs or say the Pledge of Allegiance, I am open to just about anything in terms of customizing the learning environment, or conforming to dietary laws, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else, or make anyone else feel denigrated. Of course I'm a relativist and showing respect for everyones views in my class isn't a big deal for me- I may not respect the IDEAS themselves, but I respect absolutely the right of the parents of my children to hold whatever ideas they want (as long as they aren't verging into abuse that violates our district policies, or state laws obviously- since strict requirements are imposed on teachers regarding the documenting and reporting of child abuse).
This is a free country- and public education ought to allow parents of all kinds of children to send their children to school free of fear that any other child will persecute them for their religious belief, or try to convert them. I think of it as the religious lunchbox. I let their parents pack their religious lunchbox- it isn't my place to pack it, or to interfere in their eating of it- UNLESS they begin to feed it to other students. In a multireligious school that just won't work.
End of rant. |
