Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Your opinion needed

Opinion?
Especially teachers' opinions...

Younger Son's class is doing reports on various countries. Yesterday, one student presented his report on Greece, and noted the beer consumption of the country.
"Oh," remarked the teacher, "I'll need to drink more beer to keep up with them!"
The class laughed.
As class was dismissed for the day, the teacher said, "I'm going home to have a beer. And if I'm not here in the morning, you'll know why."

As Younger Son told us about it, seeing the stunned looks on his parents' faces, he defended his teacher pointing out emphatically that his teacher was only joking. Only joking. Everyone knew it was a joke.

The husband and I think it was a joke in poor taste.
And we are debating whether or not to report the incident.

What say you?

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I would note it but not report it. Not yet. If this particular teacher continued with such odd behavior, then it gets time to report. It could have been a one time faux pas.

Hapkido said...

I teach TKD, not sure if that counts, but there are a lot of kids...so here's my opinion.

The first joke was OK - it was relevant to the topic & added a little humor. No harm done.

The second was way off base. Joking to impressionable childern that getting drunk is no big deal will only encourage them in the wrong way. By the time the second joke was made, the report was over & the time for making fun of that little stat had long passed.

As an instructor, there's an expectation that teachers will set an example. Never will a TKD instructor at CVDA joke about binge drinking, "getting lucky" on a date, etc. It has nothing to do with the kids' education, nor does it add to the topic being discussed.

My thought is to report the incident. If the kids know the teacher well enough to "know" this is a joke, the assumption would be the teacher periodically makes jokes on classroom topics.

Rave said...

I would not report it...but I would say something to the teacher that you thought it in poor taste.
Always go to the 'suspect' first....then over their head if it doesn't cease.

Thumper said...

Is she otherwise a good teacher? Then talk to her, let her know it was in poor taste (2nd joke...first was pretty funny, actually, and kids are smart enough to understand the humor) and then let it go. Everyone has the right to cash in a couple of Stupid Checks; this was one of hers.

Some of the best teachers I ever had were known to say something stupid once in a while. If parents had reported them for it...my education would have been very different.

Richmond said...

I agree - I am sure it was just a lapse in judgment. But if that kind of inappropriate joking continues, report. Just my 2 cents.

Anonymous said...

Speaking as a teacher: Was this elementary school? Definitely poor taste and inappropriate. Middle school/high school - you have to 'connect' with the kids, and while as a poor example, doesn't need to be reported. Yet.

I've said things on occasion that I certainly didn't mean to, and would never repeat that particular circumstance again (seared, SEARED into my brain, lol). That teacher probably went home and slapped themselves upside the head. Give him/her a second chance, but monitor closely. If the teacher made a stupid mistake, he/she won't do it again. Speaking to them now may make them second-guess everything they say, and that can kill rapport with the kids. After all, in this case, the other student did bring up the subject of beer.

Keep an eye/ear open. If the teacher really is stupid, he/she will do this again. Then go talk to him/her with both examples, then talk to the principal.

But...YOU are the parent. You know better about the teacher's regular behavior. If the teacher is very young, he/she might have a hard time being the adult among kids. You have to take care of your child. Pop in on the class once in awhile (and embarrass your son in the process...a two-fer!). Does your son's work for the class seem level-appropriate? Quality assignments and not just busy work? Is your son learning? He seems to like the teacher...kids are usually pretty good judges. Yeah, they like having 'easy' work, but then the class would be bedlam with a lax teacher.

It comes down to your judgement as to what is best for your son.

Roses said...

You guys are awesome!

I was thinking if it was me, I'd like the parents to talk to me and get the whole story before they went to the top.

This is one of those fringe teachers that comes in for one subject and then goes away for the rest of the week. So, I don't know this person at all.

Thank you for your intelligent thoughts.

Bob said...

The teacher is an idiot. No matter her side of the story is, one fact remains: you just don't tell impressionable students that getting drunk is funny.

I'd definitely report it, but I wouldn't expect the school administration to take any action. My experience has been that administrators in public school don't want to make waves.

Anonymous said...

As a person who once made a comment like this and wound up in the middle of an "intervention of friends" I really feel for the teacher who said something and was unjustly judged for it... Somethimes some things just comes out of our mouths and we shouldn't be judged for it...

Anonymous said...

Getting drunk is funny. I speak from experience and that experience began when I was about 12 so . . . ;)

Srsly though? get the story before you report.