So I have a kid on the way....

[DocEmrick]

Yes, yes, I'm gonna be DADDY DOC this summer at some point hoping for June 21st, but we'll see.



My question for you parents out there is a complex one, but one I hope you can answer:

First off, I've gone through all the prepatory phases for dealing with the mother in this case, but my question is much deeper.

I never considered home schooling, I've already picked out which sports he/she is going to play (hockey for boy, softball for girl), but I want to know this from my fellow fathers/mothers out there:

I've been thinking a lot about the old school parent/teacher night, where the parents go to the school to (let's not lie here) judge the teachers that their son/daughter has. As a parent, how do you deduce whether or not the educator in question is intelligent enough to teach your little one? And I'm not trying to be a d*** about this, for instance: count2infinity: I would trust this person to teach my kid about chemistry...

But what about the more questionable topics, such as history? Whereas most of the history teachers at my school(s) where straight, flat-out, propaganda spewing mouthpieces, I remember few and far between that taught "Oh, well you see we really didn't win Vietnam. We got our asses handed to us and called it a day."

Yes, that has been my worst fear, a faulty education on the history of the U.S, the humanities and arts, and that accepting "everyone" for "Who they are" is okay, and should be encouraged!

Just curious as to how others have felt when they visited their kids' school, and what sort of thoughts went through your mind as you heard your kids' educators speak regarding their coursework, etc.

[columbia]

Woah...congrats man.

[MWB]

Woah...congrats man. :fist: :fist: :thumb: :scared:

[DocEmrick]

Thanks guys.

Anyone have any incite as to what your reaction was at your first student/teacher meeting? How about a PTA meeting? Anything that anyone can add on the current state of education would be awesome.

[Lt. Dish]

Congratulations! All the best to you and your growing family!

(If you're thinking of moving to Texas, make sure you know the status of the ongoing curriculum and textbook debates first.)

[DocEmrick]

Congratulations! All the best to you and your growing family!

(If you're thinking of moving to Texas, make sure you know the status of the ongoing curriculum and textbook debates first.)

Thanks, haven't considered moving to Texas now or anywhere in the near future. If we move anywhere it will be to Canada. Interesting on the "ongoing textbook debates," what subjects are Texans debating, or what specific curriculum is in question there?

[shmenguin]

congrats. as a new parent myself, the best advice i can give you is to ignore all the advice you get. parenthood is different for everyone. reeeeally different.

so you're scared of the kid having bad teachers? eh. can't control that. if you try to over manage your kids at school, there's a 99% chance you're a bigger problem than the bad teacher is.

[MWB]

You'll get good teachers and bad teachers. Some you agree with, some you don't. Try not to let personal feeling about the teacher reflect to your child, because they may really like a teacher you don't. Most teachers are trying to do what is best for the kids, but as parents that's hard to see sometimes.

[DocEmrick]

I've already been questioned a multitude of times by individuals of faith as to what religion I am bringing my child in, and needless to say I haven't had an answer for those folks, as I plan to let my child grow as it will into whatever beliefs it sees as truth. Liz (mother) agrees on this point, as she has an upbringing not far off from mine.

congrats. as a new parent myself, the best advice i can give you is to ignore all the advice you get. parenthood is different for everyone. reeeeally different.

so you're scared of the kid having bad teachers? eh. can't control that. if you try to over manage your kids at school, there's a 99% chance you're a bigger problem than the bad teacher is.

Thanks shmeguin, the advice you give is 100% accurate, and something I've found myself following to the "T." Many people at work have been like "OH YOU HAVE TO DO THIS," or "YOU HAVE TO GO TO DISNEYWORLD WHEN HE/SHE IS 7 OR 8 YEARS OLD," etc, etc. For the record, I hate disney, and despise all things disney-esque in nature.

The advice you give on teachers however, is intriguing. I do not want to over-manage my kid at school, and I agree that there is the possibility that I am a bigger problem than a teacher is. I just want to understand how parents gauge their educators' intellect. For instance:

6 years ago I was in college. I wasn't the smartest, or most humble character on the block, however I will endow you with this little anecdote:

It was 3 AM, I was with a friend, we'll call him Eric. His ex-girlfriend was a primary education major. Long story short she went crazy around 4 AM that night, something all of us have done at one point or another I'm sure (to some degree). Would I want her teaching my children? Short answer: Hell no. To follow-up she teaches to this day (in a district south of Pittsburgh).

I just wonder how parents separate the wheat from chaff, so to speak.

[the wicked child]

Spoiler:

[MWB]

Congratulations! All the best to you and your growing family!

(If you're thinking of moving to Texas, make sure you know the status of the ongoing curriculum and textbook debates first.)

:lol:

Thanks, haven't considered moving to Texas now or anywhere in the near future. If we move anywhere it will be to Canada. Interesting on the "ongoing textbook debates," what subjects are Texans debating, or what specific curriculum is in question there?

Texas has big sway in the textbook industry since they buy so many. They're not too keen on the evolution part of science and would like more religion added. They also have been pushing for changes in the social studies texts (like calling it the "Atlantic triangle trade" or something instead of the slave trade).

[DocEmrick]

Spoiler:

I'm really not a bad person, ask around.

[columbia]

Doc is good people.

[Lt. Dish]

Congratulations! All the best to you and your growing family!

(If you're thinking of moving to Texas, make sure you know the status of the ongoing curriculum and textbook debates first.)

Thanks, haven't considered moving to Texas now or anywhere in the near future. If we move anywhere it will be to Canada. Interesting on the "ongoing textbook debates," what subjects are Texans debating, or what specific curriculum is in question there?

Ther re-ritin teh soshul studiez, teh historiez, an teh scienz!

The controversy involves revising American history and pushing creationism, not simply offering multiple sides of political and scientific arguments, and integrating religion and ultraconservative political ideology in public school. I believe the debate is still going on, but I've only found one article after 2010.

(I'm not presenting "evidence": I'm just providing places to get basic info. )

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archive ... tion=false

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162- ... 03544.html

http://abcnews.go.com/US/textbooks-pro- ... d=11720998

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/ ... -make-over

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 00560.html

http://www.theonion.com/articles/texas- ... oks,17136/

[MWB]

The advice you give on teachers however, is intriguing. I do not want to over-manage my kid at school, and I agree that there is the possibility that I am a bigger problem than a teacher is. I just want to understand how parents gauge their educators' intellect. For instance:

6 years ago I was in college. I wasn't the smartest, or most humble character on the block, however I will endow you with this little anecdote:

It was 3 AM, I was with a friend, we'll call him Eric. His ex-girlfriend was a primary education major. Long story short she went crazy around 4 AM that night, something all of us have done at one point or another I'm sure (to some degree). Would I want her teaching my children? Short answer: Hell no. To follow-up she teaches to this day (in a district south of Pittsburgh).

I just wonder how parents separate the wheat from chaff, so to speak.

There is a small chance that you'll have some extreme teacher who has problems. If that's the case, make a big deal about it to the principal. The squeeky wheel gets the grease. That is definitely true in schools. Really though, you and mom are the biggest teachers. One "bad" teacher won't have a lasting effect of you do your best at home.

[DocEmrick]

Texas has big sway in the textbook industry since they buy so many. They're not too keen on the evolution part of science and would like more religion added. They also have been pushing for changes in the social studies texts (like calling it the "Atlantic triangle trade" or something instead of the slave trade).

I see. I don't doubt the faith vs. evolution portion at all in a southern state, don't get me wrong. In my belief there's a plethora of evidence to debunk both theories.

The "slave trade" angle is interesting. I guess that's what I'm more afraid of, if false, my child(ren) getting an untrue version of American history.

I still question all of my subjects, and guess that would be the best route to take in the "Question everything," sort of realm.

[Sam's Drunk Dog]

Tell them Vulcanism.

[MWB]

Chances are you'll pass the "question everything" attitude to your kid, and s/he will be fine when faced with questionable teachings.

[columbia]

I would have gone for the mind meld version of Calculus II, had that been available.

[Lt. Dish]

Chances are you'll pass the "question everything" attitude to your kid, and s/he will be fine when faced with questionable teachings.

Healthy skepticism is healthy.

[Sam's Drunk Dog]

You'll teach how to make hockey pucks via telekinetic abilities. Hat tricks to heaven.

[Lt. Dish]

I would have gone for the mind meld version of Calculus II, had that been available.

Better than those leftist schenn-disturbers Leibniz and Newton.

[DocEmrick]

Chances are you'll pass the "question everything" attitude to your kid, and s/he will be fine when faced with questionable teachings.

This is most likely what will happen.

[DocEmrick]

Ther re-ritin teh soshul studiez, teh historiez, an teh scienz!

The controversy involves revising American history and pushing creationism, not simply offering multiple sides of political and scientific arguments, and integrating religion and ultraconservative political ideology in public school. I believe the debate is still going on, but I've only found one article after 2010.

(I'm not presenting "evidence": I'm just providing places to get basic info. )

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archive ... tion=false

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162- ... 03544.html

http://abcnews.go.com/US/textbooks-pro- ... d=11720998

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/ ... -make-over

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 00560.html

http://www.theonion.com/articles/texas- ... oks,17136/

Wow...thanks for this post, it's actually kind of scary about what's going on down there (even if I was of a previous mind that TX was a last hope for the rebirth of the old US)

[DocEmrick]

I would have gone for the mind meld version of Calculus II, had that been available.