My new home?

I always thought that my children would have the hardest time of all of us adjusting to school in the US. They spent 2 years in a French school which was very different from US schools. This was going to be a BIG transition for them right? And I would just get along swimmingly. After all, I am an experienced teacher who worked in this school district for over 3 years. I should have it all figured out, right?

That is so not how it is working out.

The Misses have adjusted to their new school very well while I have been feeling left out or aggravated in turns. I am trying not to be one of "those" parents. You know, the ones who are constantly e-mailing or calling the teacher with annoying questions that border on complaints. I have not been impressed with the communication (or lack there of) that comes home. Don't get me wrong, the teachers have all responded very promptly to my e-mail messages. It is the fact that I need to write some of these messages that I find annoying.

Why should I have to ask the teacher when the library books are due? We get a weekly newsletter every Monday. Wouldn't you think that would be a good tidbit to throw into the communication that goes home to EVERY parent?

Why did I get a calendar with my kids names on it with NO instructions as to what it was for? Luckily the Misses knew that it was a snack calendar, and that their names are on the days that they are responsible for the class snack. Um ... how about cluing the parents in on this? And why am I providing snack? What about those parents who cannot afford to send snack for 23 kids? What do the kids like? If I send grapes, how would you like them prepared to make your life easier as you pass them out to 23 kids? Is it really so difficult to get the parents in the loop, especially when the kids bring a folder home daily, and a special envelope home every Thursday? It is not a lack of opportunity people!

And then there is the whole volunteer thing. Parents do not volunteer in the French schools like American parents do. You might be needed for a field trip, but that is about it. Here, we are expected to give all of our free time to the school, and our PTA does a great job. When I was teaching high school, I would have given just about anything to have someone make my photocopies for me or to offer to do some of my administrative stuff like filing papers. That all said, it is incredibly hard to find any guidance in the whole volunteering thing at our school. We had an orientation, but the gist was "sign in and find something to do." Uh, I am new to this, and I REALLY want to help out. Could you make some suggestions?

So I found my own spot.

At our school, all of the students have science lessons in their classrooms. Once the kids get to second grade, they get to go to Science Lab for hands-on lessons that the classrooms teachers cannot do. I decided that my knowledge and expertise could be best used there. After all, I have a degree in Biology, and 8 years of experience teaching science. I contacted the lab teacher, offering to help her out, and she jumped on the chance. This poor woman sees over 500 students a week, and only has 10 minutes between groups to clean up one activity and prepare for the next one. This is so much more involved that any week of teaching that I ever had.

Today was my first day in the lab, and it was fun. I got to work with 3 groups spanning 3 grades. What a difference from 3rd grade to 5th grade! It felt good to be doing science again, and to be teaching. It was even better to NOT be in charge!

So, I guess I am going to be one of "those" parents. I am going to be involved. I might even stop in the copy room to make a few copies or laminate some stuff for a teacher that I don't know. And yes, I am still going to write my messages to the teachers. Hopefully they'll catch on that they need to provide a little more information to us.