“Treat me like you treat your teacher, NOT like you treat your mother!” I yelled.
When I heard these words come barreling out of my mouth a few weeks ago, I felt utterly defeated, both as a teacher and as a mother. The statement was directed at my eye-rolling 6th and 4th grade children when I attempted to give them a writing assignment and they sprawled across the couch in their pajamas, moaning, “Ugh.....Mom, do we HAVE to?” My wiser than wise 9-year-old daughter’s response to my outburst went something like this, “Maybe if you want us to start respecting you as a teacher, you should start respecting us as students! Teachers are nice to us when they teach, just like you are nice to us when you tuck us in at night.” Ouch, insert knife and twist. That girl has a way of getting right to me, of pointing out the honest truth in the most brutal (and loudest) way possible.
![]() |
Carmen during "P.E." class - climbing and swinging. |
The image I had envisioned of a carefree and unstructured boat-schooling environment went right out the window. I found myself fantasizing about strict schedules and dress codes, about punishment for disrespectful treatment of teachers and classmates. I felt like giving up. Only a few weeks into our foray into this world of home-schooling and their bad attitudes combined with my lack of training in teaching made me want to quit.
I was reminded once again of my deep-rooted belief that teachers are the most important, powerful, influential, undervalued and underpaid professionals in our society. Having grown up with teachers as parents, I have spent countless hours debating this point to my peers over the years, and have seen first hand the amount of work, energy, time and dedication it takes to teach.
Bruce giving the kids their sailing/physics lesson. |
Working at the table that serves as our classroom, dining room and living room, the kids were enthusiastic, jumping into their math and spelling textbooks and excited about writing their thoughts down in journals. All jazzed about the science unit Bruce taught them on the physics of sailing and on cartography of the ocean floor, we saw the sparkle in their eyes and felt proud of them (and proud of us) in achieving success in our boat-based classroom.
The kids made wooden sailboats to learn about points of sail. |
After this much-needed week off, the grandparents returned home, we set sail and are getting back into the routine of school. I feel ready to make it work. With $170 worth of books and teaching materials from Amazon, I am now armed with tools at my fingertips written by educators, and I feel confident I can become a better teacher with a better attitude. My teaching will not come close to the skilled teaching that comes from years of experience and a proper and continuing education that our public school teachers pursue, but it will improve, I am sure of it.
![]() |
We took the classroom outside this day, and learned that it was too difficult to concentrate on the beach....but if we hadn't gone there, we wouldn't have found Ernie and the boatbuilding shop |
![]() |
Richard machining wooden plugs to go in "Pocahontas" |
Carmen installed the plugs in each rib. |
Carpenters |
![]() |
The plugs ready to be installed. |
Wonderful writing, teacher-mom! Also your insights along with Carmen's, Richard's and Bruce's are right-on. Thank you for the kind words about us teachers who are so often maligned.
ReplyDeleteEven good teachers who are kind, patient, and tolerant, lose their tempers at times. After all they are human too. So don't worry if you get upset sometimes - it comes with the territory (as they say in Death of a Salesman). Keep up the valiant work onboard beautiful Northern Passage.
Mom/grandma
Jen, can I share this with my daughter's teacher?
ReplyDeleteOf course you can, please do! Share share share. :)
DeleteMy heart swells with the love I feel while reading your eloquent writing, feeling your struggles and successes. It is wonderful that your way of life naturally produces such loving growth. You must wonder sometimes who and what are the real teachers and the real students! Love you all. Kimmer
ReplyDeleteJen, you all are so open to adventure & learning. You inspire me so much! Thank you!!!
ReplyDeletelovethejourney~lupe