There has been years of controversy about the role of teachers and parents of school age children. Parents send unruly, disrespectful, and unmannerly children to school everyday, and expect the teachers to suddenly make little angels of them. Teachers have their hands full trying to teach a classroom of students the required education curriculum which can be more demanding when all students do not learn at the same level or pace. Students who have not been taught the essentials at home can make it difficult to give those who want to learn a proper understanding of a subject content.A Portuguese school that was struggling with the misconduct and disrespect from students came up with a novel idea. They made a giant poster and put it up in the hall for all parents to see.
This poster expressed how they felt about a child being trained good manners at home. The teachers at this school had seen enough of students not having basic respect training, and parents who felt that this was the teacher’s job to do. Between the years of birth and early childhood a child should be taught how to interact with others politely. They should know how to be mannerly, say please and thank you, be considerate of the belongings of others, and how to be respectful of older adults. Homes without these values in place are no doubt hectic environments. School is not the place for what should have already been taught by parents. The school’s poster simply stated what is expected of parents when it comes to home training. Some parents, of course, were outraged, but as with everything else in today’s society, the poster was recorded, and went viral on social media with most comments being in favor or the teachers. The poster reminded parents that qualities like honesty, diligence, respect, promptness, and sympathy are learned at home, There are not enough hours in the school day for teachers to be wholly responsive for teaching these traits.
The poster went on to say to parents that home was where children learned cleanliness, put trash in the garbage, and not talk when their mouths were full. Children also learn organization at home, and how they should not touch others. These type things go hand in hand with respect, manners, and proper conduct. If teachers had to be responsible for teaching these concepts it would take away from the time that should be allotted for teaching educational subjects like math, reading, science, language, and other requirements. They are only to re-enforce what should be taught at home. This poster has gotten comments from parents, teacher, and others from around the world, and has impacted some parents in a positive way. What teachers hope to gain by this poster campaign is that parents will discontinue dropping their children off at school for the teacher to work impossible magic. They hope that parents will become more proactive with their children, and teach them the common basic lessons of conduct and respect.
