Kids these days...

[Dunk76]

The internet has a huge amount to answer to.

Idly sitting on the net with facebook open, and my 11yr old stepdaughter - currently at a friend's house - starts a chat session asking about one of her teachers ringing me today. So I launch into Parental guidance mode #1.

I should really ground her due to the parting shot, but... I can't really, can I?

facebook said:

(cut down)
Me
I'll see what your teachers say at open evening. Don't think I'm having a pop at you - applying yourself at school is your choice. But, you only get one shot at it, and you'll regret it for your whole life if you don't bother

Kid
i get to choose who you see by the way

Me
do you?!?

Kid
yep, its my choice and i know who i am chosing

Me
my advice would be to choose all of them; otherwise I'll think you're hiding something

Kid
you can't. you can only choose 6

Me
English, Maths, Science, plus three of your choice then

Kid
its going to be my re teacher, my geography, science, english, pe teacher, and food tech, they're my favourite subjects and i'm good in them

Me
drop PE and put maths in. It's no good just picking your favourites

Kid
well i dont acctually like PE and im bad at it and i dont want you to see my maths teacher cuz i talk, but i do do my work

Me
That's precisely why I want to see your maths teacher. The other way is I email them and ask to meet them outside of open evening... which probably be worse for you as we'd have more time to talk

Kid
I will think about it

Me
You'll do as you're asked madam. Christ, if I'd spoken to your Grandfather like that when I was eleven he'd have knocked my block off. Then your Great Grandfather would have come round and knocked it off again to make sure I understood.

Kid
Yeah and look what it did to you

[Uriel]

Your stepdaughter is a cheeky brat. I don't see how the internet is to blame?

[Willie Dee]

Children are different nowadays, water is also wet.

[Ace-T]

Teenage version of a PH keyboard warrior.

[Dunk76]

Ace-T said:

Teenage version of a PH keyboard warrior.

Yup

Actually rather proud of the dismissive put-down

[Westy Pre-Lit]

Was working at a school today, the kids actually knew the first names of their teachers and the receptionists.

[TheEnd]

Westy Pre-Lit said:

Was working at a school today, the kids actually knew the first names of their teachers and the receptionists.

wow, that was one of the most closely guarded secrets of teaching, the best kids could do was guess from their first initial.

...or just make up a name anyway

[Dunk76]

Insolence aside, my current gripe is the online multiple choice homework they set; yes I know it's easier to mark and limits dog-eating or bus related excuses... but it's not exactly taxing, nor particularly educational.

[Dunk76]

Parents Evening on Monday, so once Educated-beyond-the-point-of-common-sense imperialistic conservative tub-thumper here has run the gauntlet of the loony left and achingly right-on middle-classes we have here in Hove Actually I shall let you know.

But I'm not expecting to be pleasantly surprised.

[Mark-C]

TVR Moneypit said:

Dunk76 said:

Parents Evening on Monday, so once Educated-beyond-the-point-of-common-sense imperialistic conservative tub-thumper here has run the gauntlet of the loony left and achingly right-on middle-classes we have here in Hove Actually I shall let you know.

But I'm not expecting to be pleasantly surprised.

I'm just flabergasted that the kids get to choose which teachers the parents get to meet


Only one thing was certain when my parents went to a parent / teacher do at school. And that was my dad would come home and give me a proper tanning.

Also amazed kids get to choose - in my day (as both a child and parent) the parents saw everyone. My dad spent a lot of time lingering with my Geography teacher (Miss ... no first names then ... Bradley) despite having no interest in Geography or my ability at it. I think I did the same with my girl's Spanish teacher ....

ETA - there were two girls so that should read "my girls'" before the ghost of my English teacher and the PH punctuation priests cause me sleepless nights ...

Edited by Mark-C on Thursday 24th June 01:13

[becksW]

I can't believe they get to choose the teachers, what a ridiculous idea, I'm sure my parents saw teachers based on my school reports/ marks.