Lace to the Top Small Business Saturday

Tags

Children, education, parents, small business

With the holiday season upon us, we need to remember to support an essential piece of our communities. Our local businesses are what keep Main Street great. 

This weekend is the first “Lace to the Top Small Business Saturday.” Print copies of the attached flier and go shop at your main street stores. Speak to the owners and employees and thank them. Tell them about Lace to the Top and ask to put up a “Proud Supporter” flier in the store’s window for the holiday season. Then, share your experince with Lace to the Top.

This holiday season, give the green gift that makes a positive difference in lives of children. Invite local business to support children and Lace to the Top. 

P.S. So many amazing things have happened as a result of the dedicated members of Lace to the Top. Parents, teachers, and children have united and the tide has turned. You have made green laces the symbol of love for kids and the belief that children are more than a test score. Thank you! 

As one.

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Where are all the parents?

Tags

Children, education, Elementary school, Parent

A facebook post by fellow Green Lacer, Donna Rossi, got me thinking. She shared her observation that posts that she makes about education go unnoticed by her friends, but a picture of her dog will get 20 likes in a minute. I have also made this observation, and have shared Donna’s frustration. I have been troubled by the apathy of my friends. I have even said to myself, “They are just like some of my students! They don’t care about anything!” Then I realized something. They are just like some of my students. One thing that I have learned from years in the classroom is that many times, students that appear not to care are actually interested, but ill equipped to participate. It is easier to say “I don’t care,” or nothing at all, than to say, “I don’t understand this.” This is especially true when the rest of the class appears knowledgeable and is fully engaged in a lively discussion. Some of our parent friends must feel the same way.

Sometimes we interpret the “silence” about posts to indicate apathy, but perhaps we need to be more sensitive to the differing experiences among parents, much like we do for our students. I loved everything about elementary school. I loved the adventure of learning and I was motivated by the energy and support of my teachers to continue to try and take risks. As these risks led to more success, I became a fearless learner that craved a challenge. I want the same experience for my children. The thought of that being taken from them led me to this movement. Had my experience in elementary school been different, my perception of the threat facing my children would probably be different.

Just as important as the perception of the learning experience is the perception of the players involved. The only interaction I ever had with the principal as a student was to get an award. The only reason I was sent to the office was to do my teacher a favor. I didn’t even know where detention was. As a teacher, I know many administrators and feel very comfortable sharing my opinions with them. My experience as a student, my college degree and my experience as a teacher give me confidence that I will be heard and respected, even if they disagree with what I am saying. Not everyone sees teachers and administrators the way that I do. To some, they are still the intimidating tyrants of their childhood and conversations with them promise to be tense. They may be afraid that they will not be heard or respected. They may fear that their own performance in school will diminish the validity of their concerns for their children. They may even doubt their concerns themselves.

We need all parents to join us in the fight to protect our kids, which means we need to empower all parents. If what works with students that have “shut down” applies to adults, which I’m sure it does, then we need to give them the background and support necessary to make them feel safe and welcome in the conversation. We need to address their reluctance to become involved and remind them that children have no better advocates than their own parents. We then need to smile, give them a pair of green laces, and welcome them to the ranks of proud and determined parents that have had enough and will take no more.

inBloom=inappropriate

Tags

Children, Data mining, inBloom

I was in the store today with my one year old in the stroller. A stranger stopped, bent down to him and said, “You still use a pacifier, huh?” She then flashed me a condescending smirk and continued on with her shopping. I wanted to yell out, “I’m a great mom!” I wanted to tell her that he is still teething and it helps his gums feel better. I wanted to tell her that I have a perfectly adjusted four year old that voluntarily gave up her pacifier at two. I wanted to hug him and tell him that it’s okay that he still uses a pacifier.

Having a complete stranger judge me and my parenting was infuriating. I wondered what she inferred about him, me, and our family that was untrue. Did she think I just gave it to him to keep him quiet in the store so I could indulge my shopping habit? The reality is that he rarely cries, and I rarely shop. What are her credentials that certify her to pass judgment? Is she even a parent herself? If so, is she good at it? This woman saw a snapshot of our life; a quick image of a baby with a pacifier. From that, she made inferences and deemed me worthy of a patronizing comment. This was rage-inducing, and unfortunately, an occurrence that I need to get used to it if our school district signs on to use inBloom, an organization that collects and shares data about students. It will take snapshots of my children and make inferences about our life and family.

inBloom is exactly like the judgmental stranger at the store. Before inBloom, if I decided to take my child out of school for the day because our family had the opportunity to work for a day at our local farm, my child’s teacher would be thrilled. Knowing my child, she would know how much she loves her garden and all things agricultural. She would know how well my child does when she is physically engaged in an activity. She would know how my child devours knowledge every chance that she gets and she would anticipate a full report to the class from my daughter about everything that she learned and experienced upon her return. She would also know my husband and me, and would be confident that work missed would be made up.  She would know that we would undoubtedly end our day at the farm by reading books about farming, comparing it to our experience,  and writing a thank you note to the farmer.

After inBloom, a data-mining stranger would note an illegal absence from student #8754790. A note would be made. We would be put on a list.

This is unacceptable, but it is becoming a reality in more and more districts. We need to stand up and speak out against data miners judging our children and our choices (yes, even your political preferences can be tracked by inBloom).  The time for seeing how this will all pan out has passed.  Trusting that oraganizations like inBloom have the best interest of our children in mind is foolish. We need to take action now in order to protect our children and their shot at a valuable, meaningful education.

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