An Afternoon At School


Two weeks ago I had to take the afternoon off work in order to bring my 10-year son to an orientation at a middle school he will be attending this September. All the students from the "feeder schools" would be walking over with their classes with their teachers. In my situation, my son has been attending special education classes at a school out of our area. His own teachers had to conduct their own classes so I had to accompany him to the orientation.

We had to meet in the gym for an assembly and I was surprised at the control the teachers had over the students. There were about 240 visiting students with approximately 8 teachers. I was in a group of 9 students with parents. The vice-principal raised his hand to signify silence and it worked effectively. I'm sitting there feeling guilty about the attention-getting tactics I have to use at home to get the attention of my 3 kids.

The age of the middle school students range from 10 to 14 and they were active participants in the orientation. The choir performed a catchy song and I have to admit they did a great job. The beginner band and jazz band each played a number. Some of the teachers gave short speeches on the subjects they teach. I even learned how to do the school cheer! We were divided up into small groups and were led on a school tour by the senior students. With 19 groups wandering around the school, it was still very orderly.

OK, what's my point of this story?

In the news, we see stories of high school shootings or runaway teens on drugs. Yes, these are real events. It makes me shudder and develop a bad attitude toward our youth. I'm sure our parents felt the same way about us. Mind you, we didn't exhibit the same kind of violence you see today.

For 2 hours I saw a refreshing display of talent and attitude. These students showed respect for adults and a desire to perform well. When my son needed help with learning how to open a combination lock, three female students hovered over him like mother hens. The young man who took us on the tour made a point of introducing himself and answering questions. It was nice to see the teachers speak enthusiastically about their courses and the accomplishments of the students.

The copyright of the article An Afternoon At School in Tips for Working Mothers is owned by Maureen Fleury. Permission to republish An Afternoon At School in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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