Facebook netizen Jacklyn Kong wrote a post on Facebook group Childcare in Singapore on why she approved of her daughter's teacher scolding her. Being a teacher has always been a tough job, especially now with parents who care so much for their children. There has been many cases of parents complaining to the schools simply for the teachers reprimanding the students.
Kong spotted the teacher scolding her daughter. The teacher apologized to her but Kong told the teacher that her daughter ought to be disciplined, something the teacher did not expect. You can read her full post below:
"My daughters transferred to a new childcare this week. And both of them were adjusting well until today, my younger one cried when I brought her to her classroom. I passed her to the teacher and promised her I’d be back to see her after I bring Jie-Jie to her class.
I returned at a time to see the teacher scolding my Daughter very sternly. I saw that my Daughter was still in tears, just the way that I left her moments before. I thought, “Wow... is the teacher scolding my girl for crying?” But I chose not to intervene and continued to observe silently from a corner. The assistant teacher saw me and signalled to the main teacher that “the parent is here”.
A while later, my Daughter was made to sit in the lap of the main teacher as she gave instructions to the other little ones. My girl, was still teary but once the activities started, those tears seemed to dissolve. But I promised my girl that I would return and I thought that I should ask the teacher for permission to enter her class and make good on my promise. When I spoke to the teacher, she started apologising to me. She explained that she had to scold Elly sternly because she spat into another classmate’s face when he was trying to console her for crying. The teacher looked apprehensive when she explained the entire situation to me, waiting for my reaction. I got a shock to learn that Elly spat and apologised for my girl’s behaviour. And I told her, with all my blessings, that if my child does wrong, she ought to be disciplined, and that the teacher should not and does not have to apologise for it. At this point, I saw the teacher’s eyes tear up, from what I interpret to be tears of relief. I explained that I too was an educator, and as educators, we have a duty to intervene when our students step out of line.
But my reflection was this: What have we as a society done, such that Teachers have to be afraid to do their jobs?
As a secondary school teacher, I can empathise with her, because I have met my share of parents who simply feel that Teachers should simply teach and not scold. Yet these same parents will throw the blame to us when their children behave badly at home.
“It takes a village to raise a child.” -African proverb
If we as parents truly love our children, we need to empower the villagers around us to love our children too instead of raining bricks on them when they try. Disciplining our children is loving them. The Teachers, the neighbours, the grandparents, are all trying to teach our children what it means to be a good person and we should not get upset with them when all they have are good intentions.
My concluding appeal is this: The Teachers who love and teach our children, should NOT have to live in fear when they teach our children to be better people. We as parents, need to protect these Teachers instead of only “protecting” our kids. These Teachers give their heart and energy and deserve our respect and appreciation - because I know, there’s no way I can do their job better.
Thank you Teachers!"
"It takes a village to raise a child" - We couldn't agree more.
