Edu Motion

Just got in from the monthly PTO meeting. Women run organizations confound me sometimes. Before you get your panties in a knot; I'm a woman and this is my blog it's allowed.

The PTO meeting is something that I attend only because I have a child in the public education system and I need brownie points with the Principal. I would not choose to go because it's a happening.

Oh all right. I'll fes-up (I do care about making sure that I do my civic duty to make sure that the children in my school district get the best educational opportunities.)

But back to my experience tonight.

What confounds me is when the President of a committee (woman) asks for group input but has already previously made up HER mind and is totally transparent about it.

Please don't waste my time making me listen to a "discussion" that is serving no greater good. On with the perplexing scenerio of other people not getting that the decision maker has made the decision (weeks ago) and keep offering ideas and suggestions. Puu-leease. Just end the conversation. Then don't get me started about the teachers who just love to talk and can drag out a 5 minute presentation to a 20 minute festival about how great they are....

Then, the moms groups. Setting up a playdate can take an entire week of emails. Just pick up a phone. Women want to seem democratic it seems to me. But all of that democratic discussion translates to inertia and wasted time. Let's pick a direction and go I suggest. If it's the wrong direction the steering wheel is round. We can always adjust right? I mean correct?

and the stories I could relate about my experiences in dance troups...can you imagine what it's like adding all of that performer ego on top?

But, that's for another blog back to the PTO.

If it weren't for the comedic antics of two of my mom friends around the table PTO meetings would be pure torture.

Tonight after the PTO meeting we had a fabulous discussion and confession that we can't understand our 2nd graders Math homework half of the time. We are all college educated mom's who have worked professional jobs that could be considered careers. But we can't understand what the directions mean! It's not just the mom's either. One dad who works in the Financial District with big math and world wide clients had to write a note to the teacher. "Couldn't figure out this problem." Also, I learned that my child in not the only one bored with the redundant homework that is sent home. It's the same worksheets that they've done all day long in school! No Child Left Behind is creating a bunch of pencil pushers it seems to me.

Right now; I am not seeing the benefit of homework as an extention of the curriculum to expand on concepts learned during the day. My position is that homework is a waste of my family time. The kids only get to be kids for a short time. Please let me play with my kid, so that we can build healthy bonds and easy communication. I have plenty of other things to fight about with her.