Back To School Night: I Have Issues

I'm starting to think my town's Back-to-School night is some kind of PR campaign. There were dewy-eyed testimonials. And product placements. And speeches that sounded like those a copywriter would create. While they made our school sound completely wonderful, there were no numbers. No test scores. No data at all.

It was like the Republican National Convention of Back-to-School nights.

Taken in the school's courtyard/garden/awesomespace

I mean, I do happen to think the school is pretty great. But it's a public school. A very well-respected public school with a good ranking. It's not like we need to recruit people, right? Especially the people who are already there on Back-to-School night.

Maybe I'm just jealous that the teachers got to study with Lucy Calkins this summer. She was my first teaching idol.

The classroom presentations were fine. Of course. I was actually touched to see that Lovebug's veteran and award-winning teacher got nervous speaking to a room full of adults. She made a point of telling me how sweet Lovebug is, and how hard he is trying in class. He still hasn't quite adjusted to the full day. Ironflower's teacher wasn't as warm, but she does seem to have a sense of humor. Hot Guy went to Hugmonkey's class, but it sounds like they just went through everything that I heard at the meeting last spring. Plus, I already love his teacher.

Anyway, it was the whole group presentation that bugged me. It was so non-specific and rah-rah. I suppose that's why half the parents stood in the hallway talking loudly during it. I know I should be condemning (or politely ignoring) their rudeness, but mostly I was jealous.

Obviously I need to meditate more on my jealousy issues.

I guess I'm just used to hearing more hard data on these occasions. After teaching in an urban public school for so many years, where test scores mattered so much, I find it weird that no one even mentioned testing or attendance or even PTO membership. Though we did get asked to join the PTO, the educational foundation, the music and arts foundation and to support the after school program.