I dreamt I stood
In a studio
And watched two sculptors there,
The clay they used
Was a young child’s mind And they fashioned it with care.
One was a teacher The tools he/she used
Were books and Music and art;
One was a parent
With a guiding hand
and a gentle loving heart.
And when at last
Their work was done
They were proud of
What they had wrought
For the things they
Had worked into the child
Could never be
Sold or bought.
And each agreed he/she would have failed
If he/she had worked alone
For behind the parent
Stood the school
And behind the teacher
Stood the home.
-Anonymous
Each fall I stand in front of a brand new group of parents and read this poem to open up my Curriculum Night presentation. Each fall I choke back tears, as I comprehend the meaning of this poem. What grand jobs we have as teachers, and yet what more incredibly daunting roles we lead as parents.
Four years ago this January, I became a parent. Like most parents I know and talk to, never would I have guessed how my world would change. Even as an educator, the training and experience, the books and classes, nothing could have prepared me for this role. These little beings are placed in our arms and not only are we solely responsible for providing their basic needs for survival, but we have become our children’s first and most important teachers.
As our children’s first and most important teachers we try our best to raise our children into responsible, respectful, fun loving, empathetic, and good citizens all while providing engaging and worthwhile experiences to help foster a love of learning. When our children enter school we parents must often reassess our roles in our child’s education.
Other factors begin to influence our child’s learning. There is now a need for us parents to learn how to best support our children at home with what they are learning at school and how to best communicate effectively with our children’s teacher in order to help our children succeed.
My hope is this column is much like the studio in the poem where two sculptors (parents and teachers) work together in order to shape the young child’s mind. I hope it will provide parents in our community an opportunity to ask questions and receive answers on how to best support their learners at home. For a question one parents asks is probably a question several parents will have now or in the near future.
I will definitely not have all the answers but do my best to consult other educators, seek out resources, and communicate the latest research. And, when at last our work is done, let’s be proud of what we wrought, for behind the parent, stood the school, and behind the teacher stood the home.
You may contact Mrs. Brooke by email at dearmrs.brooke@gmail.com with any questions regarding your child’s learning.
Joy Brooke is the first and most important teacher of her four-year old son and two year old daughter. She resides in downtown Kirkland with her husband and two children. Brooke currently teaches AM Kindergarten at Ben Franklin Elementary in the Lake Washington School District. She is a National Board Certified teacher in Literacy: Reading- Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood, holds a B.A. in Educational Studies and a M.A. in Educational Policy and Management from the University of Oregon. The opinions provided in this column do not reflect that of the LWSD or any other organization she is affiliated.
