How does it go again? “Yes, it’s true. Not undermining the teacher’s authority and credibility, independent of the actual quality of their teaching is Very Important to you.”
I think you are quite possibly making a good decision. I guess it depends what path you want your children to develop along, the degree of insanity to which they are exposed and the nature of their innate psychological makeup.
My husband and I are very much of the opinion that getting along in society and modern civilization is a game. And then there are things we care about, too.
Regarding the quality of the teaching, there’s a few things I would criticize about the quality of the teaching before her belief in angels! Given that this particular teacher and this particular school represent an optimal location in our set of possibilities, undermining the teacher’s authority would most likely lead to behavior I don’t want, like distrust and hostility. The teacher needs an environment with which to teach empathy, letters and shapes at this age. The religious training seems like a small thing?
undermining the teacher’s authority would most likely lead to behavior I don’t want, like distrust and hostility.
Unless, of course, the children learned to differentiate ‘respect’ of the social kind (the only important part for social success at school) from respect of the kind where actual merit is relevant. This is an invaluable lesson in its own right. (By my observation the social necessity of showing respect to an authority figure may actually have an inverse correlation with their merit—unless you actually wish to challenge them.)
Again, this isn’t a criticism of your decision, which I think is a practical one. Just a consideration some need to account for depending on psychological makeup of their children.
The religious training seems like a small thing?
Utterly trivial. Makes almost no difference. :)
This is actually a case where The Santa Deception may actually be a good thing. One approach I may consider would be to teach my kids the necessary religion myself, actively. I’d tell them all the right religious stories, and intersperse those stories with fairy tales and stories of Santa. All in the same tone and cheery enthusiasm.
I can still ace the religious questions when I go along to trivia nights at church with my Christian friends. There is no reason my kids can’t too. :)
By my observation the social necessity of showing respect to an authority figure may actually have an inverse correlation with their merit—unless you actually wish to challenge them.
Sometimes I get into trouble with this, and have to explain to somebody whom I respect that I didn’t show them as much respect as I showed another because I actually respect them more (and probably actually respected them too much, but I don’t say that). Mostly this is not authority figures, however.
How does it go again? “Yes, it’s true. Not undermining the teacher’s authority and credibility, independent of the actual quality of their teaching is Very Important to you.”
I think you are quite possibly making a good decision. I guess it depends what path you want your children to develop along, the degree of insanity to which they are exposed and the nature of their innate psychological makeup.
My husband and I are very much of the opinion that getting along in society and modern civilization is a game. And then there are things we care about, too.
Regarding the quality of the teaching, there’s a few things I would criticize about the quality of the teaching before her belief in angels! Given that this particular teacher and this particular school represent an optimal location in our set of possibilities, undermining the teacher’s authority would most likely lead to behavior I don’t want, like distrust and hostility. The teacher needs an environment with which to teach empathy, letters and shapes at this age. The religious training seems like a small thing?
Unless, of course, the children learned to differentiate ‘respect’ of the social kind (the only important part for social success at school) from respect of the kind where actual merit is relevant. This is an invaluable lesson in its own right. (By my observation the social necessity of showing respect to an authority figure may actually have an inverse correlation with their merit—unless you actually wish to challenge them.)
Again, this isn’t a criticism of your decision, which I think is a practical one. Just a consideration some need to account for depending on psychological makeup of their children.
Utterly trivial. Makes almost no difference. :)
This is actually a case where The Santa Deception may actually be a good thing. One approach I may consider would be to teach my kids the necessary religion myself, actively. I’d tell them all the right religious stories, and intersperse those stories with fairy tales and stories of Santa. All in the same tone and cheery enthusiasm.
I can still ace the religious questions when I go along to trivia nights at church with my Christian friends. There is no reason my kids can’t too. :)
Up-voted for this:
Sometimes I get into trouble with this, and have to explain to somebody whom I respect that I didn’t show them as much respect as I showed another because I actually respect them more (and probably actually respected them too much, but I don’t say that). Mostly this is not authority figures, however.
It seems easier to repair religious damage than social damage, but I am not an expert in child development.