Financing construction projects - Enough equity?

It is actually the case that during the one short hour of the meeting where school material for the rest of the day is supposed to be explained, a guitar is taken out at the beginning and singing and clapping take place. This also happens at the end. The homework always consists of 1-2 tasks (HSU, German, and Math) which are usually completed within 15-30 minutes. So, it is far from an adequate substitute for teaching. However, this has less to do with homeschooling and more to do with the teacher and their concept of focusing on the weakest students to bring everyone along. But that no longer matters; in the 3rd grade, there is rotation so that someone else teaches for the next 2 years. Whether it will be different remains to be seen.

Phew... Here we have it again... The great appreciation for social professions. I don't want to trade places with the teachers right now. We can't complain. Before Christmas, there was a lot of practice on how Teams works. The principal sent a group email that every teacher should get in touch with the children at least once a week (through various channels) and asked for feedback if that doesn't work. An extra note from the teachers: "If your children have problems with the material, WE are responsible and will take care of it." When it came to alternating classes, the contact was of course switched to online. That is a bit too much to ask. Of course, there are exceptions where it doesn't work at all.

It is actually the case that in the roughly one hour of the meeting, where school material for the rest of the day is supposed to be explained, a guitar is taken out at the beginning and there is singing and clapping. This also happens at the end.

So, what the average educator calls rhythmization and rituals. Hats off to the teacher who, despite knowing that moms and dads stand behind/next to the webcam, still exposes themselves to the embarrassment of belittling the joint singing due to lack of understanding and then broadcasting this in forums. Do you really believe that second graders participate concentratedly in the conference for “almost an hour” and absorb, comprehend, and even understand abstract things? Sorry to have to say it so harshly, but that is as far from reality as distance learning is from good teaching. Or, I’ll leave the back door open here, you have a correspondingly gifted child far removed from the “average student.” Then you also don’t have to worry about the quacks teaching at your schools. Reality shows that after 20 minutes at the latest, someone asks if they can show their cat Charly on the webcam.

The homework always consists of 1-2 tasks (HSU, German and Math) which are usually completed after 15-30 minutes. So, everything is far from an adequate substitute for teaching.

I see this problem too. From my point of view, this is due to the fact that nothing replaces the real classroom teaching situation. Introduction of new, difficult content succeeds (almost only) through real interaction in the classroom. Pure exercises beyond the period you mentioned also make little sense per subject. As I share the same opinion as you (roughly, “if the child solves 20 tasks correctly, they also solve 60 correctly”). If one then also leaves out the “idiot tasks” such as copying the task from the book (here I have a completely different opinion, by the way), this certainly leads to a very short school day at home. What concrete wishes do you or your child have for the second- and fourth-grade teacher(s) to better organize homeschooling for 2nd and 4th grade in your sense?

But it no longer matters, in 3rd grade there is rotation so that someone else teaches the next two years. Whether it will be different remains to be seen.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it won’t be the colleague of your eldest. She seems to be in the 3/4 stream and will give up her 4th grade at the end of the school year. I have a bad feeling. ;)

What clearly shows is that parents somehow also need to be involved in the lessons. I have to say I can really understand Zaba and HilfeHilfe. That would also confuse me. I think there needs to be more cooperation from both sides. Parents need to build trust (maybe even force it) and above all learn to ask the teachers. And the teachers need to explain to the parents the background of the exercise. This is quite a big task, especially for the teachers. But why isn’t it possible to send a weekly email at the beginning of the week explaining what is planned, roughly what the exercises will look like, and what goal is being pursued. This way, parents feel more included and can better support this with their offspring.

Otherwise, I find that there is a lack of understanding for each other on both sides. Parents should show understanding for the currently very difficult situation of the teachers, but teachers should also understand how hard it is for many parents to educate their children (especially since children tend to act out and refuse with their parents).

Regarding cheating, a story from life: My grandfather was always very proper (also quite a bit aloof in his view). For him, it was always clear that I had to study to make something of myself. When I came home in the middle of 2nd grade with my first dictation, I proudly showed it. My grandfather’s first reaction – he got a lined sheet, a fountain pen, and had me rewrite my dictation as many times as he was satisfied with the handwriting. I have suppressed how many times I had to rewrite it. After that, my handwriting was almost calligraphic. At university, my professors complimented me on the neat handwriting. However, my writing speed suffered a bit because of it.

Hmm.....sounds rather contradictory to me, because your grandpa certainly would not have taken the first part of your text seriously.

You mean those that helped you progress in life. At that time, parents had exactly zero influence on the work of the teachers.
I experienced that time as a student and therefore know that it was not the best. However, I am just as unfamiliar with what you expect from teachers in the first part or consider as appropriate excessive "interference" by absolute laymen (parents).
In my opinion and experience, children and adolescents manage better with consistent behavior and I am actually shocked that nowadays people often want to be the buddy, best friend up to the joint disco visit of their own children and really know everything about their children’s lives.
I do not presume to have a one-size-fits-all solution, but in my opinion, we have moved from too strict/consistent to the complete opposite and wonder daily about children who no longer cope with anything.
These grandpas would at least be massively criticized today or labeled as pedagogical failures and thus the success you mentioned unfortunately often gets lost.

But why is it not possible to send a group email at the beginning of the week about what is planned, roughly what the exercises will look like and what goal is being pursued.

On top of already overloaded WhatsApp groups, that too? Don’t the parents want to sit right next to their little princes in the classroom? Why should I as a parent generally want to know that?
I may seem simple-minded but as a father I generally trust my children’s teachers and have no mistrust whatsoever. If it were really meant to be a cooperation, then teachers would also have to see and be able to criticize what the parents are doing with their children at home. But the parents do not want to let their cards be seen there, although that is exactly where the actual origin can be found, namely in the upbringing of the children at home!
Parents usually doubt that last or not at all and rather increase the pressure or mistrust towards teachers and school. Therefore, I believe that your idea is impractical if you look at it as a whole, that teachers put their program up for discussion in advance quasi among laymen (parents), because then all the nagging would just start about the stupid suggestions of the teacher. One doesn’t like clapping and singing, another found out that one subitem of the program was not covered and a third dislikes the order of the texts and much more.

Nowadays, I feel a strong mistrust towards teachers, as if children have to be protected from them and people quickly take sides WITH the children AGAINST the teacher(s). But school/upbringing can’t work well like that.

That way parents feel more involved and can more easily represent that to their offspring.

Where does the entitlement or necessity come from that parents - except in concrete problems - also have to be involved?

Otherwise, I lack mutual understanding on both sides.

If that is the case, then that is a shame and it should be questioned why a teacher, who usually also has children of their own, does not understand other parents. I believe it is also a problem that children who experience a lack of consistency or rules at home naturally do not want or cannot understand them at school. But that, in turn, is the parents’ job, whose conflicts are often avoided there and shifted into the school where they do not belong.
During my limited experience as a teacher at an expensive private school, I was almost shocked by the widespread deficits in basic social behavior and often extremely exaggerated egos of the children, fully aware that their parents would cover up all this.
This is NOT addressed to you, these are my own experiences and observations.

Was about my grandpa’s way of doing things educationally valuable? I don’t think so. It encouraged me to bring out more from myself than I actually wanted to because of laziness. My brother, on the other hand, was totally put off and withdrew. So yes, I thank him for it today, but I’m sure it could have been done differently.

Besides already bursting WhatsApp groups, more of this? Don’t parents want to sit right next to their princes in the classroom? Why should I, as a parent, generally want to know that?

You misunderstood me. I’m not looking for a discussion. No WhatsApp groups. It’s about one-sided information for parents who currently have to massively homeschool their children at home. Who are basically the teachers and have to convey the content with their methodology. Simply slapping down sheets and saying: write this three times, is not enough. The why is very important because the parents (not the teacher) have to explain the purpose to the child or at least be able to stand behind the task. I nodded enthusiastically when people complained about these copying exercises. But when it was explained what might be behind it, I had to admit that this stupid and boring task could also be necessary. And that’s exactly what I can then convey to my little one or at least try to. When school is back in in-person lessons, that is no longer necessary; then the teacher is responsible for the schooling again.

During my temporary experience as a teacher at an expensive private school, I was almost shocked by the widespread deficits in basic social behavior and the often extremely overblown ego of the children, well aware that their parents cover all this up.

I believe many behavioral educators and those who think they are such are (partly) to blame here, who write miraculous books about the sensitive child’s soul. When I read some books about needs-oriented education, I want to run crying into the wall. There are some very good fundamental books about child psychology, but then these are applied like the Bible by parents. The middle ground, which also does not forget the parents and their needs, is often forgotten. A while ago, I had a small dispute on the playground with a mom from my children’s daycare. My daughter (2 years old) waddled up to me and demanded a treat. I pointed out to her that “demanding” won’t get her anything from me. She threw a dramatic tantrum, which I ignored while continuing to talk with this slightly shocked mother. My daughter stormed off crying in a huff. The mother then asked why I hadn’t given her anything, saying my no had burdened the poor child greatly, tears just rolling down her face. I told her a bit about “learning to deal with rejection and anger,” but she was apparently still completely overwhelmed. She really said (I almost laughed) that I would destroy this daughter-mother relationship. Just then, my little one came back, threw herself into my arms, allowed me to comfort her. We kissed, but no treat was given. Topic was settled. But it shows how deeply insecure many parents are when it comes to the emotional well-being of their treasures. Since it primarily involves my generation, I like to blame a little that it is also due to the upbringing of the children from the post-war generation. But that would surely be too shortsighted.

This is NOT directed at you, these are my own experiences and perceptions.

All good. I love good discussions