Am I better teacher as a parent?

Eric Tremblay

Wednesday, 23 August, 2017 21:00

UPDATE
Wednesday, 23 August, 2017 21:00

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During the first days of July, I played the parent coach for an exit special hosted by the school of my eldest son: 5 days of real canoe-camping with 11 kids between 6 and 8 years old. I found that I was sometimes a better teacher than a parent…

If I am used to lead projects colored in the course of which my students and I seek to push the limits of our creativity, nothing had prepared me for this trip. In spite of the multiple occasions where children have proven to me that they are capable of going well beyond our expectations, I must admit that this experience has changed the look that I wore on my boy and his abilities.

When he had finished the school year, this small group made up of students in pre-school and first cycle of primary school has launched out into the unknown, trusting in their physical education teacher, particularly dynamic. This last proposal to them a week in the heart of the forest, living with few resources, and working as a team to get out of multiple situations to which they had never been confronted. Fortunately, a twelfth guest was present to put the shoulder to the wheel: a boy of 3rd year particularly responsible who has played big brothers for all of our little troupe.

In the morning until late in the evening, these children have demonstrated to me at what point they could be self-reliant and workers. Collecting wood, cleaning, installation and dismantling of the camp, cooking in addition to conducting their boats to port: they have done everything. Of course, they have accumulated the errors, damaged hardware, lost a part of their equipment and shed a few tears, but they got to meet all the challenges proposed.

It goes without saying that they needed encouragement and a few tips throughout this trip, but in the end, they were able to carry out complex tasks or a gruelling without constantly having an adult that blew in the neck. Thanks to this freedom, their efforts have led them to experience successes that were to shine their eyes of pride, even if it was sometimes difficult: each small victory over nature was a sign that they did not need anyone to be “good” in something that they do not even know each other just a few hours ago.

As well, these days used almost only big arms for our young adventurers made me understand that I under-appreciated far too often my son and I will not let him not have the time he needed. It is almost as if the hectic pace of my daily life I had been led little by little to squeeze a little more in order to save time through each time I ask him something…

We will say more simply that I understood that I protégeais too, that it was difficult for me to apply at home the principles of the most fundamental of my beliefs of teaching and learning. In fact, each day, I am working to get out the students from their zone of comfort, to let them question themselves and live chess so that their learning is the result of concrete experiences they will not forget. There is no better way to learn than to live in a wide diversity of projects, where the success alongside the failures.

But, outside of my school, of this magnificent laboratory where everything is possible, I turn back, much too fast an adult a bit worn out which has the nose constantly poked in the affairs of his children. This freedom which is so dear to me for the children of others, I realized that I still have a long way to go for my own boys there to taste on a daily basis.

So, I made the decision for me to invest more this year in my life as a parent, not necessarily in terms of time, but in all that relates to my attitude and my reactions to the behaviors of my two tornadoes. It is too easy to say that I have more patience after a day of handling problems, and the moods of dozens of children…

Lifted early this morning with a headache and two children who sing with kill-head, I realize once again that to do more and better will not be easy, but I decided to inspire me in my character of Mr. Eric and grant me the right to be wrong.

After all, parent or student, it is a bit the same: it is to follow a path that we must constantly question and seek to find a compromise between our desires and what is humanly possible to do.

Good back to school! Have a great school year!