Teacher Tells Kids There Is No Santa Claus

[TXgolfer]

I hope those kids don't do a lesson on birds one day and ask about the stork delivering babies

 

[jillio]

Ah, in that case teaching against it can't be part of the curriculum either.

She wasn't teaching the religious view of Christmas.Are you confused again? In fact, she was attempting to teach an accurate geography lesson on the North Pole. That is part of the curriculum. Supporting myth is not.

 

[jillio]

I hope those kids don't do a lesson on birds one day and ask about the stork delivering babies

Are parents still delivering that lie? I think it probably went the way of "We found you in the cabbage patch. I would think most parents handle questions about sex a bit better than that.

 

[Banjo]

Are parents still delivering that lie?

My parents never told me about the storks. Only that they come from the tummies. The storks never made any sense to me as a kid.

 

[TXgolfer]

She wasn't teaching the religious view of Christmas.Are you confused again? In fact, she was attempting to teach an accurate geography lesson on the North Pole. That is part of the curriculum. Supporting myth is not.

Just going by what you said in post #255 *shrug*

 

[TXgolfer]

My parents never told me about the storks. Only that they come from the tummies. The storks never made any sense to me as a kid.

But what about pickles? :P

 

[jillio]

Wirelessly posted (Backberry)



Did I miss read? Did TXgolfer just agree with Jillio?

I think I did misread... But there is clearly an aspect here that is in agreement. Or is it simply a lack of agreement? Akkk!!! No more AD on my blackberry, my poor thumbs!!!

Yeah, I think TxGolfer must have been confused.

 

[jillio]

Just going by what you said in post #255 *shrug*

Then you are in agreement with me.

 

[Beach girl]

My parents never told me about the storks. Only that they come from the tummies. The storks never made any sense to me as a kid.

Guess what, they don't come from "tummies" either. Your parents lied to you, sorry to say.

 

[jillio]

My parents never told me about the storks. Only that they come from the tummies. The storks never made any sense to me as a kid.

Most parents understand that all they need to do is give the child age appropriate information and no more than the child has asked for. You're right. Kids don't buy half the lies that parents tell them.

 

[TXgolfer]

Then you are in agreement with me.

If we are to assume it is a religious issue, as you stated was the case in post #255 when referring to Steinhauer's video, then yes it shouldn't be taught for OR against.

 

[jillio]

ok I don't like this but I'm going to play devils advocate here.

What if she had no choice?
If she was teaching about the north pole she has the duty to tell the facts, and if a question is asked she needs to respond with truth.
Yes she could have said "go talk to you parents" but we all know kids that young tend to not let up and are very insistent.
She can't tell them that there is a Santa because what about the cultures that do not believe in Santa? She would get into trouble for that also, possibly worse so.

Yeah I believe the kids who are told about Santa should learn on their own but there are some instances where you can't really avoid it.

Exactly. She was following her obligation to teach the state mandated curriculum.

 

[jillio]

If we are to assume it is a religious issue, as you stated was the case in post #255 when referring to Steinhauer's video, then yes it shouldn't be taught for OR against.

Why do you keep repeating what I said? She wasn't teaching a section on Christmas. She was teaching a section on the North Pole. Christmas was brought into it by the children. Santa Claus is a secular aspect of Christmas, not a religious one. Unless, of course, you belong to some Santa worshipping cult I am not aware of.

 

[jillio]

Doesn't this kinda imply that kids have power over the teacher?

Have you ever been in a classroom with a bunch of second graders?

But seriously, no it does not imply that at all. In fact, it states that the teacher will be teaching according to the curriculum no matter what questions come up from the students. She will be imparting accurate information to the students. That is what education is all about. We send our children to school to be educated. Or at least, I think most people send their children to school to be educated. Some appear to only want the school system to serve as a baby sitter.

 

[TXgolfer]

Why do you keep repeating what I said? .

Because my post #256 referred specifically to what you said in post #255

You were mistaken in applying my post #256 to the OP as you did in post #262

 

[jillio]

As a teacher of early elementary students, stories with fantasy and magic and wonder come up all in the time. She could have thought ahead and been prepared with something like "Santa lives in the magical North Pole; this is the geography of the natural North Pole that we are learning about."

All cultures have stories of magical, mythical beings that children learn about. Ours is no different. It takes a peculiarly harsh adult to tell a group of young children, flat out, that the myths are not true.

If she can't deal with fantasy tactfully, maybe she shouldn't be teaching early elementary grades. She might be better suited for older children.

Or she could have asked other teachers how they handle it.

My mom was a kindergarten teacher for 20 years. She had to deal with Santa Claus carefully, neither confirming nor denying. She always found a way to do it that threaded that needle carefully.

Culture is passed from parent to child. Teachers are not in a classroom to teach myth. They are in a classroom to impart accurate information.

I guess our teachers should just be teaching myth and fantasy to kids instead of useless things like geography and math and reading.

 

[jillio]

Because my post #256 referred specifically to what you said in post #255

You were mistaken in applying my post #256 to the OP as you did in post #262

Yep, as I thought. You are terribly confused.

 

[Daredevel7]

Well.. what about sex, then?

What if a really young kid (i.e. age-inappropriate) asks about sex?

A teacher has to do her duty to inform them about sex?

Sigh.. I don't even know why I bother to ask, because I know what's the answer. "Sex would not be part of the curriculum for an age-inappropriate group, therefore the teacher would not have to inform them."

Funny that a teacher can avoid the question because "it's not part of the curriculum." but they cannot avoid the question if it's "somewhat related to the curriculum."

 

[MyNameIsNO]

i am honest to you. i do not see what big deal is :shrug: so what if teacher is telling kids truth of santa is not existing??? i am different bec my parents very honest and not raise me in life with lies. they believe it stupid for feed kids with fantasy of myth character. i think parents act stupid and overeact. what is wrong with teacher for taking kids out of fantasyland? she just want teachs them reality. there is no santaclaus, toothfairy, easter bunny when i was grow up. i am little kid before, i did tolds everyone that santa claus is FAKE. their parent upset and yelling to my parents.

 

[Beach girl]

Culture is passed from parent to child. Teachers are not in a classroom to teach myth. They are in a classroom to impart accurate information.

I guess our teachers should just be teaching myth and fantasy to kids instead of useless things like geography and math and reading.

Tsk, tsk, tsk. Very dichotomous - and erroneous - thinking, I'm afraid.

An elementary school teacher for the early grades needs to think ahead and be prepared. This one wasn't.