Sending children to a private school, but not having a teacher teach!

[momof3now]

I don't know what to do! I need your input ladies!
Our children attend a private christian school in our town. My DS is going into grade 2 and my DD into grade 1.
This past year when my DD was starting Kindergarten, there were too many children enrolled for one class so they needed to split up the class.
One of the classes was a teacher and the other class was just a parent who helped out in the classroom, but would now be teaching. I had a real problem with that, paying $6000/year tuition just to have a parent teach.
I voiced my opinion and my DD was not put in her class thank goodness, and was told they were just desperate for that year (One class with the actual teacher had 15 kids,where the parent had 10 kids).
Anyways, now I am finding out that for this upcoming year my DD for grade one will have an ECE teacher instead of an actual teacher. ECE is Early Childhood Educator. They are designed to work in Daycare centers and help out in classrooms, they are NOT teachers nor do they have a teaching degree.
I am just LIVID paying this much tuition to an otherwise great school, but not having an actual teacher teach my child. The school advertises that they are all acredited teachers there, but aren't.
My options are few, I could pull my kids out and send them to a public school, or homeschool. Right now public school is definately a no, and I would LOVE LOVE to homeschool my children, but unfortunately for the next few years I have to work and I do home childcare and I just could never give my children the time and attention they need to be taught.
Now I know that for homeschooling it is just the parent teaching, not an actual teacher, and I have no problem with that because it is more one on one and generally don't have 20 kids at once to homeschool, but when you are paying for a private SCHOOL, I expect to have teachers teaching.
What would you do? I for sure am going to contact the principal and find out for sure what is going on and double check that she is only an ECE (she rode with me at the last field trip and was telling me her life story, so I know for a fact that she is not a teacher).

Please help me out! I am losing sleep over this!!!

Also wanted to add in, that that parent that taught the kindergarten class last year because they were desperate, is now teaching the Junior Kindergarten class this upcoming year!! Thankfully it doesn't affect me this year.

TIA!

Sarah

[~Tara~]

Well, I'd say, if I were PAYING to send my child to school, I would want them taught by the teachers I was under the impression they would be taught by. I pay to send them to school to be taught by someone because I feel they would do a better job than I could. If I wanted them to be taught by any ole mom, I'd keep 'em home and do it myself. (which I do, by the way, we home school in case you weren't aware of that fact)

That mom may do a WONDERFUL job teaching. But, if she's 'just a mom' and not a paid staff teacher, then I do not want to pay that school. That's giving the school money for what? Their people aren't teaching my child. And is that money then going to the mom? Uh, I'm guessing not. That's not cool with me.

Nope.

Don't like it.

I'd just pull the kids and homeschool. :) Or find another school to give my money to. One that actually provides what they advertise.

[Cheeseburger]

If you weren't paying the $6000/year tuition, could you afford not to work? (thus homeschool.)

OTOH... I don't really care if a kindergarten teacher has a degree or not as long as they are competent. Lots of people with bachelor's degrees are dumber than bricks. I'd look at performance... like is the quality of the education at this school better than you would get at a public school? Does one really need a degree to teach a kid how to spell cat and dog or how to add 1+1? A bachelor's degree is not necessarily synonymous with quality, is all I'm saying, and I pick quality over qualifications anytime.

[momof3now]

If you weren't paying the $6000/year tuition, could you afford not to work? (thus homeschool.)



If I only made a little above that, for sure I would quit in a heartbeat to homeschool, but unfortunately I make over $25,000 doing home daycare and we need the money right now to pay off debt and live where we are.
One day, God willing, my DH will make more money, we will move and I can quit so I can homeschool my kids! :-D

[~Tara~]

With the ages of your children, could you not still home school?

[momof3now]

With the ages of your children, could you not still home school?

I would love to, and I did try to with my DS when he was in Junior Kindergarten. The problem is I have 5 other children every day besides my own and I barely get housework done or dinner on time. I am sooo busy right now, plus we have been foster parents to two siblings for the past four years and they are both special needs with behavioral problems...unfortunately that is a lot physically and mentally!! 5 kids ages 7, 6, 5 1/2, 5, & 3!!! Plus my daycare kids!! It's a madhouse here!! [whatwacko]

[momofweewerfs]

As another parent who sends their kids to a Christian private school, i would be upset as well. At our school all of the teachers are 'true teachers' with teaching certificates. the reason my kids go their is because homeschool is not an option, just like you momof3now, and we want our kids to be in a school environment where what we believe is also being taught to our kids, furthering their foundation. I would go to the principal and talk to him/her. Does your school have a school board. ours does, it is made up of parents of kids in the school, and then they have like minded believers(people who have had kids graduate in the past, older adults that feel Christian education is very important)

[gen]

Momof3... To me it kind of really sounds like something isnt quite right at the school and I would book a chat with someone in charge, the principal or someone up there and find out what exactly is going on. I dont think it is fair to have to pay 6 grand for someone to effectively baby sit my kids. In a school enviornment, I do think there should be qualifications. I would go in, discuss what the real problem is, this may shed a bit of light on the situation. Does she have any kind of qualifications? See, the thing is is that they seem to be taking on more then they can handle. That was my initial reaction. Thats not good AT all, imho. Where else are there cracks in this 'Christian School'? That was my initial reaction when I read you op the other day. I could understand if there was something going on where one teacher bailed on them and they ended up being short for the remainder of a year. But not to have it sorted out for following year... I dont know, it sounds like there could be something... not quite right. The other thing I thought of was the fact that they may only want to hire christian teachers and maybe they are few and far between. I would kind of feel like they arent being as forth coming as Id like about the real situation.

Before all that, I would also obviously pray a LOT about it and go with whatever the Lord gives me peace about.

[ChamomileFriend]

I agree that something sounds very fishy about all that, especially 2 years in a row. If those other 2 adults are not certified, I am sure they are being paid less than the certified teachers, and then were is all that extra money all the parents are paying in tuition going? I am sure other parents would like answers about that also - is there a parents' association that could call a meeting with the people running the school asap? Either way I would ask for answers on that from the principal since it seems like they have no intention of correcting this issue. I would also start looking for another school.

A Christian school that is not being honest or forthcoming with its parents is in direct contradiction to the values they claim to be teaching its children, which I think would be the biggest issue for me. If they lie in their advertisements about all teachers being accredited when they are not and are trying to sweep the fact that this 'teacher' for next year is not actually a teacher under the rug, there might be more things parents are unaware of, too.

[momof3now]

I've called the principal and left a message. I've also talked to a few mom's who share the same concerns as myself, but it seems nobody want's to do anything about it! Uggghhh!! Please pray for guidance for me and peace within, I'm really struggling with this and I'm having a hard time sleeping at night.

[Timmys mom]

I don't get it at all. Why couldn't they just put all 25 kids in one class and have the parent be a teachers aid?? The false advertising bothers me the most though. If they don't have all accreditted teachers they shouldn't say they do.

At the same time I realize that a person could be a great teacher and not have a bachalors degree. In fact I think its kind of insane that someone has to go to college for 4 years to teach 1st graders! Still if your paying that much money you should be getting what you pay for. I'd pay close attention to how the kids are doing in school. If the kids in the parents class are falling behind, then theres a major problem! And I would talk to the principal about it for sure. Maybe they will have proof about how well other kids did in that parents class, or be willing to offer some kind of evidence that that parent is teaching effectively.

[momofweewerfs]

Does your school have a school board, or belong to any associations. our school has a school board, and belongs to a Christian school association of eastern ontario( can't remember exactly what it is called. if any issues arise the we can got to the teachers, if not resolved then principal, then school board the the association group.

where are you located?

[momof3now]

Does your school have a school board, or belong to any associations. our school has a school board, and belongs to a Christian school association of eastern ontario( can't remember exactly what it is called. if any issues arise the we can got to the teachers, if not resolved then principal, then school board the the association group.

where are you located?

We do have a school board, but I don't think we belong to an association. We are in South Western Ontario. We are registered with the Ontario Board of Education as well. *sigh* I just feel like I'm fighting this battle on my own! I'm anxiously waiting for the principal to call me back. I will definately be going to the school board after that.
One thing I found out a couple of days ago, is that this "parent" that will be teaching JK this coming year only finished school up to grade 8!! But a lot of other parents are fine with that because she does a good job, but it just doesn't sit well with me, and next year my ds could have her!! Uggghhhhhh!!!![whatwacko]

[gen]

What??? That just sounds not right at all to me.

[kim]

I totally hear your frustration and if I were in your position, I would be doing exactly as you are (if I were unable to switch schools as you are). I am really sorry to hear that you are having to deal with this. Seems to me something isn't right here.

[momof3now]

Just wanted you all to know that I have talked to the principal and now am very happy! She explained everything to me, and even though the grade one "teacher" is not a teacher, she is trained through A BEKA and as well took a teaching course through ACSI , which is a Christian Education site. She is qualified to teach in a christian school with this. The principal did say that the school has all qualified teachers and/or teacher's aid and even though a few of them cannot teach in the public school's, they are able to teach in the christian schools.
It's not as I originally wanted it, a real teacher, but this is good enough for me. I just wish that the school would of explained it instead of going behind everybody's back!

Has anybody heard of ACSI?

[gamommyto4girls]

Yes, I became familiar with ACSI when I taught for a Christian school. It's a national organization which licenses teachers similiarly to the way that a state government body would. They also provide teacher training materials and workshops.

As I understand them they would have similiar standards though with licensing such as a relevant degree, background checks, etc. Most teachers whom they 'certify' would also have or be capable of having a state issued license. I'm not sure that they offer training that would train someone to be a teacher, more like little ongoing professional development type courses that help current teachers to stay abreast of new educational methods.

I'm familiar with Abeka only as publisher of Christian texts and curriculum and have no information or experience with their teacher training programs or requirements.

I don't feel that the level of training is the only factor in determining whether a teacher is qualified or not, but it is a valid concern. If the school is being less than upfront with parents, that would be a huge red flag to me. If they don't have licensed staff, I would want to know why. Are they chosing the most qualified applicant for their positions or are they trying to save money by going with a candiate with no formal certification? I would also consider how your tuition rates compare to other similiar private schools in the area and how this relates to the licensing of their staff.

[LaDonna]

I have to say that I would definately be upset....

As far as I know here in Tx you don't have to be certified to actually work in a private school. The pay is not great and you don't get teacher retirement either. I hope that you guys are able to figure out something. I would be the same way though if we were paying that much I would definately be wanting someone who was fully knowledgeable to teach my children. Especially at this age this is where they develop and grasp so much