Teachers' Kids

[kayaker]

I have been working in a school which has had a very high number of teachers children. There have been a variety of experiences, good and bad. Now I'm sure that everyone will say it shouldn't matter, but in my experience it has. For some children it made life easier for others harder. I have seen the effect on the children of their parent being sacked, I have seen these kids leading their class in behaviour and academics, so it seems that this is a very two sided issue. Just wondering what experiences the teaching parents, the children and the teachers of teachers children have had.

For me it has been very mixed and I would not let my children come to my present school. What about you?

[Neeranam]

I wouldn't teach at my daughters' school.

[leisurely]

I suppose it depends if you are talking about a Thai school or International.

[too true]

I wouldn't work at a school if I wasn't confident that my children would be getting a good education there. I wouldn't work at a school that didn't offer free education for my children. I don't think I'd be comfortable putting my kids into Thai school (with the exception of a very small group of schools that seem to be on par with international programs), so we're international, and it's great to be able to get anecdotal information about my kids from their teachers without having to schedule an appointment. I know all their friends. I know what they're eating for lunch. I know what events are coming up. We can go together and come home together. How could it possibly be a problem?

[Ijustwannateach]

It's normal practice for schools, especially international schools, to hire couples of teachers. They get more stability that way. However, the uncertainty of Thai schools makes depending on them for anything (especially your child's education) a dubious proposition. If you'd worked in one for a few years, you might be able to relax and rely on them to keep a promise (letting your child go to the school is a frequent professional benefit of teachers at a school).

[Scott]

We have a number of teachers who have children at our school. It's bilingual. Most of the kids are younger--KG to Grade 2. Thus far no problem. Of course, some of the kids are struggling to learn to Thai, but basically, they are accepted and treated well by staff and other students.

I don't know if it would be the same with a teenager though.

[kayaker]

I guess it depends on the school. I have friends in an international school and I've heard all sorts of stuff about what's gone on there in the past year or two, with regards to the children of teachers.

[PeaceBlondie]

In the remote province where I taught, very few of the Thai matayom teachers had their own kids there, but some did. I remember that Mike and Pook both tried to go slack in their studies, and I just reminded them that I knew their parents were ajarns. They straightened out. Other teachers taught at one school and sent their kid across town to the rival.

My daughter has taught for years at a magnet school for gifted and talented, in the next district. As her daughter got to 9th grade, they were dissatisfied with their local school (best district in Texas! ), so Clara has attended 9th with the geniuses and artists, where she was the star football player. It works for them, to have mother and daughter at same school.

[TEFLMike]

A trip down memory lane

My father was a headteacher at a Catholic secondary school in the UK.

He was also head of maths and science.

All three of us, sons, went to the same school. My father taught all three of us. He was a brillaint teacher, admired by all the pupils. In fact, even after all these years, some still phone dad to enquire of his health.

Dad was 86 yesterday and he is currently in hospital, bless him.

I, for one, see no harm in a school parent/pupil scenario.