It seems that education as an institution and educators within are far too keen to say ” yes, yes, give us more, we will do it”, when it comes to responsibility for the development of our children and students. There’s was a rime when the rudiments of bringing up children in terms of manners, deportment and self management considerations, were responsibilities vested in parents. Not any more it seems, and especially with the system (in Australia at least) clamouring for preschool (kindergarten) to be available and compulsory for all three year old children.

The focus of this early intervention is often on pre-reading, pre-maths and other academic priorities. At the same time, whether they realise it or not, teachers and support staff are teaching children how to dress, wash their hands, look after their things, put clothes on, shoe management, and even toilet training. Frequently, the first aquaintence of children with basic manners, eating and drinking habits, looking after food spillage, putting scraps and rubbish in bins and so on.

Teachers are parents for and to their own children. More and more, in lower but also older grades, they are almost the ‘parents’ of children parents send to school.

Personally, that to me is a real worry. What do others think?