[harrismm]

I agree with you EZ.I am in constant contact with my boys teachers via email...I often get a comment such as "its so nice that your concerned, most parents we never hear from".Of course so far my concern has not help my boys lack of organization.But it definately begins at home.That I absolutely agree with!

[EZMONEY]

CELTICGIRL ~

I was always in touch with my children's teachers...until it wasn't necessary...but it was easy because they went to church with me...

however it didn't stop when they went to public high school...I still went to back to school nights...went to teacher conferences and went to thir sports events and volunteered to work at them...etc.

I continued to meet their teachers and coaches when they were in college and still went to all their sporting events.

Went to as many as my step-d's as possible and yet allowed her father to be dad...and not impose...

My nephew had ADHD issues...it was a battle...a battle that his teachers/tennis coach and I dealt with on an almost daily basis... I can't tell you how many phone calls...e-mails and meetings were exchanged...but we..as a TEAM...got the job done...my nephew...his teachers...his coaches...and me...it took all of us...but...

it all began at home!

[harrismm]

Yep...it takes a village, that is for sure!!

[EZMONEY]

now don't go all democrat on me....wink

[harrismm]

That me EZ...can you imagine me being a Republician????Or a catholic for that matter????Hee Hee.

[EZMONEY]

HA! CELTICGIRL ~ No matter the sides we choose or the teams...I am proud of you to know that....a child that doesn't turn in his homework is NOT the teacher's fault...or the parent for that matter...it is the child's fault...


but we can't blame the child...it just wouldn't be right...now would it...poor baby...

next thing ya know they will be marking up wrong answers on his papers in red ink....omgoodness...

[EZMONEY]

Many years ago I read a letter in the opinion section of our local paper...

it said..."my son can't get a job...he graduated high...the school district failed him...I had no idea he couldn't read and write..."

His own parent...had NO IDEA he couldn't read and write...and yet she blamed it on the school district....

My best guess is she never went to a parent/teacher conference...never saw a report card...never gave a damn about her child until "the school didn't take care of him anymore"...

[Aclai4067]

It's really sad when parents don't care. I had a student in my class when I student taught who missed MANY days of school. She was so talented. She would come in a week behind on a project and catch up in a day. Just imagine what she could do if she came to school every day! We called her mother. Her mother was aware that she was missing school and was okay with it. She dropped out before the end of the semester

[marbear24]

Originally Posted by EZMONEY

HA! CELTICGIRL ~ No matter the sides we choose or the teams...I am proud of you to know that....a child that doesn't turn in his homework is NOT the teacher's fault...or the parent for that matter...it is the child's fault...


but we can't blame the child...it just wouldn't be right...now would it...poor baby...

next thing ya know they will be marking up wrong answers on his papers in red ink....omgoodness...

There's this one thing that has been driving me INSANE in my classes... and I seem to be one of the few who thinks it's ridiculous...

Some schools in my area (maybe others too, IDK) are not allowing teachers to give zeros. 60 is the lowest grade they can give. Zero's are too "deterimental to their mental abilities to succeed".

So... if you don't hand in anything... it's a 60. Not a zero. This drives me insane! No wonder kids are graduating without any sense of accountability! It totally undoes any good parents do at home too. You tell your kid to do their homework, teacher gives them a 60 for not doing it. I don't get paid 60% of my pay if I call out sick and have no PTO left!

Now, I'm not in favor of just handing out zeros. I believe in working with students, and giving them chances to redo assignments - but for kids who just decide they don't want to do something - In my opinion, they should get a zero.

[EZMONEY]

MARBEAR that is insane. We don't want to humiliate kids but we don't want kids to not be accountable either.

I remember years ago when my children were in school, our church school, every month there was an awards ceremony for "you name it"....anything to make kids feel good about themselves...anyway, my kids won a lot of awards...they would tell me that other kids made fun of them for "always winning"...it hurt them. I would always comfort them and tell them "don't worry honey, years from now when you drive your Mercedes Benz up to 7-11 and run in to buy a cup of coffee the person behind the counter will say..."Hey, weren't you in my class?"....

Now I am not saying some of those kids didn't turn out OK...but I will say my kids have good jobs and are solid citizens...some of the "brats" are still out there trying to find a good job....

So if 50 is the new 40...then 60 must be the new ZERO.....

[MaryEllen]

It's wrong, and 60 shouldn't be the new 0, but they do that because of No Child Left Behind. In public schools, because of NCLB, every single child is funded based on standardized tests. For example, my high school had no resources. We got an average of a D- on the MEAP test (in Michigan). The kids in a district 20 minutes away averaged an A-. They also received double the funding per student. DOUBLE. Those students are being told by the government that kids in the same COUNTY are twice as good as them. This school had three plasma screens in the hallways. We couldn't even afford new computers without a millage. In a nutshell, if students fail, (which some will because they don't have the same basis as others), the schools lose. The country is giving more to schools that don't need it and less to schools that can barely make it.

I don't think it's fair to insinuate that public schools intentionally medicate kids. That is a parental decision. Even if the child is diagnosed by a doctor, it is the PARENT'S decision to medicate. Public schools are one of the most important institutions in the country, and most educators care very deeply for their students. There are also programs in place by law where every student with ADHD, autism, or any learning disability or special need makes a contract asking for specific allowances that schools honor to the best of their financial ability. If a parent decides they want they kid educated normally, they have that right.