Knitting. Yarn. Fiber artistry. More knitting. Nursing school. Hospice work. Death and the dying process. Phoenix Raven's. Knitting. Yarn. Oh, and Life As An Air Force Wife.
Published on September 20, 2005 By dharmagrl In Misc

One of my son's teachers is pissing me off.

Friday, Davey came home with a homework assignment that involved getting on the internet.  I don't agree with that.  Not every child has access to a computer and the internet at home.  my friend is having problems with her computer and her boy (he's in the same class as Davey) expressed concern about not being able to complete his assignment because of the computer problems.  Her response?  "Have you mother take you to the library".

The base library is closed on Sundays, leaving Saturday as the only viable option for him to go do his homework there. What is his mother had worked Saturdays?  Or had no way to get to the library?  In addition, the library only has a few public computers, and as with anything else, active duty take priority.  The rest of us have to take a number and wait.  So, even if they HAD been able to get to the library, they still might have had to wait hours to get onto a computer.  What if his mother was, due to a deployment, trying to single parent a family with smaller children in it?  How would she have managed taking those smaller kids to the library and waiting around for who-knows-how long for a computer to come open?

As it turns out, my friend managed to get her home PC working properly long enough to get on the school website.  When she tried to access the quiz that the teacher asked the kids to take, she found that said quiz had been archived and was no longer acessible to the public.

She called me, and asked me to try and access it.  I did, and I got the same error message.

I decided to email the teacher and explain to her why my child wouldn't be able to complete his homework assignment.  I also expressed my concerns about teachers assigning weekend homework that involves internet access, citing the same reasons as I gave here.

That was Sunday.  I know she got my email because my son told me that she had mentioned it to him, also saying that she had mistakenly archived the quiz.

I have yet to hear back from her.  That irritates the crap out of me.  At the very least she could have emailed me back telling ME, the parent, what had happened.  My child is NOT a reliable messenger....matter of fact, I don't think that he should be ANY kind of messenger for his teachers, period.  I don't tell him to tell his teachers stuff, I contact them directly.  I expect the same in return.

I'm going to email her again this evening, asking what the status of the quiz is.  I'm going to make like my son never told me anything, and I'm going to sit back and wait for a reply. I aint holding my breath, though.

Am I wrong for thinking that she should have at least sent me a 2 line email explaining what happened and reassuring me that my child won't be penalized for HER mistake?  Am I asking too much?

I thought that most teachers wanted parents to be involved in their children's education.  How can we do that when their teachers won't communicate with us?

 


Comments (Page 1)
4 Pages1 2 3  Last
on Sep 20, 2005
Bump
on Sep 20, 2005
I am glad not to be the only one with a teacher that needs an attitude adjustment.

My son't teacher told me "HAHAH SORRY about your luck!" When I told her he hadn't had a certain style of math at our last home. And she was SERIOUS! When she stopped laughing I said, "NOw that the joke is over can you provide me with the resources to teach him what he missed or tell me where to get them?"

Answer: Shrug. "I dunno. We really don't like to have the parents get involved in the Math. It is a complicated system out of the University of Chicago and parents usually screw it up."

I just looked at her mouth agape. And then went to see about getting my son moved.

I'd go see her face to face and let her know you are an involved parent who will be up there everyday if you think she's not on her game.

Good luck.
on Sep 20, 2005
That is irritating Dharma! I'm with you, if you took the time to contact the teacher directly, the teacher should answer you directly.

Answer: Shrug. "I dunno. We really don't like to have the parents get involved in the Math. It is a complicated system out of the University of Chicago and parents usually screw it up."


From what my wife is learning (she is a secondary ed for math major), "Connected Math" is too complicate even for teachers to be involved with it. The teacher wasn't making a joke, she was proving conclusively that she (at least as a teacher) is a joke!
on Sep 20, 2005
Computer: Free, if you're willing to settle for something that isn't a speed monster.
Internet: $10 a month, which is negligable even to a poor college student like me.

Isn't a kid's education worth a $10 a month investment? And if it's not, I figure the library is a pretty decent alternative. I do agree, however, that there should be direct communication between the teacher and the parent.

Haven't pressed any buttons lately, so I figured it was past time to stop by.

Dan
on Sep 20, 2005
My son't teacher told me "HAHAH SORRY about your luck!" When I told her he hadn't had a certain style of math at our last home. And she was SERIOUS! When she stopped laughing I said, "NOw that the joke is over can you provide me with the resources to teach him what he missed or tell me where to get them?"

Answer: Shrug. "I dunno. We really don't like to have the parents get involved in the Math. It is a complicated system out of the University of Chicago and parents usually screw it up."


THAT would have prompted me to call to the school superintendent and complain. NO parent needs to be spoken to like that, and I would have told her right there and then that I didn't appreciate her attitude and demeanor. What a bitch....

I'm with you, if you took the time to contact the teacher directly, the teacher should answer you directly.


THANK YOU!!!!

I'm emailing her again, and if I don't get a response by Friday, I'm calling the principal.
on Sep 20, 2005
Computer: Free, if you're willing to settle for something that isn't a speed monster.
Internet: $10 a month, which is negligable even to a poor college student like me.


So, these parents are supposed to rush out on the weekend in search of a free computer and instant internet set-up? Where exactly does a person get a free computer at the drop of a hat, anyway?

A lot of internet providers do a credit check. Not all internet providers have service in every area....which leaves some people high and dry.

Teachers shouldn't set homework over the weekend that involves internet access. During the week is fine; there are computers at the school that students can use.
on Sep 20, 2005
*sigh* I've grown used to this stuff...we get assignments all the time that usually require a computer and/or internet access.....especially in English....*bleh* I've got like 3 reports due within the next couple months.

As for the teacher-parent communication....it should be direct, it couldn't be dependable or even practical any other way.

~Zoo
on Sep 20, 2005
bad teacher! bad teacher!! SLAPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!
on Sep 20, 2005
As for the teacher-parent communication....it should be direct, it couldn't be dependable or even practical any other way.

EXACTLY!!!

I'm sure *some* teachers would also accuse your friend of not caring about her child's education, too.

Not that this particular shoe would fit anyone on JU.


Why Sabrina, I'm SURE I don't know who you could possibly be talking about. Surely nobody here is that egotistical and pretentious? (Cept for Lucas, but he's not a teacher.)
on Sep 20, 2005
Isn't a kid's education worth a $10 a month investment? And if it's not, I figure the library is a pretty decent alternative. I do agree, however, that there should be direct communication between the teacher and the parent.


I don't know how things run in your home Dan, but in mine, my wife and I decide if we want a computer and/or internet access, not the kids' teachers.
on Sep 20, 2005
bad teacher! bad teacher!! SLAPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!


I wish I could say what I REALLY think. For the sake of my kids education I have to keep in polite and relatively nice. She's snatched Davey's papers out of his hands and trashed them once this week already......if I get bitchy with her I can see her taking it out on my kid, which would call for me to go up to the school and probably get arrested for causing a disturbance.

I'm all about teachers punishing kids if they misbehave. That's part of the job. However, embarrasing kids in front of their peers by calling them names or belittling them IS not acceptable behaviour. If WE did that, we'd have CPS all over our asses like white on rice, therefore I don't think it's acceptable for a teacher to treat a pupil that way. She hasn't done it yet, but some of the stuff she's done has come dangerously close to it.....
on Sep 20, 2005
I don't know how things run in your home Dan, but in mine, my wife and I decide if we want a computer and/or internet access, not the kids' teachers.


I was just coming back to add that.
on Sep 20, 2005
Nothing to do but a full Mr. Spock and Captain Kirk CIRCLE OF DEATH!!!!
on Sep 20, 2005
Dharma- The best place to get a free computer is educational institutions that are updating technology. Churches, also. You'd be surprised how much is availible. I think it's reasonable to limit internet homework to weekdays, though.

I don't know how things run in your home Dan, but in mine, my wife and I decide if we want a computer and/or internet access, not the kids' teachers.


Let's try restating this:

"I don't know how things run in your home, Dan, but in mine, my wife and I decide whether we want a roof on our house."

People can survive without a roof, but not comfortably. Once upon a time, people slept under the stars, but that day is long past. I wouldn't say that the internet is as much a part of our society as a roof (yet), but come on. Everybody has it. The internet is the future. Why deny your kids the future?

And if you don't... well, don't complain if you get rained on.

Dan
on Sep 20, 2005
While computers (and internet) access is growing in American homes, I do agree with you that handing out a weekend assignment that cannot be accomplished without internet access is foolish.

During the school week the children should be able to access the net at school, but on the weekend, there's no guarantee that a kid is going to be able to get to a computer. According to some statistics (which may or may not be on the mark), only about 56% of Americans have internet access. If this is factual, the implications to your situation are obvious.

Your friend's son was not the ONLY child in the class who would have to scramble (and might not even be able) to do the assigned work.

Not all families have crayons at home. If a child is assigned a project that requires it, they can borrow a package or spend a buck and buy some. Not all families have a calculator at home. Again, borrow or spend a buck or so.

But...a computer with online access? If a family doesn't have one already (and believe it or not, it's not a necessity to live), they're probably not going to be able to afford to go buy one (not to mention the mess that getting internet access entails). And how do you justify doing that when the child will be at school with online access on Monday?

A cheap, can't-do-much computer is still several hundred dollars.

I just think this teacher has lost her mind. (And she probably hasn't contacted you because she knows she's in the wrong and doesn't want to have to own up to it)
4 Pages1 2 3  Last