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Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
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Tue Nov 6, 2007 at 5:52 PM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
Arrange for childcare? How? With whom? I'll be bringing my kids with me and know others who will do the same. I don't remember taking the day off from school to pick up (or have my Mom pick up) my report card when I was little, they were just sent home with me for her to sign. (This was in a small rural town in NYS).
I don't hate it though. I am glad to have an opportunity to speak with my daughter's teacher. I "see" her every day, but not in a way that is conducive to having a conversation about my daughter's progress (or lack thereof). I'm looking forward to it. I hope that my girls can play in the corner quietly so I can actually talk to the teacher!
I don't hate it though. I am glad to have an opportunity to speak with my daughter's teacher. I "see" her every day, but not in a way that is conducive to having a conversation about my daughter's progress (or lack thereof). I'm looking forward to it. I hope that my girls can play in the corner quietly so I can actually talk to the teacher!
Tue Nov 6, 2007 at 7:44 PM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
As a parent, I always find it kind of awkward. It's nice to hear good
things about my kid, but I feel like I should be asking really insightful questions or something; however, most of the time I have nothing to add to the conversation besides "Junior really loves coming to school every day. Thank you." I'd like to know what teachers want to hear from parents during those conferences.
things about my kid, but I feel like I should be asking really insightful questions or something; however, most of the time I have nothing to add to the conversation besides "Junior really loves coming to school every day. Thank you." I'd like to know what teachers want to hear from parents during those conferences.
Tue Nov 6, 2007 at 11:24 PM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
I like to hear parents talk about learning styles, and to ask questions about content and abstract and concrete teaching methods and how their child responds. Ways to expand their total learning experience.
I do not like to hear that little Johnny is not being challenged or he is bored. Because that is not true, no matter how gifted little Johnny is, he does not know it all, and there are plenty of challenging moments in his day.
There is a difference in being educated and being entertained.
I do not like to hear that little Johnny is not being challenged or he is bored. Because that is not true, no matter how gifted little Johnny is, he does not know it all, and there are plenty of challenging moments in his day.
There is a difference in being educated and being entertained.
Wed Nov 7, 2007 at 6:42 AM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
I have gone to report card pickup with my neighbor, who has kids, largely in order to translate. My Spanish is not that good, but she has met with teachers who don't speak Spanish and there is no one around to translate. This year I'm pretty sure her son has at least one teacher who speaks both Spanish and English. It seems like a useless exercise to me to require parents to come in for a conference and not have translation. Often, the students have to translate for their parents, which could be good but I think can also be an opportunity for kids to hide the bad news about themselves at least to a limited extent. With the report card in front of everyone, kids can't lie about their grades, but I bet they could conveniently tone down or eliminate translating information about their behavior in class.
Wed Nov 7, 2007 at 12:04 PM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
Wow cookie...You must be perfectly differentiating instruction in your classroom if there are never any days where a few students are probably bored or not feeling completely challenged. I have always liked to hear that from parents and students, even if I don't agree their perception is important. And frankly who am I to tell a student that he isn't bored or unchallenged.
I alway appreciate parents who come to conferences with an open mind, but who are also willing to share absolutely any concerns. A really good parent should always know their kids a lot better than their teachers, and I think conferences serve as a great time to get some of that important insight from parents. At the same time, teachers often are in a unique position to provide the parents with additional information based on the very different situations we view their kids in.
Overall, I think parent/teacher conferences are a very important event. I'd almost prefer them to happen at the end of each quarter and at the end of the year.
I alway appreciate parents who come to conferences with an open mind, but who are also willing to share absolutely any concerns. A really good parent should always know their kids a lot better than their teachers, and I think conferences serve as a great time to get some of that important insight from parents. At the same time, teachers often are in a unique position to provide the parents with additional information based on the very different situations we view their kids in.
Overall, I think parent/teacher conferences are a very important event. I'd almost prefer them to happen at the end of each quarter and at the end of the year.
Wed Nov 7, 2007 at 4:31 PM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
I've been sitting here for 4.5 hours so far and out of 150 classroom students and 18 division students, I have seen exactly 8 parents. Of those, two are parents of division students who picked up the report cards and promptly left. Of the other 6, none of them are parents of a student who is failing my class.
We generally see the real parents. The ones who want to know why Jose got a D when he usually gets Bs or As or they come by looking for me to tell them how wonderful their honor roll student is. We don't get the others... the ones whose kids are failing most or all of their classes, get suspended for sport, and in general are more spectators than students.
The other fundamental problem is holding report card pickup between 12 and 6. If we really want parents to come in, we need to be more accomodating to our parents work and daycare schedules. We should hold it from say 4:00 until 8:00.
But then again, even with a better schedule, we still won't see the right parents anyway. They've made it abundantly clear they couldn't care less about their children's education.
We generally see the real parents. The ones who want to know why Jose got a D when he usually gets Bs or As or they come by looking for me to tell them how wonderful their honor roll student is. We don't get the others... the ones whose kids are failing most or all of their classes, get suspended for sport, and in general are more spectators than students.
The other fundamental problem is holding report card pickup between 12 and 6. If we really want parents to come in, we need to be more accomodating to our parents work and daycare schedules. We should hold it from say 4:00 until 8:00.
But then again, even with a better schedule, we still won't see the right parents anyway. They've made it abundantly clear they couldn't care less about their children's education.
Wed Nov 7, 2007 at 9:16 PM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
Their is no parking at Curie, which was terrible. Driving around everywhere, and you have the cameras on Pulaski and Archer.
There was no LSC meeting, why not? No NCLB parent meeting? Why not? Who is the chair? Where was the new principal?
Felt like business as ususal. No spanish translators for parents, again, business as ususal.
There was no LSC meeting, why not? No NCLB parent meeting? Why not? Who is the chair? Where was the new principal?
Felt like business as ususal. No spanish translators for parents, again, business as ususal.
Wed Nov 7, 2007 at 9:47 PM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
Head Start / State Pre-K don't give out report cards except at semesters - so we never actually get to have a report card conference about the actual report card with parents.
Our report cards are very different than the K and 1-8 ones as you can imagine.
We have things like "rides a tricycle, " "knows what to do in a fire, " "draws a person with 8 - 10 body parts" The three and four year old report cards are different.
This year though--- They are thinking of changing our report cards. Knowing the board on January 8th we'll be told--- surprise - reinvent the wheel.
Our report cards are very different than the K and 1-8 ones as you can imagine.
We have things like "rides a tricycle, " "knows what to do in a fire, " "draws a person with 8 - 10 body parts" The three and four year old report cards are different.
This year though--- They are thinking of changing our report cards. Knowing the board on January 8th we'll be told--- surprise - reinvent the wheel.
Wed Nov 7, 2007 at 11:08 PM
Documentation, documentation, documentation
The more I do it the more I enjoy it.
Especially when the student steps up the confrontation and ends up being the bad the guy instead of the victim.
Better luck next time.
Ed 101
Especially when the student steps up the confrontation and ends up being the bad the guy instead of the victim.
Better luck next time.
Ed 101
Thu Nov 8, 2007 at 12:44 AM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
What if he rides a tricycle into a fire?
Thu Nov 8, 2007 at 8:05 AM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
Of the 450 classroom students I see every day I met fewer than 20 parents last night. While that number seems low, it is a record high for the last 4 years. Our student council always provides translators for the building so that's not an issue for those of us who don't speak Spanish.
In an effort to boost parent attendance by better accomodating parents who work during the day our building is considering a contract waiver request to shift report card pickup later into the evening.
In an effort to boost parent attendance by better accomodating parents who work during the day our building is considering a contract waiver request to shift report card pickup later into the evening.
Thu Nov 8, 2007 at 8:12 AM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
I enjoyed meeting my daughter's teachers. However, there was one teacher who had a room full of parents waiting for her, and many seemed to be very annoyed with her, perhaps even a little disgruntled. I waited 35 minutes to speak with her. I was hoping to hear from any teachers out there about what that might indicate because I do have some concerns about this particular teacher.
Thu Nov 8, 2007 at 8:20 AM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
Both my children are in elementary school so I will get the report cards later today. The only thing I don't like is: the later you go when most parents get off work (or take off a "little early") the less time you get with the teacher because so many are waiting and you end up rushing so others can get their turn. Now, since I have two in school, I just take the day off work and show up as one of the first parents.
Thu Nov 8, 2007 at 8:33 AM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
Last night was disappointing to me. Of 33 division students, only 19 parents showed up. I saw only one student from one of my classes. The majority of parents came between 4 and 6. I believe that we need to change the time of report card pick up. I know of one suburban district that has it from noon until 8pm on Friday so that teachers don't have to get up the next day.
Thu Nov 8, 2007 at 10:01 AM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
We were told that report card pickup is not a conference and not to expect to be able to speak with the teacher. What's that about?
Thu Nov 8, 2007 at 12:51 PM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
It also seems that there were some mistakes made with attendance. My daughter's progress report indicates that she has missed 20 days. She has not missed one day of school. We received some automated message from her school saying to disregard the attendance figure listed on the report, but I am beginning to get a bad feeling about this because there's no indication as to when this mistake will be corrected.
I am not familiar with IMPACT, but has this been a systemwide problem?
I am not familiar with IMPACT, but has this been a systemwide problem?
Thu Nov 8, 2007 at 1:56 PM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
"High School Parent"... some teachers offer extra credit to students if their parents come see them during report card pickup. It could also be that the teacher you were waiting for was stuck discussing something with that parent and all the others were waiting to see her because she had the report cards they needed to pickup.
I've gotten stuck many times with a parent bending my ear about ther kid or their situation. Its often very difficult to disengage from the conversation to move on.
I've gotten stuck many times with a parent bending my ear about ther kid or their situation. Its often very difficult to disengage from the conversation to move on.
Thu Nov 8, 2007 at 7:20 PM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
"Our student council always provides translators for the building so that's not an issue for those of us who don't speak Spanish."
This is a great idea, but students are not supposed to get/give/see/know other student's information--anyone worried about this?
I agree--RC pickk-up should be on Fridays--much better idea. I hear some CPS schools do this, let's all do this.
Also why can't high school and elementary be on the same day citywide.
Then. parents do not have to take 2 days off of works for 2 or more children.
ANd, we advertised and called for tonight--still the failing students and toughest ones had no parent show up. year after year. I offer extra credit--students can't make their parent come.
This is a great idea, but students are not supposed to get/give/see/know other student's information--anyone worried about this?
I agree--RC pickk-up should be on Fridays--much better idea. I hear some CPS schools do this, let's all do this.
Also why can't high school and elementary be on the same day citywide.
Then. parents do not have to take 2 days off of works for 2 or more children.
ANd, we advertised and called for tonight--still the failing students and toughest ones had no parent show up. year after year. I offer extra credit--students can't make their parent come.
Thu Nov 8, 2007 at 7:49 PM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
Charlie,
I'm sorry you are admittedly boring from time to time.
But, that is YOUR problem, don't hate me because I'm not.
While I'm not perfect, I am exciting and innovative, and yes
not all 5.25 hours in my classroom are boring.
Stop criticizing youe peers, you are not superior.
I'm sorry you are admittedly boring from time to time.
But, that is YOUR problem, don't hate me because I'm not.
While I'm not perfect, I am exciting and innovative, and yes
not all 5.25 hours in my classroom are boring.
Stop criticizing youe peers, you are not superior.
Fri Nov 9, 2007 at 2:10 PM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
I wasn't trying to criticize anyone cookie, if anything I was just trying to point out your incredibly condescending tone toward parents and other teachers. I have no doubt that you are an excellent teacher, however, even the very best teachers at some point in their career have had students that they have probably not been able to meet exactly at their level in a gen. ed. setting. Whether it be a student who was performing at a much slower or faster pace that her/his classmates.
If a parent comes into your classroom and says that their child is bored or unchallenged there may be some truth to that, and even if it isn't exactly that they are not being challenged, it at least gives a chance to pause and reflect on how to possibly better engage that student. You're blanket assessment that everyone in your classroom is challenged at some point during the day would not be a very helpful comment for me if I was the parent of a student in your class.
I know my classroom has been boring from time to time. The one thing I agreed with in your first post is the idea that we are not paid to be performers, we are paid to be teachers. As blurred as that line is becoming.
If a parent comes into your classroom and says that their child is bored or unchallenged there may be some truth to that, and even if it isn't exactly that they are not being challenged, it at least gives a chance to pause and reflect on how to possibly better engage that student. You're blanket assessment that everyone in your classroom is challenged at some point during the day would not be a very helpful comment for me if I was the parent of a student in your class.
I know my classroom has been boring from time to time. The one thing I agreed with in your first post is the idea that we are not paid to be performers, we are paid to be teachers. As blurred as that line is becoming.
Sat Nov 10, 2007 at 4:57 AM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
After looking at Sam's report card (and giving him a pat on the back), we discussed why it was hand-written and how many millions had been wasted on IMPACT.
Then it dawned on me that the real problem -- "going forward" as they say -- is that the long-term records of student grades and other information will be very dangerously inaccurate.
At this point, CPS, under the current geniuses of the "business model" for running the schools, have screwed things up in a way that can't be unscrewed without twice as much work.
Keep your own records. From this point on, the official records of CPS will have as much accuracy and integrity as those claims by Arne Duncan, Rufus Williams, and Mayor Daley that CPS had "93 percent" attendance on opening day.
Keep your own records and you own child's records. This mess is going on and on and on.
Then it dawned on me that the real problem -- "going forward" as they say -- is that the long-term records of student grades and other information will be very dangerously inaccurate.
At this point, CPS, under the current geniuses of the "business model" for running the schools, have screwed things up in a way that can't be unscrewed without twice as much work.
Keep your own records. From this point on, the official records of CPS will have as much accuracy and integrity as those claims by Arne Duncan, Rufus Williams, and Mayor Daley that CPS had "93 percent" attendance on opening day.
Keep your own records and you own child's records. This mess is going on and on and on.
Sat Nov 10, 2007 at 5:56 AM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
Another teacher and I were just discussing the Friday RCPU, too. I think it's a great idea. We run ours later than the CPS contract to accomodate working parents and teachers are pretty worn out the next day. It would be good to have the weekend to recover.
Why do you think that doesn't happen?
Why do you think that doesn't happen?
Sat Nov 10, 2007 at 7:36 AM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
Our report pick-up was good. We even had a thank you from our new administration in our e-mail the next day. (thank yous are very scarce in CPS administration) I met the majority of my students' parents. Our parents are generally cooperative. We do have translators (bilingual aides) for those parents who speak Spanish or Polish. Many non-English parents will bring a neighbor, relative or high school child to translate. I was always told not to have extended conversations with parents. If there was an issue we were to reschedule for another time. Parents should not have to sit waiting for long periods of time. We have many new teachers at my school who have a difficult time with grading. They grade too high. You know the grades are too high when you look at the total picture of the child which includes past grades and scores on standardized tests or system wide tests. This inflated grading is either out of ignorance, fear of parents or they want to be friends with the children. This confuses the parents ( not to mention the child) who then may think the next teacher who gives the the grade the child actually earned may be too hard. I find that this is when conferences may become longer than usual.
When I started with CPS we had night report card pick up but no security was provided and safety became a huge issue. Our hours for report card pick up are in our contract. We receive a half day off on the last day of school only if we work both report card pick-ups. I have no problem working a report card pick-up from 2:00 until 8:00 IF security is provided. This may present a problem for teachers who have to pick up children from day care because day care centers are not open until 8:00. CPS could have moved the report card pick up to Frday and the children could have had a four day week-end.
When I started with CPS we had night report card pick up but no security was provided and safety became a huge issue. Our hours for report card pick up are in our contract. We receive a half day off on the last day of school only if we work both report card pick-ups. I have no problem working a report card pick-up from 2:00 until 8:00 IF security is provided. This may present a problem for teachers who have to pick up children from day care because day care centers are not open until 8:00. CPS could have moved the report card pick up to Frday and the children could have had a four day week-end.
Sat Nov 10, 2007 at 7:40 AM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
Timing
I think the best time for parents to pick up grades would be Saturday morning from 8-12.Friday night is not the best time in my opinion because everyone is pretty well blown
By then.
I think the best time for parents to pick up grades would be Saturday morning from 8-12.Friday night is not the best time in my opinion because everyone is pretty well blown
By then.
Sat Nov 10, 2007 at 10:56 AM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
So how do teachers come in on a Saturday? CPS will not pay. They need to rest from the week.
The Friday for all idea is the best we have. I do not know why CPS does not do this, but they could--they just need to think out of their box.
Did high school aatndance improve since their report card pick-up was Wednesday this year? i mean--that's why the days were switched. it sure did not help parents. Are they to take 2 days off of work if they have a child in elementary school and in high school?
The Friday for all idea is the best we have. I do not know why CPS does not do this, but they could--they just need to think out of their box.
Did high school aatndance improve since their report card pick-up was Wednesday this year? i mean--that's why the days were switched. it sure did not help parents. Are they to take 2 days off of work if they have a child in elementary school and in high school?
Sat Nov 10, 2007 at 2:22 PM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
parent point of view: what a waste of time. teachers gave no information unique to my child and discounted our concerns. stupid exercise, and i had to take a day off work to do this and care for my child who was not in school. why not just have parents to whom teachers actually want to say something come in for conferences? That Parent Survey results sheet had useless information on it, too. all in all, a massive waste.
Sat Nov 10, 2007 at 3:42 PM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
Parents that complain about having to take off work for report card pick-up! This is all apart of parenting. Teachers also have to adjust their work schedules for their most valued asset, THEIR CHILDREN. Report card pick-up is designed for you and your children. It is very sad that so many parents use the excuse of having to work, therefore they can not pick-up their child's report card. Your employer knows that parents have to see about their children when it comes to education. I don't feel that any employer will penalize you for that!! Yes, I can agree with you on one part, it is a waste of time. Due to the fact, that many school buildings do not have the parental turn out that report card pick-up was designed for.
Sat Nov 10, 2007 at 4:08 PM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
Teacher,
It would seem that any school that had over 50% of its teachers voting for it could do it. Just get a waiver for the contract. Don't worry about CPS changing it. Change it yourself!
It would seem that any school that had over 50% of its teachers voting for it could do it. Just get a waiver for the contract. Don't worry about CPS changing it. Change it yourself!
Sat Nov 10, 2007 at 9:57 PM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
Re: It is very sad that so many parents use the excuse of having to work, therefore they can not pick-up their child's report card. Your employer knows that parents have to see about their children when it comes to education. I don't feel that any employer will penalize you for that!!
It's not penalization by the employer that's the concern for parents at my school. And it's not an 'excuse'; it's the reality and complications involved in losing a day's income. To a very large portion of our parents that lost income presents a huge problem.
98% of our parents and families live below the federal poverty line. While we educators must adjust work schedules for our own children, I don't know any teachers that are living below the poverty line where one day of missed work can break the bank for the month.
A little perspective goes a long way.
It's not penalization by the employer that's the concern for parents at my school. And it's not an 'excuse'; it's the reality and complications involved in losing a day's income. To a very large portion of our parents that lost income presents a huge problem.
98% of our parents and families live below the federal poverty line. While we educators must adjust work schedules for our own children, I don't know any teachers that are living below the poverty line where one day of missed work can break the bank for the month.
A little perspective goes a long way.
Sat Nov 10, 2007 at 11:23 PM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
Speaking of perspective: maybe if you're living below the poverty line, you shouldn't have children.
Sat Nov 10, 2007 at 11:40 PM
Re parents that complain
Those parents living below the povertyline most likely don't have jobs, so what are they taking the day off from?
Sun Nov 11, 2007 at 10:42 AM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
To Nov 10, 2007 at 3:42 PM,
It would not be a waste of time to conference with a teacher on report-card pick up date, even if I had to take off work, IF the exchange was valuable. But it wasn't. At least for us. Maybe other kids' teachers have a better understanding of those students than our child's teachers do. Our concerns were brushed aside. What a waste of time on everybody's part.
It would not be a waste of time to conference with a teacher on report-card pick up date, even if I had to take off work, IF the exchange was valuable. But it wasn't. At least for us. Maybe other kids' teachers have a better understanding of those students than our child's teachers do. Our concerns were brushed aside. What a waste of time on everybody's part.
Sun Nov 11, 2007 at 11:08 AM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
"...Speaking of perspective: maybe if you're living below the poverty line, you shouldn't have children..." (Nov. 10 at 11:40 P.M.)
KAZZAMMM! Data driven fascism again.
Boy, did this thread get ugly fastest now that most of the sane people have been driven into hiding by the Catalyst stink.
What's next, eugenics, based on ISAT and Prairie State scores (with a little ACT thrown in)?
And we can call it "data driven world management"? The same stuff was in place elsewhere (see below) a while back and it took some serious extermination to get rid of that iteration of those notions by late 1945 (I had two parents on the exterimination teams, one in Europe and the other in the Pacific). Apparently, however, really bad ideas never die, they just migrate to Catlyst and other corporate blogs.
Let's put this notion into contemporary perspective. The same scripts about who should be allowed to have babies are now being written for Arne in collaboration with the fourth generation of Henry Ford's family. That was the crowd (Fords; Pritzkers; all those well above the poverty people) that showed up to fete Daley, Duncan, charter schools, and the furious drive to privatize as much of public education here as possible at the Powerhouse a month ago. Ford I was a big fan of those (often Chicago-based and nurtured) eugenicist ideas. Ford IV wasn't doing interviews with reporters like me.
But Ford I could keep his rants coming, and he found fans very powerful for his ideas in places like Germany -- for a time. I can't wait to hear that the same crowd -- slinging around the same Megabucks -- is going to revive the Dearborn Independent to help this project along.
KAZZAMMM! Data driven fascism again.
Boy, did this thread get ugly fastest now that most of the sane people have been driven into hiding by the Catalyst stink.
What's next, eugenics, based on ISAT and Prairie State scores (with a little ACT thrown in)?
And we can call it "data driven world management"? The same stuff was in place elsewhere (see below) a while back and it took some serious extermination to get rid of that iteration of those notions by late 1945 (I had two parents on the exterimination teams, one in Europe and the other in the Pacific). Apparently, however, really bad ideas never die, they just migrate to Catlyst and other corporate blogs.
Let's put this notion into contemporary perspective. The same scripts about who should be allowed to have babies are now being written for Arne in collaboration with the fourth generation of Henry Ford's family. That was the crowd (Fords; Pritzkers; all those well above the poverty people) that showed up to fete Daley, Duncan, charter schools, and the furious drive to privatize as much of public education here as possible at the Powerhouse a month ago. Ford I was a big fan of those (often Chicago-based and nurtured) eugenicist ideas. Ford IV wasn't doing interviews with reporters like me.
But Ford I could keep his rants coming, and he found fans very powerful for his ideas in places like Germany -- for a time. I can't wait to hear that the same crowd -- slinging around the same Megabucks -- is going to revive the Dearborn Independent to help this project along.
Sun Nov 11, 2007 at 12:19 PM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
George, that line was a sarcastic response to the idea that teachers need to have perspective, not a veiled attempt to endorse eugenics.
Sun Nov 11, 2007 at 4:17 PM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
Charlie,
I find your comments condescending to teachers. Get off Cookie.
She said she was tired of hearing..., she never said that is what she said to the parent.
How do you know that her class is not unchallenged?
You are the one making a blanket assessments.
I find your comments condescending to teachers. Get off Cookie.
She said she was tired of hearing..., she never said that is what she said to the parent.
How do you know that her class is not unchallenged?
You are the one making a blanket assessments.
Sun Nov 11, 2007 at 8:26 PM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
Trina, which part of Charlie's post do you find condescending?
I don't think Charlie was condescending at all. In fact, I'd say he was the exact opposite: self-effacing and humble. He admitted that in his classroom it just isn't possible for every student of every class every day to be completely challenged. Boredom happens sometimes despite our best efforts to prevent it.
By contrast Cookie made the claim that if a student claims to be bored or unchallenged in her class "it simply is not true". Of course, a single student who feels unchallenged or bored negates that dubious claim. Even the best among us have seen students in our class who meet that criteria at some point. That's not an indictment or criticism of Cookie, teachers, students, or the profession.
If I've missed something, I hope you'll enlighten me.
I don't think Charlie was condescending at all. In fact, I'd say he was the exact opposite: self-effacing and humble. He admitted that in his classroom it just isn't possible for every student of every class every day to be completely challenged. Boredom happens sometimes despite our best efforts to prevent it.
By contrast Cookie made the claim that if a student claims to be bored or unchallenged in her class "it simply is not true". Of course, a single student who feels unchallenged or bored negates that dubious claim. Even the best among us have seen students in our class who meet that criteria at some point. That's not an indictment or criticism of Cookie, teachers, students, or the profession.
If I've missed something, I hope you'll enlighten me.
Tue Nov 13, 2007 at 5:49 AM
Report Card Pickup: Love It Or Hate It?
It's nice to be agreeing with Charlie. Our job is not to entertain our students, but to conjure up something so that between September and June (or January) they end up knowing a little more about whatever it is we've been trying to teach than they did when they walked in.
If they're inspired, not tired, unbored, or wired... So be it.
The kinds of activities that leave people never bored are mostly inappropriate for the kinds of work most teachers do. And having once worked with some people who were in the "entertainment" business, I learned from them that even that activity can get very very boring.
If they're inspired, not tired, unbored, or wired... So be it.
The kinds of activities that leave people never bored are mostly inappropriate for the kinds of work most teachers do. And having once worked with some people who were in the "entertainment" business, I learned from them that even that activity can get very very boring.
