Excellent essay (email) on teaching

[Anonymous]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/12/31/i-would-love-to-teach-but/?tid=pm_pop

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the post. Sad.

[Anonymous]

Funny. I want my DD's elementary school to really push my DD, who puts in very minimal effort and does the least she can possibly get away with, and they praise the shit out of her. When I went to the teacher and said, "She's going to fail this state capitol test" the teacher was all "Oh, I'm sure she'll do fine!" No, she failed. I ask and ask and ask for more, for help, for suggestions on how to light a fire under this kid's ass, and I have consistently, for years, been poo poo'd away.

So now I have a boring child with no drive. How do I enroll my daughter in THAT teacher's class?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Funny. I want my DD's elementary school to really push my DD, who puts in very minimal effort and does the least she can possibly get away with, and they praise the shit out of her. When I went to the teacher and said, "She's going to fail this state capitol test" the teacher was all "Oh, I'm sure she'll do fine!" No, she failed. I ask and ask and ask for more, for help, for suggestions on how to light a fire under this kid's ass, and I have consistently, for years, been poo poo'd away.

So now I have a boring child with no drive. How do I enroll my daughter in THAT teacher's class?

There are several issues going on here:
- lack of rigor
- low expectations
- inappropriate use of praise - which connects back to the two above

Our parent conference was the opposite. While my daughter does very well (clearly not at a "magnet" level of "well"), the teacher pointed out some areas to strengthen and encouraged US to do our part at home.

So your daughter is getting mixed message, and in cases like this, kids will take the easier path. You can encourage her to work harder at home by offering her incentives. For example, my daughter loves the iPad, but if she doesn't complete her work at a high level, she doesn't use the iPad.

But my question to you is this - If you knew she was going to fail the capitals' test, what role did YOU take in helping her study? Did you expect the teacher to give them study time during the class?

I don't know the teacher's methods in instructing kids. Some will just give them a list of states and capitals and expect them to study instead of focusing on why these areas were so significant - which allows them to anchor a name to an important event, for example.

But that's where you come in unfortunately. Use an incentive to encourage your daughter to study.

[Anonymous]

The "F" is the teacher's communication to you. Enough said.

[Anonymous]

I agree with most of it except the teachers obsession with grades being a great motivator. Grades are basically meaningless. So what? Teachers can still reach without ever giving a grade.

[Anonymous]

I agree with most of it except the teachers obsession with grades being a great motivator. Grades are basically meaningless. So what? Teachers can still reach without ever giving a grade.

Grades are a form of communication--or at least, they used to be. Also, do you read the newspapers? All the politicians-both sides- are pushing grades and test scores to evaluate teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I agree with most of it except the teachers obsession with grades being a great motivator. Grades are basically meaningless. So what? Teachers can still reach without ever giving a grade.

Grades are a form of communication--or at least, they used to be. Also, do you read the newspapers? All the politicians-both sides- are pushing grades and test scores to evaluate teachers.

Yes. I get it. But it is meaningless. I would give the teachers essay a B- ... How about you? You might give the teacher an A+ and the principal obviously won't give the teacher lower than C but probably would grade it pretty harshly. See how that works.

I get that grades are not going away. But they are not a good measure of learning or ability.

[Anonymous]

State capitols are basically memorization. We had to memorize them in 4th grade as well as the shape of the state. Unless the teacher sent nothing home, your DD should've studied them herself. She doesn't need to be motivated to do it. She just has to do it. Isn't that the majority of what we do as adults in our lives? My boss' job isn't to motivate me to do my job. The paycheck does. So, figure out your DD's paycheck and go from there. Stop expecting her teacher to motivate her. My older brother was super lazy but very capable in school so my mom paid him for his grades. He earned $10 for a A, $5 for a B and nothing for a C. He liked having his own money so it worked out fairly well for him.

[Anonymous]

I don't pay DS for grades; he's expected to be motivated and well read. He's expected to read the books assigned, not just google the answers to his homework, but to learn the subject matter. Here's a no brainier: have your kids see you reading physical books, not the iPad so they know your read. discuss literature. Model caring about education and your kids will care, too.

Above all, sober up. Too many trophy wives are so busy acting like Mrs. Robinson to notice that their kids can't read. It's not up to teachers. It's up to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:State capitols are basically memorization. We had to memorize them in 4th grade as well as the shape of the state. Unless the teacher sent nothing home, your DD should've studied them herself. She doesn't need to be motivated to do it. She just has to do it. Isn't that the majority of what we do as adults in our lives? My boss' job isn't to motivate me to do my job. The paycheck does. So, figure out your DD's paycheck and go from there. Stop expecting her teacher to motivate her. My older brother was super lazy but very capable in school so my mom paid him for his grades. He earned $10 for a A, $5 for a B and nothing for a C. He liked having his own money so it worked out fairly well for him.

I don't work for a paycheck, if I did I would have chosen a different, boring and cut throat job. THat model dies not work for most.

You can actually teach the capitols, but lazy teachers just send the information home and hope most of the kids can teach themselves. That is NOT teaching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Funny. I want my DD's elementary school to really push my DD, who puts in very minimal effort and does the least she can possibly get away with, and they praise the shit out of her. When I went to the teacher and said, "She's going to fail this state capitol test" the teacher was all "Oh, I'm sure she'll do fine!" No, she failed. I ask and ask and ask for more, for help, for suggestions on how to light a fire under this kid's ass, and I have consistently, for years, been poo poo'd away.

So now I have a boring child with no drive. How do I enroll my daughter in THAT teacher's class?

There are several issues going on here:
- lack of rigor
- low expectations
- inappropriate use of praise - which connects back to the two above

Our parent conference was the opposite. While my daughter does very well (clearly not at a "magnet" level of "well"), the teacher pointed out some areas to strengthen and encouraged US to do our part at home.

So your daughter is getting mixed message, and in cases like this, kids will take the easier path. You can encourage her to work harder at home by offering her incentives. For example, my daughter loves the iPad, but if she doesn't complete her work at a high level, she doesn't use the iPad.

But my question to you is this - If you knew she was going to fail the capitals' test, what role did YOU take in helping her study? Did you expect the teacher to give them study time during the class?

I don't know the teacher's methods in instructing kids. Some will just give them a list of states and capitals and expect them to study instead of focusing on why these areas were so significant - which allows them to anchor a name to an important event, for example.

But that's where you come in unfortunately. Use an incentive to encourage your daughter to study.

We studied the capitals together so much that *I* learned tons more than I'd known previously. Every morning and every evening on the train on our way to and from school I'd say, "Do you have your list/flashcards? Do you want to study?" and if she didn't bring them or didn't want to, then oh well. I absolutely have never praised her for accomplishments that are not impressive and have always praised efffort and results that come from effort. She truly just does not have any self-motivation at all. And the teacher, instead of failing her, just falls all over herself to make sure DD doesn't feel badly (when she SHOULD feel badly) and tells her she can take the test again next week.

I don't want the good grades on one report card. I want a human being who pushes herself and sets goals and works towards them.

[Anonymous]

I don't want the good grades on one report card. I want a human being who pushes herself and sets goals and works towards them.

Somehow, you are going to have to find "natural consequences". (I speak from failed experience with my own son, by the way.) Take away something she cares about when she makes poor grades.

[Anonymous]

I don't work for a paycheck, if I did I would have chosen a different, boring and cut throat job. THat model dies not work for most.

You can actually teach the capitols, but lazy teachers just send the information home and hope most of the kids can teach themselves. That is NOT teaching.


LOL! That is the most ridiculous thing I've read in a long time. Take away paychecks and see how long people will stick around at their jobs. LOL!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I don't work for a paycheck, if I did I would have chosen a different, boring and cut throat job. THat model dies not work for most.

You can actually teach the capitols, but lazy teachers just send the information home and hope most of the kids can teach themselves. That is NOT teaching.

LOL! That is the most ridiculous thing I've read in a long time. Take away paychecks and see how long people will stick around at their jobs. LOL!

Sure people don't work for free but most people are not motivated by more money. Money is not the primary motivator.

There is tons of research to back this ... Look it up... Or do you need me to reward you with 5 bucks.