ISO: advice for MCPS 8th and 9th grade families

[Anonymous]

Recently at a gathering, parents with kids in 9th grade and "upper" middle school asked parents with older students how to get their kid ready for four years of high school in MCPS. One of the suggestions made by a few was to have your kid learn to email their teachers/reach out if they have questions or concerns about their classes. Isn't that obvious? Don't students already know in middle school (taking seven or eight different classes) to reach out to their teachers either in-class or by email?

What if student contacts teacher in-person and follows up by email but teacher doesn't respond? Unnecessary stress on students. Yes, teachers have many students but teachers have a duty to respond to students within a few days. Sometimes a kid is just asking a yes or no question or for a simple clarification. Unfortunately when dealing with some teachers, follow-up by a parent is necessary.

What GREAT advice can you share with parents and students about high school in MCPS?

[Anonymous]

That IS great advice. If your child is already doing it, great! But it’s not at all uncommon for parents to email teachers in MS if their kids get a bad grade, can’t find the field trip permission slip, are at a table with a disruptive group, need an extension on an assignment, etc. These are all things HS teachers don’t want to hear from parents about. It should be coming from the students. But good for your child if they’re doing this already.

[Anonymous]

Kids in MS are learning how to be good students including how to communicate with teachers. The skill continues to evolve through HS. Some kids learn it quickly and others take time.

As Far as teachers not responding, I’d cross that bridge when you come to it. I have three kids who went through MCPS (last one graduated last year). Not once did my kids have issues with staff being unresponsive. So I wouldn’t waste my time preparing my kids for something unlikely to happen.

So here’s a piece of advice. If your kids play a fall sport in HS, tryouts are the second week of August and practice starts immediately after that. Another piece of advice. Your kids will need a sports physical in order to participate.

[Anonymous]

At the beginning of the year, many teachers will share their preferred method of communication. They have several email accounts and portals to monitor. If you use their preferred method, they'll likely see your message sooner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids in MS are learning how to be good students including how to communicate with teachers. The skill continues to evolve through HS. Some kids learn it quickly and others take time.

As Far as teachers not responding, I’d cross that bridge when you come to it. I have three kids who went through MCPS (last one graduated last year). Not once did my kids have issues with staff being unresponsive. So I wouldn’t waste my time preparing my kids for something unlikely to happen.

So here’s a piece of advice. If your kids play a fall sport in HS, tryouts are the second week of August and practice starts immediately after that. Another piece of advice. Your kids will need a sports physical in order to participate.

NP. My kid does email his teachers but there are 2 who never respond. Never.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids in MS are learning how to be good students including how to communicate with teachers. The skill continues to evolve through HS. Some kids learn it quickly and others take time.

As Far as teachers not responding, I’d cross that bridge when you come to it. I have three kids who went through MCPS (last one graduated last year). Not once did my kids have issues with staff being unresponsive. So I wouldn’t waste my time preparing my kids for something unlikely to happen.

So here’s a piece of advice. If your kids play a fall sport in HS, tryouts are the second week of August and practice starts immediately after that. Another piece of advice. Your kids will need a sports physical in order to participate.

NP. My kid does email his teachers but there are 2 who never respond. Never.

My kid also has a teacher that ignores his emails

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Recently at a gathering, parents with kids in 9th grade and "upper" middle school asked parents with older students how to get their kid ready for four years of high school in MCPS. One of the suggestions made by a few was to have your kid learn to email their teachers/reach out if they have questions or concerns about their classes. Isn't that obvious? Don't students already know in middle school (taking seven or eight different classes) to reach out to their teachers either in-class or by email?

What if student contacts teacher in-person and follows up by email but teacher doesn't respond? Unnecessary stress on students. Yes, teachers have many students but teachers have a duty to respond to students within a few days. Sometimes a kid is just asking a yes or no question or for a simple clarification. Unfortunately when dealing with some teachers, follow-up by a parent is necessary.

What GREAT advice can you share with parents and students about high school in MCPS?

If I had a dollar for every time that I responded to a student’s email within hours and they didn’t read it, but asked me the same question in person the next day, I could retire six months early.

I’ve responded to students and cc’d their parents, but the student has still asked me the same question the next day.

If I’m going to take class time to answer the question, I’m not also taking planning period or personal time to craft an email.

Worse, I’ve looped a parent in, but still been alerted by guidance or admin that the parent said I haven’t responded to their or their child’s email and they need me to call them or have a face to face meeting. I’m not the only teacher I know having that experience.

As a parent, my advice is to have your high school student treat school like it’s a “real job”. Prioritize the learning over social life and extra curricular activities. Do the assigned tasks. Fix mistakes when you make them.

Everything else is really subjective. There’s no OSFA approach to which courses to take. For some subjects, even which sequence is negotiable. This is where you as the parent can advocate for your child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids in MS are learning how to be good students including how to communicate with teachers. The skill continues to evolve through HS. Some kids learn it quickly and others take time.

As Far as teachers not responding, I’d cross that bridge when you come to it. I have three kids who went through MCPS (last one graduated last year). Not once did my kids have issues with staff being unresponsive. So I wouldn’t waste my time preparing my kids for something unlikely to happen.

So here’s a piece of advice. If your kids play a fall sport in HS, tryouts are the second week of August and practice starts immediately after that. Another piece of advice. Your kids will need a sports physical in order to participate.

NP. My kid does email his teachers but there are 2 who never respond. Never.

My kid also has a teacher that ignores his emails

Is the teacher replying directly to the kid in person? I do that (and have told the students.) I don’t check email after school hours. If the email then, I’ll see it next morning and it’s just quicker and a better response if I just talk to them when I see them in class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Recently at a gathering, parents with kids in 9th grade and "upper" middle school asked parents with older students how to get their kid ready for four years of high school in MCPS. One of the suggestions made by a few was to have your kid learn to email their teachers/reach out if they have questions or concerns about their classes. Isn't that obvious? Don't students already know in middle school (taking seven or eight different classes) to reach out to their teachers either in-class or by email?

What if student contacts teacher in-person and follows up by email but teacher doesn't respond? Unnecessary stress on students. Yes, teachers have many students but teachers have a duty to respond to students within a few days. Sometimes a kid is just asking a yes or no question or for a simple clarification. Unfortunately when dealing with some teachers, follow-up by a parent is necessary.

What GREAT advice can you share with parents and students about high school in MCPS?

If I had a dollar for every time that I responded to a student’s email within hours and they didn’t read it, but asked me the same question in person the next day, I could retire six months early.

I’ve responded to students and cc’d their parents, but the student has still asked me the same question the next day.

If I’m going to take class time to answer the question, I’m not also taking planning period or personal time to craft an email.

Worse, I’ve looped a parent in, but still been alerted by guidance or admin that the parent said I haven’t responded to their or their child’s email and they need me to call them or have a face to face meeting. I’m not the only teacher I know having that experience.

As a parent, my advice is to have your high school student treat school like it’s a “real job”. Prioritize the learning over social life and extra curricular activities. Do the assigned tasks. Fix mistakes when you make them.

Everything else is really subjective. There’s no OSFA approach to which courses to take. For some subjects, even which sequence is negotiable. This is where you as the parent can advocate for your child.

+1. If this thread really is about MS, most 6th graders I know never use email. I always encourage my child to see teachers one on one during student hours. That way they can ask follow up questions, as well as just get to know the teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids in MS are learning how to be good students including how to communicate with teachers. The skill continues to evolve through HS. Some kids learn it quickly and others take time.

As Far as teachers not responding, I’d cross that bridge when you come to it. I have three kids who went through MCPS (last one graduated last year). Not once did my kids have issues with staff being unresponsive. So I wouldn’t waste my time preparing my kids for something unlikely to happen.

So here’s a piece of advice. If your kids play a fall sport in HS, tryouts are the second week of August and practice starts immediately after that. Another piece of advice. Your kids will need a sports physical in order to participate.

NP. My kid does email his teachers but there are 2 who never respond. Never.

PP to whom you’re responding. Just to clarify. Not every email got an email response. But every email got an answer. For example, a teacher may have said that they received the email and to come see them at lunch. Or an email to the counselor may have resulted in a pass to visit the counselor’s office for a discussion. Or there might have been a quick discussion before or after class. Or they may have been told to check the class notes that were posted and to let the teacher know if they still had questions. But teachers were definitely responsive.

I’d suggest that people go to BTSN and to get involved with their schools. Teachers and others who work with your kids want to see your kids be successful and you will get a good feel for the work they do if you become an involved parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids in MS are learning how to be good students including how to communicate with teachers. The skill continues to evolve through HS. Some kids learn it quickly and others take time.

As Far as teachers not responding, I’d cross that bridge when you come to it. I have three kids who went through MCPS (last one graduated last year). Not once did my kids have issues with staff being unresponsive. So I wouldn’t waste my time preparing my kids for something unlikely to happen.

So here’s a piece of advice. If your kids play a fall sport in HS, tryouts are the second week of August and practice starts immediately after that. Another piece of advice. Your kids will need a sports physical in order to participate.

NP. My kid does email his teachers but there are 2 who never respond. Never.

Or have a different demeanor towards students but when parents get involved, it's all "oh Mr or Mrs Larla, yes of course." Parents: don't let your kids have to make multiple requests and contact a teacher for one thing. They shouldn't be putting unnecessary stress on themselves after they have done as far as contacting their teacher. You can contact the teacher. Have student ask counselor to get involved. And finally you as a parent contact counselor too. If severe, get kid's Assistant Principal involved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Recently at a gathering, parents with kids in 9th grade and "upper" middle school asked parents with older students how to get their kid ready for four years of high school in MCPS. One of the suggestions made by a few was to have your kid learn to email their teachers/reach out if they have questions or concerns about their classes. Isn't that obvious? Don't students already know in middle school (taking seven or eight different classes) to reach out to their teachers either in-class or by email?

What if student contacts teacher in-person and follows up by email but teacher doesn't respond? Unnecessary stress on students. Yes, teachers have many students but teachers have a duty to respond to students within a few days. Sometimes a kid is just asking a yes or no question or for a simple clarification. Unfortunately when dealing with some teachers, follow-up by a parent is necessary.

What GREAT advice can you share with parents and students about high school in MCPS?

If I had a dollar for every time that I responded to a student’s email within hours and they didn’t read it, but asked me the same question in person the next day, I could retire six months early.

I’ve responded to students and cc’d their parents, but the student has still asked me the same question the next day.

If I’m going to take class time to answer the question, I’m not also taking planning period or personal time to craft an email.

Worse, I’ve looped a parent in, but still been alerted by guidance or admin that the parent said I haven’t responded to their or their child’s email and they need me to call them or have a face to face meeting. I’m not the only teacher I know having that experience.

As a parent, my advice is to have your high school student treat school like it’s a “real job”. Prioritize the learning over social life and extra curricular activities. Do the assigned tasks. Fix mistakes when you make them.

Everything else is really subjective. There’s no OSFA approach to which courses to take. For some subjects, even which sequence is negotiable. This is where you as the parent can advocate for your child.

+1. If this thread really is about MS, most 6th graders I know never use email. I always encourage my child to see teachers one on one during student hours. That way they can ask follow up questions, as well as just get to know the teacher.

Did you read OP? It asks about "What GREAT advice can you share with parents and students about high school in MCPS?" By 8th grade, most students know how to email their teacher. Whether they email or ask in-person in class, or before or after class, or another time is another thing. Some teachers do not remember they conversed with a student after all they have 100s
+ middle school students.

[Anonymous]

Advice for High school:
Get involved in this : https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1285430.page

Teens naturally sleep later at night. They should not be in a classroom before 9am!

[Anonymous]

Each of the 25 high schools has resourceful college and career navigator (think that's the title)

[Anonymous]

Get involved in clubs