HS Teachers Aren’t Keeping up on Grading

[Anonymous]

My child has multiple teachers who haven’t graded things since November. My child emails them multiple times giving three to five days space to honor them juggling multiple tasks (I have seen child’s emails). However, now that it’s end of quarter there are multiple items that have still yet to be resolved in multiple classes. The teachers tell students they have plenty of time don’t worry, but this is inadequate. It’s undue stress on the student.

Should I contact the principal or counselor if the teachers aren’t keeping up with grade book and it’s been more than 8 weeks or 6 weeks? What is the proper escalation process when teachers say students must advocate for themselves and then they ignore the student actively requesting a retake or asking for access to complete an assignment they need to complete?

[Anonymous]

No, you do not email their supervisor to tattle on them. What you can do is step in yourself and email the teacher directly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, you do not email their supervisor to tattle on them. What you can do is step in yourself and email the teacher directly.

DP. And if they ignore the parent as well? From my experience, teachers who ignore the students, will ignore the parents. Typically, this is an indication of a widespread culture or what they are allowed to do. Sadly, it means administration will most likely ignore you too, or find solutions that don’t make much difference. It is a sad reality at many schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, you do not email their supervisor to tattle on them. What you can do is step in yourself and email the teacher directly.

DP. And if they ignore the parent as well? From my experience, teachers who ignore the students, will ignore the parents. Typically, this is an indication of a widespread culture or what they are allowed to do. Sadly, it means administration will most likely ignore you too, or find solutions that don’t make much difference. It is a sad reality at many schools.

DP.

I agree with you: this is a sad reality at many schools. It stems from the job’s requirements, though. Teachers aren’t given time at work to grade, meaning that this integral part of their job competes with their home obligations.

Many teachers work around the clock These teachers are burning out and quitting because of the unsustainably of the workload. That leaves the teachers who refuse to work past contract hours, meaning the work doesn’t get done.

The solution to this is to provide time at work for grading, but that’s not a priority to school systems. As long as there are teachers willing to give up home lives and as long as parents don’t complain, this will just continue.

[Anonymous]

9 out of 10, did you take time to get the teacher a gift card of $5 at starbucks or mcdonalds or DD to get some coffee and write them a nice thank you note with merry christmas or happy holidays?

that teacher will respond to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:9 out of 10, did you take time to get the teacher a gift card of $5 at starbucks or mcdonalds or DD to get some coffee and write them a nice thank you note with merry christmas or happy holidays?

that teacher will respond to you.

Such a weird statement. I am a HS teacher and I would never differentiate based on who got me a card or a gift. Never. Period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:9 out of 10, did you take time to get the teacher a gift card of $5 at starbucks or mcdonalds or DD to get some coffee and write them a nice thank you note with merry christmas or happy holidays?

that teacher will respond to you.

Such a weird statement. I am a HS teacher and I would never differentiate based on who got me a card or a gift. Never. Period.

Another high school teacher here. No, I’m also not going to differentiate based on who gave me a gift card or not. That’s a ridiculous statement.

I’ll respond to all emails. Some may be right away and some may take a couple days if I’m swamped, but either way you’re getting a response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child has multiple teachers who haven’t graded things since November. My child emails them multiple times giving three to five days space to honor them juggling multiple tasks (I have seen child’s emails). However, now that it’s end of quarter there are multiple items that have still yet to be resolved in multiple classes. The teachers tell students they have plenty of time don’t worry, but this is inadequate. It’s undue stress on the student.

Should I contact the principal or counselor if the teachers aren’t keeping up with grade book and it’s been more than 8 weeks or 6 weeks? What is the proper escalation process when teachers say students must advocate for themselves and then they ignore the student actively requesting a retake or asking for access to complete an assignment they need to complete?

Largely, emails are not addressed rapidly or at all directly to a student. They bark about ‘self-advocacy’ yet the DCs are often ignored and shut down if they can brave a request. It’s a defeating feeling for a quiet DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, you do not email their supervisor to tattle on them. What you can do is step in yourself and email the teacher directly.

DP. And if they ignore the parent as well? From my experience, teachers who ignore the students, will ignore the parents. Typically, this is an indication of a widespread culture or what they are allowed to do. Sadly, it means administration will most likely ignore you too, or find solutions that don’t make much difference. It is a sad reality at many schools.

DP.

I agree with you: this is a sad reality at many schools. It stems from the job’s requirements, though. Teachers aren’t given time at work to grade, meaning that this integral part of their job competes with their home obligations.

Many teachers work around the clock These teachers are burning out and quitting because of the unsustainably of the workload. That leaves the teachers who refuse to work past contract hours, meaning the work doesn’t get done.

The solution to this is to provide time at work for grading, but that’s not a priority to school systems. As long as there are teachers willing to give up home lives and as long as parents don’t complain, this will just continue.

DP. On the whole, I completely sympathize with the workload and unrealistic expectations placed on teachers by admin, students, and parents. That said, my DC also has a teacher this year that hasn't graded anything in months. When the students try to inquire, she tells them that she refuses to discuss grades and that she "doesn't care about grades". The students feel helpless to improve or truly learn the material because they get zero feedback on their work to apply the next time. Meanwhile, their friends taking the same class with different teachers are getting thorough and timely feedback that enables them to learn, improve their scores, and earn higher grades in the class. Further, the teacher spends class time telling the students about how she spends all her free time, her relationship with her significant other, etc. Teachers are MORE than entitled to use their non-working hours however they choose, but my point is that this isn't an issue of struggle to balance personal and professional lives.

I'm hesitant to contact the teacher because I don't want it to backfire on my DC. This is why many parents consider "going over their heads" when the teacher dismisses the student's efforts at self-advocacy. (PS - my DC has an A in every other class they take, earned through hard work. So this isn't a situation of "are you sure your kid is telling you the truth"!) Like any profession, some teachers are victims of a very broken system and some just aren't good. Most are the former but it's okay to acknowledge that sometimes it really is the teacher's issue.

[Anonymous]

My child has no grade updated in math since 12/17. Totally unacceptable.

[Anonymous]

My child’s health teacher has inputted nothing from second quarter. The last grade was drivers ed stuff which was from the 1st quarter.

[Anonymous]

Are these late assignments or assignments they did on time? Students expect me to update the grades the day they turn in something that is over a month late. I don’t have to take it to begin with. Those assignments I wait until last. Test and summative assignments and quizzes I grade with 2 days of taking it.

[Anonymous]

Not a single entry since 12/17. Nothing was turned in late. No quiz or test grades that were done in class. Nothing in there to show what’s upcoming.

[Anonymous]

I am in the same boat as OP. Several of DC's teachers do not grade on time, do not respond to e-mails. He hasn't had his Math grades posted since before Thanksgiving. I want to message the Department head.

[Anonymous]

Principals should be told, without hesitation, Department Heads, all you can think to contact