Encouraging notes home from teachers in middle school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My high schooler and middle schooler, who are good students, never have. That would be nice. I’m not sure a teacher has ever reached out to us.

My kid is also a good student - very strong academically but the notes are never about academics. Usually some variation of thanking him for being engaged and enthusiastic in class (during the pandemic there were a few notes thanking him for keeping his camera on) and often a specific observation about how he did something kind in class or supported his classmates.

Well if my child saw this she'd feel really bad. She kept her camera on all the time - one of the only ones who did -worked hard, thanked the teacher and never got so much as a good morning or good afternoon from the teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My high schooler and middle schooler, who are good students, never have. That would be nice. I’m not sure a teacher has ever reached out to us.

My kid is also a good student - very strong academically but the notes are never about academics. Usually some variation of thanking him for being engaged and enthusiastic in class (during the pandemic there were a few notes thanking him for keeping his camera on) and often a specific observation about how he did something kind in class or supported his classmates.

Well if my child saw this she'd feel really bad. She kept her camera on all the time - one of the only ones who did -worked hard, thanked the teacher and never got so much as a good morning or good afternoon from the teachers.

What school?

[Anonymous]

7th grader got a post card last year from a teacher. DC thought it was weird and embarrassing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:7th grader got a post card last year from a teacher. DC thought it was weird and embarrassing.

I guess they got that from their parents. Seems ungrateful.

[Anonymous]

We do this. Try to make our way through the whole class over the course of the year. The team leader sends them out. We write them at team weekly meetings. Often, they’re designed to encourage kids who otherwise might not feel seen or successful. The super achievers for whom school stuff comes easy probably wouldn’t be in one of those first batches. And yes, it’s not about As. It might be recognition thst your child helped another student, or exhibited patience, or contributed a fresh idea or took a risk in class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We do this. Try to make our way through the whole class over the course of the year. The team leader sends them out. We write them at team weekly meetings. Often, they’re designed to encourage kids who otherwise might not feel seen or successful. The super achievers for whom school stuff comes easy probably wouldn’t be in one of those first batches. And yes, it’s not about As. It might be recognition thst your child helped another student, or exhibited patience, or contributed a fresh idea or took a risk in class.

Interesting. My kid is a very high achiever but recently got one. I guess maybe because he is introverted?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Only for middle school? And why middle school, especially?

we received these from ES as well. So not a middle school thing for sure.

[Anonymous]

One of my kids received one after we left MCPS. We’ve moved back and still haven’t seen one here.

[Anonymous]

I'm not a middle school teacher, but I do this every year for all my students. I try to do it twice a year. During covid and remote learning, I did it once a quarter, and then twice a year, I did some kind of fun small group game with kids after school hours. As a parent, my kids' elementary school sent notes home. Nothing in middle or high school. But, all those teachers put in tons of extra unpaid time to do things like host dances or school events. And many put in additional time (paid but not for all the hours they put in) to run clubs, sports, etc. They also took the time to write really thoughtful college rec letters.

[Anonymous]

I’m a MS teacher and I don’t have time to do this. I am too busy reading school email and completing Special Ed quarterly reports and other required documents. I teach over 100 students each day but MCPS is only required to give me 27 minutes of planning time each day as a part time teacher. So no, I will not be able to send you a post card let alone Aggie to buy said postcard or mail it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a MS teacher and I don’t have time to do this. I am too busy reading school email and completing Special Ed quarterly reports and other required documents. I teach over 100 students each day but MCPS is only required to give me 27 minutes of planning time each day as a part time teacher. So no, I will not be able to send you a post card let alone Aggie to buy said postcard or mail it

Forgot to mention that I’m getting paid what I would working at Trader Joe / or being a full time para or even working as a sub. Doubt I will return next year. I knew it was bad in MCPS, but I had no idea how bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a MS teacher and I don’t have time to do this. I am too busy reading school email and completing Special Ed quarterly reports and other required documents. I teach over 100 students each day but MCPS is only required to give me 27 minutes of planning time each day as a part time teacher. So no, I will not be able to send you a post card let alone Aggie to buy said postcard or mail it

You forgot and posting on dcurbanmom

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a MS teacher and I don’t have time to do this. I am too busy reading school email and completing Special Ed quarterly reports and other required documents. I teach over 100 students each day but MCPS is only required to give me 27 minutes of planning time each day as a part time teacher. So no, I will not be able to send you a post card let alone Aggie to buy said postcard or mail it

You forgot and posting on dcurbanmom

Apparently other teachers can manage it, even with 100 students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:7th grader got a post card last year from a teacher. DC thought it was weird and embarrassing.

I guess they got that from their parents. Seems ungrateful.

PP here. None of us had ever heard of teachers sending post cards to students’ homes, so it seemed kind of creepy. They didn’t receive any postcards from any other teachers and didn’t realize it was a “thing.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:7th grader got a post card last year from a teacher. DC thought it was weird and embarrassing.

I guess they got that from their parents. Seems ungrateful.

PP here. None of us had ever heard of teachers sending post cards to students’ homes, so it seemed kind of creepy. They didn’t receive any postcards from any other teachers and didn’t realize it was a “thing.”

I'm a MS teacher and it's not a thing. Some schools might have a setup but it's a lot for a teacher to do with 100+ students. I wish I could have! I try to make sure at the end of the year that each of my students has an award that represents them and their attributes. I know of zero teachers that have done this in MS except for one or two that might send a couple out when they get a chance. Often we try to send a positive email home, but those often get no response!