MCPS 2nd grade teacher assigned big project to be due in class on Nov 21st, day before Thankksgiving

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This really isn't that difficult. We aren't talking about a junior or a senior in high school for heavens sake. No one will ever care what grade your second grader gets on a project. I would let the teacher know that you are traveling on Wednesday and that your child won't be in class. Don't ask her permission. Just let her know. Tell her you would be happy to have him complete the project early, or he can have it ready to present on the following Monday. If she says no. Then let it go.

Also, don't call him in sick. I know it shouldn't surprise me anymore, but I'm still always disappointed to hear parents suggest lying. People who teach their children that it's ok to lie when it suits their needs really shouldn't be raising kids.

I'm 9:27; this is a much more thoughtful way of saying what I meant (minus the "sheesh").

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This really isn't that difficult. We aren't talking about a junior or a senior in high school for heavens sake. No one will ever care what grade your second grader gets on a project. I would let the teacher know that you are traveling on Wednesday and that your child won't be in class. Don't ask her permission. Just let her know. Tell her you would be happy to have him complete the project early, or he can have it ready to present on the following Monday. If she says no. Then let it go.

Also, don't call him in sick. I know it shouldn't surprise me anymore, but I'm still always disappointed to hear parents suggest lying. People who teach their children that it's ok to lie when it suits their needs really shouldn't be raising kids.

This is exactly what you should do--and I'm a teacher. Don't call him in sick. The teacher will know he's not sick, and I wouldn't want to tell my kid "Don't say anything about our trip. I told them you were sick!!" Let the teacher know of your plans and offer alternatives. In all likelihood, the teacher knows the there will probably be several students absent, and therefore made this day a "presentation day" so that absent students would not miss new instruction.

Relax. It's nothing to get in a huff over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This really isn't that difficult. We aren't talking about a junior or a senior in high school for heavens sake. No one will ever care what grade your second grader gets on a project. I would let the teacher know that you are traveling on Wednesday and that your child won't be in class. Don't ask her permission. Just let her know. Tell her you would be happy to have him complete the project early, or he can have it ready to present on the following Monday. If she says no. Then let it go.

Also, don't call him in sick. I know it shouldn't surprise me anymore, but I'm still always disappointed to hear parents suggest lying. People who teach their children that it's ok to lie when it suits their needs really shouldn't be raising kids.

This is exactly what you should do--and I'm a teacher. Don't call him in sick. The teacher will know he's not sick, and I wouldn't want to tell my kid "Don't say anything about our trip. I told them you were sick!!" Let the teacher know of your plans and offer alternatives. In all likelihood, the teacher knows the there will probably be several students absent, and therefore made this day a "presentation day" so that absent students would not miss new instruction.

Relax. It's nothing to get in a huff over.

MCPS policy on absences states that non-attendance for family trips are not excused absences. Unexcused absences = no opportunity to make up work, therefore the second grader would get a zero on the project.

At least, that is how it would work at our elementary school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This really isn't that difficult. We aren't talking about a junior or a senior in high school for heavens sake. No one will ever care what grade your second grader gets on a project. I would let the teacher know that you are traveling on Wednesday and that your child won't be in class. Don't ask her permission. Just let her know. Tell her you would be happy to have him complete the project early, or he can have it ready to present on the following Monday. If she says no. Then let it go.

Also, don't call him in sick. I know it shouldn't surprise me anymore, but I'm still always disappointed to hear parents suggest lying. People who teach their children that it's ok to lie when it suits their needs really shouldn't be raising kids.

This is exactly what you should do--and I'm a teacher. Don't call him in sick. The teacher will know he's not sick, and I wouldn't want to tell my kid "Don't say anything about our trip. I told them you were sick!!" Let the teacher know of your plans and offer alternatives. In all likelihood, the teacher knows the there will probably be several students absent, and therefore made this day a "presentation day" so that absent students would not miss new instruction.

Relax. It's nothing to get in a huff over.

MCPS policy on absences states that non-attendance for family trips are not excused absences. Unexcused absences = no opportunity to make up work, therefore the second grader would get a zero on the project.

At least, that is how it would work at our elementary school.

Advice stays the same: if you're going on a trip, say you're going on a trip. Don't lie.

[Anonymous]

I'm the teacher PP quoted, and yes, MCPS policy states that a family trip is unexcused. There's a difference between the Official School Policy and the school policy. This is in place so that the school has recourse if a student goes to Hawaii for two weeks during final exams and the parents expect to be able to have the work made up.

This is 2nd grade. The teacher will not give a student a "zero" (which we can't give anyway) on a big project for going on a family trip the day before Thanksgiving, especially if his parents check in with the teacher ahead of time and let her know. Also, OP, with the new grading system, this project can only be worth the same amount as any other assignment. Grades can't be weighted.

Same advice: Tell the teacher what's going to happen, offer to have your son do his presentation early or on Monday. The teacher may even prefer to have him do it early as an example to the rest of the class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
They can take it in the following school day (Monday) if their parents call the school to say they are sick that day.

If I had plans to leave town early, and this were happening w/my second grader, I would call him in sick in a heartbeat. Really. That is an excused absence and he could hand it in the next day.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm the teacher PP quoted, and yes, MCPS policy states that a family trip is unexcused. There's a difference between the Official School Policy and the school policy. This is in place so that the school has recourse if a student goes to Hawaii for two weeks during final exams and the parents expect to be able to have the work made up.

This is 2nd grade. The teacher will not give a student a "zero" (which we can't give anyway) on a big project for going on a family trip the day before Thanksgiving, especially if his parents check in with the teacher ahead of time and let her know. Also, OP, with the new grading system, this project can only be worth the same amount as any other assignment. Grades can't be weighted.

Same advice: Tell the teacher what's going to happen, offer to have your son do his presentation early or on Monday. The teacher may even prefer to have him do it early as an example to the rest of the class.

Agreed, but unfortunately this varies from school to school. I have personal experience with this: We left one day early for winter break and told the teacher (5th grade) that my son would not be in that day. She gave him a zero for an assignment due that day, refused to budge. Principal backed her up.

Going forward, we will lie if necessary, and explain to our kids why we do so. Some rules are meant to be broken.

[Anonymous]

Talk with the teacher. It is better due the day before Thanksgiving than the Monday after. It is second grade and a half day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Agreed, but unfortunately this varies from school to school. I have personal experience with this: We left one day early for winter break and told the teacher (5th grade) that my son would not be in that day. She gave him a zero for an assignment due that day, refused to budge. Principal backed her up.

Going forward, we will lie if necessary, and explain to our kids why we do so. Some rules are meant to be broken.

He should have turned the assignment that last day he was at school. Yes, that means he had one less day to work on it but that is how the cookie crumbles when you skip school. If she assigned it the day he left then he needed to complete it that day & send it in with another student. Nice try blaming the teacher for it.

[Anonymous]

Your attitude sounds like you are looking for a fight. So, congratulations...?

[Anonymous]

This is why perspective means so much. OP, this really isn't a big deal. Don't stress over it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Agreed, but unfortunately this varies from school to school. I have personal experience with this: We left one day early for winter break and told the teacher (5th grade) that my son would not be in that day. She gave him a zero for an assignment due that day, refused to budge. Principal backed her up.

Going forward, we will lie if necessary, and explain to our kids why we do so. Some rules are meant to be broken.

He should have turned the assignment that last day he was at school. Yes, that means he had one less day to work on it but that is how the cookie crumbles when you skip school. If she assigned it the day he left then he needed to complete it that day & send it in with another student. Nice try blaming the teacher for it.

She would not take it a day early. She would not take it at all - early, late, whatever. If he wasn't there *that day*, he was not able to do the work for the grade. The principal backed her up - he got a zero.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Agreed, but unfortunately this varies from school to school. I have personal experience with this: We left one day early for winter break and told the teacher (5th grade) that my son would not be in that day. She gave him a zero for an assignment due that day, refused to budge. Principal backed her up.

Going forward, we will lie if necessary, and explain to our kids why we do so. Some rules are meant to be broken.

He should have turned the assignment that last day he was at school. Yes, that means he had one less day to work on it but that is how the cookie crumbles when you skip school. If she assigned it the day he left then he needed to complete it that day & send it in with another student. Nice try blaming the teacher for it.

She would not take it a day early. She would not take it at all - early, late, whatever. If he wasn't there *that day*, he was not able to do the work for the grade. The principal backed her up - he got a zero.

. Wait a minute. Why do you assume the policy was the teacher's and not the principal's? Or the county's?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OK, is this crappy or what? MCPS has an early release day on November 21st the day before Thanksgiving. DS's second grade teacher assigned a big project that includes an in class presentation on the 21st. This is the only assignment of this size so far his entire year. To the extent that grades matter in 2nd grade, it is clear that this will be an important part of their assessment. In second grade its a big deal to kids to feel like they missed something. There are no make ups or early presentations for kids who would miss the 21st.

If the curriculum was more intense or there were more assignments like this it wouldn't seem so bitchy but this is a teacher who assigns very little homework in general, never comes up with creative assignments like this, doesn't do regular spelling tests and tells the kids that it doesn't matter if they forget they their homework. Its seems very fishy that all of a sudden there is a bog assignment due the day before a holiday on an early release day.

Is your child missing school that day? Honestly, this is no big deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Agreed, but unfortunately this varies from school to school. I have personal experience with this: We left one day early for winter break and told the teacher (5th grade) that my son would not be in that day. She gave him a zero for an assignment due that day, refused to budge. Principal backed her up.

Going forward, we will lie if necessary, and explain to our kids why we do so. Some rules are meant to be broken.

He should have turned the assignment that last day he was at school. Yes, that means he had one less day to work on it but that is how the cookie crumbles when you skip school. If she assigned it the day he left then he needed to complete it that day & send it in with another student. Nice try blaming the teacher for it.

She would not take it a day early. She would not take it at all - early, late, whatever. If he wasn't there *that day*, he was not able to do the work for the grade. The principal backed her up - he got a zero.

. Wait a minute. Why do you assume the policy was the teacher's and not the principal's? Or the county's?

I didn't say the policy was the teacher's. I said the teacher responded by refusing to accept the work, and the principal agreed with her response.

I assume they were following MCPS policy to the letter:

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/pdf/jeara.pdf (see section IIA(1)(e)

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/parents/basics/schoolbasics/#4