Midterms? Maybe, maybe not...

[Anonymous]

I am really upset right now. My DC is a freshman @ Wilson, and has midterms coming up. We've been having a problem with one teacher who is seriously disorganized. Midterms are scheduled for the week after this one, and so far, there is no guidance from this teacher, who tells the students that she hasn't yet decided whether or not to give a midterm, or the format if a midterm is given.
I cannot believe that teachers have this much discretion at the high school level...it is unconscionable, in my view.

[Anonymous]

So teach your child some coping skills of how to deal with unpredictable situations. And stop helicoptering!

Unconscionable is schools in DCPS with 12% or 22% or 32% of 4th graders reading on grade level.

Your snowflake will get through this. Breathe.

[Anonymous]

706, are you saying that affluent kids will do fine with crappy teaching?

It's probably true in elementary school, but I'd worry about college readiness if poor quality of instruction continues into high school.

If this is what you get at Wilson, one can only wonder at what instruction looks like at Ballou.

[Anonymous]

I agree with 07:06. Your kid will have to deal with all types of people- including wholly unorganized high school teachers, university professors (the worst!), work peers, and bosses. Flexibility is a good life skill; use this as a teachable moment.

And if you're still unhappy about it when it's all over, discuss it at your next parent-teacher conference

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:706, are you saying that affluent kids will do fine with crappy teaching?

It's probably true in elementary school, but I'd worry about college readiness if poor quality of instruction continues into high school.

If this is what you get at Wilson, one can only wonder at what instruction looks like at Ballou.

I didn't get the sense that the OP said the teacher was a poor instructor just unorganized.

[Anonymous]

This will happen at Harvard - learn to deal.

[Anonymous]

9:02, You're speaking the truth. My DS who's a DCPS graduate, is currently at Harvard in his freshmen year and the HU could easily stand for Harvard Unorganized. I as a parent could have been frazzled too but DS has a full-ride all the way through graduate degree

[Anonymous]

I don't see the problem, OP. A midterm is one tool in a teacher's arsenal to assess and evaluate. Every class is different and it's possible that the teacher is deciding whether or not a midterm is the best way to measure progress for this group with this material. Your child is still required to master the material of the class and if s/he has done that, s/he should be ready for a midterm, pop quiz, or term paper.

School is unpredictable. Just like life.

[Anonymous]

I am in sympathy with OP. I have taught at secondary and tertiary institutions, and it has always been a given that if exams are on the schedule, exams are given. It is the teacher's decision as to the type of exam, and the weighting in the overall grade. I can't think of a single reason why a teacher, who's presumably aware of the academic calendar, would be waffling on this point, with 2 weeks before the exam date.