APS new policy on remediation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here’s hoping their mediocre soccer skills pay the bills later in life. You know, when they lack the intellectual skills needed for a real career.

Ooh, I missed this burn to my earlier comment (strengths first). What a false dichotomy. From a mental health perspective, it makes no sense to pull kids from every activity that brings joy to prep for retake after retake. There is a lot of value in music, theatre, sports, debate.

Again, my kids have definitely missed a practice or rehearsal once or twice if swamped. And I’m not defending video games if that is how a kid is spending their time (which means they didn’t study) - that’s indefensible. But there is balance to be found.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:8:33 your child isn't alone. This is to me also an outcome of elementary schools not sufficiently challenging some kids so when they get to their first hard class they are completely unprepared for facing setbacks in the classroom.

Thanks for the kind words. Yes, his teacher sent an email to all of the parents saying how a lot of kids do bad on the first couple of tests before they realize that middle school requires a bit more effort (or focus). DS is a smart kid but tends to rush or be sloppy. At least I think he learned his lesson on that (we went over how to slow down and re-read questions).

I do hope we can at least come to a point where his immediate inclination is not to melt down if he doesn't do well at something.

[Anonymous]

It is an issue at W-L… they shortened generals period and made some days no-travel days, so with all the required remediation steps, my kid is having to pick and choose what they can make up because there isn’t time to do more than maybe one a week. Taking rigorous classes and trying for As, so would be interested in making up a low B on a test or a C on any of quiz.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is an issue at W-L… they shortened generals period and made some days no-travel days, so with all the required remediation steps, my kid is having to pick and choose what they can make up because there isn’t time to do more than maybe one a week. Taking rigorous classes and trying for As, so would be interested in making up a low B on a test or a C on any of quiz.

Can't they make an appointment with teachers before or after school? Shouldn't be mascot period only.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:8:33 your child isn't alone. This is to me also an outcome of elementary schools not sufficiently challenging some kids so when they get to their first hard class they are completely unprepared for facing setbacks in the classroom.

Thanks for the kind words. Yes, his teacher sent an email to all of the parents saying how a lot of kids do bad on the first couple of tests before they realize that middle school requires a bit more effort (or focus). DS is a smart kid but tends to rush or be sloppy. At least I think he learned his lesson on that (we went over how to slow down and re-read questions).

I do hope we can at least come to a point where his immediate inclination is not to melt down if he doesn't do well at something.

Just as a follow up! My kid retook the test and brought his grade from a C+ to am A!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is an issue at W-L… they shortened generals period and made some days no-travel days, so with all the required remediation steps, my kid is having to pick and choose what they can make up because there isn’t time to do more than maybe one a week. Taking rigorous classes and trying for As, so would be interested in making up a low B on a test or a C on any of quiz.

Can't they make an appointment with teachers before or after school? Shouldn't be mascot period only.

You mean outside of teacher’s contract hours? Not a solution to a wider problem. If APS wants to allow the retakes it needs to allow time in schedules to do the remediation required. Seems they still haven’t found balance for each.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last year kids could retake to infinity. This is better

That’s not true. It depended on teacher/class.

Well, most implemented it the way it was explained to them, which was to infinity. Why study if you know you can retake a test again and again until you succeed? That’s what my kid “learned.” I am glad, especially for teachers.

Because there is a cost to each retake.

How many kids actually retook tests multiple times?

Retakes are great because they promote learning.

Maybe they are okay for younger students but college bound students shouldn't be doing this. They don't have retakes in college. My son is a freshman in college and he says everyone in his classes are complaining that the teachers won't allow retakes. A semester is 15 weeks or so and a quarter is 10 weeks. There is a timeline to learning and kids in high school shouldn't be given all of these chances. They will fail miserably in college because they are trained to expect the same thing they've always had.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I got to say I really like the retake policy. My kid is in 6th and got his first poor grade ever (C+) on a test. He was beside himself (crying, saying how he was a failure, is not worth anything, is pathetic, and shouldn't even go to school). However, once he calmed down, he was able to email the teacher regarding a retake, recognize what he did wrong (in his case, misread the instructions) and is going to retake tomorrow.

So for kids like mine that experience academic stress (and yes we are seeking help) it is good that he knows that he has a chance to fix things if he makes a mistake.

A C+ isn't a poor grade. All of this grade inflation just makes it seem like it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is an issue at W-L… they shortened generals period and made some days no-travel days, so with all the required remediation steps, my kid is having to pick and choose what they can make up because there isn’t time to do more than maybe one a week. Taking rigorous classes and trying for As, so would be interested in making up a low B on a test or a C on any of quiz.

YHS has had 2 days of mascot period be no travel for several years. Is this something new at W-L and WHS?

Yes, it can be challenging, but some teachers also only offer retakes before or after school and that can also be hard. There are choices to be made. I do find the amount of extra work required before a retake to be prohibitive in some classes, but I'll keep my fingers crossed that it's not too necessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I got to say I really like the retake policy. My kid is in 6th and got his first poor grade ever (C+) on a test. He was beside himself (crying, saying how he was a failure, is not worth anything, is pathetic, and shouldn't even go to school). However, once he calmed down, he was able to email the teacher regarding a retake, recognize what he did wrong (in his case, misread the instructions) and is going to retake tomorrow.

So for kids like mine that experience academic stress (and yes we are seeking help) it is good that he knows that he has a chance to fix things if he makes a mistake.

A C+ isn't a poor grade. All of this grade inflation just makes it seem like it is.

I suppose. I (as a kid) would have been upset about another below a B in the 90s when I went to school. I mean I would probably be upset with anything below an A to be honest (when I was in school). I don't think this is new.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is an issue at W-L… they shortened generals period and made some days no-travel days, so with all the required remediation steps, my kid is having to pick and choose what they can make up because there isn’t time to do more than maybe one a week. Taking rigorous classes and trying for As, so would be interested in making up a low B on a test or a C on any of quiz.

Immediately after school is outside of contract hours? We are new to HS, but all of my kid’s MS teachers offered office hours that were after school.

Regarding C+ only being seen as a poor grade because of grade inflation… this is a silly perspective. Your kid today is compared with other kids today in today’s grading climate. Good luck getting into college with a C+ because that wasn’t a bad grade in 1950.

Can't they make an appointment with teachers before or after school? Shouldn't be mascot period only.

You mean outside of teacher’s contract hours? Not a solution to a wider problem. If APS wants to allow the retakes it needs to allow time in schedules to do the remediation required. Seems they still haven’t found balance for each.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I got to say I really like the retake policy. My kid is in 6th and got his first poor grade ever (C+) on a test. He was beside himself (crying, saying how he was a failure, is not worth anything, is pathetic, and shouldn't even go to school). However, once he calmed down, he was able to email the teacher regarding a retake, recognize what he did wrong (in his case, misread the instructions) and is going to retake tomorrow.

So for kids like mine that experience academic stress (and yes we are seeking help) it is good that he knows that he has a chance to fix things if he makes a mistake.

A C+ isn't a poor grade. All of this grade inflation just makes it seem like it is.

A C+ was a poor grade even in the 80s when I was in high school, don't kid yourself. Come back when your child is applying to college and let us know what schools they got into with a transcript dotted with C's.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:8:33 your child isn't alone. This is to me also an outcome of elementary schools not sufficiently challenging some kids so when they get to their first hard class they are completely unprepared for facing setbacks in the classroom.

Thanks for the kind words. Yes, his teacher sent an email to all of the parents saying how a lot of kids do bad on the first couple of tests before they realize that middle school requires a bit more effort (or focus). DS is a smart kid but tends to rush or be sloppy. At least I think he learned his lesson on that (we went over how to slow down and re-read questions).

I do hope we can at least come to a point where his immediate inclination is not to melt down if he doesn't do well at something.

Just as a follow up! My kid retook the test and brought his grade from a C+ to am A!

That's great news, PP! It likely means he's now learned the material. One of DC's teachers has not returned the original retakes, telling the kids it isn't a priority so they'll get them at the end of the quarter so it's interim and they have no idea what their grades are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:8:33 your child isn't alone. This is to me also an outcome of elementary schools not sufficiently challenging some kids so when they get to their first hard class they are completely unprepared for facing setbacks in the classroom.

Thanks for the kind words. Yes, his teacher sent an email to all of the parents saying how a lot of kids do bad on the first couple of tests before they realize that middle school requires a bit more effort (or focus). DS is a smart kid but tends to rush or be sloppy. At least I think he learned his lesson on that (we went over how to slow down and re-read questions).

I do hope we can at least come to a point where his immediate inclination is not to melt down if he doesn't do well at something.

Just as a follow up! My kid retook the test and brought his grade from a C+ to am A!

That's great news, PP! It likely means he's now learned the material. One of DC's teachers has not returned the original retakes, telling the kids it isn't a priority so they'll get them at the end of the quarter so it's interim and they have no idea what their grades are.

Oh, that is incredibly frustrating. Especially if it is a class where concepts build on each other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last year kids could retake to infinity. This is better

That’s not true. It depended on teacher/class.

Well, most implemented it the way it was explained to them, which was to infinity. Why study if you know you can retake a test again and again until you succeed? That’s what my kid “learned.” I am glad, especially for teachers.

Because there is a cost to each retake.

How many kids actually retook tests multiple times?

Retakes are great because they promote learning.

Maybe they are okay for younger students but college bound students shouldn't be doing this. They don't have retakes in college. My son is a freshman in college and he says everyone in his classes are complaining that the teachers won't allow retakes. A semester is 15 weeks or so and a quarter is 10 weeks. There is a timeline to learning and kids in high school shouldn't be given all of these chances. They will fail miserably in college because they are trained to expect the same thing they've always had.

“All of these chances”? You overestimate the time/effort it takes to do retakes. And when retakes are even available.

Each of my college-bound kids has benefited from periodic retakes. It has helped them fill gaps/reinforce learning before moving on to the next level. Way better than just accepting a marginal grade and moving on to the next unit.

I’ll take learning over never having the chance to take a retake.