5th Grader Forgot Homework for First Time and Teacher Made Him Write a Note Home

[Anonymous]

What do you mean prejudiced? Go volunteer in one and then tell me about it. Some of them operate in out of complete chaos with high teacher turnover. It's more about survival then teaching....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a 5th Grade child attending MCPS elementary school. He is well behaved; a straight "A" student, and is OCD about completing his homework assignments (the first thing he does when he gets home from school). Yesterday, he forgot his math homework for the first time. He actually completed but forgot to put in his book-bag. His math teacher made him complete a "blue form" in which he had to acknowledge forgetting his homework assignment; accept responsibility for it; indicate that he would not do it again; and it was signed by him, the teacher, and there was a space for the parent signature. P.S. My kid has ADD and is under an IEP[b]. This is a new-ish teacher so we decided to cut her a break and just sign the note but I really think some teachers should have to spend time in challenging or difficult schools before they are sent into cushy ones so that they have an appreciation for the student population they have.....

If your son is OCD about completing homework and this is the very first time he's forgotten to bring it to school, then the fact that he has ADD and an IEP is irrelevant--it clearly has not impacted his ability to turn in his homework thus far.

I don't know much about the blue form, but it sounds like the teacher has a system for missing homework and the first time is sending that form home. You don't mention any other consequence, so it seems fair to me. And guess what, I'm a Title I teacher, and DH teaches at one of those "cushy" schools. My expectation for my students is 100% of assignments turned in 100% of the time. You miss one, you're busted. If DH let a kid get away with missing a homework assignment, THE PARENT is the one emailing right away to find out why this wasn't addressed, and why the parent wasn't informed. Nobody likes it when their kid gets an "unfair" reprimand from a teacher, but I don't see why you're so outraged. Just because she expects her students to turn in the homework or face consequences doesn't mean she doesn't "appreciate" them.

[Anonymous]

It's my understanding that any schoolwork done outside of the classroom can't be graded. So missing homework doesn't affect the grade.

[Anonymous]

OP here: Well I've since had my parent teacher conference and both my child's primary teacher and math teacher agreed that in hindsight, the note should have not been sent home (in this case). So there; I was right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And what Title 1 school do you teach in previous poster? You must be a newly hired intern and this was the only job offer you rec'd because most transfer out after their 3rd year (when they receive tenure) and move to the "cushy" ones in Potomac and Chevy Chase......

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do you mean prejudiced? Go volunteer in one and then tell me about it. Some of them operate in out of complete chaos with high teacher turnover. It's more about survival then teaching....

Can you READ?

I work in a school that's more than half FARMs. And I cannot believe a teacher can make that statement, as it's haughty and racist.

I am grateful for ALL students who work hard and have empathy for those who are truants, abused, hungry, and tired from working to pay bills.

Any teacher making that statement needs to leave the profession.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a 5th Grade child attending MCPS elementary school. He is well behaved; a straight "A" student, and is OCD about completing his homework assignments (the first thing he does when he gets home from school). Yesterday, he forgot his math homework for the first time. He actually completed but forgot to put in his book-bag. His math teacher made him complete a "blue form" in which he had to acknowledge forgetting his homework assignment; accept responsibility for it; indicate that he would not do it again; and it was signed by him, the teacher, and there was a space for the parent signature. P.S. My kid has ADD and is under an IEP. This is a new-ish teacher so we decided to cut her a break and just sign the note but I really think some teachers should have to spend time in challenging or difficult schools before they are sent into cushy ones so that they have an appreciation for the student population they have.....

OP, so..you want...special treatment for your son eh??

[Anonymous]

Studies show that much of the homework for elem school kids is busy work. Now we add to that with bureaucratic blue and green forms to be filled out and logged. Is it any wonder the US is falling behind.

[Anonymous]

Title 1 Teacher:

Are you Mother Teresa or the lady from the Sound of Music? Give yourself another couple of years there and we'll see if you are still at your school or still even in the teaching profession. The altruism wears off fast when you are taking verbal, emotional and sometimes physical abuse.....

[Anonymous]

IEP equals "special treatment"......

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here: Well I've since had my parent teacher conference and both my child's primary teacher and math teacher agreed that in hindsight, the note should have not been sent home (in this case). So there; I was right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And what Title 1 school do you teach in previous poster? You must be a newly hired intern and this was the only job offer you rec'd because most transfer out after their 3rd year (when they receive tenure) and move to the "cushy" ones in Potomac and Chevy Chase......

Well, you’re still at one, so does that mean you are a “newly hired intern”? If so, I suggest you spend some time reflecting about your ambitions as an educator. Perhaps this field is not for you. If you have more experience, my suggestion is to re-evaluate your sources regarding what “most” Title I teachers do or feel or believe. The majority of staff at my school have at least five years in at our school; many have more than 10. If you are still teaching in a Title I school, despite high turnover, “complete chaos,” and your clear distaste for the overall environment, does this mean you have been unable to get an offer anywhere else? I can see why.

To answer your question, I’m in my 11th year at my current Title I elementary school, the name of which I will not reveal here. We are high-performing and have high expectations, and I would not dream of letting one of my students skate by without homework, even once. I owe it to them to hold them accountable every single time. I suspect that during your conference, if you were as hostile toward the teachers as you are to the posters who disagree with you here, they may have “agreed” with you to preserve the peace. They have to deal with you for seven more months, after all. Surely, as a teacher in a difficult school, you can understand.

Title 1 Teacher:

Are you Mother Teresa or the lady from the Sound of Music? Give yourself another couple of years there and we'll see if you are still at your school or still even in the teaching profession. The altruism wears off fast when you are taking verbal, emotional and sometimes physical abuse.....

If you are referring to 11:57, we are different posters. Half FARMs is heavily impacted, but I do not think qualifies as Title I with the current percentage requirements. How many years does it take for the altruism to wear off? Let me write this down...

[Anonymous]

OP, what would you have preferred they do? I'm not trying to be nasty, I just truly don't understand what you think was so bad about this. It's laudable that he's never forgotten his homework and that he is such a good student. Is a letter home that big of a deal? Everyone knows he always does his homework and that he just forgot this once, so it would seem like a letter would come home, we'd all say "woops - guess we won't forget again!" and that would be that. I'm not understanding what the issue is?

[Anonymous]

Op Here: There is no issue anymore; the teachers acknowledged their error; you can all go back to your chicken coops

[Anonymous]

What error? Why should the teacher play favorites? If you forget your homework and the policy is a note then that's the policy. Be consistent. Student, what have you done for me lately. Who gives a damn about what you did last week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP I agree with you. Nothing wrong with a friendly reminder for a "first offense." MCPS school culture is unnecessarily punitive, authoritarian, and mistrusting of kids, IMHO. We moved here from a place that others here may call progressive but I just call normal, where student-teacher interactions are genuine and human, not filtered through an impersonal bureaucracy that expects that without fear of punishment kids won't do their best.

This.

Reading between the lines it sounds like OPs kid was made to feel embarassed about the incident -- and from the MCPS end not the family end. As a parent I want to know, but I will insist that all criticism is 100% constructive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op Here: There is no issue anymore; the teachers acknowledged their error; you can all go back to your chicken coops

You're clearly a dimwit used to bullying people, preferably your students I suspect.