How many times do I have to protest against the deficiencies in a system before someone listens?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here. I also was really turned off by the tone of the initial post but I also HATE parentvue-- I don't think it's a problem with the system but with how teachers post things-- they don't realize the implications of what they are doing.

Here's the dangerous bit:
My ex would get notifications and SCREAM at DS for what he was seeing. Sometimes his interpretation was correct (DS had failed a test or hadn't turned in an assignment). But sometimes his interpretation of what he was seeing was completely wrong. But the screaming was the same, and the kid became fearful that even when things were going well at school, something would cause screaming at home.

For instance,
If a quiz has 5 points of m/c questions and 5 points of essay questions, we would get an automated email message saying DS had scored a 5/10 because the computer would grade the first 5 questions and the teacher hadn't yet graded the other 5 points. Surely, the teacher doesn't have to set it up like this, but I've had teachers do this-- cue yelling and subsequent crying.

Sometimes ds didn't take a makeup test (because he'd done well on the original) but we still get an email message saying 0/10 on that score.

In Canvas, there are regularly assignments listed as 'missing' only because they were turned in through some other system besides Canvas (on paper; using some other webpage). I don't think this happens in Synergy, but definitely in Canvas. Why does the teacher set up a Canvas assignment that automatically turns to 'missing' on the due date? I have no clue, and it is really confusing and disruptive.

One time, I was concerned that so many of ds's Canvas showed 'late.' I reached out to the teacher who said that ds was doing great, was on track, that she didn't perceive any problems. I guess the due dates were listed in Canvas, but in class she was telling the kids 'no big deal' if they come in late. That's just confusing. (Personally, I'd prefer real, enforced due dates. But if you aren't going to impose them, why indicate to parents that things are late if you are indicating to kids that it's not a problem to submit it next week?)

So it's not a technology problem. It's a problem that teachers aren't setting up the assignments well. And that's because the teachers don't really understand what we are seeing on the other side-- they probably don't know that we're getting emails with 5/10 or 0/10 so they don't know to correct it. They don't know parents are looking in Canvas, or aren't thinking much about what they may be seeing there.

Sounds like a bigger parenting problem than tech problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here. I also was really turned off by the tone of the initial post but I also HATE parentvue-- I don't think it's a problem with the system but with how teachers post things-- they don't realize the implications of what they are doing.

Here's the dangerous bit:
My ex would get notifications and SCREAM at DS for what he was seeing. Sometimes his interpretation was correct (DS had failed a test or hadn't turned in an assignment). But sometimes his interpretation of what he was seeing was completely wrong. But the screaming was the same, and the kid became fearful that even when things were going well at school, something would cause screaming at home.

For instance,
If a quiz has 5 points of m/c questions and 5 points of essay questions, we would get an automated email message saying DS had scored a 5/10 because the computer would grade the first 5 questions and the teacher hadn't yet graded the other 5 points. Surely, the teacher doesn't have to set it up like this, but I've had teachers do this-- cue yelling and subsequent crying.

Sometimes ds didn't take a makeup test (because he'd done well on the original) but we still get an email message saying 0/10 on that score.

In Canvas, there are regularly assignments listed as 'missing' only because they were turned in through some other system besides Canvas (on paper; using some other webpage). I don't think this happens in Synergy, but definitely in Canvas. Why does the teacher set up a Canvas assignment that automatically turns to 'missing' on the due date? I have no clue, and it is really confusing and disruptive.

One time, I was concerned that so many of ds's Canvas showed 'late.' I reached out to the teacher who said that ds was doing great, was on track, that she didn't perceive any problems. I guess the due dates were listed in Canvas, but in class she was telling the kids 'no big deal' if they come in late. That's just confusing. (Personally, I'd prefer real, enforced due dates. But if you aren't going to impose them, why indicate to parents that things are late if you are indicating to kids that it's not a problem to submit it next week?)

So it's not a technology problem. It's a problem that teachers aren't setting up the assignments well. And that's because the teachers don't really understand what we are seeing on the other side-- they probably don't know that we're getting emails with 5/10 or 0/10 so they don't know to correct it. They don't know parents are looking in Canvas, or aren't thinking much about what they may be seeing there.

Sounds like a bigger parenting problem than tech problem.

Yes, there shouldn’t be screaming and crying over grades but the issues with the system are spot on here.
And because of the issues with grading written out here, we don’t know how the kids are doing or the kids are having to constantly follow up on these errors. I write to the board about it too. Nothing changed.
It came to a head this past year when one teacher, who wouldnt input grades until close to end of quarter, claimed my child do zero work and tried to fail him. The work was turned in. She never graded it, and because of her lazy attitude the prior quarters I didn’t question all the zeros and figured those grades would be updated. They weren’t. It took six months of fighting to get the report card corrected. Yes, SIX months. She should be fired. The burden on parents is beyond anything my own parents had to deal with and I cannot imagine how someone with limited understanding of this system would be able to navigate it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It should also be noted that McPs did not create parentvue or mymcps—those are software platforms that are sold to school districts across the country. If McPS tried to come up with a bespoke software solution, I bet it would be worse. Maybe someone should found a software company to come up with a better alternative? I’m actually surprised Google has not come up with something, since one of google’s goals seems to be to capture the American education system with their hardware and software.

MCPS did come up with MyMCPS. And it was worse. Money already wasted.

Good grief-MyMCPS is on Canvas. It was not created by MCPS. Many colleges use it as their online platform. Might want to educate yourself before making comments.

Good grief how stupid are you.

June 11, 2013 Montgomery County Public Schools | Follow us on Twitter

‘myMCPS’ data tool to provide one-stop portal for staff

‘myMCPS’ data tool to provide one-stop portal for staff
Northwest High School administrative secretary Kathy McCauley checks out the preview version of the myMCPS website.

How would you like to be able to access information about curriculum, applications, dashboards and reports—all in one location? A new web-based one-stop portal, called “myMCPS,” will soon be available to help staff do just that. Instead of having to sign on to different MCPS sites you currently use—such as Professional Development Online (PDO), OASIS or the Help Desk—you will be able to sign on to myMCPS once. From there, you’ll have access to many of the different sites, without having to sign on again.

For example, principals and teachers will be able to go to myMCPS to see student profile reports. School secretaries can visit the site for student demographic and scheduling information. Staff will be able to enter and monitor student assessment scores and access the Curriculum Archive and other instructional resources. MyMCPS visitors also will be able to see their Outlook messages and calendar, as well as their PDO information. MCPS news releases also will be available from the site.

A preview version of myMCPS can now be accessed in all schools from an icon on staff workstations. The final version, which will include access for all staff, will be released in November, along with online training and assistance.

Information will be provided through various “centers”:

Information CenterMessage Center
Report CenterStudent Center
Classroom Management
School Management
Curriculum Center
Instructional data assistants in elementary and middle schools will receive face-to-face training this fall, and high schools will be asked to send a designated person to the training. Staff who are trained go back to their schools to help other staff transition to the site.

Additional information about training and support for the transition will follow. For more information about myMCPS, contact your school’s technology consultant.

Link to myMCPS

You're both right, and/or both wrong. The myMCPS label was indeed once used for a now-defunct portal system. Now, MCPS uses Canvas, and has branded their Canvas interface as myMCPS Classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here. I also was really turned off by the tone of the initial post but I also HATE parentvue-- I don't think it's a problem with the system but with how teachers post things-- they don't realize the implications of what they are doing.

Here's the dangerous bit:
My ex would get notifications and SCREAM at DS for what he was seeing. Sometimes his interpretation was correct (DS had failed a test or hadn't turned in an assignment). But sometimes his interpretation of what he was seeing was completely wrong. But the screaming was the same, and the kid became fearful that even when things were going well at school, something would cause screaming at home.

For instance,
If a quiz has 5 points of m/c questions and 5 points of essay questions, we would get an automated email message saying DS had scored a 5/10 because the computer would grade the first 5 questions and the teacher hadn't yet graded the other 5 points. Surely, the teacher doesn't have to set it up like this, but I've had teachers do this-- cue yelling and subsequent crying.

Sometimes ds didn't take a makeup test (because he'd done well on the original) but we still get an email message saying 0/10 on that score.

In Canvas, there are regularly assignments listed as 'missing' only because they were turned in through some other system besides Canvas (on paper; using some other webpage). I don't think this happens in Synergy, but definitely in Canvas. Why does the teacher set up a Canvas assignment that automatically turns to 'missing' on the due date? I have no clue, and it is really confusing and disruptive.

One time, I was concerned that so many of ds's Canvas showed 'late.' I reached out to the teacher who said that ds was doing great, was on track, that she didn't perceive any problems. I guess the due dates were listed in Canvas, but in class she was telling the kids 'no big deal' if they come in late. That's just confusing. (Personally, I'd prefer real, enforced due dates. But if you aren't going to impose them, why indicate to parents that things are late if you are indicating to kids that it's not a problem to submit it next week?)

So it's not a technology problem. It's a problem that teachers aren't setting up the assignments well. And that's because the teachers don't really understand what we are seeing on the other side-- they probably don't know that we're getting emails with 5/10 or 0/10 so they don't know to correct it. They don't know parents are looking in Canvas, or aren't thinking much about what they may be seeing there.

Sounds like a bigger parenting problem than tech problem.

Parenting problem when parents think expensive educational tech systems are accurate. You are right. Parents should always know anything coming from MCPS is garbage.

[Anonymous]

Leaving aside the specific gripe (Canvas, etc.), consider the following:

The likelihood of response to a request varies positively with the number of requests, given the frequency of request is reasonable -- P(resp) ~ N(req|reasonable frequency)

The likelihood of response to a request varies negatively with the number of requests, if the frequency of request is unreasonable -- P(resp) ~ 1/N(req|unreasonable frequency)

The likelihood of response to a request varies positively with the clarity (or specificity) of the requests, if the detail requested is reasonable -- P(resp) ~ C(req|reasonable detail)

The likelihood of response to a request varies negatively with the clarity (or specificity) of the requests, if the detail requested is unreasonable -- P(resp) ~ 1/C(req|unreasonable detail)

The likelihood of response to a request varies positively with the availability of resources to handle the request, proxied by budget and management efficiency-- P(resp) ~ B(system)*ME(system)

The likelihood of response to a request varies negatively with the effort required to address the request -- P(resp) ~ 1/E(address)

The likelihood of response to a request varies positively with the alignment of the request to the objectives of the system -- P(resp) ~ A(req<->system)

The likelihood of response to a request varies negatively with the perceived sensitivity of a response -- P(resp) ~ 1/S(resp)

Thus far, we have

P(resp) ~ {N(req|reasonable frequency)*C(req|reasonable detail)*[B(system)*ME(system)]*A(req<->system)} / [N(req|unreasonable frequency)*C(req|unreasonable detail)*E(address)*S(resp)]

So you can ask many times, but you risk becoming annoying. You can increase taxes better to fund the system, but you won't get anywhere without good leadership whose goals align with yours. You can be clear with that which you are requesting, but if that level of detail would not be reasonable, or if disclosure would tend to expose unsavory truths, that will do you no good.

As any of the numerator factors approach 0, the probability approaches 0. As any of the denominator factors approach infinity, the probability approaches 0. If your asked only once (assuming that is perfectly reasonable), you crafted your request such that there was no unreasonable detail and/or there was no sensitivity to a potential response, it wouldn't matter how much effort it would take -- division by 0 is undefined (Seriously, though one might assume that a single request will bother someone, any amount of detail might not be seen as reasonable to someone and all information is sensitive to a degree.)

Working within the system would be great. If the system allowed for that. If the system was more forthcoming with pertinent detail. If there was alignment of leadership objectives with your issue. With any reasonable chance of having something done in a timeframe that would have a positive effect for your kids. But, really, are any politics different?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here. I also was really turned off by the tone of the initial post but I also HATE parentvue-- I don't think it's a problem with the system but with how teachers post things-- they don't realize the implications of what they are doing.

Here's the dangerous bit:
My ex would get notifications and SCREAM at DS for what he was seeing. Sometimes his interpretation was correct (DS had failed a test or hadn't turned in an assignment). But sometimes his interpretation of what he was seeing was completely wrong. But the screaming was the same, and the kid became fearful that even when things were going well at school, something would cause screaming at home.

For instance,
If a quiz has 5 points of m/c questions and 5 points of essay questions, we would get an automated email message saying DS had scored a 5/10 because the computer would grade the first 5 questions and the teacher hadn't yet graded the other 5 points. Surely, the teacher doesn't have to set it up like this, but I've had teachers do this-- cue yelling and subsequent crying.

Sometimes ds didn't take a makeup test (because he'd done well on the original) but we still get an email message saying 0/10 on that score.

In Canvas, there are regularly assignments listed as 'missing' only because they were turned in through some other system besides Canvas (on paper; using some other webpage). I don't think this happens in Synergy, but definitely in Canvas. Why does the teacher set up a Canvas assignment that automatically turns to 'missing' on the due date? I have no clue, and it is really confusing and disruptive.

One time, I was concerned that so many of ds's Canvas showed 'late.' I reached out to the teacher who said that ds was doing great, was on track, that she didn't perceive any problems. I guess the due dates were listed in Canvas, but in class she was telling the kids 'no big deal' if they come in late. That's just confusing. (Personally, I'd prefer real, enforced due dates. But if you aren't going to impose them, why indicate to parents that things are late if you are indicating to kids that it's not a problem to submit it next week?)

So it's not a technology problem. It's a problem that teachers aren't setting up the assignments well. And that's because the teachers don't really understand what we are seeing on the other side-- they probably don't know that we're getting emails with 5/10 or 0/10 so they don't know to correct it. They don't know parents are looking in Canvas, or aren't thinking much about what they may be seeing there.

Sounds like a bigger parenting problem than tech problem.

Yes, there shouldn’t be screaming and crying over grades but the issues with the system are spot on here.
And because of the issues with grading written out here, we don’t know how the kids are doing or the kids are having to constantly follow up on these errors. I write to the board about it too. Nothing changed.
It came to a head this past year when one teacher, who wouldnt input grades until close to end of quarter, claimed my child do zero work and tried to fail him. The work was turned in. She never graded it, and because of her lazy attitude the prior quarters I didn’t question all the zeros and figured those grades would be updated. They weren’t. It took six months of fighting to get the report card corrected. Yes, SIX months. She should be fired. The burden on parents is beyond anything my own parents had to deal with and I cannot imagine how someone with limited understanding of this system would be able to navigate it.

Really the poster seems mentally unbalanced and their gripes seem inconsequential mostly.

[Anonymous]

Isn't the parent's coalition a radical group of right-wing nuts?

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/365860.page

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here. I also was really turned off by the tone of the initial post but I also HATE parentvue-- I don't think it's a problem with the system but with how teachers post things-- they don't realize the implications of what they are doing.

Here's the dangerous bit:
My ex would get notifications and SCREAM at DS for what he was seeing. Sometimes his interpretation was correct (DS had failed a test or hadn't turned in an assignment). But sometimes his interpretation of what he was seeing was completely wrong. But the screaming was the same, and the kid became fearful that even when things were going well at school, something would cause screaming at home.

For instance,
If a quiz has 5 points of m/c questions and 5 points of essay questions, we would get an automated email message saying DS had scored a 5/10 because the computer would grade the first 5 questions and the teacher hadn't yet graded the other 5 points. Surely, the teacher doesn't have to set it up like this, but I've had teachers do this-- cue yelling and subsequent crying.

Sometimes ds didn't take a makeup test (because he'd done well on the original) but we still get an email message saying 0/10 on that score.

In Canvas, there are regularly assignments listed as 'missing' only because they were turned in through some other system besides Canvas (on paper; using some other webpage). I don't think this happens in Synergy, but definitely in Canvas. Why does the teacher set up a Canvas assignment that automatically turns to 'missing' on the due date? I have no clue, and it is really confusing and disruptive.

One time, I was concerned that so many of ds's Canvas showed 'late.' I reached out to the teacher who said that ds was doing great, was on track, that she didn't perceive any problems. I guess the due dates were listed in Canvas, but in class she was telling the kids 'no big deal' if they come in late. That's just confusing. (Personally, I'd prefer real, enforced due dates. But if you aren't going to impose them, why indicate to parents that things are late if you are indicating to kids that it's not a problem to submit it next week?)

So it's not a technology problem. It's a problem that teachers aren't setting up the assignments well. And that's because the teachers don't really understand what we are seeing on the other side-- they probably don't know that we're getting emails with 5/10 or 0/10 so they don't know to correct it. They don't know parents are looking in Canvas, or aren't thinking much about what they may be seeing there.

Sounds like a bigger parenting problem than tech problem.

Perhaps a parent over-reaction. But there are plenty of parents who will yell at kids when they perceive the kid earned 50% on a test or 0% on an assignment (particularly if the kid has a pattern of this. And how is a parent to know that the 50% or 0% grade coming through should be ignored? Parents want to hold their kids accountable, and if they get inaccurate information from the school, they either a) punish the kid when the kid did nothing wrong, or b) give up on even trying to track submissions and grades under the theory that it is quite possibly wrong. Right now, I'm in the latter category.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn't the parent's coalition a radical group of right-wing nuts?

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/365860.page

No. But if it makes you feel better about democrats who ask for accountability then call them as many names as you want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here. I also was really turned off by the tone of the initial post but I also HATE parentvue-- I don't think it's a problem with the system but with how teachers post things-- they don't realize the implications of what they are doing.

Here's the dangerous bit:
My ex would get notifications and SCREAM at DS for what he was seeing. Sometimes his interpretation was correct (DS had failed a test or hadn't turned in an assignment). But sometimes his interpretation of what he was seeing was completely wrong. But the screaming was the same, and the kid became fearful that even when things were going well at school, something would cause screaming at home.

For instance,
If a quiz has 5 points of m/c questions and 5 points of essay questions, we would get an automated email message saying DS had scored a 5/10 because the computer would grade the first 5 questions and the teacher hadn't yet graded the other 5 points. Surely, the teacher doesn't have to set it up like this, but I've had teachers do this-- cue yelling and subsequent crying.

Sometimes ds didn't take a makeup test (because he'd done well on the original) but we still get an email message saying 0/10 on that score.

In Canvas, there are regularly assignments listed as 'missing' only because they were turned in through some other system besides Canvas (on paper; using some other webpage). I don't think this happens in Synergy, but definitely in Canvas. Why does the teacher set up a Canvas assignment that automatically turns to 'missing' on the due date? I have no clue, and it is really confusing and disruptive.

One time, I was concerned that so many of ds's Canvas showed 'late.' I reached out to the teacher who said that ds was doing great, was on track, that she didn't perceive any problems. I guess the due dates were listed in Canvas, but in class she was telling the kids 'no big deal' if they come in late. That's just confusing. (Personally, I'd prefer real, enforced due dates. But if you aren't going to impose them, why indicate to parents that things are late if you are indicating to kids that it's not a problem to submit it next week?)

So it's not a technology problem. It's a problem that teachers aren't setting up the assignments well. And that's because the teachers don't really understand what we are seeing on the other side-- they probably don't know that we're getting emails with 5/10 or 0/10 so they don't know to correct it. They don't know parents are looking in Canvas, or aren't thinking much about what they may be seeing there.

Sounds like a bigger parenting problem than tech problem.

Perhaps a parent over-reaction. But there are plenty of parents who will yell at kids when they perceive the kid earned 50% on a test or 0% on an assignment (particularly if the kid has a pattern of this. And how is a parent to know that the 50% or 0% grade coming through should be ignored? Parents want to hold their kids accountable, and if they get inaccurate information from the school, they either a) punish the kid when the kid did nothing wrong, or b) give up on even trying to track submissions and grades under the theory that it is quite possibly wrong. Right now, I'm in the latter category.

I start by asking my kid, whose job it is to keep track of their assignments. If they’re not sure, I tell them to check with their teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here. I also was really turned off by the tone of the initial post but I also HATE parentvue-- I don't think it's a problem with the system but with how teachers post things-- they don't realize the implications of what they are doing.

Here's the dangerous bit:
My ex would get notifications and SCREAM at DS for what he was seeing. Sometimes his interpretation was correct (DS had failed a test or hadn't turned in an assignment). But sometimes his interpretation of what he was seeing was completely wrong. But the screaming was the same, and the kid became fearful that even when things were going well at school, something would cause screaming at home.

For instance,
If a quiz has 5 points of m/c questions and 5 points of essay questions, we would get an automated email message saying DS had scored a 5/10 because the computer would grade the first 5 questions and the teacher hadn't yet graded the other 5 points. Surely, the teacher doesn't have to set it up like this, but I've had teachers do this-- cue yelling and subsequent crying.

Sometimes ds didn't take a makeup test (because he'd done well on the original) but we still get an email message saying 0/10 on that score.

In Canvas, there are regularly assignments listed as 'missing' only because they were turned in through some other system besides Canvas (on paper; using some other webpage). I don't think this happens in Synergy, but definitely in Canvas. Why does the teacher set up a Canvas assignment that automatically turns to 'missing' on the due date? I have no clue, and it is really confusing and disruptive.

One time, I was concerned that so many of ds's Canvas showed 'late.' I reached out to the teacher who said that ds was doing great, was on track, that she didn't perceive any problems. I guess the due dates were listed in Canvas, but in class she was telling the kids 'no big deal' if they come in late. That's just confusing. (Personally, I'd prefer real, enforced due dates. But if you aren't going to impose them, why indicate to parents that things are late if you are indicating to kids that it's not a problem to submit it next week?)

So it's not a technology problem. It's a problem that teachers aren't setting up the assignments well. And that's because the teachers don't really understand what we are seeing on the other side-- they probably don't know that we're getting emails with 5/10 or 0/10 so they don't know to correct it. They don't know parents are looking in Canvas, or aren't thinking much about what they may be seeing there.

Sounds like a bigger parenting problem than tech problem.

Perhaps a parent over-reaction. But there are plenty of parents who will yell at kids when they perceive the kid earned 50% on a test or 0% on an assignment (particularly if the kid has a pattern of this. And how is a parent to know that the 50% or 0% grade coming through should be ignored? Parents want to hold their kids accountable, and if they get inaccurate information from the school, they either a) punish the kid when the kid did nothing wrong, or b) give up on even trying to track submissions and grades under the theory that it is quite possibly wrong. Right now, I'm in the latter category.

I start by asking my kid, whose job it is to keep track of their assignments. If they’re not sure, I tell them to check with their teacher.

Oh! You are a genius with the perfect kid! Please clone your child so all will be alike and no child will be an individual.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here. I also was really turned off by the tone of the initial post but I also HATE parentvue-- I don't think it's a problem with the system but with how teachers post things-- they don't realize the implications of what they are doing.

Here's the dangerous bit:
My ex would get notifications and SCREAM at DS for what he was seeing. Sometimes his interpretation was correct (DS had failed a test or hadn't turned in an assignment). But sometimes his interpretation of what he was seeing was completely wrong. But the screaming was the same, and the kid became fearful that even when things were going well at school, something would cause screaming at home.

For instance,
If a quiz has 5 points of m/c questions and 5 points of essay questions, we would get an automated email message saying DS had scored a 5/10 because the computer would grade the first 5 questions and the teacher hadn't yet graded the other 5 points. Surely, the teacher doesn't have to set it up like this, but I've had teachers do this-- cue yelling and subsequent crying.

Sometimes ds didn't take a makeup test (because he'd done well on the original) but we still get an email message saying 0/10 on that score.

In Canvas, there are regularly assignments listed as 'missing' only because they were turned in through some other system besides Canvas (on paper; using some other webpage). I don't think this happens in Synergy, but definitely in Canvas. Why does the teacher set up a Canvas assignment that automatically turns to 'missing' on the due date? I have no clue, and it is really confusing and disruptive.

One time, I was concerned that so many of ds's Canvas showed 'late.' I reached out to the teacher who said that ds was doing great, was on track, that she didn't perceive any problems. I guess the due dates were listed in Canvas, but in class she was telling the kids 'no big deal' if they come in late. That's just confusing. (Personally, I'd prefer real, enforced due dates. But if you aren't going to impose them, why indicate to parents that things are late if you are indicating to kids that it's not a problem to submit it next week?)

So it's not a technology problem. It's a problem that teachers aren't setting up the assignments well. And that's because the teachers don't really understand what we are seeing on the other side-- they probably don't know that we're getting emails with 5/10 or 0/10 so they don't know to correct it. They don't know parents are looking in Canvas, or aren't thinking much about what they may be seeing there.

Sounds like a bigger parenting problem than tech problem.

Perhaps a parent over-reaction. But there are plenty of parents who will yell at kids when they perceive the kid earned 50% on a test or 0% on an assignment (particularly if the kid has a pattern of this. And how is a parent to know that the 50% or 0% grade coming through should be ignored? Parents want to hold their kids accountable, and if they get inaccurate information from the school, they either a) punish the kid when the kid did nothing wrong, or b) give up on even trying to track submissions and grades under the theory that it is quite possibly wrong. Right now, I'm in the latter category.

I start by asking my kid, whose job it is to keep track of their assignments. If they’re not sure, I tell them to check with their teacher.

Oh! You are a genius with the perfect kid! Please clone your child so all will be alike and no child will be an individual.

NP I prefer that parent who is blaming the school district for their child being subjected to their spouses rage issues

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn't the parent's coalition a radical group of right-wing nuts?

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/365860.page

Yes, the thread says it all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here. I also was really turned off by the tone of the initial post but I also HATE parentvue-- I don't think it's a problem with the system but with how teachers post things-- they don't realize the implications of what they are doing.

Here's the dangerous bit:
My ex would get notifications and SCREAM at DS for what he was seeing. Sometimes his interpretation was correct (DS had failed a test or hadn't turned in an assignment). But sometimes his interpretation of what he was seeing was completely wrong. But the screaming was the same, and the kid became fearful that even when things were going well at school, something would cause screaming at home.

For instance,
If a quiz has 5 points of m/c questions and 5 points of essay questions, we would get an automated email message saying DS had scored a 5/10 because the computer would grade the first 5 questions and the teacher hadn't yet graded the other 5 points. Surely, the teacher doesn't have to set it up like this, but I've had teachers do this-- cue yelling and subsequent crying.

Sometimes ds didn't take a makeup test (because he'd done well on the original) but we still get an email message saying 0/10 on that score.

In Canvas, there are regularly assignments listed as 'missing' only because they were turned in through some other system besides Canvas (on paper; using some other webpage). I don't think this happens in Synergy, but definitely in Canvas. Why does the teacher set up a Canvas assignment that automatically turns to 'missing' on the due date? I have no clue, and it is really confusing and disruptive.

One time, I was concerned that so many of ds's Canvas showed 'late.' I reached out to the teacher who said that ds was doing great, was on track, that she didn't perceive any problems. I guess the due dates were listed in Canvas, but in class she was telling the kids 'no big deal' if they come in late. That's just confusing. (Personally, I'd prefer real, enforced due dates. But if you aren't going to impose them, why indicate to parents that things are late if you are indicating to kids that it's not a problem to submit it next week?)

So it's not a technology problem. It's a problem that teachers aren't setting up the assignments well. And that's because the teachers don't really understand what we are seeing on the other side-- they probably don't know that we're getting emails with 5/10 or 0/10 so they don't know to correct it. They don't know parents are looking in Canvas, or aren't thinking much about what they may be seeing there.

Sounds like a bigger parenting problem than tech problem.

Perhaps a parent over-reaction. But there are plenty of parents who will yell at kids when they perceive the kid earned 50% on a test or 0% on an assignment (particularly if the kid has a pattern of this. And how is a parent to know that the 50% or 0% grade coming through should be ignored? Parents want to hold their kids accountable, and if they get inaccurate information from the school, they either a) punish the kid when the kid did nothing wrong, or b) give up on even trying to track submissions and grades under the theory that it is quite possibly wrong. Right now, I'm in the latter category.

I start by asking my kid, whose job it is to keep track of their assignments. If they’re not sure, I tell them to check with their teacher.

Seriously. I learned pretty quickly not to jump right on my kids for a missing or 50% assignment. It's often because something didn't get pushed over from Canvas yet, or because it was an online assignment in Canvas that was turned in physically, so there's a lag. The kids usually know what's up with it, unless there are an excessive number of small assignments in the class. I just remind them to follow up and make sure it gets updated correctly.

If they were younger, I'd wait a bit for Synergy to catch up with Canvas, then follow up the week before interims/end of the quarter to be sure it's a teacher issue, not a kid issue.

Sure, it's less than ideal, but even with a high school student worried about grades for college, I still wouldn't call it "dangerous" by any stretch of the imagination. There's nothing happening that can't be compensated for with some attention to detail and communication with teachers. Even my kid with inattentive ADHD and executive functioning issues is managing, with some strategic parental reminders. I monitor, I point out, I let them follow up. And it does seem to be improving a bit lately, whether that's because teachers are getting the hang of the system, or maybe my kids are.

But neither I nor my spouse have anger issues, so I guess that helps?

[Anonymous]

My nephew has a school system in which grades are expected to be posted in the virtual grade book within 2 business days. The rationale for this decision by their Board of Education was that students need the feedback as part of the learning process and to determine when extra help is needed before quarter grades are finalized. It’s much better than grades popping up when there’s little time to improve performance.