DD grade pulled down by a grade that was entered last day of the marking period!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is not my first experience with MCPS middle school and its teachers! I have an older kid who went through middle school in a lot tougher environment (clemente magnet) and is now in high school magnet. So I am not unfamiliar with good/poor work . My now magnet high schooler has gotten some Bs and she did deserve them as well. And I do not meddle with their work/grades unless I think something was really unfair. I often side with the teachers when my kids complain against any teacher. My sister is a teacher and I know all the difficulties... so don't think I am here to just bash all teachers!
This particular project from my youngest was a group project and she collaborated with a kid from another period (same teacher though). The teacher had not given same instructions to the 2 classes which I guess they should have clarified. Yes the teacher allowed re-work because lot of kids complained the instructions weren't clear (he assigned the project and was absent from school for over a week), but then did not grade the re-work. Apparently a lot of kids ended up with Cs and Ds on this one project!
I am just surprised why the teacher doesn't want to reply to email asking for feedback about what she should have done better? To me it looked like the project was on point.
Most of you say 'yeah may be she deserved it' , why don't you help her do better? But if there is no feedback on what is that she should have done better, how can some one improve? All the teachers I have had for my kids have been nice and I have never had one that doesn't respond to emails!

How confident are you that your kid did a good job? I would escalate it first with the teacher and then magnet counselor/coordinatior + principal. The issue in my opinion is not the quality of work but rather the lack of clarity about the ruberic and the fact that the teacher did all the grading at the last minute. Anyways, I would make sure that the teacher is not messing up the kids due to own laziness. Squeaky wheel gets the grease in MCPS. Yes, be that parent. Because if you do not advocate for your kid, no one else will.

Agree with this entirely. This teacher needs to clarify why the assignment was only worth 50 percent. That’sa shockingly low grade so either it was way off the mark and mostly incomplete or something else is going on. Escalate it if you need to. Ignore the other posters, something is up here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gosh, OP, the meanypantspeople have come out of the woodwork today. I would be very upset about the situation you are describing, and would definitely follow up with the teacher to make this debacle into a learning experience.

When you get 50% for not doing much of anything on an assignment, there is definitely a disconnect when there is
a legitimate attempt to complete something and get a 50%.

Agree. I’m shocked how nasty and blasé responders have been. In our middle school you get an automatic 50 percent grade on anything you have NOT turned in. Anything actually turned in would presumably be above 50 percent. In all honesty it sounds like your daughter did everything right along the way in terms of talking to the teacher/requesting feedback/clarifying/rewriting before the due date, etc. I personally would not suck it up. If you don’t hear back from the teacher (which is also shocking), I’d escalate. It’s not about the B. Bs are fine. It’s about the impossible gauntlet this teacher has unnecessarily created. For all those defending teachers, do you not think grading and providing timely feedback on assigned work is not core to the job description and the entire idea of the educational process? I get that they have other responsibilities. This is one of the main, required things every teacher everywhere knows is an expected part of the job.

1) The teacher did grade it in a timely fashion and did provide feedback in a timely manner.
2) I'm not sure why OP is so gung ho on ginning up support on this board, when the only way she can actually receive clarification/support/more info is by speaking to a person of leadership at the school.

1) on the last day of the marking period and with multiple other grades missing until the last minute? No
2) OP said she emailed the teacher and followed up twice with no response. No.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Get this, my kid did talk to her teacher today and asked if there was something wrong in the re-submitted assignment and the answer she got was 'I didn't look at it as I did not have time'! So the original grade (BTW this was not put in the system until last day , my DD only knew she got a low score because she asked if she was ok on the project or had to redo anything ) .
On one hand I just want to let this go as I am sure DD will be alright for next quarter and if I complain the teacher might further take it our on my DD during next quarter. But on the other hand, I am just pissed at the lousy job and the non-responsiveness of this teacher to emails.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Get this, my kid did talk to her teacher today and asked if there was something wrong in the re-submitted assignment and the answer she got was 'I didn't look at it as I did not have time'! So the original grade (BTW this was not put in the system until last day , my DD only knew she got a low score because she asked if she was ok on the project or had to redo anything ) .
On one hand I just want to let this go as I am sure DD will be alright for next quarter and if I complain the teacher might further take it our on my DD during next quarter. But on the other hand, I am just pissed at the lousy job and the non-responsiveness of this teacher to emails.

Did the teacher ask for a redo? Is it her policy to allow students to re- submit a major project? It sounds like your dd resubmitted and assumed it would be graded again.

[Anonymous]

Your kid will be fine whether you carry on with this or not. It's a B, in middle school.

[Anonymous]

My middle schooler also got a last minute B that he thought would be an A. He was disappointed. Lesson learned - every point matters and you have to put the effort in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Get this, my kid did talk to her teacher today and asked if there was something wrong in the re-submitted assignment and the answer she got was 'I didn't look at it as I did not have time'! So the original grade (BTW this was not put in the system until last day , my DD only knew she got a low score because she asked if she was ok on the project or had to redo anything ) .
On one hand I just want to let this go as I am sure DD will be alright for next quarter and if I complain the teacher might further take it our on my DD during next quarter. But on the other hand, I am just pissed at the lousy job and the non-responsiveness of this teacher to emails.

You think very lowly of the teacher if you think they are going to take it out on your daughter. Have your daughter handle it. This is such small bag of shells. You must live a blessed life if this is your biggest worry or problem

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is evidence piece number 23432 why I feel for teachers. Imagine having to deal with parents like this, who deeply in their bones believe students should not have consequences for poor work.

Imagine being an adult at a job where your salary, raise, and bonus depend on a performance review. Imagine that your objectives are unclear and your requests for clarification are ignored. Imagine you get little feedback on your objectives and believe you are performing well.

Then imagine you get a mediocre or poor review based on missed objectives you thought you’d met and negative feedback you received for the first time in the written review. Imagine you have no recourse to contest the review and the impact of the low raise will compound over time as future raises are a % increase over your base salary.

The teacher wouldn’t have to deal with this parent if she graded the work in a timely manner and provided useful feedback. Whether or not re-grading revised work is allowed should be spelled out in a syllabus / class policies.

Imagine comparing a quarter grade in a class in middle school to a performance review that your salary, raise, and bonus depend on.

I supervise adults and I give clear objectives and regular feedback so there are no surprises at review time. Are my employees more important because they are adults?

Which is it? Is teaching just babysitting and therefore teachers can do the base minimum with no consequences? Or are teachers professionals who should be held to the same standards and expectations as other white collar professionals? My mom was a teacher for 35 years and I know a lot of teachers. Most of them are great - but some of them do a half-ass job knowing that they can’t or won’t be fired.

Is someone's livelihood more important than someone's grade for the quarter in a class in middle school?

[Anonymous]

Sorry if it’s already been stated I haven’t read the responses
There are teachers like that always
The worst part is that some are in HS jeopardizing their students’ college chances
I would recommend following up with the teacher at the first sign of their nonresponsiveness - when it becomes clear she is a lazy grader and doesn’t respond to follow ups
It doesn’t matter in MS and maybe it’s even good for your kid to get a B and discover that the sky didn’t fall -but in HS I recommend requesting an appointment with the teacher and asking very nice and respectable but very detailed questions about the assignment and why it was graded like this and how it’s so important to your child to have timely feedback and how upset your child is etc etc
The teacher will roll their eyes but won’t mess with your child’s grade if it brings down the overall grade.
You don’t do anything disrespectful to the teacher but the teacher knows you have your child’s back

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry if it’s already been stated I haven’t read the responses
There are teachers like that always
The worst part is that some are in HS jeopardizing their students’ college chances
I would recommend following up with the teacher at the first sign of their nonresponsiveness - when it becomes clear she is a lazy grader and doesn’t respond to follow ups
It doesn’t matter in MS and maybe it’s even good for your kid to get a B and discover that the sky didn’t fall -but in HS I recommend requesting an appointment with the teacher and asking very nice and respectable but very detailed questions about the assignment and why it was graded like this and how it’s so important to your child to have timely feedback and how upset your child is etc etc
The teacher will roll their eyes but won’t mess with your child’s grade if it brings down the overall grade.
You don’t do anything disrespectful to the teacher but the teacher knows you have your child’s back

I laughed at that. Do you think the teacher won't give a bad grade if that's what was earned?

Op, please answer whether or not the redo was requested or otherwise agreed to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry if it’s already been stated I haven’t read the responses
There are teachers like that always
The worst part is that some are in HS jeopardizing their students’ college chances
I would recommend following up with the teacher at the first sign of their nonresponsiveness - when it becomes clear she is a lazy grader and doesn’t respond to follow ups
It doesn’t matter in MS and maybe it’s even good for your kid to get a B and discover that the sky didn’t fall -but in HS I recommend requesting an appointment with the teacher and asking very nice and respectable but very detailed questions about the assignment and why it was graded like this and how it’s so important to your child to have timely feedback and how upset your child is etc etc
The teacher will roll their eyes but won’t mess with your child’s grade if it brings down the overall grade.
You don’t do anything disrespectful to the teacher but the teacher knows you have your child’s back

I laughed at that. Do you think the teacher won't give a bad grade if that's what was earned?

Op, please answer whether or not the redo was requested or otherwise agreed to.

She already said that it was!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Get this, my kid did talk to her teacher today and asked if there was something wrong in the re-submitted assignment and the answer she got was 'I didn't look at it as I did not have time'! So the original grade (BTW this was not put in the system until last day , my DD only knew she got a low score because she asked if she was ok on the project or had to redo anything ) .
On one hand I just want to let this go as I am sure DD will be alright for next quarter and if I complain the teacher might further take it our on my DD during next quarter. But on the other hand, I am just pissed at the lousy job and the non-responsiveness of this teacher to emails.

Don’t let it go. This is BS. You are absolutely right to escalate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is evidence piece number 23432 why I feel for teachers. Imagine having to deal with parents like this, who deeply in their bones believe students should not have consequences for poor work.

+1

I am a middle school teacher with 165 students. I barely have time to grade assignments at all (I dont) let alone Re grade because Sally can’t get anything other than an A. Yes teacher should have been more communicative but it doesn’t even seem clear whether regrades are a policy, and you know what, your child is not guaranteed an A at school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry if it’s already been stated I haven’t read the responses
There are teachers like that always
The worst part is that some are in HS jeopardizing their students’ college chances
I would recommend following up with the teacher at the first sign of their nonresponsiveness - when it becomes clear she is a lazy grader and doesn’t respond to follow ups
It doesn’t matter in MS and maybe it’s even good for your kid to get a B and discover that the sky didn’t fall -but in HS I recommend requesting an appointment with the teacher and asking very nice and respectable but very detailed questions about the assignment and why it was graded like this and how it’s so important to your child to have timely feedback and how upset your child is etc etc
The teacher will roll their eyes but won’t mess with your child’s grade if it brings down the overall grade.
You don’t do anything disrespectful to the teacher but the teacher knows you have your child’s back

I laughed at that. Do you think the teacher won't give a bad grade if that's what was earned?

Op, please answer whether or not the redo was requested or otherwise agreed to.

A C won’t turn into an A but a low B can well become a higher B just to avoid another meeting with a concerned parent
But that’s not the key issue
The key issue is that the teacher knows she can’t really mess with this student’s grade last minute
Please understand I am not saying the parent should threaten god forbid
Just to be concerned, polite, wordy, and happy to help the child

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is evidence piece number 23432 why I feel for teachers. Imagine having to deal with parents like this, who deeply in their bones believe students should not have consequences for poor work.

+1

I am a middle school teacher with 165 students. I barely have time to grade assignments at all (I dont) let alone Re grade because Sally can’t get anything other than an A. Yes teacher should have been more communicative but it doesn’t even seem clear whether regrades are a policy, and you know what, your child is not guaranteed an A at school

Just don’t grade last minute and be clear on whether you accept remakes/retakes. That’s the only two things I am asking as a parent Thank you and I appreciate your work.
-DP