I understand why so many kids are failing now

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with you OP.

Similar thing happening to my MSer. We are always on her back to check her grade and missing assignments. Half the time, it's because the teacher hasn't uploaded the grade or the teacher didn't "see" the submitted assignment. We check grades often because last quarter, she got a bad grade in a foreign language class even though last year she got an A in that class. The teacher is a hot mess with missing assignments and late grading.

My HSer is super organized so this one is on the ball and has gotten straight As (as usual).

DL is fine for kids who are *super* organized, but for the rest.. oiy.

Same thing is happening for my 4th grade student. I see assignments listed as “missing” and DD promises me that she already turned them in. I can’t figure it out.

Did you look at the physical assignments that say they're missing? Kids will "say" A lot of things.

Happens to our daughter too, we screen shot now and e-mail those in response to missing assignment messages. I can’t figure out if the systems are terrible, the teacher is unorganized, or the teacher doesn’t understand how tow receive documents

[Anonymous]

Happens to our daughter too, we screen shot now and e-mail those in response to missing assignment messages. I can’t figure out if the systems are terrible, the teacher is unorganized, or the teacher doesn’t understand how tow receive documents

Same here. DD has to screenshot some assignments because they are not really downloadable. Its frustrating because if she doesn't take this extra step the grade would be a zero which really drops her overall course grade.

What's happening now with distance learning is that process is being evaluated over content or skill knowledge. I have noticed that the teachers are very lax and generous on the actual content ..ie everything is much easier from a skill/knowledge standpoint but they are very inflexible on process. ie tech problems, teacher problems, submission problems etc. This is a huge win for kids who have a parent checking everything or kids who are very process and instruction oriented. This is a huge loss for kids who don't have a parent watching the process or kids that struggle with executive functioning. For middle school, the emphasis on process is not age appropriate for many, especially boys.

I'm surprised that more teachers have not seemed to even attempt to review their own contributions to this problem or attempt to look through the lens of a student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with you OP.

Similar thing happening to my MSer. We are always on her back to check her grade and missing assignments. Half the time, it's because the teacher hasn't uploaded the grade or the teacher didn't "see" the submitted assignment. We check grades often because last quarter, she got a bad grade in a foreign language class even though last year she got an A in that class. The teacher is a hot mess with missing assignments and late grading.

My HSer is super organized so this one is on the ball and has gotten straight As (as usual).

DL is fine for kids who are *super* organized, but for the rest.. oiy.

Same thing is happening for my 4th grade student. I see assignments listed as “missing” and DD promises me that she already turned them in. I can’t figure it out.

Did you look at the physical assignments that say they're missing? Kids will "say" A lot of things.

You really should take your snark elsewhere. Yes, I know when my kid hasn’t actually done the work and is fibbing about it. She shows me the work and promises she already submitted it. This is a tech problem, not a parenting problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think parents are now seeing how much handholding is done in a normal school year. Remove that crutch and you see what your kid can really do.

I think they’re seeing just how disorganized some teachers are and how terribly worded some assignments are. It shouldn’t be hard to post a syllabus with all due dates and the relative weight of assignments, quizzes and tests- most college professors manage to do that just fine

You want all the due dates, assignments, and assessments for the entire school year posted in a syllabus at the beginning of the year? K-12 is not the same as a college course.

1) College courses are generally a semester, not an entire year.

2) College courses usually have 2-4 assessments for the entire semester, while K-12 courses generally have 6-20 assignments and assessments per quarter.

3) College professors don't care if their students aren't "ready" for an assessment.; they give it anyway, and it is on the student to do additional reading and studying to prepare. That would never fly in K-12.

4) College professors don't usually grade "homework," while K-12 teachers do so they can evaluate understanding and support those who are struggling. They also change assignments as needed to help students.

5) College professors don't have to worry if there are assemblies, snow days, etc. that change schedules without warning. They proceed and just change the assessment date to "next class" if there is foul weather. K-12 teachers have schedules switched on them all the time.


Posting ahead of time the weight of assignments and assessments is reasonable, but to ask K-12 teachers to provide a syllabus with an entire year's curriculum already planned day-by-day is ludicrous.

I have two kids in college now. One at a large midwestern university that is very impersonal and another at a East coast slac. One kid has perfect grades, the other has disabilities and struggles. Both kids are at home distance learning.

#2. Not true. Both kids have had long multipart projects in different subjects this semester. Both had multipart projects - some group, last year. Both struggled with these and there was much confusion over deadlines.
#3. At both universities, my kids have had their professors flex everything because of events impacting the kids getting the material. Both have had teachers reschedule exams and tests and deadlines because they are worried about the kids getting the content. I've been very surprised at how kind and caring the professors have been even at the large impersonal school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Happens to our daughter too, we screen shot now and e-mail those in response to missing assignment messages. I can’t figure out if the systems are terrible, the teacher is unorganized, or the teacher doesn’t understand how tow receive documents

Same here. DD has to screenshot some assignments because they are not really downloadable. Its frustrating because if she doesn't take this extra step the grade would be a zero which really drops her overall course grade.

What's happening now with distance learning is that process is being evaluated over content or skill knowledge. I have noticed that the teachers are very lax and generous on the actual content ..ie everything is much easier from a skill/knowledge standpoint but they are very inflexible on process. ie tech problems, teacher problems, submission problems etc. This is a huge win for kids who have a parent checking everything or kids who are very process and instruction oriented. This is a huge loss for kids who don't have a parent watching the process or kids that struggle with executive functioning. For middle school, the emphasis on process is not age appropriate for many, especially boys.

I'm surprised that more teachers have not seemed to even attempt to review their own contributions to this problem or attempt to look through the lens of a student.

Yes and yes! My MS boy definitely struggles with the process of submitting. I’ve said to screenshot stuff but he forgets that too. Honesty we shouldn’t even have to make our kids screenshot. The submit process should be smoother so we aren’t all playing catch-up constantly, looking for “missing “ assignments and emailing them in, then having kid remind teacher to look again. I complained about this to the school board at the beginning of the year and was chastised on here ...people said What can the board do? The board can decide on a contract for a better learning submittal and grade tracking system. I can totally see why so many kids have D and F now. How can they keep up with this mess?

[Anonymous]

I hope PPs realize that the DISTRICTS are changing the weighting of the grading, not the teachers. So my syllabus has changed twice this year due to these decisions by the DISTRICT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a teacher and I post my syllabus every year. I've had to change it twice in the last 3 months due to my district grading regulations changing. My friends who teach in other districts around the country have told me that their districts have reweighted everything too. I don't post all due dates in the syllabus. I teach in high school, not college. We sometimes have to adjust test dates and assignments. If students struggle with something, I'll push back the test. If I just published everything in September and didn't respond to my student's needs, parents would complain about that. We can't win.

The lack of publishing due dates means that kids no longer have a central location to find them

I update the syllabus throughout the year. I give at least 10 days (minimum) notice prior to the test. It's all in the syllabus which is pinned to the top of all of my classes' notices. When I make changes to it, it automatically sends an email to each student. Plus I verbally tell students in class.

I would assume your kids are doing fine. DD has assignment dates buried in e-mails (with no heads up in the subject line)

I *hate* this. For my kid with disabilities, this has been an executive functioning nightmare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I definitely learned a lot from this term and will try next term to make everything 100% consistent. (every week: 1 reading quiz, 1 homework, 1 worksheet, test every 4 weeks) I don't care if it's boring. We all need a little boring right now and the students AND I both had a hard time figuring out all the changing stuff.

And what price do you pay for not knowing what you were doing? Its very reasonable to argue that this was extreme situation. You did your best so you shouldn't suffer any professional set backs because of this situation, right? Guess what you won't. Yeah you.

Your students are not as lucky. The ones with well organized teachers have a huge advantage. The ones with teachers who "did their best" but did not do well or teachers who are a hot mess pay the price. Your sophomores and juniors who just tanked their GPA because some teachers are a hot mess pay the price. Many colleges that were within reach are now off the table for a good number of kids but so what. So what if a kid who was on the path to get a merit scholarship no longer qualifies. As long as the teachers don't experience any penalty its all good, just a learning experience. Lets the kids pay instead.

This is the daily life of a parent with a child with disabilities. A bad teacher + a kid with disabilities = little to no education for that student. It's a crap shoot if you get a teacher who understands the first thing about the disability and it's an absolute miracle if they follow the iep and it doesn't matter anyway because the teacher often thinks your kid is "less than" and will never get a good grade. I've seen so many teachers take a hard line with a student with disabilities because the teacher believes they are just dumb or lazy. So many teachers punish kids who have the accommodation of extended time because "it's not fair to the other students".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I definitely learned a lot from this term and will try next term to make everything 100% consistent. (every week: 1 reading quiz, 1 homework, 1 worksheet, test every 4 weeks) I don't care if it's boring. We all need a little boring right now and the students AND I both had a hard time figuring out all the changing stuff.

And what price do you pay for not knowing what you were doing? Its very reasonable to argue that this was extreme situation. You did your best so you shouldn't suffer any professional set backs because of this situation, right? Guess what you won't. Yeah you.

Your students are not as lucky. The ones with well organized teachers have a huge advantage. The ones with teachers who "did their best" but did not do well or teachers who are a hot mess pay the price. Your sophomores and juniors who just tanked their GPA because some teachers are a hot mess pay the price. Many colleges that were within reach are now off the table for a good number of kids but so what. So what if a kid who was on the path to get a merit scholarship no longer qualifies. As long as the teachers don't experience any penalty its all good, just a learning experience. Lets the kids pay instead.

This is the daily life of a parent with a child with disabilities. A bad teacher + a kid with disabilities = little to no education for that student. It's a crap shoot if you get a teacher who understands the first thing about the disability and it's an absolute miracle if they follow the iep and it doesn't matter anyway because the teacher often thinks your kid is "less than" and will never get a good grade. I've seen so many teachers take a hard line with a student with disabilities because the teacher believes they are just dumb or lazy. So many teachers punish kids who have the accommodation of extended time because "it's not fair to the other students".

Some kids with IEPS are dumb and lazy. I hate to say it, but it is the truth. There is a lot of what teachers call "learned helplessness" especially if they don't have parent support. All of my reminders, emails, visual cues, phone calls home just get ignored by some parents and students. And then it is my fault when the kid isn't doing well. Yes, this is with following the IEP. (I am SpEd certified.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I definitely learned a lot from this term and will try next term to make everything 100% consistent. (every week: 1 reading quiz, 1 homework, 1 worksheet, test every 4 weeks) I don't care if it's boring. We all need a little boring right now and the students AND I both had a hard time figuring out all the changing stuff.

And what price do you pay for not knowing what you were doing? Its very reasonable to argue that this was extreme situation. You did your best so you shouldn't suffer any professional set backs because of this situation, right? Guess what you won't. Yeah you.

Your students are not as lucky. The ones with well organized teachers have a huge advantage. The ones with teachers who "did their best" but did not do well or teachers who are a hot mess pay the price. Your sophomores and juniors who just tanked their GPA because some teachers are a hot mess pay the price. Many colleges that were within reach are now off the table for a good number of kids but so what. So what if a kid who was on the path to get a merit scholarship no longer qualifies. As long as the teachers don't experience any penalty its all good, just a learning experience. Lets the kids pay instead.

This is the daily life of a parent with a child with disabilities. A bad teacher + a kid with disabilities = little to no education for that student. It's a crap shoot if you get a teacher who understands the first thing about the disability and it's an absolute miracle if they follow the iep and it doesn't matter anyway because the teacher often thinks your kid is "less than" and will never get a good grade. I've seen so many teachers take a hard line with a student with disabilities because the teacher believes they are just dumb or lazy. So many teachers punish kids who have the accommodation of extended time because "it's not fair to the other students".

Some kids with IEPS are dumb and lazy. I hate to say it, but it is the truth. There is a lot of what teachers call "learned helplessness" especially if they don't have parent support. All of my reminders, emails, visual cues, phone calls home just get ignored by some parents and students. And then it is my fault when the kid isn't doing well. Yes, this is with following the IEP. (I am SpEd certified.)

You are vile and ignorant. Any teacher who refers to a kid with a disability as dumb or lazy should be fired. You are woefully uneducated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I think they’re seeing just how disorganized some teachers are and how terribly worded some assignments are. It shouldn’t be hard to post a syllabus with all due dates and the relative weight of assignments, quizzes and tests- most college professors manage to do that just fine

This X100.

DL can work well for an organized kid and an organized teacher.
DL is a nightmare but achievable with a disorganized kid and organized kid IF there is a parent or special ed case worker staying constantly on the watch.
DL is a nightmare and not workable with a disorganized kid and disorganized teacher.

I think teachers should be reviewed based on their relative failure rates of different groups.

+1 I stated up thread about my MSer. We have told DC to take a snapshot when they submit the assignment to prove that the assignment was completed and turned in in a timely manner.

Some teachers have been really good; others,not so much. It's really only in this particular class that DC is struggling. It's not just DC; it's the teacher who is completely disorganized AND technologically challenged. DC's friend who is a straight A student is also struggling with this teacher.

Normally, we are fairly hands off with schooling. We check grades every once in a while, but that's about it. Kids are responsible for their grades, but with DL, and for this one particular teacher, there has been so much angst all around. We've had to email the teacher numerous times, and barely get a response back. DC used to like this class. Not anymore.

Great description, PP.
We are suffering through this too. DC's disorganized and the class with the disorganized teacher is taking up 90 percent of their time with daily tears and breakdowns. The other classes are a struggle but with hard work they are going ok. I don't know what to do. Same issue with the teacher being disorganized and not having good technology skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I definitely learned a lot from this term and will try next term to make everything 100% consistent. (every week: 1 reading quiz, 1 homework, 1 worksheet, test every 4 weeks) I don't care if it's boring. We all need a little boring right now and the students AND I both had a hard time figuring out all the changing stuff.

And what price do you pay for not knowing what you were doing? Its very reasonable to argue that this was extreme situation. You did your best so you shouldn't suffer any professional set backs because of this situation, right? Guess what you won't. Yeah you.

Your students are not as lucky. The ones with well organized teachers have a huge advantage. The ones with teachers who "did their best" but did not do well or teachers who are a hot mess pay the price. Your sophomores and juniors who just tanked their GPA because some teachers are a hot mess pay the price. Many colleges that were within reach are now off the table for a good number of kids but so what. So what if a kid who was on the path to get a merit scholarship no longer qualifies. As long as the teachers don't experience any penalty its all good, just a learning experience. Lets the kids pay instead.

This is the daily life of a parent with a child with disabilities. A bad teacher + a kid with disabilities = little to no education for that student. It's a crap shoot if you get a teacher who understands the first thing about the disability and it's an absolute miracle if they follow the iep and it doesn't matter anyway because the teacher often thinks your kid is "less than" and will never get a good grade. I've seen so many teachers take a hard line with a student with disabilities because the teacher believes they are just dumb or lazy. So many teachers punish kids who have the accommodation of extended time because "it's not fair to the other students".

Some kids with IEPS are dumb and lazy. I hate to say it, but it is the truth. There is a lot of what teachers call "learned helplessness" especially if they don't have parent support. All of my reminders, emails, visual cues, phone calls home just get ignored by some parents and students. And then it is my fault when the kid isn't doing well. Yes, this is with following the IEP. (I am SpEd certified.)

You are vile and ignorant. Any teacher who refers to a kid with a disability as dumb or lazy should be fired. You are woefully uneducated.

You need to choose another profession, teach. I mean this with kindness. It does not sound like you are cut out for this.

[Anonymous]

I'm sick of all of these teachers who are defending teacher disorganization by pointing out that the children are also disorganized.

Yes, we hold children's hands. Because they need help. They are not little adults. We do not expect children to be equal to or better at their jobs than adults.

They are children. You are adults. Get your shit together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm sick of all of these teachers who are defending teacher disorganization by pointing out that the children are also disorganized.

Yes, we hold children's hands. Because they need help. They are not little adults. We do not expect children to be equal to or better at their jobs than adults.

They are children. You are adults. Get your shit together.

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm sick of all of these teachers who are defending teacher disorganization by pointing out that the children are also disorganized.

Yes, we hold children's hands. Because they need help. They are not little adults. We do not expect children to be equal to or better at their jobs than adults.

They are children. You are adults. Get your shit together.

Thank you.

+1000

These are not adults. It took you extensive training all summer to 'learn' the tools. Get it together. Parents can't do it all either. We have jobs too.