New Middle School Parent-Edline, Grading system

[Anonymous]

Hi
My DS just started middle school this year. He is getting mostly A's but in one subject he got "E" in one assignment and i asked him why. He told me that the project was not due till next week. He does not know why the teacher gave him "E". He is going to ask about it on Monday. Same thing happened month ago in another subject when he got "E" in one assignment. My son told me that he was going to ask and after that he told me that the teacher has changed to "A" instead "E" but it is never updated in Edline.
So, my question is that whether my son is not telling the truth or the teacher is not doing their proper job in school. I don't want to offend any teacher by asking them directly. Any insight from you will be helpful.

thanks

[Anonymous]

I would have your son follow up on E's he does not understand. If they are supposed to have been changed and were not, I think the parents of a 6th grader can follow up. You can politely do this without offending the teacher. If they overlooked an update they will not mind. If you are not getting the whole story from your son, they will be happy to fill in the details for you as well.

[Anonymous]

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

This is what you do:
1. You check Edline at least once a week yourself.
2. When you notice something untoward, talk to your kid.
3. If the issue can only be resolved by a teacher, he has to write an email on the spot (not one month later) to this teacher asking why he got an E or whatever his question is.
4. The teacher should respond within the next few days, and if he or she doesn't, then *you* send an email to the teacher and cc to the grade coordinator, including your son's message in the email.

Our middle school teachers have been extraordinarily responsive to my son's emails about grading mistakes, so I have not needed to intervene. But my friends have complained about their kids' middle school teachers who are not responsive. Things have to be settled quickly when it comes to grades, otherwise the work can be lost, people won't remember, and there will be no evidence left.

[Anonymous]

Something to keep in mind is that the information in Edline is pulled directly from the official gradebook once a day. If a supposed grade change doesn't show up on Edline, it should definitely be followed up on.