This amazing middle school teacher should be a model for all

[Anonymous]

She makes it seem so simple and yet other teachers look at you like you have 10 heads if you request this. Here is what I think is awesome besides the fact she knows her stuff and seems to truly enjoy her job:

1.) Posting homework AND class notes on blackboard.
You never have to bother her if your kid is sick. If your kid was getting sick and spaced out that day there are notes for them to access. If your kid has an IEP is supposed to get copies of the teacher's notes, you don't have to bother her and the speced teacher about the fact your kid has received nothing.

2.) Posting topics for the week and quiz and test dates on blackboard and updating when those change.
I have been told kids are being prepared to one day go off to college and shouldn't expect such coddling. Really? I went to a top University and we received a syllabus the first day with all of this info.

3.) Reviewing with the Kids before a Test and Allowing Q and A
You know like they offer min college often led by a TA.

4.) Study Guides accessible on Blackboard

I have yet to meet a parent who doesn't think this woman is a the cat's meow. This seems like it should be the norm and while a lot of work at first, would in the end make their job much easier. I would assume emails would decrease exponentially. However, I find it is becoming less and less common to provide these things.

[Anonymous]

My DS had an English (I don't think they called it that anymore) teacher who was like that. He had an IEP. She routinely did the stuff he needed for all his classes, and if he didn't have the handout it was available online along with a record that showed all completed and missing assignments. Since he had major school avoidance issues, she was a godsend. Nobody else was doing that.

The irony was when we ended up with an IEP neutral facilitator after an IDEA complaint, this teacher asked at the first session what "IDEA" was. (This was when my eyes started to open to the fact that by and large the barriers we ran into really were the result of ignorance, although compounded by plain old stubbornness.)

[Anonymous]

I do all this. All teachers at my school are required to. It’s not that hard with smart boards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do all this. All teachers at my school are required to. It’s not that hard with smart boards.

That's awesome! I would hope it's not that hard, but when we have needed to advocate for our bright child with SN because the teachers ignored his pleas, we were treated as though we were asking for a red carpet and his own butler. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard even in elementary about how they are training kids to be more independent and in college they won't do x, y, and z. First off, college is far away and second in top Universities in the 90s they did these things. I have one friend who is a professor who does these things now, but I have no idea what the norm is. However, I am talking about middle school not college and this should not be seen as such an imposition.

[Anonymous]

As a parent of a middle school child, I want my child to take responsibility and action regarding his school work. This is too much hand holding for me. It tells me that the teacher is trying too hard to give everyone an A

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a parent of a middle school child, I want my child to take responsibility and action regarding his school work. This is too much hand holding for me. It tells me that the teacher is trying too hard to give everyone an A

In college you can often get a copy of professor notes and a syllabus. At work seminars you get a handout with the power point and a area to take notes or you can access a bunch of info online. If you take LSATs you can buy a book that outlines what you need to know and you know the date of that exam well in advance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do all this. All teachers at my school are required to. It’s not that hard with smart boards.

No doubt! People just usually are vocal about those who don’t.

I do the same thing, send weekly updates via email, etc. It’s not acknowledged but I don’t need it to be. The second I forget something though, I am sure to hear about it.

[Anonymous]

Keeping their portal up to date should be a priority—I hope others follow suit.

They have study guides? Aren’t their notes the study guides? The study guide for a routine assessment is hand holding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Keeping their portal up to date should be a priority—I hope others follow suit.

They have study guides? Aren’t their notes the study guides? The study guide for a routine assessment is hand holding.

It depends. Some teachers go off on lots of tangents and don't have the most organized notes. A study guide is simply a reminder of what is most vital to know and not every kid can afford to purchase books online that basically outline what is most important.

[Anonymous]

I'm sure it's as wonderful as you say, OP, although I don't know what Blackboard is. Is it like Google Classroom?

My 8th grader has an IEP and a resource class where his case manager reminds him of his upcoming assignments and deadlines. If he misses a day of school, we've actually never thought to check online, because he's either sick or we have unavoidable travel, so he can't work anyway. Good to know there might be stuff online to check out!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keeping their portal up to date should be a priority—I hope others follow suit.

They have study guides? Aren’t their notes the study guides? The study guide for a routine assessment is hand holding.

It depends. Some teachers go off on lots of tangents and don't have the most organized notes. A study guide is simply a reminder of what is most vital to know and not every kid can afford to purchase books online that basically outline what is most important.

Also, too many teachers are reusing the same exams over and over. So, if you have an older sibling or your parents have a friend who's kid took the class a previous year, they potentially half the class has that exam already and knows exactly what to study. They should either make all old exams available to all students online for studying and insist the same exam not be used (but some questions can be reused) or at the very list make sure those who don't have that exam have a study guide.

Every kid should have the a chance to do well regardless of whether they have an older sibling or the means to buy study guide style books online or have a tutor who knows exactly what that teacher likes to emphasize. I have a friend in a NYC suburb who said everyone paid $180 an hour for this one high school tutor who basically used to teach a particular honors class and had access to everything. Sure enough all her tutees aced the honors class, but they had a very unfair advantage. Sure people can afford to hire tutors and some can't, but some of these tutors basically know what will be on the exams year after year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do all this. All teachers at my school are required to. It’s not that hard with smart boards.

No doubt! People just usually are vocal about those who don’t.

I do the same thing, send weekly updates via email, etc. It’s not acknowledged but I don’t need it to be. The second I forget something though, I am sure to hear about it.

If my kid were in your class I would thank you and CC the principal.

[Anonymous]

None of my teachers in middle/high school or college updated anything. They handed us a class syllabus on the first day of school, reviewed it with us and then had us sign that we received it and understood it. You aren't going to get a teacher's notes unless you have an IEP nor should you. They might hand out a note catcher, etc for you to write on but that's it. Why do students need so much hand holder anyway?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keeping their portal up to date should be a priority—I hope others follow suit.

They have study guides? Aren’t their notes the study guides? The study guide for a routine assessment is hand holding.

It depends. Some teachers go off on lots of tangents and don't have the most organized notes. A study guide is simply a reminder of what is most vital to know and not every kid can afford to purchase books online that basically outline what is most important.

Also, too many teachers are reusing the same exams over and over. So, if you have an older sibling or your parents have a friend who's kid took the class a previous year, they potentially half the class has that exam already and knows exactly what to study. They should either make all old exams available to all students online for studying and insist the same exam not be used (but some questions can be reused) or at the very list make sure those who don't have that exam have a study guide.

Every kid should have the a chance to do well regardless of whether they have an older sibling or the means to buy study guide style books online or have a tutor who knows exactly what that teacher likes to emphasize. I have a friend in a NYC suburb who said everyone paid $180 an hour for this one high school tutor who basically used to teach a particular honors class and had access to everything. Sure enough all her tutees aced the honors class, but they had a very unfair advantage. Sure people can afford to hire tutors and some can't, but some of these tutors basically know what will be on the exams year after year.

Umm, the acts you are describing is considered cheating, PP. Besides, what kid saves middle school tests to give siblings?! Which, again, is cheating, past tests are not a resource to study unless the teacher has given them to the class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keeping their portal up to date should be a priority—I hope others follow suit.

They have study guides? Aren’t their notes the study guides? The study guide for a routine assessment is hand holding.

It depends. Some teachers go off on lots of tangents and don't have the most organized notes. A study guide is simply a reminder of what is most vital to know and not every kid can afford to purchase books online that basically outline what is most important.

Also, too many teachers are reusing the same exams over and over. So, if you have an older sibling or your parents have a friend who's kid took the class a previous year, they potentially half the class has that exam already and knows exactly what to study. They should either make all old exams available to all students online for studying and insist the same exam not be used (but some questions can be reused) or at the very list make sure those who don't have that exam have a study guide.

Every kid should have the a chance to do well regardless of whether they have an older sibling or the means to buy study guide style books online or have a tutor who knows exactly what that teacher likes to emphasize. I have a friend in a NYC suburb who said everyone paid $180 an hour for this one high school tutor who basically used to teach a particular honors class and had access to everything. Sure enough all her tutees aced the honors class, but they had a very unfair advantage. Sure people can afford to hire tutors and some can't, but some of these tutors basically know what will be on the exams year after year.