Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, there seems to be a troll trying t, o post as several people. Look, if you don't have constructive advice for OP, move on. I am so sick of trolls hijacking threads with their condescension, judgment and lack of info.

I am clearly sympathetic b/c I have a kid in a similar boat in a top magnet. (If I weren't, I'd move on). Not a terrible grade for mine, but inordinate amounts of work, arcane material, and little teaching. For a straight A student to be struggling w/ an elective class in a field where they are a top student, it's unnecessarily punitive and stressful. The teacher teaches to a level of previous experience (some students have studied this outside of school), but that's not how its advertised. The teacher refuses to answer student questions, literally saying "I'm not going to answer that." And, they won't explain anything. Kid is working very hard and doing better, but it shouldn't be like this. Other teachers in the subject can't help b/c they don't specialize in this area. Kid has a friend who studied this outside school tutoring and works like mad. It affects about 2/3 of the class (kids w/o previous experience in the subject). They have all approached the teacher individually, and then addressed the administrator as a group when the teacher seemed unreceptive. Kid said that admin's reaction seemed to indicate that this was not a new problem for this teacher. We'll see. Very thankful for MoCo's semester system.

Hope you find a good resolve, OP. I would definitely make school admin aware. But, maybe first get a sense from your kid how many top students are getting derailed. If it is just a few, have the kid make a complaint and get a tutor.

I get that kids need to learn how to work with difficult people and that's what we tell our DCs when we first hear these complaints. If they continue, we discuss how to self advocate. If, however, my DC seems on the verge of self harm b/c a teacher continually says "I'm not going to answer that" then I am going to raise an eyebrow or more with the school.

PP here. Totally agree. If kid were on the verge of self harm, you can bet this mama bear would be roaring. As it is, DC is unduly stressed, but has clearly and respectfully advocated. DC is doing better but more due to sheer effort. I am trying to weigh contacting someone. If I do, do I give the teacher the respect of contacting them first? My DC did that, and they were dismissive. Admin seems receptive, but I think there is no one who can teach this material. Perhaps I contact admin to confirm/clarify DC's observations? I think DC did this effectively, but maybe parent pressure isn't a bad thing? Would love to hear [constructive] opinions.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colleges aren’t tracking individual teachers. Switch class to an easier teacher.

That's what I think, but it doesn't help with this semester's grade.

Are you suggesting that we change for next semester? The school (private) discourages changing teachers, but I'm thinking about pressing the issue and could maybe make a case if I suggest kid be moved to non-honors instead of honors. But I want to make sure that the bad teacher doesn't teach that class, too.

Next year, student will take a different topic that this person doesn't teach.

It makes me sad that one horrible teacher can ruin a kid's transcript after that kid has worked so hard. It's like my kid--and the others--were punished for being smart and getting into this class in the first place.

With regards to the school, I'd be surprised if they aren't alarmed their best students (top 10% and 20%) are getting such low grades in this class.

Would it be wise for me to request the principal look into the class grades?

OP

If there is a single teacher tanking students college applications through grades that are not in line with other teachers at the school, I'd be going to the HOS. If this is just a your kid issue, than that a completely different matter.

This, OP. I wouldn't go to the HOS and tell them how to do their job (i.e., look into grades). But I would absolutely go to them with a concern about my student, especially if the issue seemed to be part of a larger pattern. I would say this is what I observed, this is what I have heard, and this is my concern. I am coming to you to hear what you think, and to hear the ideas you have for addressing my concern.

Then I would listen and have an adult conversation.

This is why people send their kids to private schools. The HOS actually care what parents think. They may not handle it the way you want, but it's their job to hear your concerns.

And ignore everyone who says you will annoy them or be "that mom". No professional HOS is annoyed about a parent coming to them and having a respectful conversation.

Anonymous wrote:No, the colleges don’t know that your kid got a bad teacher. They do know that every kid gets a bad teacher or two. Life’s not fair that way.

No, you shouldn’t complain and yes, you should keep your mouth shut. Your kid should complain. Haven’t they been learning to self-advocate, etc etc at their school? Well, here’s a chance to exercise that muscle.

Is this meant for OP or PP? If the latter, then that was all covered to no avail.

Anonymous wrote:Wow, there seems to be a troll trying t, o post as several people. Look, if you don't have constructive advice for OP, move on. I am so sick of trolls hijacking threads with their condescension, judgment and lack of info.

I am clearly sympathetic b/c I have a kid in a similar boat in a top magnet. (If I weren't, I'd move on). Not a terrible grade for mine, but inordinate amounts of work, arcane material, and little teaching. For a straight A student to be struggling w/ an elective class in a field where they are a top student, it's unnecessarily punitive and stressful. The teacher teaches to a level of previous experience (some students have studied this outside of school), but that's not how its advertised. The teacher refuses to answer student questions, literally saying "I'm not going to answer that." And, they won't explain anything. Kid is working very hard and doing better, but it shouldn't be like this. Other teachers in the subject can't help b/c they don't specialize in this area. Kid has a friend who studied this outside school tutoring and works like mad. It affects about 2/3 of the class (kids w/o previous experience in the subject). They have all approached the teacher individually, and then addressed the administrator as a group when the teacher seemed unreceptive. Kid said that admin's reaction seemed to indicate that this was not a new problem for this teacher. We'll see. Very thankful for MoCo's semester system.

Hope you find a good resolve, OP. I would definitely make school admin aware. But, maybe first get a sense from your kid how many top students are getting derailed. If it is just a few, have the kid make a complaint and get a tutor.

I get that kids need to learn how to work with difficult people and that's what we tell our DCs when we first hear these complaints. If they continue, we discuss how to self advocate. If, however, my DC seems on the verge of self harm b/c a teacher continually says "I'm not going to answer that" then I am going to raise an eyebrow or more with the school.

No, the colleges don’t know that your kid got a bad teacher. They do know that every kid gets a bad teacher or two. Life’s not fair that way.

No, you shouldn’t complain and yes, you should keep your mouth shut. Your kid should complain. Haven’t they been learning to self-advocate, etc etc at their school? Well, here’s a chance to exercise that muscle.

Wow, there seems to be a troll trying t, o post as several people. Look, if you don't have constructive advice for OP, move on. I am so sick of trolls hijacking threads with their condescension, judgment and lack of info.

I am clearly sympathetic b/c I have a kid in a similar boat in a top magnet. (If I weren't, I'd move on). Not a terrible grade for mine, but inordinate amounts of work, arcane material, and little teaching. For a straight A student to be struggling w/ an elective class in a field where they are a top student, it's unnecessarily punitive and stressful. The teacher teaches to a level of previous experience (some students have studied this outside of school), but that's not how its advertised. The teacher refuses to answer student questions, literally saying "I'm not going to answer that." And, they won't explain anything. Kid is working very hard and doing better, but it shouldn't be like this. Other teachers in the subject can't help b/c they don't specialize in this area. Kid has a friend who studied this outside school tutoring and works like mad. It affects about 2/3 of the class (kids w/o previous experience in the subject). They have all approached the teacher individually, and then addressed the administrator as a group when the teacher seemed unreceptive. Kid said that admin's reaction seemed to indicate that this was not a new problem for this teacher. We'll see. Very thankful for MoCo's semester system.

Hope you find a good resolve, OP. I would definitely make school admin aware. But, maybe first get a sense from your kid how many top students are getting derailed. If it is just a few, have the kid make a complaint and get a tutor.

OP is trolling right? The odd diction of the post and high handed snottiness aren’t real, are they?

No. In fact, teachers’ names may not even be on the transcript.

The best way to handle this is the three part method known as gaslight, K**en and shoot yourself in the foot.

First, use the “tell us anything else we should know” section of the common app to explain why the bad grade is the teacher’s fault and not your child’s. Really document this well and explaining detail, so the college understands how different your kid is from the millions of other HS kids who think their B (ir C or D) is unfair. Your kid is a different— he’s a high achiever dang it! Make sure colleges know that.

You should upload all of the hard tests, harshly graded papers, etc., directly up to individual college portals as “resumes” so the colleges and review it themselves as see how really unfair the teacher is. You can really drive this point home by having your kid write the “overcoming adversity” essay about how he screwed around, got a bad grade, and dug himself into a hole his parents couldn’t buy his way out of. Really show them your kid’s tenacity in the face of adversity.


Second, K*r*n. Honestly, I can’t believe you let it get this far— two whole months after your kid started actually doing the work— without contacting the school and demanding a refund. You aren’t paying that much money for a flawed transcript! Make sure the school knows you are prepared to sue if your child gets a B. This is the part of the plan where you do whatever version of talk to the manager, get yourself a refund and leave a bad Yelp review you believe is appropriate.

Third, make sure your kid really shoots himself in the foot by requesting a college recommendation from this teacher, who will be grateful for the opportunity to explain exactly how they feel about your kid. I mean, your worked really hard for two months— after two months of screwing around. That’s a “strong upward trend”. Any teacher would be impressed if mom and dad started complaining in this situation.

There you go. a sure fired method for making your kid stand out from every other “high achiever” who played fork around & find out, the high school transcript version.

I think the solution will be to step down a level.

I don’t care if kid takes this high-level math class or not and don’t see the point in taking a class with a teacher who is failing the smart kids. Maybe those of you accusing my kid of slacking are projecting because you birthed slackers or kids with terrible study skills.

For those of you with actual advice, I thank you. For the judgy trolls, ew. Go back to your Trump thread and make fun of the outfits.

I am laughing at the numbered post above with all the opinions from a yahoo who doesn’t know my kid. 😂 It’s like a textbook case of the worst in anonymous forums. Thank you for the laugh. 😆

OP

Anonymous wrote:Keeo you mouth shut except to remind your kid that good grades can't be pulled out of his a$*. He slacked off and now is trying to dig out of the hole he created. Next time, he can't slack at all.

What is the point of failing most of the class?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colleges aren’t tracking individual teachers. Switch class to an easier teacher.

That's what I think, but it doesn't help with this semester's grade.

Are you suggesting that we change for next semester? The school (private) discourages changing teachers, but I'm thinking about pressing the issue and could maybe make a case if I suggest kid be moved to non-honors instead of honors. But I want to make sure that the bad teacher doesn't teach that class, too.

Next year, student will take a different topic that this person doesn't teach.

It makes me sad that one horrible teacher can ruin a kid's transcript after that kid has worked so hard. It's like my kid--and the others--were punished for being smart and getting into this class in the first place.

With regards to the school, I'd be surprised if they aren't alarmed their best students (top 10% and 20%) are getting such low grades in this class.

Would it be wise for me to request the principal look into the class grades?

OP

1) "We" don't change teachers, OP. Your child does. This is his/ her issue to deal with, not your's.

2) I'm sorry that you are sad that apparently Larlo has worked so hard, and yet "the teacher" has ruined his transcript. Maybe, just maybe, Larlo is not working as hard as you think he is.

3) The school is not "alarmed" that their "best students" are getting low grades in this class. Even "best students" reach their limits and/or slack off at some point.

4) Regarding your last question, only if you want to be considered a major PITA parent. Because the principal will side with the teacher, every time. Tell Larlo to suck it up. That's life.

Wow. You sound snooty.

Thank you so much for judgment. Sooooo useful.

The kids in the top 10% and 20% have Cs and Ds. Do you think I didn’t already consider if my kid was slacking? And did you read my post when I mentioned all that kid is doing?

Go away, you rude person.

Actually, I have heard that the richer the parent body, the more likely that the school administration caves and comes down on the teacher.

Of course, this does not advance quality teaching OR staff morale. Plus, the student would be better off learning to cope with a range of instructors, because that is what they will encounter in college also.

Anonymous wrote:O good lord, OP. Really?

Right? Let the excuses roll.

Like there have not been hard teachers at all schools, for time immemorial.

It sure can't be Larlo or Larla who are the problem.

Keeo you mouth shut except to remind your kid that good grades can't be pulled out of his a$*. He slacked off and now is trying to dig out of the hole he created. Next time, he can't slack at all.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colleges aren’t tracking individual teachers. Switch class to an easier teacher.

That's what I think, but it doesn't help with this semester's grade.

Are you suggesting that we change for next semester? The school (private) discourages changing teachers, but I'm thinking about pressing the issue and could maybe make a case if I suggest kid be moved to non-honors instead of honors. But I want to make sure that the bad teacher doesn't teach that class, too.

Next year, student will take a different topic that this person doesn't teach.

It makes me sad that one horrible teacher can ruin a kid's transcript after that kid has worked so hard. It's like my kid--and the others--were punished for being smart and getting into this class in the first place.

With regards to the school, I'd be surprised if they aren't alarmed their best students (top 10% and 20%) are getting such low grades in this class.

Would it be wise for me to request the principal look into the class grades?

OP

1) "We" don't change teachers, OP. Your child does. This is his/ her issue to deal with, not your's.

2) I'm sorry that you are sad that apparently Larlo has worked so hard, and yet "the teacher" has ruined his transcript. Maybe, just maybe, Larlo is not working as hard as you think he is.

3) The school is not "alarmed" that their "best students" are getting low grades in this class. Even "best students" reach their limits and/or slack off at some point.

4) Regarding your last question, only if you want to be considered a major PITA parent. Because the principal will side with the teacher, every time. Tell Larlo to suck it up. That's life.