Anonymous
Post 03/17/2026 11:37     Subject: Failing a class
Newsflash-It's never the teacher. I blamed so much om teachers, my kids did the same thing.

your kid is skipping class or not doing the work and did the ole my mug broke trick and it backfired.
Anonymous
Post 03/17/2026 09:49     Subject: Failing a class
If she gets a 50 on the mug and that is 50 % of the grade, she still gets a c. sometimes classes are hard. sometimes teachers are tough. and kids get worried about things...hopefully this is a b or c and not an f.
Anonymous
Post 03/17/2026 09:10     Subject: Failing a class
That’s an ahole art teacher to fail a student over a ceramic mug.
Anonymous
Post 03/17/2026 09:08     Subject: Failing a class
Seriously OP— why are you crowdsourcing before you’ve even heard back from the teacher? I can’t imagine the kind of nervous vibes you must give off in your home and to your daughter if you are like this.

The skill to learn here is how not to freak out when something goes wrong. Your daughter is learning by watching you.
Anonymous
Post 03/17/2026 08:53     Subject: Re:Failing a class
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It is only March. Shouldn’t there be more projects to come, that will balance the grade out a bit more? Otherwise what are they doing in that class from now until June?

Maybe she can’t redo the project but could she do some work for extra credit? Something like that? This seems very harsh.

IME most HS electives teachers are reluctant to actually fail a kid, unless there is a severe issue with effort or behavior. One of my own kids also has a horrid experience with ceramics BTW. Also related to big project gone wrong. I think she ended up with a C in there when all was said and done. Maybe even a B-. But, it was very stressful.



They have 2 terms. Term 1 ends at the end of March and term 2 starts in April so her grade for term 1 will be F. That’s the term she will have to retake next year. Im waiting for the teacher to get back to me on what else she could do but she said the teacher did refuse giving her more time


So even if she tries to retake next yr, it’s going to still be there on her transcript when she is applying to colleges in the fall. That is BS. I’d talk to the teacher and take it to the principal or dean of students if the teacher is not being reasonable. No one she get an F in ceramics that is showing up and putting in effort. Projects breaking is part of the process in ceramics. This isn’t college, this is a high school elective- meant to expose kids to arts. That is literally the purpose of these electives. As long as students are following the directions to the best of their ability they should pass with at least a B. It isn’t supposed to be a class that demands proficiency or expertise.


Art is not an elective any more than math or PE are electives. You get to choose which one you want to take. But you have to take it. And just like math and PE require proficiency to get a good grade, so does the fine arts class. Its not just About exposure.


Ceramics class is absolutely an elective, as is PE
Anonymous
Post 03/17/2026 08:32     Subject: Re:Failing a class
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It is only March. Shouldn’t there be more projects to come, that will balance the grade out a bit more? Otherwise what are they doing in that class from now until June?

Maybe she can’t redo the project but could she do some work for extra credit? Something like that? This seems very harsh.

IME most HS electives teachers are reluctant to actually fail a kid, unless there is a severe issue with effort or behavior. One of my own kids also has a horrid experience with ceramics BTW. Also related to big project gone wrong. I think she ended up with a C in there when all was said and done. Maybe even a B-. But, it was very stressful.



They have 2 terms. Term 1 ends at the end of March and term 2 starts in April so her grade for term 1 will be F. That’s the term she will have to retake next year. Im waiting for the teacher to get back to me on what else she could do but she said the teacher did refuse giving her more time


So even if she tries to retake next yr, it’s going to still be there on her transcript when she is applying to colleges in the fall. That is BS. I’d talk to the teacher and take it to the principal or dean of students if the teacher is not being reasonable. No one she get an F in ceramics that is showing up and putting in effort. Projects breaking is part of the process in ceramics. This isn’t college, this is a high school elective- meant to expose kids to arts. That is literally the purpose of these electives. As long as students are following the directions to the best of their ability they should pass with at least a B. It isn’t supposed to be a class that demands proficiency or expertise.


Art is not an elective any more than math or PE are electives. You get to choose which one you want to take. But you have to take it. And just like math and PE require proficiency to get a good grade, so does the fine arts class. Its not just About exposure.
Anonymous
Post 03/17/2026 08:02     Subject: Re:Failing a class
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It is only March. Shouldn’t there be more projects to come, that will balance the grade out a bit more? Otherwise what are they doing in that class from now until June?

Maybe she can’t redo the project but could she do some work for extra credit? Something like that? This seems very harsh.

IME most HS electives teachers are reluctant to actually fail a kid, unless there is a severe issue with effort or behavior. One of my own kids also has a horrid experience with ceramics BTW. Also related to big project gone wrong. I think she ended up with a C in there when all was said and done. Maybe even a B-. But, it was very stressful.



They have 2 terms. Term 1 ends at the end of March and term 2 starts in April so her grade for term 1 will be F. That’s the term she will have to retake next year. Im waiting for the teacher to get back to me on what else she could do but she said the teacher did refuse giving her more time


So even if she tries to retake next yr, it’s going to still be there on her transcript when she is applying to colleges in the fall. That is BS. I’d talk to the teacher and take it to the principal or dean of students if the teacher is not being reasonable. No one she get an F in ceramics that is showing up and putting in effort. Projects breaking is part of the process in ceramics. This isn’t college, this is a high school elective- meant to expose kids to arts. That is literally the purpose of these electives. As long as students are following the directions to the best of their ability they should pass with at least a B. It isn’t supposed to be a class that demands proficiency or expertise.
Anonymous
Post 03/17/2026 07:43     Subject: Failing a class
Anonymous wrote:You hire a tutor like you would for english or math. In other words, get her a session or 2 with a private instructor.



This is ceramics, not calculus. She can likely only work on her project during class time and she broke her final project and is out of time. A tutor would be useless
Anonymous
Post 03/17/2026 06:42     Subject: Failing a class
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Is this a HS class at a private school? Are you sure you are getting the full story? You were smart to email the counselor. Maybe there is another option or more to the story. I’m a teacher and at my school and at my own children’s high school, ceramics is not graded like that. It is an easy and fun elective.


Im still waiting for the teacher to get back to me. According to DD most students in that class are getting horrible grades or failing because of how hard it is, I will see what the teacher says


Your daughter is not telling you the full story. She may be getting an F, but it is not because she just accidentally broke her project. Talk with the teacher.
Anonymous
Post 03/16/2026 21:57     Subject: Re:Failing a class
PP. I do want to add that I’d be surprised if the teacher calls you given your daughter is in 11 th grade. The teacher may just respond to your daughter.
Anonymous
Post 03/16/2026 21:55     Subject: Failing a class
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:IDK, if indeed she ends with an F, which I don't think she will, she retakes next year. And never, ever, takes an art class again, if she gpa is important to her. I wouldn't want to be evaluated like this. My guess is, magically she will not end up with an F but a C. Likely the teacher doesn't want it announced to everyone in the class that the teacher really isn't such a strict grader.


The art class is a requirement for her graduation. The teacher is supposedly a tough grader and told them the class made her cry in college so they should expect it to be hard


And the teacher is right. It is hard. Good for the teacher for setting the expectations and not letting the kids think it’s an easy A.

As for the grade, even if it’s 50% of the total, she’s likely to get partial credit. It’s hard to imagine she gets so little credit that she will fail for the term.

I’m not sure there’s much you can do now for your daughter.
Anonymous
Post 03/16/2026 20:18     Subject: Failing a class
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:You hire a tutor like you would for english or math. In other words, get her a session or 2 with a private instructor.



I dont think its that simple. She’d need someone with all the equipment


Does it specifically have to be done on the schools wheel? Is part of the project that it has to be done under the supervision of the teacher? Any private ceramic instructor will have access to a wheel and a kiln.

I will doublecheck but my understanding was it had to be done at her school
Anonymous
Post 03/16/2026 20:17     Subject: Failing a class
Anonymous wrote:Is this a HS class at a private school? Are you sure you are getting the full story? You were smart to email the counselor. Maybe there is another option or more to the story. I’m a teacher and at my school and at my own children’s high school, ceramics is not graded like that. It is an easy and fun elective.


Im still waiting for the teacher to get back to me. According to DD most students in that class are getting horrible grades or failing because of how hard it is, I will see what the teacher says
Anonymous
Post 03/16/2026 19:58     Subject: Failing a class
Is this a HS class at a private school? Are you sure you are getting the full story? You were smart to email the counselor. Maybe there is another option or more to the story. I’m a teacher and at my school and at my own children’s high school, ceramics is not graded like that. It is an easy and fun elective.
Anonymous
Post 03/16/2026 19:53     Subject: Failing a class
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:You hire a tutor like you would for english or math. In other words, get her a session or 2 with a private instructor.



I dont think its that simple. She’d need someone with all the equipment


Does it specifically have to be done on the schools wheel? Is part of the project that it has to be done under the supervision of the teacher? Any private ceramic instructor will have access to a wheel and a kiln.