Anonymous wrote:Why does a deadline, published somewhere, supersede a date, a specific earlier date that the student requests (with many, many months notice). Why?

If your child gives me a deadline in September, I know the true deadline is November.

I’m sorry, but a student’s schedule doesn’t take precedence over my own. That’s not the way this works.

And, as many are forgetting, this is a GIFT. No teacher has to write recommendations at all. It seems really disrespectful to be so demanding.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DW is a teacher and got 9 done yesterday (took a personal day under the weight of all the 50 she has). Only 4 left and they will indeed get done. BTW, for those kids and parents who were rude right as she was writing the rec letter, guess what the letter is going to say..... As others have said, letters of rec are a gift to your child. They are not a right. They will get done people. I hope all of you pay all bills weeks early and get projects done at work a month ahead of time. Because that is what you are asking the teachers to do.

Many of us do pay bills early and get projects done early to avoid any last minute rush/disaster/surprises. Surely, you understand that?

It’s so easy to judge from the outside, isn’t it?

I’m one of the several teachers posting on this thread. My department is taking turns using personal days so we can stay home and get letters done.

And, to add insult to injury, we have to cover each others’ classes since we have no subs.

So we are taking leave AND losing planning periods in order to write these letters, some of which we were just asked to do this week.

You’re right. I guess we could simply knock them out at home. It’s not like we have our own families or other obligations. And it’s not like we have other work (planning, grading) that we already use our evenings and weekends to do.

So simple to judge. Much harder to live the reality.

Why does a deadline, published somewhere, supersede a date, a specific earlier date that the student requests (with many, many months notice). Why?

Anonymous wrote:My DW is a teacher and got 9 done yesterday (took a personal day under the weight of all the 50 she has). Only 4 left and they will indeed get done. BTW, for those kids and parents who were rude right as she was writing the rec letter, guess what the letter is going to say..... As others have said, letters of rec are a gift to your child. They are not a right. They will get done people. I hope all of you pay all bills weeks early and get projects done at work a month ahead of time. Because that is what you are asking the teachers to do.

Many of us do pay bills early and get projects done early to avoid any last minute rush/disaster/surprises. Surely, you understand that?

Still waiting for one here too

The solution is for the colleges to stop requiring these.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DW is a teacher and got 9 done yesterday (took a personal day under the weight of all the 50 she has). Only 4 left and they will indeed get done. BTW, for those kids and parents who were rude right as she was writing the rec letter, guess what the letter is going to say..... As others have said, letters of rec are a gift to your child. They are not a right. They will get done people. I hope all of you pay all bills weeks early and get projects done at work a month ahead of time. Because that is what you are asking the teachers to do.

Wellllll...she could have cut off requests so she could focus on the letters. They aren't always difficult to write but can get tedious if you try to do too many at once. The important work is often underappreciated.
-signed someone who has written countless recommendations

Who do you think they go to when you (the teacher) cut off the requests???? By cutting off the # you do, you are screwing your colleagues. Well done.

No no one is screwing them.

Anonymous wrote:Still waiting on a rec for ED and EA schools due 11/1 from one teacher. This teacher agreed to write the rec back in May. Brag sheet done and turned in July. Student filled out separate teacher specific info form also in the summer. Student checked in with teacher the first week back at school and confirmed the teacher had everything they needed. The school requires the students to provide 30 day notice of each application deadline which was also done. Considering all of that, I understand these things take time and there are a lot of recommendations required. But I don’t understand waiting this late in the game considering how early everything was required and provided from the student.

They aren't "waiting." It's not late. Probably the teacher will be submitting several on the deadline date.

Teachers know that most colleges have a grace period. They go through this process every single year they've been teaching high school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DW is a teacher and got 9 done yesterday (took a personal day under the weight of all the 50 she has). Only 4 left and they will indeed get done. BTW, for those kids and parents who were rude right as she was writing the rec letter, guess what the letter is going to say..... As others have said, letters of rec are a gift to your child. They are not a right. They will get done people. I hope all of you pay all bills weeks early and get projects done at work a month ahead of time. Because that is what you are asking the teachers to do.

Wellllll...she could have cut off requests so she could focus on the letters. They aren't always difficult to write but can get tedious if you try to do too many at once. The important work is often underappreciated.
-signed someone who has written countless recommendations

Who do you think they go to when you (the teacher) cut off the requests???? By cutting off the # you do, you are screwing your colleagues. Well done.

Anonymous wrote:My DW is a teacher and got 9 done yesterday (took a personal day under the weight of all the 50 she has). Only 4 left and they will indeed get done. BTW, for those kids and parents who were rude right as she was writing the rec letter, guess what the letter is going to say..... As others have said, letters of rec are a gift to your child. They are not a right. They will get done people. I hope all of you pay all bills weeks early and get projects done at work a month ahead of time. Because that is what you are asking the teachers to do.

Wellllll...she could have cut off requests so she could focus on the letters. They aren't always difficult to write but can get tedious if you try to do too many at once. The important work is often underappreciated.
-signed someone who has written countless recommendations

My DW is a teacher and got 9 done yesterday (took a personal day under the weight of all the 50 she has). Only 4 left and they will indeed get done. BTW, for those kids and parents who were rude right as she was writing the rec letter, guess what the letter is going to say..... As others have said, letters of rec are a gift to your child. They are not a right. They will get done people. I hope all of you pay all bills weeks early and get projects done at work a month ahead of time. Because that is what you are asking the teachers to do.

The crush of early applications has impacted teachers. The deadlines used to be more spread out until RD in January, but now every kid has an ED/EA.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still waiting on a rec for ED and EA schools due 11/1 from one teacher. This teacher agreed to write the rec back in May. Brag sheet done and turned in July. Student filled out separate teacher specific info form also in the summer. Student checked in with teacher the first week back at school and confirmed the teacher had everything they needed. The school requires the students to provide 30 day notice of each application deadline which was also done. Considering all of that, I understand these things take time and there are a lot of recommendations required. But I don’t understand waiting this late in the game considering how early everything was required and provided from the student.

same here. I wasn't too concerned bc this is the #2 rec for my student and she is not applying to high stats schools so whatever, it likely doesn't matter. DD was not interested in asking her about it again and I was OK with that. However, yesterday she was asked by another student in the class and then she said that she is not coming to school Friday 10/31 so she can write all the letters. nice.

“Nice.” You’re sniping at this teacher who is so overburdened that she is taking her limited personal leave and using it to meet rec letter requests. She made a commitment to her students and she is meeting it literally at her own expense. Maybe don’t be an ass about it.

Anonymous wrote:Still waiting on a rec for ED and EA schools due 11/1 from one teacher. This teacher agreed to write the rec back in May. Brag sheet done and turned in July. Student filled out separate teacher specific info form also in the summer. Student checked in with teacher the first week back at school and confirmed the teacher had everything they needed. The school requires the students to provide 30 day notice of each application deadline which was also done. Considering all of that, I understand these things take time and there are a lot of recommendations required. But I don’t understand waiting this late in the game considering how early everything was required and provided from the student.

same here. I wasn't too concerned bc this is the #2 rec for my student and she is not applying to high stats schools so whatever, it likely doesn't matter. DD was not interested in asking her about it again and I was OK with that. However, yesterday she was asked by another student in the class and then she said that she is not coming to school Friday 10/31 so she can write all the letters. nice.

Still waiting on a rec for ED and EA schools due 11/1 from one teacher. This teacher agreed to write the rec back in May. Brag sheet done and turned in July. Student filled out separate teacher specific info form also in the summer. Student checked in with teacher the first week back at school and confirmed the teacher had everything they needed. The school requires the students to provide 30 day notice of each application deadline which was also done. Considering all of that, I understand these things take time and there are a lot of recommendations required. But I don’t understand waiting this late in the game considering how early everything was required and provided from the student.