Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am stunned at the number of people defending poor practices. Yes, you can let up and have more fun the last week, but it's still school.

That said, this is the first year for my fourth grader that there have been no movies. I LOVE this teacher.

1st grader has had great teachers - no movies this week either, nor last year.

Kids in elementary school should be learning every day. They should in high school and middle school too, though I acknowledge that it might be harder to focus once grades are in. But still - what is the point if kids are just plopped in front of movies. Relax some standards, have a little it more free or outdoor time, but don't take the week off. Talk about summer learning loss! Why is this acceptable?

Just curious, what kind of academic enrichment do you have your kids doing this summer?

I don't know what "right" answer you are looking for. I'm looking for paid professionals to do their job. In third grade, when my DD watched one or sometimes two movies every day for a week, the teacher sat and watched with them. Int was a "treat." I absolutely think that we can lessen up as school winds down - a party, theme days, no homework (my 4th grader has homework this week), extra recess time, maybe one movie day. That's all good But an elementary school kid doesn't have a great sense of time and isn't bonding with classmates they know they won't see all summer. Kids should be wrapping up their reading groups, reflecting on the year, learning some new concepts, refreshing older concepts, and continuing the activities that foster a lifelong love of learning.

I have nothing against TV or movies. We have movie nights on Friday and Saturday evenings (with tons of buttered popcorn), and often a show or computer time during the week. During the summer, we mix up sports camps, arts camps, and science-y camps. They participate in the summer reading program at the library and we attend events at the library. We go to the beach and play, and also talk about waves, tides, ocean animals, the sun, star gazing (with apps). We visit art, science, natural history and art history museums - and pools, sporting events, and amusement parks. I've tried journaling projects in the summer, but never succeeded, but my 4th grader wants to give it another go this year. And, my special needs kid continues tutoring (on a more reduced scheduled) to keep skills up. We watch the news and read the paper. We also lay on the couch on hot days and watch movies. It's a mix.

I love learning new things, going new places, exploring new ideas - and watching movies. Nothing wrong with mixing it up.

Some DCPS schools/teachers, in my experience, rely on movies as babysitter. The occasional reward, sure. Every day the last two weeks - no. Simply no. Raise your standards.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a HS teacher the reality is that few kids show up. Grades are in and finals have been taken. What kind of instruction do you really expect to take place?

Have some imagination and teach some of the stuff you always wanted to but complain the SOL demands squeeze out.

If you teach a math class, have a couple of days on the stock market or personal finance. If you teach social studies, play the World Trade game. If you are in English, do a little reader's theater. This isn't hard.

There are 8 kids in our entire grade today. They're all in one classroom but if we rotated them through the bell schedule there may be 1 or 2 per class with some periods having 0 kids. Do what, now? And grade them how? Grades are in. Do the other 140 absent kids get zeroes?

What is your school doing about this truancy? Why is it so high?

OP has a second grader. So do I. Mine is at a charter and we don't get out until next week.

I haven't heard about any movies at school. I know they are doing reflections on their learning. They took a field trip and had sports day. Have not heard about any packing up either.

This seems odd to me and OP is right to be concerned.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what should students be doing this week? And at what grades?

They should be doing what the taxpayers are paying for - learning. Not movie-watching while the teachers clear out early so they can paid for not working. Learning.

When would you have teachers do their clean up, etc then? Should they not be paid for that?

Also PP, WHAT should students be learning this week? Should they be doing projects? Review sheets that will end up in the garbage?

How would parents structure these days?

How about giving them a preview of the next yesr's content. Every teacher does preview for the incoming grade. Gives them a new face and new content.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what should students be doing this week? And at what grades?

They should be doing what the taxpayers are paying for - learning. Not movie-watching while the teachers clear out early so they can paid for not working. Learning.

When would you have teachers do their clean up, etc then? Should they not be paid for that?

Also PP, WHAT should students be learning this week? Should they be doing projects? Review sheets that will end up in the garbage?

How would parents structure these days?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many kids are going to pay attention to anything close to learning when final assessments are done?

The last couple of weeks need to be rearranged, somehow. Have final marks go in a little later if at all possible so learning can continue. The way things are done now I can understand doing very little.

I'm almost speechless. Kids won't learn without grades and assessments? It never ceases to amaze me that people really think this. And yet I guess we've dug ourselves into this hole with national educational policy based on this thinking, so I don't know why I find it so surprising. So depressing.

Clearly you're not a classroom teacher. It may not be nice or pretty but it is reality. Knowing the grades are in removes any incentive for most students to complete work or to take it seriously.

I agree that the closing date for grades should come later. But that would mean that school would end students before teachers. Then parents would complain about those free workdays teachers have without students and why oh why should teachers get paid for days they're not really working..Why don't they end the school year a week later, after all teachers are sitting around on their asses all day for an entire week because surely it doesn't take that long to put in grades for a few classes....

Sorry parents but they're yours now. Why not just keep them home and teach them there if you're so appalled at the thought of them watching movies and helping teachers pack all day.

And then teachers wonder why the "profession" has lost credibility in the public eye.

When I learned that the quality of candidates in Education schools has declined over the years, I was saddened, but hardly surprised.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am stunned at the number of people defending poor practices. Yes, you can let up and have more fun the last week, but it's still school.

That said, this is the first year for my fourth grader that there have been no movies. I LOVE this teacher.

1st grader has had great teachers - no movies this week either, nor last year.

Kids in elementary school should be learning every day. They should in high school and middle school too, though I acknowledge that it might be harder to focus once grades are in. But still - what is the point if kids are just plopped in front of movies. Relax some standards, have a little it more free or outdoor time, but don't take the week off. Talk about summer learning loss! Why is this acceptable?

Just curious, what kind of academic enrichment do you have your kids doing this summer?

Excellent question.

To the parents who are concerned, how would you have things rearranged so that students are still actually engaged in learning at this point.

You can have them sit and listen/do lessons.. but I doubt they are absorbing much of it.

Anonymous wrote:So what should students be doing this week? And at what grades?

They should be doing what the taxpayers are paying for - learning. Not movie-watching while the teachers clear out early so they can paid for not working. Learning.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many kids are going to pay attention to anything close to learning when final assessments are done?

The last couple of weeks need to be rearranged, somehow. Have final marks go in a little later if at all possible so learning can continue. The way things are done now I can understand doing very little.

I'm almost speechless. Kids won't learn without grades and assessments? It never ceases to amaze me that people really think this. And yet I guess we've dug ourselves into this hole with national educational policy based on this thinking, so I don't know why I find it so surprising. So depressing.

Clearly you're not a classroom teacher. It may not be nice or pretty but it is reality. Knowing the grades are in removes any incentive for most students to complete work or to take it seriously.

I agree that the closing date for grades should come later. But that would mean that school would end students before teachers. Then parents would complain about those free workdays teachers have without students and why oh why should teachers get paid for days they're not really working..Why don't they end the school year a week later, after all teachers are sitting around on their asses all day for an entire week because surely it doesn't take that long to put in grades for a few classes....

Sorry parents but they're yours now. Why not just keep them home and teach them there if you're so appalled at the thought of them watching movies and helping teachers pack all day.

And question for the parents...what do YOU have them doing at home?

Anonymous wrote:I am stunned at the number of people defending poor practices. Yes, you can let up and have more fun the last week, but it's still school.

That said, this is the first year for my fourth grader that there have been no movies. I LOVE this teacher.

1st grader has had great teachers - no movies this week either, nor last year.

Kids in elementary school should be learning every day. They should in high school and middle school too, though I acknowledge that it might be harder to focus once grades are in. But still - what is the point if kids are just plopped in front of movies. Relax some standards, have a little it more free or outdoor time, but don't take the week off. Talk about summer learning loss! Why is this acceptable?

Just curious, what kind of academic enrichment do you have your kids doing this summer?

Anonymous wrote:I am stunned at the number of people defending poor practices. Yes, you can let up and have more fun the last week, but it's still school.

That said, this is the first year for my fourth grader that there have been no movies. I LOVE this teacher.

1st grader has had great teachers - no movies this week either, nor last year.

Kids in elementary school should be learning every day. They should in high school and middle school too, though I acknowledge that it might be harder to focus once grades are in. But still - what is the point if kids are just plopped in front of movies. Relax some standards, have a little it more free or outdoor time, but don't take the week off. Talk about summer learning loss! Why is this acceptable?

I am more interested in knowing why you are so insecure.

I am stunned at the number of people defending poor practices. Yes, you can let up and have more fun the last week, but it's still school.

That said, this is the first year for my fourth grader that there have been no movies. I LOVE this teacher.

1st grader has had great teachers - no movies this week either, nor last year.

Kids in elementary school should be learning every day. They should in high school and middle school too, though I acknowledge that it might be harder to focus once grades are in. But still - what is the point if kids are just plopped in front of movies. Relax some standards, have a little it more free or outdoor time, but don't take the week off. Talk about summer learning loss! Why is this acceptable?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many kids are going to pay attention to anything close to learning when final assessments are done?

The last couple of weeks need to be rearranged, somehow. Have final marks go in a little later if at all possible so learning can continue. The way things are done now I can understand doing very little.

I'm almost speechless. Kids won't learn without grades and assessments? It never ceases to amaze me that people really think this. And yet I guess we've dug ourselves into this hole with national educational policy based on this thinking, so I don't know why I find it so surprising. So depressing.

Clearly you're not a classroom teacher. It may not be nice or pretty but it is reality. Knowing the grades are in removes any incentive for most students to complete work or to take it seriously.

I agree that the closing date for grades should come later. But that would mean that school would end students before teachers. Then parents would complain about those free workdays teachers have without students and why oh why should teachers get paid for days they're not really working..Why don't they end the school year a week later, after all teachers are sitting around on their asses all day for an entire week because surely it doesn't take that long to put in grades for a few classes....

Sorry parents but they're yours now. Why not just keep them home and teach them there if you're so appalled at the thought of them watching movies and helping teachers pack all day.

Anonymous wrote:How many kids are going to pay attention to anything close to learning when final assessments are done?

The last couple of weeks need to be rearranged, somehow. Have final marks go in a little later if at all possible so learning can continue. The way things are done now I can understand doing very little.

I'm almost speechless. Kids won't learn without grades and assessments? It never ceases to amaze me that people really think this. And yet I guess we've dug ourselves into this hole with national educational policy based on this thinking, so I don't know why I find it so surprising. So depressing.

How many kids are going to pay attention to anything close to learning when final assessments are done?

The last couple of weeks need to be rearranged, somehow. Have final marks go in a little later if at all possible so learning can continue. The way things are done now I can understand doing very little.