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Post by sierra on May 11, 2004 17:49:33 GMT -5
I'm so mad I could spit nails.
Li'l sprout has a D- and an F. The D- is in PE. How the heck do you make a D- in PE? He has his gym clothes. He's got some explaining to do.
He got an F in reading. We got advance notice last week and he found most of the missing work and redid what he couldn't find. But the teacher has been out for a week. A planned week from what I gather. And the substitute couldn't accept the work. So that F should probably have been a B if he was organized enough to turn it in on time OR if his 504 plan was being followed.
Bean Sprout has a D in Science and a C- in Algebra. No explanation on the science but the report said missing work and poor test scores for Algebra.
I fired off emails so fast the keyboard got hot. Three responses so far.
1. P.E. -- he didn't turn in a design for a frisbee golf course. It was a partner project. That means he has some explaining and there better be a frisbee design somewhere in that backpack of his.
2. Science -- This one really burned me because it's an academic subject and parents are supposed to get notice two weeks before the progress report if their student is in danger of a D or F. All students. Not just students with 504 plans.
Here's part of the email reply "Bean Sprout needs to come see me so I can assess him better as far as testing goes. He agreed 3 weeks ago he was going to see me and never showed up."
Hello! ADD? You asked him to come see you outside his schedule ONCE and you're surprised he didn't show up? I sent another email back asking if the meeting can occur before or after school and told him I'd be happy to be there to make sure Bean Sprout makes it to the classroom.
3. Algebra -- This teacher says he hasn't been showing his work and he got a zero on a quiz. She'll let him take the quiz again but she "needs to talk with him". I need to talk to Bean Sprout, too. He knows he's got to show his work. I've been drilling this for how many years?
The email about the F in reading is still hanging fire.
I swear I hate sending these clowns emails every week asking if everything is ok but if I don't then all heck breaks loose.
Well. I'm glad I got that out of my system before I actually have to talk to my sprouts or their teachers. Maybe I can keep my temper or at least keep the words inside my head and not flying out of my mouth.
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Post by savvymom1 on May 11, 2004 21:09:41 GMT -5
Oh Seirra, I feel for you and boy can I relate! You have my sympathy. Progress reports and I have a love/hate relationship. I need to know the status--but I dread knowing.
I want to let my 7th grader be responsible for her own work and grades. She absolutely hates for me to monitor her homework and whether or not she has done it. I've really backed off this year but it is hard.
When progress reports come in I'm often surprised with a few zeros here and there. All I hear about are the assignments where she earned good grades. The progress reports are often a rude awakening.
I can't offer anything here but my support and understanding. Keep the faith--school is almost out! Six and a half days left for us--hurrah!!!!!!!!
Judy
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Post by sierra on May 11, 2004 21:51:43 GMT -5
Well, Li'l Sprout swears he and his partner turned in that danged Frisbee design thing. So, I sent the PE teacher a heads up and told her that Li'l Sprout would be gunning for her.
He was hopping mad. First his English teacher gives him his bad news last week and then leaves for a week so he can't get the work to her. Then the PE teacher messes up (sez him).
Bean Sprout slapped his head a few times over the things he forgot but he's full of viss and pinegar and wants to get this resolved and his grades back up.
I still don't trust that science teacher. He's the worst for answering emails and phone calls. I bet he ignores my email asking for a specific time for the meeting and just tells Bean Sprout when to be there.
It was kind of a relief how he took the news. Before Bean Sprout was on the med for depression a progress report like this could have triggered a raging fit and an week of ugly mood swings.
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Post by Honeysmom on May 11, 2004 22:12:57 GMT -5
That really stinks about the lack of communication of the part of the school, but it is a nice silver lining thay Bean Sprout is handeling it well. Good for him!!
Becky
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Post by adhdtimes4 on May 12, 2004 6:40:53 GMT -5
Sierra,
I've received my share of horrible progress (or lack thereof) reports. We've tried to head off the surprises at the pass by emailing the teachers in a group each week: What's his grade so far AND What's he missing?
Most of the teachers respond. Some of our teachers are using these wonderful websites that display grades - and mark missing assignments. Of course we spend way too many weekends doing make-up work ad nauseum.
Don't you hate it when teachers lose stuff?!! What's worse, because our kids have the reputation of losing things, nobody ever believes them (me included...most of the time) when they say they turned it in.
I'm glad your sprout is taking things better. That's progress, just not the reportable kind.
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Post by camismom on May 12, 2004 14:07:30 GMT -5
I hate this for you and Bean Sprout Sierra! Grrrrrrr. I know once kids get to middle and high school, they should assume more responsibilities, but when you're dealing with an ASHDr, they still need help from time to time! It's maddening how you never hear from a teacher unless it's bad news, and until it's too late! Grrrrrrrr again!
I can just seeing you firing off those emails. Been there done that quite a few times myself! Isn't email wonderful though?
Sending hope that this all gets worked out your way.
In the meantime, we need to start organizing an end of year "party". Seven more days for us!
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Post by sierra on May 12, 2004 22:46:35 GMT -5
It's the yearly 6 weeks before the end of school story. That's what really gets my goat. No matter what I do it still happens 6 weeks before the end of school.
The science teacher changed his tune. When I said I wanted to be there when he meets with Bean Sprout then he wanted to have the meeting asap. So it will be tomorrow morning instead of next Tuesday. I've forwarded that little exchange to the 504 counselor because I've got no earthly idea what this is about.
I don't see what a meeting between the two of them could do to change his grade. Doesn't make sense. But I'll dang sure be there.
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Post by camismom on May 13, 2004 7:27:34 GMT -5
Go get 'em Sierra! I know you don't need my pointy hat.... you already have a few of your own! Good luck getting to the bottom of this!  |
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Post by sierra on May 14, 2004 4:20:55 GMT -5
Well durned if I can figure out what's up.
The science teacher had Bean Sprout up at the board after school. The teacher would write an unbalanced chemical equation and as Bean Sprout would balance it. Bean Sprout got them all right but it took some thinking time. I had to bite my tongue not to shout the answers and it's been near 30 years since I messed with balancing chemical charges.
So that was either some of the most expert accomodation I've ever seen in my long and infamous career of managing my sprouts' educations or the science teacher was covering his heiny. At the end of the exercise, the teacher went over and entered a new grade for the test I assume Bean Sprout bombed. That pulled him up from a D to a C+ right there. With one lab assignment to turn in that he did but wasn't graded he'll have a very solid B in the class. Lucky for him he did the lab assignment write-up on his computer so he just needed to print it out.
I think he's starting to see the advantages of using a computer for his homework ;D
Bean Sprout also retook a math quiz today and I hope that pulled his grade up from a C- to at least a C. He made a zero first time around for not showing his work. I am so sick and tired of telling that boy to show his work! I hope this experience maybe made an impression but I won't hold my breath.
He just turned in a math project too. If he gets most of the credit on that he should be looking at a B going into the second half of the term.
Now if he can just maintain or gain in the next few weeks.
Li'l Sprout turned in one assignment in reading. He re-did an assignment that got lost too. He'll turn that in tomorrow. Believe it or not that should be the difference between an F and an A.
But he's working on a research paper right now due in a couple weeks and we haven't seen an assignment sheet outlining the requirements and rubric. So I'll be bothering that teacher again tomorrow. It pains me to be a pest but we need to know what the expectations are or there's no hope he'll do things right. He'll do something interesting and he'll enjoy his topic but it won't meet the teacher's expectations. These wishy washy assignments drive me crazy.
So, it's just another last gasp in paradice. I wonder what happens to the students whose parents don't raise cain about lost assignments and what not? Bean Sprout would be in danger of having to repeat the grade if I hadn't fired off those emails earlier in the week. That's a scary thought!
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Post by camismom on May 14, 2004 7:18:06 GMT -5
Sierra,
Glad you're working through it, and things are looking up for both sprouts! I know what you mean about the "showing work" thing. I have that same trouble with Cami. She hates to write and "showing her work" means extra writing, so she hates to do it. Ever an uphill battle.
It is a good thing your sprouts have you to fight for. I have seen what happens to students whose parents don't, and they fall through the cracks, fail, and eventually drop out. I commend you for being a caring parent!
Hope things keep getting better and they end the year successfully! We've got 6 more days counting today, and I personally cant wait!!!
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Post by savvymom1 on May 14, 2004 18:09:09 GMT -5
Sierra, so glad to hear things are looking up...wish we didn't have to put so much time and energy in our kids assignments and grades.
On a good note, my 7th grader made a 100 on a nine weeks math test!!!!!!!! This is the dd with the math learning disability. I don't think she has made a 100 on a math test since elementary school. Wonders never cease!
Her math teacher is teacher of the year, this year and I can see why. I hope we get some more just like her next year!
Hope the grades keep rising--and remember the end is sight!
Judy
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Post by sierra on May 16, 2004 0:49:40 GMT -5
If one of my sprouts make a 100 on a math test ya'll will wonder where I got off to. I'll be in the hospital recovering from a heart attack.
Judy, congrats to your daughter. I bet she's so proud she could just bust. An you too!
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Post by Honeysmom on May 16, 2004 12:22:54 GMT -5
Sierra, good for you and both of they sprouts for getting this all back under control. That really is a lot of work. I remember doing it almost at every mid-term as a kid.
The school probably does think you are a pest, but then also probably know that you are a parent who cares and is involved and that means a LOT! You may not realize it, but even with any accomodations your kids are easier for the school than some without. Some of the kids probably are going to fail a grade and no one wants to see that happen in the older grades so the teachers have to go through the process of contacting the parents and what not. At least you are the one getting ahold of them so I wouldn't feel bad.
Way to to go all of you!!!
Becky ;D
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