Posted on 02/07/2013 2:51:33 AM PST by MacMattico
“tell the Principal you’re going to the Super or the BOE and they’ll jump through hoops.”
Excellent Advice..... But don’t just tell. Know when their next meeting is and who the board members are.
Is the teacher tenured? This makes a big difference.
I also demanded my complaint go in the teacher’s personnel file and if it was really bad, filed a complaint with the state department of education. The squeaky wheel does get the oil. Too bad my wife knows that too! LOL
Sounds like you have a nice example of one of those public school teachers who cannot admit a mistake.
Yes, there are always two sides to every story. And when it involves teenagers, there are usually 5 or 6 different sides to the story!
I have a carved in stone rule that if I ever need to make a phone call or write a letter and I am angry, I always outline my points and/or write the letter one day and then edit it the next when I am calm. It has kept my feet out of my mouth many times.
“I had to use a simple tactic of recording all phone conversations in order to keep a number of individuals I worked with honest.”
Years ago I had a client tell an IRS agent that he was going to record the audit session, and set the recorder on the table. The agent started sweating bullets and cancelled the session. It was rescheduled and the agent’s supervisor was there with him for the next meeting. Ended up the largest refund I ever had for a client as a result of an audit. (I had not prepared the return under audit, just represented him in the audit process)
When people are held to their words, they think twice about what they say. I’m awaiting a court transcript of a state hearing board decision I just appealed to the state court. When this transcript comes out it may cost the hearing board chairman his job.
Thanks for the formatting.
we solved that bullsheet at my child’s school by having the kids email their projects in, so there is a record, still don’t have an answer for the tests. These flippin teachers are more concerned about themselves than their students, but that is the way it is these days with everybody. Nobody knows the first thing about self-sacrifice and the Biblical instruction to act as though others are more important than yourself is regarded as the perspective of a fool.
You are going to have to pull her out of that class and have her take an online class, many universities and colleges these days have on line high school. You are out of options because you live in a dinky town with a dinky school, but get her out of that class asap. You have to protect your daughter from this psychopath.
Heavenly Father, rescue us from the grip of these demons and fling all demons into the lake of fire, in Jesus name.
well why don’t you copy the tests, genius, you are part of the problem, kids deserve to have their work returned. You are definitely way too interested in covering your own behind than in teaching.
try using paragraphs.
You are on the right track. As a former teacher, a human resources manager and more importantly, a mother my best advice to you is “document, document, document!!!
Stay calm, stay professional. Focus on your goal which is to get your daughter through the remainder of her education in this school.
Suggestions (Warning - Inappropriate for the Attention-Span/Visually Challenged):
1) Get beyond the angry stage (it will be used against you), and focus your mind on DESIRED SOLUTIONS.
2) Write down a list of specific DESIRED SOLUTIONS, for the immediate problem and the future. (You want her grades corrected, a chance to make up any “missed tests”, and assurances that the Principal will stay involved to guard against retribution. Perhaps you need a monthly conference to review your daughter’s papers and conduct).
3) Read it over repeatedly and make sure it is reasonable. If possible, make the solutions be easy to accomplish without humiliating or punishing the guilty (face-savers, like, “perhaps the teacher was thinking of a different child” can be useful).
4) Using your long post and list of SOLUTIONS, write out “Talking Points” for the conversation with the principal.
5) For the “call”, calmly present your belief that all students deserve fair and consistent treatment, that you have high expectations for your daughter’s academic career, and that with the principal’s help and good will, you believe everything can be revolved so that she is properly treated. Compliment other teachers and mention their written high opinions of your daughter, the kindness of the Guidance Councellor, etc.
6) When you get into what happened, let the facts speak for themselves — accusing the teacher of lying, etc., will make the principal defensive. Let the Principal draw the obvious conclusions. Manage to reveal that teacher discussed other children by name, but don’t overplay it.
7) Be clear on what you want the next steps to be, get a buy-in that they are reasonable, and a commitment, with timetable.
8) If changing teachers is necessary, and you have taught the subject matter before, you could always tutor your daughter in anything she would be missing.
9) It’s too late to do this pre-call, but can you talk with other kids in the class? Does the teacher treat others like this? Does your child act out as described or behave properly? What do other parents think of the teacher?
10) Do not let yourself get angry on the phone, even if you have to take ten second timeouts.
11) Make accurate notes of the conversation immediately, date/time, and sign them.
12) If things went well, send Prin. a Thank You note, with a recap of the commitments made, and how much it means to you.
One question: Is the teacher one of Eric Holder’s people?
Format.
It becomes to difficult to read with all the sentences run together. Sorry.
Just format your thoughts.
The most important thing here is to use the experience as a learning experience for your child. Coach them to stand up for themselves. I did when I had a conflict with one of my high school teachers and was expelled from school. Don’t give up if you are on solid ground. I ended up getting it straightened out and the slate was clean. Got much more respect from other teachers after that. You can’t imagine all the support I received from other teachers behind the scene.
Funny thing, I ended up at age twenty six becoming a full time university professor. One of my former high school teachers showed up to attend one of the classes I was teaching at the university and almost fainted! (I was not on an academic track in high school but changed in the spring of my senior year)
many universities and colleges these days have on line high school.
***Which brings up my education proposal from my home page...
___________________________________________________________________
Here’s my modest proposal for education reform.
We have been discussing ways to fast track kids through high school to avoid the liberal agenda and other idiocies:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1315730/posts?page=84#84
Proposal for the Free Republic High School Diploma.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1316882/posts
___________________________________________________________________
1) Nope not an angel and just got off the phone and he’s found the teacher has been having trouble with other students, caught her in 3 lies, he’s getting back to me after an investigation
2) Teacher never offered a face to face but a phone call to tell me why I was wrong (I wanted it in writing)
3) Offered to be moved out of the class is last resort and only after a meeting with all parties, only allowed if the Principal can’t work out a solution
Sounds like your talk with the Principal was productive, hopefully he will be able to come up with a solution that doesn’t include disrupting your daughter’s entire schedule. Good Luck to you both.
I guess just looking for a little advice— and reassurance that I’m doing the right thing.
My daughter has an overall HS average in the 90’s. A 74 showed up on her report card, in a subject I am quite familiar with. I was not happy with this grade, as I have actually taught this subject before and was available daily for extra help.
I thought the responsible thing for me to do was to have my daughter approach the teacher, ask for help, go over her grades with her. I couldn’t wait for this so I e-mailed the teacher asking for a list of all her grades for the quarter. Just about all of the other teachers provide this anyway. I got an e-mail back saying she had a few 80’s, and some 70’s that brought her grade down, and I could call if I wanted more information.
I said no, I prefer to keep this conversation via e-mail, as I like written records of teacher conversations. BAMM!! This supposed experienced teacher wrote back saying my daughter was an inattentive, uncooperative girl that didn’t hand in the final project and missed a test she never made up. She said my daughter acted uncontrollably, constantly laughing hysterically in class even when asked to read a passage or answer a question. There was more and it made my daughter sound like a stark raving lunatic. She said several times my daughter should have been written up, given detention, but she was (the teacher) nice enough not to do this. I was shocked and don’t believe her.
My daughter has six other teachers during the day. Each gave her rave reviews on her report card: quotes: “outstanding effort” ,”she is a pleasure to have in class”, “she is bright, capable and good natured”, “she is polite and respectful, a little SHY!” and “shows outstanding interest in subject matter”. Needless to say I don’t think this teacher saw her report card before giving me her line of BS. I e-mailed back if she deserved to be written up or given detention, it should have been given. And this teacher’s policy is to give detention if an assignment is missed. Supposedly my daughter missed a quarter ending important project and didn’t take a test! So after this back and forth, my daughter comes home from school.
I asked for her folder for this class— she hands it to me— I found the completed project, five pages, 100% correct! I ask again about her missed test. She tells me again she never missed a test. I said were you absent and forgot to make it up— she’s been absent one day, my mother’s funeral! My daughter said no test was announced beforehand and she was not told of any test when she asked what she missed after missing one day for a funeral.
I believe this teacher, who knew my daughter was at a funeral, used that day against her to claim now (never mentioned when I first asked for grades) that she didn’t take an exam! She made my daughter sound crazy because I told her I was forwarding all of the e-mails to the Principal, which I still did because I knew with all of her other grades and comments, no normal person could side with the teacher. So he (Principal) asked if he could meet with my daughter.
I said no problem. This school has a policy stating under no circumstances will a teacher be changed. Needless to say, after meeting with my daughter, he offered to change her teacher if nothing improves! But mid year this would change her whole schedule as it is such a small school and this class is only offered a few times. So my daughter went off to class and was probably more diplomatic then I in saying to the teacher, “well here’s my project you probably just missed putting the grade in your book.” and the teacher says — no, she won’t accept it!
She freaking marked the thing already! I am furious! She said because she keeps all tests and quizzes (this is why my daughter had no idea what her test and quiz grades were —another reason I was furious— how can you learn if you don’t get your test back?) She said that she gave all of the students extra time to complete the project, and must have inadvertently handed my daughters back marked and complete. But she hadn’t put the grades in her book yet so my daughter needed to “rehand” it in!!
Now, if you got a project back with a 100% on it, do you think you would have to give it back? Only those that had not completed them handed them back in, she thought she kept all others. That’s her mistake! And because she keeps all tests and quizzes I’m to the point where I think she may throw one of my daughters away to say she didn’t do it. She says she keeps them so they can study for the final and she knows they’re not lost— but they don’t even see them! She also mentioned other kids in her e-mail, and if I notify these parents, all hell will break loose!
I spoke with the Principal who was very nice and had spoken with my daughter yesterday. He said she presented herself well, would not speak poorly of her teacher which he agrees was nice because it was out of respect, but discussed the problems and issues as she saw them. I could tell he was not pleased with the teacher when it was proven my daughter had completed her project and the teacher had graded it but would now not accept it, saying it was incomplete although it’s her handwriting with a 100% on it! The teacher says a missed test on Medieval Europe must have been given the day my daughter was absent, but no one ever has gotten any tests or quizzes handed back and nobody remembers taking it. My daughter took a quiz on Medieval Europe which other students remember taking. The teacher assured him all tests and quizzes were given back and then recollected, the students are all now saying otherwise. He met with the teacher yesterday who said she truly liked my daughter and was only concerned about her grade because she was a capable student. He agreed with me you don’t write what she did in the e-mail if that’s your concern. He said the project WILL count and the teacher better come up with the test she supposedly didn’t take and let her take it. He had told the teacher to provide me with all grades and what tests or projects were missed by last Monday, and she never did it. He told me she handled the midterms incorrectly and they can’t even be counted the way their software is set up! (She put them in as an extra quarter grade, but will eventually run out of quarters!) So we’ll see what this day/ few days brings. He also told me one of his daughter’s teachers (different school district) is angry with him right now! He’s been dealing with his own teacher-student problem! He seemed concerned, and said he knows there are some problems that can’t be student caused. Yes, this woman has tenure. If my daughter feels uncomfortable after things are done, he says we’ll have the meeting about changing the class. what leaves me uncomfortable is she leaves 10% of the grade as participation/ her choice weather to give it out. If he does as he says, I won’t escalate it. He shouldn’t be reprimanded for a teacher acting this way if he is helping out. Otherwise, up the chain we go.
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