Meltdown Moment #2

Dear 8th Grade Math Teacher,

Is there a reason you feel the need to "bribe" your 8th students with promises of candy bars if they do their "extra credit" problems? 

We spend many years teaching our kids to eat healthy, take care of their teeth and to NOT take candy from strangers-and now this. 

You may not realize, but in many worlds, the "Extra Credit" equation goes like this: [extra work = extra grade points] - NOT [extra work = a candy bar].

Frankly, my child & several classmates were creeped out by your proposition to the class.

I know its not easy to teach teens, but you say repeatedly that you have been "in the business" for 20 years. I'd like to think that means you are a capable and knowledgeable teacher- and I'm sure your intentions are to help them love math as you do-but it is clear you are not well informed in regard to basic child/teen development.

Candy bribes may seem like a good idea, and may have worked when they were 4, but not at 14. Teens are not incentivised by a candy bar-they are insulted and de-motivated. They see through the bribe and understand that you are out of ideas. Pretty soon, the few that will actually take you up on the candy bar 'deal', will only do so to increase THEIR demands-and candy supply-fully expecting bigger/more candy bars to do any math at all. So-now they will have you where they want you and are still not doing any math. Where do you end it? The ones who don't take you up on your offer realize that in a few weeks they will go door to door and get all the candy bars they want. And no one-NO one- will make them do a single algebra problem to get them. Either way, candy bribes = Fail.

Teens are motivated by reachable challenges, honesty, collaboration, integrity and maybe even a little fun & creative planning. They like to know that they are not just learning stuff for a some standardized test they don't care about - or to justify and secure some state administrator's job. They are motivated & incentivised by knowing someone actually cares about their future, by understanding WHY the heck they are learning a particular thing-and how it is useful/beneficial to them in their world - NOT by "tricking them" with treats.

So, could you PLEASE just stick to being honest, respecting your student's time and intelligence & teaching them math - please?

Sincerely,

A Concerned Parent , 
Still SMH




The above post is one of my recent Facebook posts addressing a real situation at my daughter's school. This was not actually my main meltdown moment (more about that in another post) but this was the moment that I decided enough was enough & stopped 'venting' and started actively doing something about it.

It was one day after this above post that "Common Core Meltdown" was born.

What was YOUR meltdown moment? You final straw. Tell us about it in the comments below.

Meltdown Moment #1

"Anyone in PA know of an attorney/advocate who takes on Common Core/PSSA related BS? I may need some counsel."

This was what I asked of my social network contacts last week when the following incident occurred:

IN a nutshell: I was told my child (8th grade) "qualified" for "Math Support" this year (I was informed via form letter over the summer) based on past PSSA scores and "other collected data." 

Apparently, this decision to assign her to a math 'support' class was made by a teacher in the district-(head of math dept.) who my daughter has never had as a teacher, doesn't even know and who I have never met. Her current average in Math is a 76 (C) almost a B- and the rest of her grades are all A's & B's. [At the time I wrote this post, her average was a 76-it is now a 79-one point from a B. My logical question is, one month into school, why does a high "C" need "remediation"? ]

I did let them place her in math support last year-and both my daughter and I regretted it. Her math grade remained the same (C) and then by the end of year dropped to a D. That support teacher pretty much texted on his cell phone most of the class, after he gave the class what my daughter calls "busy work" to do. He did not let them work together or talk at all. In fact, she said that none of the Math Support work correlated at all with what she learned in her regular math class-and she was pulled out of Health/Wellness - a subject she excels at - for Math Support. 

This year, I have secured a tutor in case she does need additional help. I was told by the principal that the tutor doesn't matter, she still has to attend Math Support-no one will be excused for any reason.

Ohh-really??

In the meantime, I have (in writing) AGAIN, refused the "Math Support", (which only exists for the sake of PSSA training and not for actual extra help in math. This is evidenced by the facts that: my math tutor is apparently not good enough; no grade is given for math support class; the language/wording used to try and "convince" me that math support is very necessary and no one will be excused.)

My daughter's (either well-meaning or scared) math teacher has even attempted to "persuade" her to just go-that she would benefit from it - and told her that she is smart, has leadership qualities and just has a little "math anxiety". (Which really did nothing to "sell" her on an idea she was already vehemently against.)

In her own eloquent words: "Mom, I've been in Math Support since I was in 3rd grade. I think Math Support is the REASON I need Math Support. I'm not going. Enough is enough. I want to continue with chorus." 

I agree and support her in this. While I understand that here are children who DO need additional help, I do not see that this is the way to go about it-especially when you are holding back the kids who don't really need it.

I am now being told (by principal in an e-mail) that she 'can't' take my daughter out of math support. (I -to myself-say "B---Sh--".)

In addition, attending this class would prevent her from attending her chorus elective-an activity that she enjoys and excels at. (8th graders have NO scheduled music Instruction this year except for chorus and band that is offered at "free" period at the end of the school day and before dismissal.)

I responded that maybe SHE can't remove my daughter, but I can. I outlined my reasons-explained why I made my decision, clearly and succinctly-and stated that I expected that my daughter would not be prevented from attending chorus class-either actively nor passively.

So far-the only response was an e-mail that appears to be sent to all parents, rather than to just me, about how the district's AYP was suppressed because of inaccurate data, and how our children's test scores and other data is used to determine what "remediation" programs they initiate within the district.

I have a feeling that it will not end here. We will see what happens when my daughter goes to her chorus class tomorrow instead of math support. I will keep you updated.

Have any of you - students, parents, or teachers had an experience with math or other "support" class? Have you complied or have you "pushed back"?

Do you feel these classes effectively address the needs of the student or do you feel they serve only to improve standardized test scores?

Please leave your comments below.