SKL Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 Today is the last day of the trimester. The teacher has not posted grades since midterms. I know I am a little obsessive about checking grades, but it seems reasonable to want a chance to deal with any mistakes, missing papers, etc. before grades go final. (I have caught mistakes in the past such as 100% posted as 10% etc.) And it would also be nice to be able to monitor how they are doing so I could change up what we do at home if necessary. But I'm sure I'm asking too much to be less than 6 weeks behind what they're doing in school. :/ I guess no news is good news but .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Library Momma Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 That would be unacceptable here. Teachers must have specific grades posted within the week. Can you keep track of it yourself using the graded assignments they bring home? I know it's not quite the same thing but it would help. Then if what you have doesn't mesh with what is posted you can go to the teacher and show her how the missing information affected your perception of how your child is doing in class. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted March 6, 2015 Author Share Posted March 6, 2015 They don't send all of the graded work home. And what they do send is not sent regularly/timely. Basically it gets sent after she records it, which in this case is too late. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Library Momma Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 That's terrible. Can you complain to the administration? Parents here would be up in arms. Most parents are constantly on-line (or their phone app) checking on grades and homework. You would have a so many people requesting that their children do not have this teacher for 3rd grade that it would have to be addressed at some point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gil Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 I'm glad you view that as a small, tiny-mini thing. I didn't even care much about how the boys did academically when they were in PS, but I'd have complained to the teacher each week of not having any updates on the portal--that's what its there for, no? Other than that, you might as well wait for the traditional progress report in the mail/back pack at the end of the term. After 3 weeks of written complaints, I'd have gone to the office and complained there. Thats just crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistyMountain Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 This year my dd's grades are not updated online either. I do get everything back but usually in stacks a while after the assignment. I wish I could catch things earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 I find it amazing that grades are posted in terms of percentages there, but your girls are in private school, right? Irritating. It makes you wonder what is the point of the parent portal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 I find it amazing that kids that young get grades Binip. But since they do get grades and there is an online system it seems reasonable to expect the teacher to enter the grades in a timely fashion. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Is it possible that the portal really doesn't apply to lower grades? We homeschool through a cover school that uses the same interface for grade reporting from kindergarten through high school, but they're pretty explicit that you really don't have to do things like set the % of the grade for each assignment for elementary-pass/fail grading at the end of the term is sufficient until you get to secondary. I'm thinking that DD's former school was similar-the same software was used for K-8th grade, but really only applied for 4-8, with the lower grades getting a report at the end of term that generally just ticked off the standards they'd mastered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freckles Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Aren't your girls in elementary school? I teach First grade. There is no way I could have 23 pages each of language, math homework, math facts, handwriting, creative writing, and journals graded and posted everyday. To be honest, I do my best during the week, but I'll probably be grading for several hours today on my weekend. We have a grading day the day after the quarter ends to get things finished and posted. Just a different view point. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted March 7, 2015 Author Share Posted March 7, 2015 Is it possible that the portal really doesn't apply to lower grades? We homeschool through a cover school that uses the same interface for grade reporting from kindergarten through high school, but they're pretty explicit that you really don't have to do things like set the % of the grade for each assignment for elementary-pass/fail grading at the end of the term is sufficient until you get to secondary. I'm thinking that DD's former school was similar-the same software was used for K-8th grade, but really only applied for 4-8, with the lower grades getting a report at the end of term that generally just ticked off the standards they'd mastered. The first and second grade teachers used it regularly. The 3rd grade substitute (who worked up to Christmas break) used it regularly. The teacher's beginning-of-year notes said she would update weekly. So, yes, she is supposed to be doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted March 7, 2015 Author Share Posted March 7, 2015 Aren't your girls in elementary school? I teach First grade. There is no way I could have 23 pages each of language, math homework, math facts, handwriting, creative writing, and journals graded and posted everyday. To be honest, I do my best during the week, but I'll probably be grading for several hours today on my weekend. We have a grading day the day after the quarter ends to get things finished and posted. Just a different view point. I am not expecting it every day. Once a week sounds reasonable to me. Even every second week would be OK. Especially since the teacher doesn't send the papers home until after she enters the grades. My kids had a math test January 22 which I still have not seen. I think there is some value in going over their papers once they come home - but not if they come home more than a month later. :/ 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Library Momma Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 I find it amazing that grades are posted in terms of percentages there, but your girls are in private school, right? Irritating. It makes you wonder what is the point of the parent portal? Here even though the elementary kids get 2,3, or 4 on their report card for each subject, the portal lists the actual grades for each assignments and the weighted average. It helps parents to see if there was a particular assignment or test they had trouble with. You can also see that they are handing in their homework, or if they are forgetting their sneakers for gym, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Aren't your girls in elementary school? I teach First grade. There is no way I could have 23 pages each of language, math homework, math facts, handwriting, creative writing, and journals graded and posted everyday. To be honest, I do my best during the week, but I'll probably be grading for several hours today on my weekend. We have a grading day the day after the quarter ends to get things finished and posted. Just a different view point. I think at SKL's school it is a feature they claim to have. Our schools don't have that either but they are public schools. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 Well dang. Today is the day they supposedly handed out report cards. The school day is over, and according to the online grade system (from which they print the report cards) not only did Miss E get at least one B and one A- (both should be A) because of the teacher failing to post some of the grades (perfect test scores), but she didn't write any of those comments teachers always put on the bottom. You know, like "Miss E does xyz well, could improve abc, keep up the good work." How rotten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Well dang. Today is the day they supposedly handed out report cards. The school day is over, and according to the online grade system (from which they print the report cards) not only did Miss E get at least one B and one A- (both should be A) because of the teacher failing to post some of the grades (perfect test scores), but she didn't write any of those comments teachers always put on the bottom. You know, like "Miss E does xyz well, could improve abc, keep up the good work." How rotten. If the teacher is missing deadlines, take it up with her. If she blows you off, take it up with her boss. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 And yes, that's how the report card came home. No personalized comments for one kid. Several sentences of mostly glowing comments for the other kid (same teacher). I have to say that I'm floored that she didn't bother to enter the math test scores especially. I have to sign the thing and return it. I'm tempted to write on it, "no comments?" but that would probably just get my kids in trouble. :/ OK, I'm probably blowing it out of proportion. I'll get over it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 And this is the teacher who docks a kid 10% on the weekly homework if *I* forget to sign a paper on time. OK, shut up SKL, get back to work .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 You have concerns. Ask for a conference. Talk to her. You have a right to ask questions. If you dont ask she wont know you have concerns. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 And this is the teacher who docks a kid 10% on the weekly homework if *I* forget to sign a paper on time. OK, shut up SKL, get back to work .... This annoys me about DS too. that he gets docked when I don't sign something on time. I KNOW the school's thing is "Its his responsibility to make sure it gets signed" BUt... he's a second grader with enough other issues I just feel its like kicking him when he's down or something. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 I am not expecting it every day. Once a week sounds reasonable to me. Even every second week would be OK. Especially since the teacher doesn't send the papers home until after she enters the grades. My kids had a math test January 22 which I still have not seen. I think there is some value in going over their papers once they come home - but not if they come home more than a month later. :/ I just realised that the only test results I ever see are the standard maths and spelling tests that go in the learning logs we get to see once a term and once not even that. Ds7 did a test to access the extension maths class today (closest we get to gifted but probably busywork for high achievers) and not only did I not know about it but some of the kids didn't know why the were doing a test. And of course it has taken 1/4 of the year to do the tests. Sorry just my whinge for the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted March 13, 2015 Author Share Posted March 13, 2015 I would think it would be a matter of quality control to make sure one enters the grades periodically. How does one even remember what was going on with a kid or an assignment 6 weeks ago? She also marked both of my kids absent for a day when they were there, but I got that fixed. She also forgot that the reason why my kid took a while to finish a math test was because she hadn't been there on the day of the test. I reminded her of that at our one and only parent-teacher meeting. I dunno, I feel this lady is letting things slip too much. Like maybe she is only half there. This week they had standardized testing in the mornings, so she decided not to do any instruction all day. Which is actually fine with me, but it makes me wonder why, especially since she was postponing work she'd had on her schedule. Probably Mon-Wed was so she could finish the past 6 weeks' grading (or most of it). :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathnerd Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 I would think it would be a matter of quality control to make sure one enters the grades periodically. How does one even remember what was going on with a kid or an assignment 6 weeks ago? She also marked both of my kids absent for a day when they were there, but I got that fixed. She also forgot that the reason why my kid took a while to finish a math test was because she hadn't been there on the day of the test. I reminded her of that at our one and only parent-teacher meeting. I dunno, I feel this lady is letting things slip too much. Like maybe she is only half there. This week they had standardized testing in the mornings, so she decided not to do any instruction all day. Which is actually fine with me, but it makes me wonder why, especially since she was postponing work she'd had on her schedule. Probably Mon-Wed was so she could finish the past 6 weeks' grading (or most of it). :/ Does she have an elementary school director overseeing her? In my child's school, the director has the "follow up" job - chasing weekly deadlines for test result data, making sure that the teachers follow the approved lesson plans on time etc. If she has a boss like that, you could try giving that person a call to enquire why you are seeing such discrepancies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Honestly, I cannot believe you are paying for this, SKL. I don't know your full situation but that is just absurd for private school. Do you live in an area where public schools are so incredibly awful they know you can't leave, or what? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted March 13, 2015 Author Share Posted March 13, 2015 Honestly, I cannot believe you are paying for this, SKL. I don't know your full situation but that is just absurd for private school. Do you live in an area where public schools are so incredibly awful they know you can't leave, or what? Generally most of our issues have been with specific teachers. I don't want to pull my kids out of the school community and send them to the public school where they know nobody. The standards are higher here too, although our public schools are not terrible either. I am disappointed with this teacher at times, but my kids are doing OK in general. I think 3rd grade is a hard year anyway. I actually expected some things about it to be worse. On the positive side, my slower kid is starting to really bloom this year. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 I hear what you are saying but honestly, what is a school but the teachers? That said if my child was blooming I'd leave them and I understand the community part of it. I just think it's a lot of money to pay for that kind of service. Good luck to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Oh well the year will be over soon. But it does sound from a few of your posts that she is a bit overwhelmed by working and having a baby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted March 14, 2015 Author Share Posted March 14, 2015 Oh well the year will be over soon. But it does sound from a few of your posts that she is a bit overwhelmed by working and having a baby. Perhaps, but I feel it's her responsibility to ask for help or something. I guess I'd be more inclined to feel sympathy if she wasn't so "no mercy" on the kids. When they missed several days for weather, she made them take the scheduled tests the day they got back, even though they hadn't done the class work leading up to it and the kids didn't have their books at home to study. OK fine. Let's all be arbitrary. I am very glad we only have 11 more weeks of 3rd grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Sounds bonkers. What is the point of a test if you haven't done the work? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
displace Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 It sounds almost as if she's overwhelmed. And to mark a child's paper down for it not being signed? That's ridiculous IMO. The only papers my mom signed in school were field trip permission forms and report cards. I guess they want to make super duper sure the parents are involved or whatever, but is forcing them to sign a paper really making anyone involved who wouldn't be in the first place? Not to mention I think homework for young elementary students is not really productive but I'm not an education researcher so who knows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 It sounds almost as if she's overwhelmed. And to mark a child's paper down for it not being signed? That's ridiculous IMO. The only papers my mom signed in school were field trip permission forms and report cards. I guess they want to make super duper sure the parents are involved or whatever, but is forcing them to sign a paper really making anyone involved who wouldn't be in the first place? Not to mention I think homework for young elementary students is not really productive but I'm not an education researcher so who knows. If you want an interesting read, read the book The Homework Myth by Alfie Kohn. Teacher who has some pretty interesting observations.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
displace Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 If you want an interesting read, read the book The Homework Myth by Alfie Kohn. Teacher who has some pretty interesting observations....I love interesting reads, especially as I'm now on the 2e homeschool bandwagon. But I probably won't get around to it for a few years. Does it say homework is super not helpful or even harmful? Or useless? Or even the best? Give me a hint :)Darn it, I'm going to at least read a synopsis I'm too curious. ETA- reviews imply he's stating homework isn't helpful until at least middle school. Well, our whole county has a homework rule of minimum 30 min per night I think, that was for first graders. Guess what? My dyslexic dysgraphic DS took always twice as long to finish, plus we had to do remediation on top of it. Guess what our family life was like? When did we read for fun or pleasures? When we homeschooled. It was sad. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 I think our school only has homework because the parents insist. I went to a meeting last year where only 4 people came who weren't board members and even with less than 12 people in the room it ranged from vehemantly opposed (me) to adamant it would destroy their child's academic future is they didn't have nightly homework and why wasn't the school giving more. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 I think our school only has homework because the parents insist. I went to a meeting last year where only 4 people came who weren't board members and even with less than 12 people in the room it ranged from vehemantly opposed (me) to adamant it would destroy their child's academic future is they didn't have nightly homework and why wasn't the school giving more. :iagree: I absolutely agree that parental expectations can be part of the issue. There are some parents that have bought into the myth hook line and sinker that more homework equates with doing better long term even in the early grades. They think a school is failing if it doesn't pile on homework. Since scientific studies showing how developmentally inappropriate piles of homework can be just don't seem to be making into the general population and our school system, well, I guess very few realize what a disservice we are doing to our kids. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weddell Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Our school has a no homework policy until 3rd grade. My 3rd grader gets a very reasonable (usually 1-3 worksheets) amount that ranges from 5-30 minutes total and only Monday-Thursday nights, nothing for weekends. I have friends whose kids go to schools that start homework in K or 1st grade and give quite a bit. One friend in particular I think would normally fall into a "no homework for young kids" camp but because her school really pushes it, she feels she has to defend it to everyone else. Another friend and I both relatively recently moved in neighborhoods with "better" schools than hers and I think she feels the need to defend her choice to stay at this school. People get weird hangups about homework. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 When they missed several days for weather, she made them take the scheduled tests the day they got back, even though they hadn't done the class work leading up to it and the kids didn't have their books at home to study. Does the head of school know about this? I would be bringing every single issue (that cannot be resolved directly with the teacher) to the head's attention. The head cannot fix a problem if he/she does not know a problem exists. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 :iagree: I absolutely agree that parental expectations can be part of the issue. There are some parents that have bought into the myth hook line and sinker that more homework equates with doing better long term even in the early grades. They think a school is failing if it doesn't pile on homework. Since scientific studies showing how developmentally inappropriate piles of homework can be just don't seem to be making into the general population and our school system, well, I guess very few realize what a disservice we are doing to our kids. I just don't get parents like that. It's not rocket science to come up with academic things to do with your kid if you want more 'homework'. I don't need a teacher to assign homework so my kid can have 'homework'. In fact, that's one of the reasons I dislike homework... it takes time away from the academic things I could make my kid do. Every minute he spends on math homework is a minute less to have him do mathy stuff I think he should be doing. Wrt the original issue though, I agree with the others. Talk to teacher, then take it up a level if that doesn't help. 6 weeks is too long. We don't have an online portal, but my 2nd grader's math homework gets returned, corrected, the next day (very rarely a day after that). Other tests almost always within a week. It doesn't become less work to wait 6 weeks. It just creates a bigger mountain to go through. If it's too much work to grade that many things on time then maybe fewer things should be graded (especially in elementary school). ETA: I don't want to give the impression I make my kids do academics all day long. I think free play time etc is important. I don't want to cut into that. My point was that my son's already in school most of the day... I'd like to be able to decide what he does with the rest of his time, and math busywork is not my first choice (nor in the top hundred). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted April 14, 2015 Author Share Posted April 14, 2015 I just don't get parents like that. It's not rocket science to come up with academic things to do with your kid if you want more 'homework'. I don't need a teacher to assign homework so my kid can have 'homework'. In fact, that's one of the reasons I dislike homework... it takes time away from the academic things I could make my kid do. Every minute he spends on math homework is a minute less to have him do mathy stuff I think he should be doing. Wrt the original issue though, I agree with the others. Talk to teacher, then take it up a level if that doesn't help. 6 weeks is too long. We don't have an online portal, but my 2nd grader's math homework gets returned, corrected, the next day (very rarely a day after that). Other tests almost always within a week. It doesn't become less work to wait 6 weeks. It just creates a bigger mountain to go through. If it's too much work to grade that many things on time then maybe fewer things should be graded (especially in elementary school). ETA: I don't want to give the impression I make my kids do academics all day long. I think free play time etc is important. I don't want to cut into that. My point was that my son's already in school most of the day... I'd like to be able to decide what he does with the rest of his time, and math busywork is not my first choice (nor in the top hundred). I think homework in 3rd grade is appropriate if it is relevant to what they are doing in school. My kids are now mature enough to be responsible for doing their homework to the best of their ability. I don't mind reviewing it after they are done. The thing I like about this year's homework is that, unlike prior years, it is correlated with what they are doing in school. For my slower learner, this means she doesn't have to do homework PLUS a ton of supplemental work to keep up with her class. For my quicker learner, I can catch the things she needs to be more careful about (she tends to zip through her work and is afraid to admit she doesn't always get something the first time through). True, we do less "afterschooling," but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. :) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Sorry. I meant I don't get parents who want (more) homework for the sake of homework, no matter what the homework is. Last year I talked my son's first grade teacher out of making him do his math homework (because math is very easy for him), and spent more time on phonics with him. This year he's better at getting the busywork done, and the challenge question or w/e is somewhat useful (since it involves writing), so I'm not minding it quite as much (not enough to try to talk his teacher out of it), but I do find myself rolling my eyes at some of the instructions they send home. They need to learn to count to 1000 (really? in April of 2nd grade?), and the note (torn from the workbook, so everybody got it) said that some kids may write 503 as 5003, and then gave some instructions on how to get kids not to do that. My 4yo knows how to write 503 correctly... it boggles my mind that so many 7-8yos have issues with it that everyone gets a note sent home. I'm sure my 7.5yo knew how to write it correctly before he was 6 (just not sure how long before that... maybe before 5). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renai Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 and the note (torn from the workbook, so everybody got it) said that some kids may write 503 as 5003, and then gave some instructions on how to get kids not to do that. My 4yo knows how to write 503 correctly... it boggles my mind that so many 7-8yos have issues with it that everyone gets a note sent home. I'm sure my 7.5yo knew how to write it correctly before he was 6 (just not sure how long before that... maybe before 5). I can see this happening with children that do not have a good understanding of place value. They read "five hundred three", so write 500 and tack a 3 on the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 My Ds did that when he was 5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 I can see this happening with children that do not have a good understanding of place value. They read "five hundred three", so write 500 and tack a 3 on the end. Well, yes. I'm just having trouble imagining that more than 1-3 kids in a typical 2nd grade classroom would have problems with that in April. Like, enough kids having enough trouble with it to warrant a note being sent home to all parents. I can totally understand there will be *some* kids at that age who have trouble with that (as with anything). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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