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Don't take it out on the teacher! (JAWM)


Daria
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Sounds like you've had an interesting day!

 

This happens pretty much every field trip with one of the same few families, although it's only the Dads who go so far as to yell at me (loud enough for the kids to hear through the cell phone) or to pull the carp about how they're "important".  Yesterday's parent, at least, either did not have his secretary sign it, or decided not to tell me so.

 

 

School paperwork is often stupid, but I don't blame you.  I do hope someone comes up with a better model though!

 

A better model of paperwork, or of parents?  

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Most schools and organizations I've been involved with don't wait until the "day of" for permission slips to be turned in.

 

The due date is usually no closer than the day before.

 

We've done it both ways, because I don't have control over when I get the paper back from my principal.  Having said that, in my experience, the further in advance I send it home, the more likely it is to get lost.  

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I have two kids in a magnet school. We sign a blanket permission slip at the beginning of the year. We still get written notice of all off-campus trips and can opt out, but we don't have to return a slip for each trip.

 

I wish it worked that way, but it's not a battle I'm going to fight.  If a parent wants to take it on, more power to them, but they need to make that decision before the day of the trip.

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I remember writing out directions once, with a map, and a photo of the location and address.

 

So the directions said for example, "From <our meeting place> head North on Main, away from downtown. The location will be on the right, at the corner of Main and Smith. If you pass Swan Park, you've gone too far."

 

A mom yelled at me, in front of all the kids and parents, that I was terrible at directions, I need to learn how to do it, etc. Meanwhile, we were waiting for her and her child. They hadn't missed anything.

 

The problem...she wasn't coming from our meeting place. Well, duh. That is why I included a map and the address. I'm not responsible for knowing where everyone is coming from.

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I'm impressed with the call in the first place. When I was young and in school and you forgot your permission slip, you got left behind in some other classroom to read or do worksheets.

 

I teach the only special education class in our high school.  The logistics of leaving a kid behind who needs an individual plan behind isn't simple.  My choices were to spend time walking the child through the process, or to spend at least much time figuring out an alternative for the student.

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I'm impressed with the call in the first place. When I was young and in school and you forgot your permission slip, you got left behind in some other classroom to read or do worksheets.

In my area, the teacher sends out an email to the parent on the day before the field trip letting them know that the kid has not turned in the slip and could miss the field trip. On the day of the field trip, if the kid still has not brought in the slip, the kid is left behind with the Administrators (even special needs, blind and deaf kids). The Administrators assign the kid something to do that is appropriate - like time in the library, joining in on PE or Art Classes of other grades or give them puzzles or games to work on or help organize the paperwork, make photocopies etc. Sometimes, even the receptionist engages the child with tasks. It is a wasted opportunity for the child who could have learned something at a museum or a theater. But, it is a lesson that both the child and parent learn in personal responsibility. This policy is explained on Day One of the school year. Why I like this is because it frees the teacher to do their job well.

 

Daria, I know many parents like this one. I used to volunteer in a school and encountered many kids being productive for the Administrators when they could have gone on a field trip.

Edited by mathnerd
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My parents taught me to forge my mom's signature.  So if I were running late and forgot to have something signed, I was allowed to use my judgment and sign my mom's name (it's not like she was going to refuse to sign these things).  If I actually had something signed, Dad signed it - that way there was no discrepancy.  It worked really well, esp. as I was a super forgetful kid.

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