My athlete is failing gym.

[ZooRho]

I knew a kid once who had qualified for the state champs for swimming.

 

They had to run in pe the day or 2 before.

 

I can't remember if the mom or child had spoken to the teacher about how impt this meet was for the child.

 

the teacher didn't care, child had to run.

 

it was a mob of running, the child fell and broke both arms

 

missed the state meet.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

I knew a kid once who had qualified for the state champs for swimming.

 

They had to run in pe the day or 2 before.

 

I can't remember if the mom or child had spoken to the teacher about how impt this meet was for the child.

 

the teacher didn't care, child had to run.

 

it was a mob of running, the child fell and broke both arms

 

missed the state meet.

 

:svengo:Mercy Maud!

[Guest submarines]

I was a top junior in my region in tennis, and I routinely failed PEd. Here's my little psych assessment.:tongue_smilie: PEd teachers, most likely, failed as athlets. Those who didn't fail don't teach highschool. They are not very highly regarded as teachers either. Many must feel like failures. Hence the power tripping.

[AndyJoy]

One strike is stupid. I struggled with students not being prepared when taught PE, but I gave them each 2 "freebies" per quarter--even the kids who I knew would use them intentionally. Everybody has forgetful days! Even then, not dressing out the 3rd time wouldn't drop anyone's grade to a D unless it were very early in the semester and they didn't usually participate. Doesn't actually getting physical exercise count for their grade at all?

 

This reminds me of my really harsh 6th grade English teacher. I was a teacher's dream--I always did my homework, was organized, respectful, etc. One day I uncharacteristically left my research paper notes on the kitchen table instead of putting them back in my bag. I realized this during homeroom, so my homeroom teacher let me go to the office to call home. As I was in the hall on my way to English class, my mom handed me my notes. The English teacher saw this, and proceeded to berate me in front of my class. It didn't matter that I was still on time for class or that I hadn't asked to call during her homeroom--she was determined to punish me. So she forbid me to work on my paper during that period--I just sat there for an hour doing nothing. I'm not sure what lesson I was supposed to learn by not doing schoolwork. I sat there feeling embarrassed and reflected on appropriate English vocabulary words such as illogical, arbitrary, and capricious!:D

Edited February 29, 2012 by AndyJoy

[astrid]

Maybe a parent meeting *is* in order. Parent school communication in the K12 years is not a bad thing. I would urge the family to include the student in the meeting to avoid any further misunderstandings or lack of clarity about precisely what took place. Parents correctly trust their children, but sometimes teens don't relay all of the pertinent facts, or have a different opinion regarding which facts are pertinent.

 

To be perfectly clear-- the information I have was relayed to me by the "Wellness" teacher herself, to who I went after seeing Molly's grade on Edline. I didn't even have a conversation with my teen until AFTER I had spoken with her teacher about the situation. Molly's version of the story corroborated the teacher's.

 

astrid

[LisaKinVA]

I remember the one time that I did not dress out for P.E.was because my gym clothes had been stolen out of my locker. The teacher didn't believe me. What if your dd's shoes had been stolen or destroyed somehow? What if that happens to some other student?

 

I had to serve detention once, because a substitute accidentally took my Bible (which was identical to hers) home with her. She brought it back to me the following week, but I had already "served my time." My Bible teacher was beside herself apologetic, too. At least if she had given me a "zero" for the day for being unprepared...she could have "undone" that. One can't undo a detention :tongue_smilie:

[woolybear]

I'm a little confused. How does one day of not participating drop her grade to a D?

 

And seriously, line dancing to Elvira? Lol.

Edited February 29, 2012 by woolybear
still have Elvira running through the brain.

[Haiku]

I haven't read the entire thread, but have read a lot of it.

 

I'm in the "stay out of it, Mom" camp.

 

I don't agree that gym is a stupid class. Many kids don't like it, but that doesn't make it stupid. Is it the most necessary? Probably not, but I think it introduces kids it things (like fencing) that they might otherwise never get experience with. Regardless of personal feelings about it, gym is required to graduate, so how worthwhile the class is is beside the point.

 

When I was in school, we had the same rule for gym: any day you didn't dress out dropped your grade (I think it was half a letter for us). Honestly, it was necessary because so many of the pretty pretty princesses would have refused to participate otherwise. This was in the day when girls routinely took 45 minutes to create their "big hair," and there were so many complaints about how unfair it was that they had to sweat and muss their hair in gym. They wouldn't shower because it would deflate their hair, and they didn't have time to rebuild it. If they weren't forced to dress out, they would have sat in the bleachers every day.

 

I think your dd should handle this issue. If she wants a meeting with someone to discuss it, SHE should request the meeting. If she thinks the policy is unfair, SHE should do something about it. As I learned in my recent thread about my dd attempting to cheat on a school paper, by this age, the parents should probably stay out of it and let the kid handle it.

 

Tara

[Jennifer3141]

Another reason to homeschool through high school... I'd be protesting up a storm if anyone tried to teach my kids to line dance. :lol:

[Starr]

I have a friend whose daughter was going to flunk gym because she was away on excused absences for competitive skating. They said if they called that gym they would have to excuse the kids that stock shelves in the grocery store.

[Hannah C.]

Wait a minute. Her *semester* grade went from an A to a D based on ONE INCIDENT of not having proper shoes and therefore not being allowed to participate?! Or was it a six-weeks grade or a daily grade?

 

I can understand a daily grade, but a six-weeks grade or above going that low from that thing is ridiculous.

 

I would talk to the teacher, the head of the department, all the way up to the principal if necessary. This grading policy needs to be changed - it makes no sense.

 

Also, perhaps you could throw in a discussion about athletes being able to use their sports to fulfill the PE requirement...At my high school sports and marching band both qualified for PE credit.

 

Unfortunately, it is highly unlikely that she will be heard if she tries to resolve this on her own. Parents have to get involved sometimes, because schools will listen to parents when they won't listen to students.

[astrid]

Yes. Apparently participation is weighted about 80%, and with an F weighted at 80%, it takes it down to a D.

 

I'm all for Molly suffering consequences, and so is Molly. SHE is not complaining that it's a dumb class; she loves gym. She didn't even complain about line dancing to Elvira. If it were up to her, she'd shut up and put up.

 

DH and I are of the mind that the grading system is unfair. But it's a snow day/early dismissal today, and most likely a snow day tomorrow, so it'll be until Friday until I can speak to anyone.

 

astrid

[NittanyJen]

Sounds as if you have a great daughter. Sorry you guys are going through this.

[ktgrok]

Yes. Apparently participation is weighted about 80%, and with an F weighted at 80%, it takes it down to a D.

 

I'm all for Molly suffering consequences, and so is Molly. SHE is not complaining that it's a dumb class; she loves gym. She didn't even complain about line dancing to Elvira. If it were up to her, she'd shut up and put up.

 

DH and I are of the mind that the grading system is unfair. But it's a snow day/early dismissal today, and most likely a snow day tomorrow, so it'll be until Friday until I can speak to anyone.

 

astrid

 

I get that participation is 80%. That makes sense. But..how is her entire participation grade a zero for missing one day? Wouldn't she have a zero for today, but grades for the other days, which would average out? Or did the sememster just start, and it is a D because she hasn't had time to balance it out?

[ktgrok]

Also, if you verify that her semester grade will be a D and there is no way to change that between now and the end of the semester I'd inform the principal she will not dress out then for the rest of the semester. NO point to it, she can't pass. She'd be better served to sit and do homework for her other classes each day.

[Tammyla]

She would have been better off skipping class:confused:. I can see getting an F for the day, but that grade weighting system is crazy.

 

Yes. Apparently participation is weighted about 80%, and with an F weighted at 80%, it takes it down to a D.

 

I'm all for Molly suffering consequences, and so is Molly. SHE is not complaining that it's a dumb class; she loves gym. She didn't even complain about line dancing to Elvira. If it were up to her, she'd shut up and put up.

 

DH and I are of the mind that the grading system is unfair. But it's a snow day/early dismissal today, and most likely a snow day tomorrow, so it'll be until Friday until I can speak to anyone.

 

astrid

[T'smom]

Also, if you verify that her semester grade will be a D and there is no way to change that between now and the end of the semester I'd inform the principal she will not dress out then for the rest of the semester. NO point to it, she can't pass. She'd be better served to sit and do homework for her other classes each day.

 

:iagree: Although I know your dd loves gym and wants to participate, I'd definitely throw a fit about this. A lot of times I think kids should fight their own battles, but this is one where I think a parent should get involved.

[Photo Ninja]

I think Astrid should step in and do her level best to argue that the rule is so absurdly unfair, it is of benefit to noone. Then, if the grade is made to stand, at least her dd will know that her mother fought for her.

 

I agree. There are times to let kids fight their own battles or learn from experiencing the consequences of their actions, but it is quite different to allow your dc to suffer due to unfair or unrealistic policies without trying to remedy the situation. If you try, but the teacher and principal refuse to change the policy or give a way for your dd to make up the grade, then at least you tried. Your dd will know that you love her enough to attempt to right an unfair grading policy. Your dd will then need to strategize how to deal with the D or F in her course. But it is right to speak to the teacher and/or principal about the situation first instead of just accepting it. Your dd did forget her shoes. She admits that and it is fair for there to be some type of loss of points, or half a grade deduction, as some of the other posters said is common in their schools. You are not asking for the entire situation to be ignored, just for a more fair policy than forgetting shoes once and receiving a D in a semester course.

 

If a student will receive a D for forgetting shoes once, then there is no reason to bother for the rest of the semester. May as well fail the course and retake it, and get an A the second time by not forgetting shoes. I wonder if the teacher and principal realize that this policy could encourage students to simply not dress/participate for the rest of the semester. Why bother if there is no way to pass the class anyway?

 

I do feel strongly about situations like this because of my own experience when I was in high school. I was in AP U.S. History class, and got chicken pox. I had to stay out of school for two weeks because the school would not allow me back until all the scabs had fallen off and healed. The school policy said I could not attend school until the school nurse cleared me to return. My AP History teacher gave me an F for every day I was not in class. He refused to send my assignments (via a friend), but all my other teachers sent me my work. He refused to give me the assignments when I did return to school. So because I had two weeks of daily Fs in class and Fs on all assignments and quizzes during those two weeks that the school would not allow me on campus, I got a D in the class. I had As on most tests and assignments, and had an A in the class up to the time I got chicken pox.

 

I spoke to my teacher about the D twice. I tried to speak to the principal, but he refused to see me and said that the teacher has total control over running his class. The teacher said that he wanted to give me an F in the class, but he didn't think he would get away with that, so he settled on a D. He grinned while he told me this. It was totally unjust, and my mother was furious at me for getting a D in the class. I explained that he failed me for the two weeks I was sick and he refused to let me make up the work,and that I should have received an A based on my test and assignment grades. I was very upset because it was unfair. It was not my fault. I wanted to make up the assignments, and I would have done them like I did all my other classwork, handing it all in and taking tests I had missed the first day I returned, but this one teacher refused to let me have the assignments during the time I was ill, and also after I returned to school. So I got a D in the AP History class because the teacher failed me each day I was not in school because the school refused to let me come to school.

 

My mother did not stand up for me or help me. She just accepted what the teacher did without question. I asked her to please help me by talking to my teacher and principal since I was not able to resolve the situation. She didn't help. I needed her to be my advocate. I realized then that I could not trust her to help me. She did not support me the one time I most needed her support.

 

Anyway, I ended up completing two extra credit research papers (about 25 pages each) and some other assignments trying to raise my grade, and ended up with a B in the class at the end of the year. It was a lot of wasted time that would have been better spent in other areas.

 

Please, help your daughter by making an effort to discuss the policy with the teacher and principal, mentioning how punitive it is for a one-time offense. You are not trying to excuse your dd, just get a more reasonable policy. If you try and fail, at least your dd will know that you support her and that she can trust you in the future.

[Mrs Mungo]

I get that participation is 80%. That makes sense. But..how is her entire participation grade a zero for missing one day? Wouldn't she have a zero for today, but grades for the other days, which would average out? Or did the sememster just start, and it is a D because she hasn't had time to balance it out?

 

This is what I don't understand. You get an F for participation for the semester if you miss ONE day? That is totally insane. It isn't like she was refusing to participate or that she could not have participated, given the type of shoes she was wearing and the activity in question.

[dirty ethel rackham]

This is the kind of thing my dd would do. She asked for permission to miss one Spanish class at the University because she was visiting other Universities and was told it was fine. It did not occur to her to get notes for the class she missed before the next class. They had an unscheduled quiz on the material she missed. :( They just don't know how to, borrow shoes, or go to the nurses office feeling "terrible" to get out of class, get notes from other kids etc. I guess they do miss a few things home schooling.

 

Why would you say that this is a homeschooling thing? I know plenty of kids who go to school who do not know how to do these things. Their parents lament to me all the time:).