Wake up Sacramento!
Yesterday I received an email from a former student who sought my advice regarding her son’s academic performance and the management of the classroom by the teacher. During an observation she saw a classroom that did not have a focus on learning nor powerful teaching. I suggested that she send a certified letter, requesting a meeting with the principal and the teacher. After 10 schools days without any communications from the principal, she called for an appointment, which was scheduled on Monday, January 4, 2010. She gave me permission to share her experience with the readers of my blog. I have excluded the student’s name and the school’s name.
“I’m writing to let u know how the meeting went today with (** ***) principal. He totally did just as u said he would by putting things back on (*****) and trying to find out "what's really" his problem. I stood my ground. He defended his teacher by saying "if that's her policy, that's the way she runs her class" in regards to her not notifying me of (*****) behavior prior to my inquiry. She said " I don't call parents unless there's a behavior problem, he's a great kid but, he has to want it for himself"I asked the principal if this policy was acceptable to him, he told me "yes".
There are many disconcerting issues regarding how this school communicates with its stakeholders. Perhaps, the statement of the teacher (in bold type in the above paragraph) actually provides an insight to how parents are treated by the education system. Yes the young man must ‘want it for himself’, however, when a student sit in class and do nothing….isn’t that a behavior problem? To my knowledge we do not hire people because they were great kids. To my knowledge we do not admit young people into colleges and universities because they were great kids. We often forget what we are taught in school...but we will never forget those who failed to challenge us to greatest. Doing nothing is class is in fact a behavior problem. WAKE UP EVERYBODY!
posted by Cope @ 5:53 PM
6 Comments
6 Comments:
Copeland, thanks for educating those that are unaware. I've heard so many stories about children wanting to go to University's with a particular major in mind after High School but because they were only taking the "required" subjects while in High School, they basically had to settle on starting out at a Jr. College. We need for our counselors and teachers to make conscience and consistant efforts to inform the students about what's required . Especially for those that would like to go on to a University. Once a child enters High School they should meet with counselors and have a plan and that plan should be monitored on a consistant basis.
This is good a one, very personal for me. I was just like her fighting for my children's quality education. I totally concur with your assessment and the mother's response. This is an example of what we talked about in regards to how parents are not considered nor utilized as partners in the education of their children. Just as you stated before that the child will say everything is fine and you (the parent) have to be able to inquire about the facts. I in fact pressed teachers for the good my kids were doing as well, rather than only hearing from them if there was a problem. The mother is right in wanting to know ahead of time if a situation is developing and it should be the teachers, administrators and educational systems responsibilities to foster that partnership with the parent for the education of that child, each child should be considered important in the process not the process. Although just as you advised, the principals in my experience always defend their teachers, even the poor ones, unless they are confronted with persistent parenting that presents non-defensive information about the education their child is getting. The educational systems that I am familiar with, and it appears to be more universal than we would like, needs principals like you that are not necessarily pressing the partnership, but if it exists then taking full advantage of it, because all parents are not capable or interested in playing that role, but the more participants in the child education the more opportunity surfaces for that child and in likelihood will have some transference affect on the other children in the that school system.
As parents we have to demand quality and do our homework...presence is everything. Showing up for all conferences, writing a hello letter at the beginning of the school year, attending back to school nights and encouraging student participation in extra-curricular activities are just a few ways parents can make their presence known on a school campus. Being proactive and checking in with teachers on a monthly basis makes teachers think twice about leaving a parent out of the loop. I had a 3rd grade Gate/Accelerated teacher tell me my son scores high and is very bright, but he is ADD and she cannot handle him in class. I requested a meeting with the principal and came in with a book for each of them in attendance on ADD to read. This told them something about me before I even opened my mouth. The books were by a variety of doctors and I told them to enjoy their winter reading, that as I was becoming knowledgable on the topic, so should they. We cannot allow teachers and administrators to back us into corners. Find that one teacher on campus who has inside information about the go-to people on campus, school psychologist, counselors, etc. I know that I have a slight advantage being a teacher, but I too feel and have felt shackled by the system. For these reasons and many more (like the story you describe), I have started a parent's group and my business to help parent advocate for their kids. The schools cannot and will not do everything we expect, especially here in California, with so many cuts in the budget. Bottom line, parents have to take back the schools and the educational system. Thanks Cope for always being an advocate for youth, parents and eduation.
Sonia Lewis
Wow..this is great information. I was told today by a school administrator that it was unlawful in the state of California to use the students grades (even if the whole class has an F)to assist in a teacher evaluation. I am a parent who doesn't know all the policies and procedures for these type of things but, I know MY child and what he's capable of accomplishing.
The education system is screwed up. My oldest son is in 11th grade and I am now becoming aware of how faulty it really is. We as parent need to stay on top of these type of issues. My experience with Elk Grove School District has caused an alarm to continue to show my face and make my presence known. I witnessed some things while going to school with my son that made me want to tell certain kids.."ooh, I'm telling your mother." We have to show up! THese are our children and some teachers are merely collecting a paycheck and there are others who really care.
Our children won't tell us everything. Once we get to know the teachers it will all come a head. This keep the teacher on their J-O-B as well as the children.
Thank you Mr. C for all your wisdom. You have no idea how much this means to me. -Tasha
There is this mentality that children in the 9th and 10th grades should be taking full responsibility for their overall behavior and progress in school and the role of the parent should be marginalized. Most 9th and 10th graders aren't prepared to assume full responsibility for their overall education, granted they do have to want it, but they still need significant guidance and support and more often than not that guidance is in the form of the parent. For a teacher to disregard this aspect of their students lives is not only unprofessional, but unconsciousnable if we are indeed attempting to assist every child in achieving their fullest potential. The primary difference between public and private school is the curriculum, daily communications on any attendance issues and the immediate access to administration should something occur. Teachers don't, in general, feel any affinity to the partnership that most schools expouse regarding the parent role in educating their child-example the mother in your previous blog. That's what I am talking about when I have said that the buy-in from the teachers is essential in implementing a principal's or district's desired focus. The retrenchment is truly a phenominon that is at the least pervasive in the districts I have had to deal with and worked in, not that it's not in other systems. The real issue is profiling in schools, if the student isn't particularly mature and cooperative and if parents are not in their face constantly students are not getting what they really need to receive a good quality education. I believe that these teachers and sytems don't really get what they are doing to these kids. I use to see in happening in college freshmen, but now it is going down to the 9th and 10th graders. Think of this, for 14 or 15 years a student is told when to speak, where to go, when to eat, what to read, how to right, when to pay attention, when to play, when they can go to the restroom then in the 9th or 10th grade they are told you have to be responsible for your own education. I thought it was difficult to place a freshman in college in this position with no rules, but think of the impact on a 9th grader.
I too have been fighting for a "FAPE" Fair and Appropriate Education for my son. It brings me to tears everytime I think about it. There are far to many kids lost in the school system far to many teachers who lack the skills to help/teach these children too many parents who don't get involved who don't make their presence known on these campuses you have to let the administration and staff know that your child has someone to fight for them. If you settle for what knownsense they throw at you in these meetings then you will get no where. I've had to go directly to the district and even hire an attorney to represent my son and what's sad is the district will fight you back I thought WOW! these people are acting like I'm attacking them personally never have I seen such resentment it is sickening.
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