Teacher issues... - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

jplinville · #1 01-09-2013, 09:18 AM

Son is having issues in his Algebra class, which is an advanced course for his grade. The teacher gives 5 points each day for completeness of homework, yet doesn't check accuracy of the homework. He counts test scores as 100 points, and only gives them 15 problems to solve, and there is one test per chapter. He says that his tests show him if the students are having issues understanding the work.

My son is having issues with quadratic functions, which I and his older sister are working with him on. He was having problems with polynomials, and flunked a test. After sitting down with the boy child, I found out that he was doing them wrong because he wasn't taught the basic rule for solving them. After showing him what he wasn't taught, I spoke with the principal about having a re-test...which was granted. The teacher decided to average the two grades, an A and an F to give him the grade for the test...mainly as a show that HE's in control of teaching, not me.

Ok...fine. Today, I log on to check his grades, as I have every school day, only to see that there were no entries online since the 11th of last month. Prior to the Christmas break, I attributed the missing grades to the teacher taking some vacation time prior to the break. Anyway, I checked today and saw nothing added, so I sent the teacher an email about it, asked why nothing was entered. His email back was quite contrite. He pissed me off.

Now I have another appointment with the principal, guidance counselor, the teacher AND a representative member of the school board tomorrow morning. This teacher, according to the guidance counselor, is as dry as sand, and treats the students in the same manner. I know for a fact that he doesn't review the homework given, and only grades on completion...it's all in the syllabus that was given to the parents in the first week of the school year.

From what I've been told, this teacher has been there longer than the school administration team, and that there isn't much they've been able to do about his style of 'teaching'. My goal is to get my son a teacher that will do their job...TEACH. Statistically speaking, only 60% of this teacher's students pass with a C or higher...the rest either pass with a D or fail the course. These are students that passed the required test to qualify for the advanced course, these are bright kids I'm talking about, not your average math class student that barely scrapes by.

I'm open for suggestions on this...How would you handle this?

The Clk Man · #2 01-09-2013, 09:29 AM

I had problems with my youngest son's teacher. We had a meeting with her and the principal. I could tell that she didn't like my son's strong will. I told her to get off of her ass and teach him. He was on the honor roll from then on.

t walgamuth · #3 01-09-2013, 09:46 AM

I'd probably take the son out of the class. You're not going to change him and it looks like the administrative team does not have the sand to do it either.

jplinville · #4 01-09-2013, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

I'd probably take the son out of the class. You're not going to change him and it looks like the administrative team does not have the sand to do it either.

it's the only advanced math course the school offers for his grade. If I pull him, what kind of message does it give my son...quitting is a good thing when you meet opposition?? I'd rather get the school board involved so that it shows my son that there's always another way around opposition.

This is the only class he has that is below an 89%...and that includes the advanced science course he's in.

I've tried speaking with the teacher directly, but he handles it in a dismissive manner, telling me that he's too busy to discuss it at the moment. Hopefully this meeting will show him that he needs to take the time to handle it, and to start teaching the subject in a manner that his students understand. After last year's dealings, the school board seems to willing to jump through hoops to keep me from attending the meetings. My last one wound up getting enough parents outraged that they moved the language arts teacher to the elementary school and hired a new teacher.

Air&Road · #5 01-09-2013, 10:05 AM

You're a great parent JP!

elchivito · #6 01-09-2013, 10:07 AM

Two issues. A kid who needs to learn algebra and a teacher who is less than effective. Fighting with the administration over the teacher's effectiveness might get a better grade for the kid in the long run but he probably won't really learn much. I'd pull him from the class and in writing explain my reasons for doing so to the administration, copying to the superintendent.
If he needs to stay in the class due to credit requirements or scheduling issues, seek out other forms of tutoring. There are online resources and courses. I would suggest that your emotional involvement with the issue; being pissed off at the teacher, will not make you a very effective tutor from this point on.
One lesson that I think it's important for kids to learn, especially if they are headed to college, is that there are always going to be good teachers and lousy ones and sometimes you just have to gut through on your own. Last year my son was in calculus as a college freshman. The instructor was a graduate assistant who spent most of his time flirting with the female students, presented all the lectures as power points and didn't offer any help or support. My kid needed the class to stay on his bio major track. He'd faced this before with an honors chemistry teacher in high school and knew it was up to him to find the help he needed. He did.
Good luck.

jplinville · #7 01-09-2013, 10:33 AM

Do letters to the school and board about a teacher become attached to that teacher's record?

TheDon · #8 01-09-2013, 10:36 AM

sounds like someone is riding their tenure....

jplinville · #9 01-09-2013, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDon

sounds like someone is riding their tenure....

He is...battling this isn't easy. My dad had the same issue with an English teacher at the HS level with my older brother...I ended up getting dropped in her class when I came up. I had the same issues with her, and transferred to another teacher. By the time my younger brother came up, she sent him to the office on his first day to have him request a transfer. The board was powerless.

elchivito · #10 01-09-2013, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jplinville

Do letters to the school and board about a teacher become attached to that teacher's record?

No, of course not, but if enough people complain the administration will need to cover it's OWN backside and maybe do something.
Don't write to the board if they are an elected body. I know of a case where a parent-teacher issue moved from the school level to board action on the teacher's employment. A parent who loved to "go straight to the school board" had prejudiced two board members against the teacher. In executive session the two board members had to recuse themselves and not vote because the teacher had a good lawyer who pressed the point. He kept his job.

jplinville · #11 01-09-2013, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elchivito

No, of course not, but if enough people complain the administration will need to cover it's OWN backside and maybe do something.
Don't write to the board if they are an elected body. I know of a case where a parent-teacher issue moved from the school level to board action on the teacher's employment. A parent who loved to "go straight to the school board" had prejudiced two board members against the teacher. In executive session the two board members had to recuse themselves and not vote because the teacher had a good lawyer who pressed the point. He kept his job.

Perhaps I said it wrong...Do letters to the District Super become attachments to the teacher's record?

As an update, I just got off the phone with the guidance counselor, who was contacted by the Super/Board President. The Super/Board President will be attending the meeting tomorrow instead of a representative. The Guidance Counselor said that I am not the first parent that's having issues with this teacher, nor am I the only one with issues this year. The meeting will have 7 other parents in addition to my wife and myself.

I have also been sent an email from the head of the Mathematics department at the high school (apparently she is in charge of the subject throughout the district), and that she will be providing student tutors for my son so that he can go back into the Advanced course at the high school level next year. The student tutors will come to his school during his "mentoring period", which is new age language for study hall.

When you have a GC, a department head, and a Super/Board President all working together to handle a situation, it shows me that they know very well how this teacher is, and that they are pretty much powerless to do much about it, other than to go around the teacher.

In speaking with my son and the teacher, the basic issue is that the teacher seems to think that the students need to come to him to learn, instead of the teacher going to the students to teach. When you're out of touch with the students, you've lost control of the situation.

I had teachers that were great, I've had teachers that were mediocre, and I've had teachers that were worthless. This teacher falls into the latter category.

elchivito · #12 01-09-2013, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jplinville

Perhaps I said it wrong...Do letters to the District Super become attachments to the teacher's record?

Again, I doubt it. But every state is different. For example, I never heard of someone wearing two hats and being a district superintendent AND a board president at the same time. Here, it'd be a conflict of interest. Board members not only are NOT school employees, they can't even be married or closely related to school employees, by law. I like that just fine.

I don't have any problem at all with the notion that a student needs to know when to seek help from a teacher. At some point, hopefully sooner than later, a good student takes responsibility for their own learning. However, when help is sought, the teacher needs to be ready, willing and able to provide the necessary help and then some. He or she should also be making it clear over and over again to his students that help is here when you need it. Sounds like this guy is falling down on his end of the bargain.
Sounds like your boy is going to get the help he needs. That's a good thing. This crappy teacher is an important life lesson for him as well. In a perfect world, there are no cops who sell drugs, no doctors who neglect their patients' needs, no teachers who are too burnt out to be in the classroom. In a perfect world.

TheDon · #13 01-09-2013, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jplinville

He is...battling this isn't easy. My dad had the same issue with an English teacher at the HS level with my older brother...I ended up getting dropped in her class when I came up. I had the same issues with her, and transferred to another teacher. By the time my younger brother came up, she sent him to the office on his first day to have him request a transfer. The board was powerless.

It's the one bad apple riding tenure until they retire that will ruin it for the rest.

jplinville · #14 01-09-2013, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elchivito

Again, I doubt it. But every state is different. For example, I never heard of someone wearing two hats and being a district superintendent AND a board president at the same time. Here, it'd be a conflict of interest. Board members not only are NOT school employees, they can't even be married or closely related to school employees, by law. I like that just fine.

I don't have any problem at all with the notion that a student needs to know when to seek help from a teacher. At some point, hopefully sooner than later, a good student takes responsibility for their own learning. However, when help is sought, the teacher needs to be ready, willing and able to provide the necessary help and then some. He or she should also be making it clear over and over again to his students that help is here when you need it. Sounds like this guy is falling down on his end of the bargain.
Sounds like your boy is going to get the help he needs. That's a good thing. This crappy teacher is an important life lesson for him as well. In a perfect world, there are no cops who sell drugs, no doctors who neglect their patients' needs, no teachers who are too burnt out to be in the classroom. In a perfect world.

That's because he's the ACTING Super...for one reason or another (in a closed door meeting with vague details) the Super we had last year is no longer here...we've been directed to speak with the district's attorney for more details, and he's not speaking.

We're in the midst of a search for a permanent Super.

Here is the online letter from the Acting Super...

Quote:

I can vividly recall from my childhood, the love my sister had for her stuffed animal, Snoopy, and the “Peanuts” characters. Still to this day, I can visualize her bedroom with Snoopy safely tucked away in her bed. While at the time I did not understand her love for Snoopy or “Peanuts” and assumed her devotion was some whimsical childhood game, I now see life through the eyes of my sister and truly understand the importance of Snoopy in her life, and what he means to all of us. My sister’s best friend was Snoopy. In the Peanuts cartoon, Snoopy’s best friend was a small bird named Woodstock; an unlikely friend for a hunting dog. What Snoopy and my sister understood was that relationships are built on trust and genuine care for the other person, dog, or yellow bird. Many times during her childhood, I witnessed my sister hosting tea parties with Snoopy, having him drive cars, or even flying; none of which Snoopy may have wanted to do, but he adapted. Snoopy possessed an essential characteristic of successful people, he was resilient and open to new ideas. Snoopy was an artist, hero, scout leader, dedicated friend to Charlie Brown (and my sister), Joe Cool, and when necessary “The Red Baron.” Being able to adapt to the present was a skill Snoopy mastered which provided him enjoyment in life as well as the creating a life he enjoyed. Lastly, as I would tip-toe past my sister’s door at night careful not to wake her, I observed her fast asleep surrounded by the company of Snoopy, Woodstock, and Belle (Snoopy’s Sister), there on her face was a serenity in knowing she was sounded by those that cared about her most. Snoopy, like my sister, understood the need to surround himself with good people, who are looking out for your best interest, which is calming and builds confidence. Did you ever see Snoopy sweat? Absolutely not! Snoopy surrounded himself with good people: musicians, athletes, family, boys, girls, and people of all races and creeds. Good people protect us and advise us even when times are tough such as when Snoopy dealt with bigotry when being denied entrance into several establishments with signs reading, “NO DOGS ALLOWED.” During the horrific time for Snoopy, those good people helped him the most.
To this day in my office, I have the Snoopy clock my sister gave me as a gift upon my hiring as a teacher. I did not realize when she was such a young girl how insightful she and Snoopy were. My Snoopy clock serves as a daily reminder of what Snoopy represents.
As we encounter the many challenges a school year presents, I ask that we all try to be a little more like Snoopy and his ideals, those same ideals my sister lovingly embraced as a young child. Let us all try to build relationships with each other based on kindness and trust, adapt to the present with resiliency, and lastly surround ourselves with good people. Together and with a little help from Snoopy, we can make a difference in the lives of the children we serve at *********.

This is what I have to work with...

Air&Road · #15 01-09-2013, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jplinville

Perhaps I said it wrong...Do letters to the District Super become attachments to the teacher's record?

As an update, I just got off the phone with the guidance counselor, who was contacted by the Super/Board President. The Super/Board President will be attending the meeting tomorrow instead of a representative. The Guidance Counselor said that I am not the first parent that's having issues with this teacher, nor am I the only one with issues this year. The meeting will have 7 other parents in addition to my wife and myself.

I have also been sent an email from the head of the Mathematics department at the high school (apparently she is in charge of the subject throughout the district), and that she will be providing student tutors for my son so that he can go back into the Advanced course at the high school level next year. The student tutors will come to his school during his "mentoring period", which is new age language for study hall.

When you have a GC, a department head, and a Super/Board President all working together to handle a situation, it shows me that they know very well how this teacher is, and that they are pretty much powerless to do much about it, other than to go around the teacher.

In speaking with my son and the teacher, the basic issue is that the teacher seems to think that the students need to come to him to learn, instead of the teacher going to the students to teach. When you're out of touch with the students, you've lost control of the situation.

I had teachers that were great, I've had teachers that were mediocre, and I've had teachers that were worthless. This teacher falls into the latter category.

Is there a teachers union factoring into this whole thing?