Community Chat

[Tinkrbl44]

My neighbor is a teacher of "low achieving" kids,  and the stories she's told me about parents in denial are really shocking.     If told their kids need extra help, or aren't really trying to apply themselves, the parents explode and scream at teachers that they are incompetent.   Teachers are cautioned not to upset the parents.

So how are these kids going to get the help they need?

[LTT1]

@Noel7... why thank you for always reading what I have to say and the compliments! right back at 'cha!

[missy1]

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@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

My neighbor is a teacher of "low achieving" kids,  and the stories she's told me about parents in denial are really shocking.     If told their kids need extra help, or aren't really trying to apply themselves, the parents explode and scream at teachers that they are incompetent.   Teachers are cautioned not to upset the parents.

So how are these kids going to get the help they need?

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Then there's the flip of the coin.. parents who have children who need help are not getting it, or getting it too late.

[LTT1]

O/T it is allowed to write one's signature with an "X" also... The PSAT test requires a signature written in cursive, even if it is not legible. I reassured the students that this was to verify that the REAL person was taking the test.

I am starting a new thread on the idea of the application and merit of having students learn cursive writing.  Let's keep it civil!

[LTT1]

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@missy1 wrote:

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@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

My neighbor is a teacher of "low achieving" kids,  and the stories she's told me about parents in denial are really shocking.     If told their kids need extra help, or aren't really trying to apply themselves, the parents explode and scream at teachers that they are incompetent.   Teachers are cautioned not to upset the parents.

So how are these kids going to get the help they need?

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Then there's the flip of the coin.. parents who have children who need help are not getting it, or getting it too late.

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We DO have both situations... and both have validity.  Here is where, IMO, the schools may have gotten into trouble.  They have no curriculum in Texas, except the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS).  When an administrator walked in to evaluate, the specific objective from this extremely large tome (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills -- TEKS) was required to be posted on the board.  I taught high school math to students who had mastery (at the highest) of 5th grade level.  But I was supposed to teach them high school algebra-geometry-math models. 

Is it fair or reasonable to teach these particular students at that level and expect them to pass a state assessment on this level?

[magicmoodz]

@LTT1

loves, you have always been one of my favorites, but your honesty in this thread makes me respect you even more.  

Once upon a time I was responsible for the reporting/funding of Title 1 students.  It was painful to be a part of something so corupt and that same data is used for these "graduation" statistics.  

[LTT1]

@magicmoodz

Why, thank you so much, magicmoodz! 

[60sgirl]

an interesting article in the NY Times speaks about the "success" of graduation rates. 

It does illustrate what some have talked about on this thread i.e. lowering standards and pushing students through who are neither educated nor ready for college or the working world.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/27/us/as-graduation-rates-rise-experts-fear-standards-have-fallen.htm...

[JustJazzmom]

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@60sgirl wrote:

an interesting article in the NY Times speaks about the "success" of graduation rates. 

It does illustrate what some have talked about on this thread i.e. lowering standards and pushing students through who are neither educated nor ready for college or the working world.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/27/us/as-graduation-rates-rise-experts-fear-standards-have-fallen.htm...

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I saw the headline as I was taking apart the paper this AM. I will read it later.

[60sgirl]

I will add that my son is a well respected journalist and often tells me that the articles on a lot of sites are not even written by "real" journalists but often are opinion pieces biased by the author,

A true journalist collects facts and prints the facts and quotes from the who and where with no bias. This article seems to be more facts and less bias so I enjoyed reading it.