Rant Should Teachers Be Responsible for Borrowed PE Clothes?

[pampchefsarah]

Since I shared this as a pet peeve in a different thread, and as we have so many teachers as Cheffers, I thought I'd share an excerpt of a paper to be signed my daughter just handed me. This is regarding borrowing PE clothes when a student forgets part of their PE uniform:

3. If you do not return your borrowed items at the end of the class, you loose a future borrow for that half term.
4. If you loose or fail to return a borrowed item, you will forfeit all remaining borrows and will replace the lost item. If you intentionally rip, tear, or alter any loaner item, you will also forfeit remaining borrows and will replace the item.

Argghh, I guess if an item is lost, you have to worry about it being on the loose, right?

Yeah, I think I'll pass on these teachers explaining "Family Life Education" to my child. I wouldn't want her to loose her morals!

 

[byrd1956]

Wooo.....sounds like too many rules to me. Our students still participate (unless their shoe soles would mess up the floor) and they get a dress cut. After so many dress cuts (don't know how many) their grade goes down a letter.

 

[Crystal Patton]

I think it's funny that we have a thread going about school issues right now. I just spent 35 min on the phone tonight with my DH venting about my 1s graders progress report.

My DS is pulling A's and B's across the board. But in Phonics he is getting an F. I'm frustrated because yesterday his teacher told me he was doing so well he could cut back his tutoring from 4 days a week to 2. Then he brings home an F. WTHeck!!:grumpy:

And he has 1 hour of homework a night. (Math, reading, english, 71 flashcards and spelling) HELLO!! It's 1st grade!! I didn't have an hour of homework a night until Jr. High.

PLUS ... wait I better stop, I'm getting all ruffled again.

 

[pcchefjane]

I don't get that either. You may need to talk to the teacher and see if he is not doing his work in class. That is way too much for a 1st grader.

 

[candiejayne]

We have had to set up with our 1st grade teacher a nightly report home. It includes homework given that day, and also behavior.

We found that DS was having a hard time bringing homework home out of his desk, we now can hold him accountable for work not brought home.

Also, the last few months have been really rough on him since he moved in with us full time, and is having behavioral issues. She would wait a week or so and send home a weekly report. By that time he had forgotten all that occured the prior week, and punishment was not an option. We are really liking the new system that we have set up since we can deal with that days issue the day it happens. She is seeing an improvement at school as we are also seeing one at home!

As for the letter above, LOL, thats why I have someone proof read my documents before printing. I know I make mistakes like that, but I don't want others to see my mistakes!

 

[straitfan]

Misspelling (or using the wrong work) is a pet peeve of mine too! Esp. from my fellow teachers!!!!!! Crystal, an hour a night for a 1st grader? Whoa! Is the Phonics he's failing Saxon Phonics? (and your 1st grade gives letter grades? Whoa again!) 2nd grade teacher

 

[pampermejolene]

Kind of gross that they want them returned at the end of class. I kind of get it but it seems like they would give you a day or two to take it home and wash it since it is PE clothes!!It must be rough being a teacher. I started fourth grade with a cast on that went from my toes to my knee. My mom hadn't thought about pe on the first day of school. When we lined up to go outside I told the teacher I didn't think I could participate. She told me I had to. So, with cast on, I did as best I could (I was in fourth grade after all). I told my parents when I got home and they were furious! They called the teacher and she said something along the lines of, oh I didn't notice. I'm sorry. Mind you, I was wearing shorts and the cast was very obvious!
I know people have bad days, but come on!

 

[pampchefsarah]

One of the first rules was that the borrowed clothes go in hampers at the end of class. I'm guessing there's a laundry room on campus, and the teacher or janitor takes care of cleaning them.

Was the teacher better the rest of the year, or was that first day a shadow of what was to come?

 

[lockhartkitchen]

We're looking at ways to save money at our building for next year, with a deficit of over $1 million expected in our district budget. Here's some of the things my boss has implemented: He put a timer on the pepsi machine so it shuts off at night. It has to restart and work hard to cool again in the morning. Go figure! He had all our light bulbs above our counters removed. Our computers automatically shut off every night. The district gave us only 3 hours to complete report cards today. My boss would not allow us to attach a note that said, with only 3 hours given to report cards, comments would be limited. So, I did NO comments. If parents call, I can let them know why I chose not to do comments on my weekend.

 

[Crystal Patton]

First I want to say I understand that teachers get a bad rap. My FIL was a 6th grade teacher for 25 years and I always consult him before I go on the Momma Bear Warpath. I try to respect that they are teaching the next generation and making peanuts (one's, that now, are being recalled LOL).

With that said, my DS gets on the bus at 7:15am and out of regular class at 1:30 then he has tutoring for an hour 4 (now 2) days a week. I pick him up because they put him on a later bus that drops him off further from the house that we are from the school. I'm not even going there.
He comes in and does 1 math sheet, 1 spelling sheet, 1 english sheet, 1 problem solving sheet and has to read a 10-15 page book to me. The books vary in reading level from level 3 to level 8 and take between 15 mins and 30 mins depending on the reading level. Then we are suppose to go through all 71 flashcards. Honestly, that alone takes 30 mins so I haven't been doing them everynight.
Every once in a while he brings home a sheet he didn't get done in class, but all of these regular sheets say 'Homework Sheet' at the top.
I am also trying to keep tabs on the other two boys (ages 3 & 1) while all this is going on.

At the Fall Parent-Teacher conf. I asked his teacher if the other students were getting everything done. She said yes, he was in the minority. I try not to stick my nose in her classroom, she is a great teacher and he LOVES school. I'm just conserned that they won't pass him if he can't get this phonics thing. I don't know if it's Saxon Phonics - sorry.

I just don't know where to turn. My DH is being laid off and he will be home by V day so we will go in together and speak with DS teacher.

Hey guys, thanks for letting me vent again, I guess I didn't get it all out of my system.

 

[candiejayne]

Vent away! I feel your pain!

 

[susanr613]

Ok I have to add my pet peeve - letting the parent know about an issue when it's almost too late to do anything about it. This happened twice in 5th grade, even after we asked the teacher to give us a quick call or e-mail.

Now it's happening in Sunday school. Long story short, DS is behind on his required services attendance and even if he attends every kid-focused one from now till the end of the school year, he will not be caught up. The letter we got further threatens to move his Bar Mitzvah date (2010) if we do not get him caught up. At least one other kid in his class (of 5) got the letter, and I am sure more did.

I agree with the importance of religious services attendance. Would it have been so difficult to send out these letters a month or two earlier, when there was still a chance he could make them up within the context of a junior service? This letter, with its threat, is clearly a power play.

My DS is with his dad ths weekend, who is ready to storm into the synagogue and start ripping heads off, specifically the 5 (yes 5) that signed this letter. As for me, this is pushing me even further into quitting this synagogue after DS's Bar Mitzvah.

Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[pamperedlinda]

I feel your pain Crystal!

My DS is also in first grade and I am amazed at how much has changed since I was there! First grade now is equivalent to what 2nd grade used to be.

My DS is behind in reading and phonics as well, which in turn lower is scores on anything else that he has to read. He excells in all of his subjects orally, just when he has to read on his own that he doesn't do well. I have become close enough to his teacher that I found out that 40% of the class is either at or below my son's level in reading/phonics....40%!! This really concerns me b/c I can pretty much assume that it is that way across the grade level.....they cannot fail 40% of a grade-level!!! I have been asking all year for him to have reading assistance (EIP) and have been told that there is no room b/c there are others worse off than him. Well, miraculously, last week there was an opening and he is in EIP reading everyday for 30 mins.

Talk to the school about getting your child the extra reading help. We work with our DS too but he shuts-down or fights us badly when it comes to reading. I can already tell a difference in just the one week in EIP.

Now, about all that homework - do all the teachers assign that much? That's ridiculous! DS gets one h/w sheet in one subject each night, plus he has to read for 20 mins and review his site-words. I'd question that much work. I always thought the rule was 10 minutes of h/w based on grade level (1st = 10 mins, 2nd = 20 mins)

 

[janetupnorth]

1st grade was hard to get used to because the volume of HW was greater. 2nd grade has been a breeze! 3rd grade is supposed to be hard again.Often in 1st grade my daughter had problems with too much HW...and our schedule is tight too...Out the door at 7 a.m. (would be 6:45 if she took the bus), school 8-2:45 - bus until 3:30, sitter until about 5 p.m., then fire dept. or AWANA or piano or something...sometimes home at 6 p.m., othertimes 8:15 and straight to bed.My kids do HW with me usually, not the sitter (at least when little) so I know how they are doing. Now DD does 90% on her own.I found out in 1st grade when she had a lot, it wasn't because she got an abundance, she just hadn't learned to be disciplined to do it in school. The teacher gave plenty of time (1st and 2nd is together so 1st did HW when 2nd was being taught). DD was just too focused on listening to 2nd grade, or listening to friends talk or wanting to do another topic.We got her to start focusing and now she does better...it just took time! Reading helped her a lot too...she took an immense interest in it suddenly. She has read and tested on 95 books so far this school year. Now, instead of talking to friends, she puts a nose in a book (during class), recess is for talking. She also knows no book until other HW is done.Have patience Crystal...it is a combination of learning and your child maturing...keep sticking with the HW, develop a schedule for him and if it gets too late, send him to bed and make it up later. We talked to DD's teacher and explained that no HW was more important than her sleep and her being able to focus in school the next day...Good luck!

 

[Crystal Patton]

Thank you Janet! I know it will take time and DS has come a long way since the beginning of the year. I just get frustrated and need to vent. My DH listens then wants to come home and chew on people. He's such a great protector, but sometimes I have to remind him to just listen. So you guys are great for that (the listening part, not the chewing part LOL).
After venting and sleeping on it I can now approach this with perspective and grace. Thanks guys!