Another teacher issue thread

[disykat]

I don't agree with those saying her ds is guilty. Why would he have told her at all if he was guilty?

I would contact the teacher and ask her what happened. Tell her you are confused by your child's explanation. You don't have to accuse the teacher of anything, simply ask.

I've never had the need to contact a teacher about grades, but I've never gotten a screwy story like this.

Some things are worth investigating. IMO, your child being accused of cheating is one of them.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

I don't agree with those saying her ds is guilty. Why would he have told her at all if he was guilty?

I can think of a few reasons, all of which assume that the OP is an involved parent. Grades of this nature rarely go unnoticed in the homes of involved parents.

 

[bumbershoot]

The bolded is not acceptable. I have never heard of a teacher directing students in such a way. To me, she admitted it's possible there could be some coincidences by stating the students should cross check after they have written an essay. That's just wrong! I suspect she knows how wrong it is, because she isn't going to talk about it. It probably makes her mad to know that some could have plagiarized and she can't tell who it could be. So all must take the blame.

And to tell them to come apologize for something in which defense is forbidden is also wrong.

I would be mad about it. It is good for kids to resolve their issues. But when the authority figure they are dealing with prevents it, that is another ball game. I'd find a way to help my child open the door to resolve this, either with the teacher or if she continues to be unwilling maybe suggest the class take it up with administration.

I agree with all of that.

And this school says that parents are not to call, and the teacher is telling them not to defend themselves...what is left?

Well, what's left is taking it to the principal, that's what's left.

Though that's pretty scary! I took a class/professor problem to the VP of my chiropractic school once when I was 24 or 25, and that was scary...I can't imagine having the guts to do it in HS. I would have needed my mom's backup.


Oh, and I was in a class, bonehead English either frosh or soph year (can't remember which one), where we all failed an essay. The teacher said we all had to read the book again and write the essays again because it was obvious that no one understood the book (Heart of Darkness). That was bad, but at least we had a chance to do it over! And she was right; on second reading it made much more sense.

If the teacher was doing something like that, I'd understand, but what she IS doing makes no sense. I don't even know of any profs in college who would take such a hard line; not even the poly sci prof who gave you a certain number of typos and then he would stop reading and fail you for the essay. What she is doing is just flat out UNfair.



ETA: I was wrong, it wasn't frosh/soph and bonehead english. It was after I bumped myself up to Honors while dying a slow death in the lower level class. Remembered that b/c I remembered the classroom, and had a memory of asking the same teacher to write my college recommendation. And that certainly wouldn't have been the teachers from the first two years of HS English!

 

[pigletliz]

I think waiting to see how your son feels about it tonight would be good. He might have more information on what actually occurred.

If unable to get it resolved with the teacher, my daughter's school policy was for the student to go to their assigned dean. They wanted the kids to try to handle it because they were in high school. Parents were not supposed to step in unless the student could not get it resolved. Perhaps your son knows he didn't plagiarize, but does not want to go through the hassle?

You can always ask him to decide the worth to him and tell him that you will back him if he wants your support. Since he has tried to deal with the teacher with no luck, I would encourage him to try the next step up. It is possible other students have already complained, especially since they are in a honors class.

Good luck to him!

 

[sparklynails23]

If I were you, I would badger my son until he told the truth.

 

[disykat]

I can think of a few reasons, all of which assume that the OP is an involved parent. Grades of this nature rarely go unnoticed in the homes of involved parents.

Even if the OP thinks her son is guilty, which it seems she is starting to, wouldn't that still be a good reason for wanting to know the teacher's viewpoint of what happened?

IMO, the story just seems too fishy to be totally made up. Most high school kids can cover their tracks better than that.

Rather than accusing anyone of anything, it just seems smart to me to ask the teacher what happened.

 

[Swimnoid]

I think you should leave it up to him to do something about it or not.

When I was in HS I was a "go with the flow" kind of student and would just sort of let things roll...not the type to complain about anything. Once, though, a teacher wronged me and I knew I was absolutely right. I went to the Assistant principal and very politely asked him about the situation. The AP backed me up and the teacher had to back down and do what was right.

If your son thinks it is important enough suggest that he follow through to the teacher's supervisor.

 

[teskak]

www.turnitin.com

My husband is a university lecturer and they require all students to submit thier assignments with the print out from this program. Individual students seem to be able to have a free trial.

Try it and then see what the result is. If it is favourable to your child then they can use it in thier defence with the teacher. If it is unfavourable then child gets a lesson in what happens when you lie to a mother with the resources of the Disboards at her hands

This program has stopped a lot of the plagerism at the university, but now the problem for IT assignments is having students contract with Indian grads to write their assignment.

 

[dreamin_disney]

teacher, student and parent comunication is important.

1. you know your son. Do you think he is telling you the truth? If so , let him know you will stand by his side if he wants to go the next step.
-if he is telling the truth he may not want it to cause future problems with the teacher. Sorry but some teachers can be intimidating.

2. My dd in 2nd grade was coming home unhappy. She didnt want to go to school. She would tell me things about the teacher and she didnt want me to have a meeting with the teacher about it. Oneday dd came home and just lost it! She started crying like never before saying she was stressed. I made an appt asap. OMG! the teacher was even rude to me and dh right off the bat. I started out nice because i know theres always two sides. After trying to explain several ways why i was concerned I finally had to get stern with her and tell her my child is acting out of character, she's unhappy and doesnt wNT TO COME TO SCHOOL, it scares her when she (the teacher) slams her hand or books down on the table and starts yelling, and that I felt my dd should feel comfortable with her and know that she can go to her for help. DD was so scared of this teacher she didnt ask for help because she was scared she'd get yelled at. We were very patient until the day dd came home and lost it- it was so out of character for her.
DH and I where very surprised how we were treated at first. I think this teacher was just uugh! At the end i think she finally got that being a teacher is not having your kids fear you but them feeling safe and comfortable with you. She must have change because dd was nolonger was afraid of going to school and there were no more issues. Out of 6 grades now that was the only issue we ever had. As parents if there are concerns always talk to the teacher first, if that doesnt work then do the chains of command. Good luck

BTW- There are many great teachers out there.

 

[kellyg403]

I will agree with the other posters, at this age, he has to be the first to feel he was wronged and make a decision how to proceed. Obviously as a parent, we can help with the solution. So many times in high school there are situations that need to be dealt with and most of the time my kids have to decide what their part is and how to handle it. Just a learning lesson in life.

If your ds doesn't/didn't use spark notes, he can certainly obtain proof of that and go to someone higher than the teacher if she is unwilling to talk about it with the students. I would suggest he try that route, if he is willing to. Not all students are right, not all teachers are right. Having proof that he was unjustly accused and received a zero in error when he did the work, well that will definitely help not only himself but others who did. But, in the end, he needs to step up and defend himself. And ask for your help if he can't.

Kelly

 

[golfgal]

If I were you, I would badger my son until he told the truth.

I have to agree with this. I think it is important that he understands what could happen if he goes this route in college-namely expulsion. He is lucky the teacher isn't considering that already--some schools this would be automatic grounds for getting expelled.

When I was doing my student teaching--back in the day when the Apple 2 was the cat's meow in computer technology so no internet--and I caught a kid plagiarizing a book. His parents were upset but the big F he got on the paper, and scheduled a meeting. They came in all huffed up about the F I "gave" their son. I simply pulled out the book he so carefully documented in the bibliography, handed them the paper and told them to make their own conclusions. It was WORD FOR WORD out of the book.

 

[agnes!]

I think it's funny that students can't plagiarize, but teachers do it all the time. I mean, really, they do. They lift stuff off the Internet and use them all the time as parts of their lesson plans without any attribution.

agnes!

 

[golfgal]

I think it's funny that students can't plagiarize, but teachers do it all the time. I mean, really, they do. They lift stuff off the Internet and use them all the time as parts of their lesson plans without any attribution.

agnes!

I don't know about that, the information our kids bring home from school that comes from the internet or books has information at the bottom showing where it came from. Also, some lesson planning sites give permission to use their material.

 

[MushyMushy]

I think it's funny that students can't plagiarize, but teachers do it all the time. I mean, really, they do. They lift stuff off the Internet and use them all the time as parts of their lesson plans without any attribution.

agnes!

Most of the teachers I know most certainly give credit where it's due and they aren't breaking any copyright laws in doing so.

 

[agnes!]

Yeah, sometimes there are URLs at the bottom. I guess I think it's funny when the student is doing research for homework and then on the Internet they come across the exact same classroom assignment that "Mr. Smith" has independently handed out.

I agree, OP, I think the situation calls for a little more research...ask your DS and also ask some of the other parents of kids in that class. I don't necessarily suspect your DS of plagiarism though...and this is not a blanket condemnation of teachers but I have seen some teachers capriciously do some just plain mean things to kids.

agnes!

 

[agnes!]

Most of the teachers I know most certainly give credit where it's due and they aren't breaking any copyright laws in doing so.

My comment was just an off-hand remark, I actually think highly of most teachers and thing being a teacher is a profession one has to be called to do (like having a 'calling' to be a minister kwim?. You're right about the copyright aspect...the situation has happened recently and it just struck me kind of funny that's all.

agnes!