DS spelling assignment - update just talked w/teacher

[imgoingtodisney]

Teacher put in his assignment book that they were never turned in. Yesterday was his 2nd. When asked DS says it must have fallen out of his book! Called school yesterday, trying to get to the bottom of this so he turns it around. In the past he has been an A/B student. DH took away the tv and computer for a wk.
Today he brought home a 3rd 0 for not passing in the Spelling homework. Now DS is w/out tv or computer until he brings home at least 3 100s in Spelling.
Ahhh - teacher will get a phone call again tomorrow. Im ready to have him stay after school for detention.

Just spoke w/both his teachers. DS will be given the 3 assignments to be done again. Will have 10pts off on ea but at least he now has the chance to make up some of the grades. Teacher has actually seen him begin these papers in class so thinks he's telling the truth. We are now stapling the spelling assignments to his planner.

 

[nativetxn]

How old is your son? If he is older than 7 then he <i>knew</i> that he had that assignment, whether or not it "fell out of his book".

I speak from experience

 

[imgoingtodisney]

I know Kath - DS (6thgrd) is telling me he did the assignments then lost the papers
Ive given him papers/notices/book orders (w/check) a few times since school started to hand in to his teacher then found them in his backpack a few days later.
Seems he's not thinking yet this school year. Last year he did fine without much parental supervision.

 

[Chattyaholic]

I feel for you, we had similar problems (and others as well) with our DS all during his school career, until he was a senior. He was finally on the honor roll that year!! But it was a long, long road to get him there.

 

[GladysK]

Gee...........to expect him to go from a zero to 100, 3 times....isn't that a little harsh punishment?

 

[bumcat]

He's going to need those 100's to bring his grade back up.
It would IMO be harsh if he wasn't capable of making a 100 but it sounds like he can.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Will his teacher allow him to turn them in for partial credit? It will be so hard to pull up a grade when 3 0's must be averaged into the score. Tough way to start the year for both of you. I hope it gets better.

 

[ripleysmom]

6th grade is a very tough time of transition for children, especially if they are beginning middle school. Children who received a lot of assistance in elementary school are now thrown to the wolves and expected to handle adult responsibilities without necessarily having been taught to do it for themselves previously.

Speak to your son's guidance counselor (or school psychologist) about setting up some type of system to organize your son to help him with this transition time.

Understand that this will involve some effort on your part at home but if addressed early enough in the school year, it can really head off issues later on down the line.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Originally posted by ripleysmom
6th grade is a very tough time of transition for children, especially if they are beginning middle school.

Please say it isn't so! Fourth grade was a nightmare last year. DS's school has them using "take home folders." Anything that needs to come home for any reason is in that folder. If I need to sign something and he has to return it, it goes in that folder and back to school. If he has loose papers for homework, maybe he can put them in a folder to take back.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

That's the same thing they do at my oldest's school (although she's only in 4th grade)- and they have the kids write what their homework is on a sheet that has the days of the week on it- so you can SEE what homework they should be doing... that way you know if they didn't bring homework home to do. Once you're sure it's done and in the folder to return to school- there really isn't any reason for the child to not turn it in- yanno?

I don't think you are being too hard on him at all. I think you are handling it the best you can (taking away privileges, talking to his teacher to get to the bottom of this, expecting higher grades to try to pull up those zeros, etc.). I agree with ripleysmom... sometimes it might seem harsh now but set the "boundaries" and guidelines now and maybe not have as many problems in the latter grades when they have to be even more responsible/etc.

 

[ripleysmom]

"Please say it isn't so!"

'Fraid so. When they get to middle school they are expected to be able to do all of that without a folder and most especially without prompting from their teacher or parents.


"I agree with ripleysmom... sometimes it might seem harsh now but set the "boundaries" and guidelines now and maybe not have as many problems in the latter grades when they have to be even more responsible/etc. "

Actually my point BBB was to enlist the school's aid and get help for the child so that it won't continue to be a problem. I agree that children need boundaries, however, you can't expect a child to do something if they do not know how.

Would you punish your child for not knowing something if that subject was not taught? Same principle applies here. Not every child learns by osmosis. Sometimes they need to be taught to be organized.

 

[Pooh93]

My dd is in 2nd grade and must write her daily homework assignments in a planner provided by the school. I must sign and date it every night. I was freaking at the beginning of the year thinking this was "too much" for a 2nd grader to handle. Maybe I need to rethink my feelings, because it's obviously not going to get any easier and perhaps this will make our lives more simplified in 4-5 years. I can hope right??

 

[Cindy B]

6th grade ijs tough... I'm suprised that they are still doing spelling though.

I work with 6th graders, and not only do they get a school provided planner, but some special education kids, get a second planner.

We also have the kids use plastic acordian folders with each subject labeled in each

It not like elementary school, and some students are having a harder time than others.

He needs to do it..

 

[Porter]

This is the second thread which I have responded to today which has to do with spelling. I am of the opinion that today’s children, hell even us adults, are lacking in the spelling department. How many of you have used spell check before sending out an email, before submitting your post, writing a letter in MS Word, what ever. Life is just a click away for almost anything. Just click on ‘spell check’ at let the computer take over. I am not surprised that a lot of children today are lacking in the spelling department. When I was growing up it was calculators and their use during math exams or just to do homework. Please do not get me started on Velcro shoe laces or what ever they are to be called. How is it that a 7 year old is unable to tie their shoes.

 

[Crazy4mandms]

My son started middle school this year and we were nervous since he is not a very organized kid (despite some of our best efforts, some people just have a hard time learning organizational skills). The way we handle it......our school also has the homework planner. He writes his homework for each class every day then we look it at home....the difference is that we threaten him that if he fails to complete, or turn in, homework we will require him to have each teacher initial his homework book at the end of each class and then we will initial each one before he takes it back to school and he has to show it to each teacher every day at the beginning of class. This doesn't sound like much of a threat, HOWEVER, having to wait for the teacher to do this starts cutting into his "between classes social time" and will make a big difference with very little extra effort on the teachers part!! I did this with my neice (who lived with me for a year) and it worked like a charm! She was back on track in a few week's time. (Just make sure the assignments are written in INK so there is no erasing b4 it comes home!!). Hope this helps.

 

[ripleysmom]

Porter you know what is even worse than children who can't spell?

Adults with poor reading comprehension who hijack a thread to rant.

 

[Porter]

Originally posted by ripleysmom
Porter you know what is even worse than children who can't spell?

Adults with poor reading comprehension who hijack a thread to rant.

Ripleysmom, you know what is even worse than adults who act like children by trying to put down other adults?

Adults who think they are funny by insulting other adults. Hijacking, give me a break. Let me guess, you are the resident know it all.

My apologies to all those who thought that that was what I was doing.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

But weren't you just insulting all of today's children by implying that none of them can spell? If you had read the original post the problem isn't spelling but the fact that the child isn't turning in his homework.

IGTD - didn't your son flunk a class last year due to not turning in his homework? I agree with the punishment, I won't let my children watch tv either if their grades were falling.

 

[imgoingtodisney]

There was a 30 on one of his report cards last year due to not handing in a Poetry assignment - thanks for the reminder

 

[Cinders]

Like Cindy B's school our elementary school has planners that must be used by students in 3rd-5th grades and is included in our yearly book fees. Younger DS is in 5th and is required to write down all assignments and all extras like adding in to work a few minutes on a report that isnt due until the end of the month. Every day this planner must be signed and his teacher actually signs or makes a checkmark after they each write down the assignments so we as parents know they have written everything down. If they dont have their parents signature each morning then they have a "Card" pulled. The cards are a disipline plan they follow.

IMO I'd let him go to WalMart or wherever and pick out his own daily planner book. Then tell him that every assignment must be written in it. Next I'd try to pick him up at school for a week and literally check his assignments while you are still in the school parking lot. This ensures that he actually writes down the assignments and that he can show you all books and papers needed to complete the assignment are with him. If he forgets something then he has to go back into the school to get the forgotten material and possibly looses some sort of privelge for forgetting. After a week it should be somewhat routine for him to double check to make sure he has everything written down and brought home. As for the 3 100's if he has any problems learning the words have him write the words 4 times each when he receives them then quiz him orally or by written test each day until the test.

Younger DS at the end of the last school year kept forgetting stuff at school so I'd have to take him back after he got home if it was in his locker or if it was in his classroom I'd have to take him to school early the next morning. His teacher left the building as soon as she dismissed them last year....so even if the kids remembered they forgot something in their desks before getting on bus they couldnt get it because their room was already locked. After it happened 3 times I started taking away outdoor play time with friends.