Hey...Teacher...leave those projects at school!!!

[roseaster]

Well, my kid came home from school today on only the 2nd day and already has a project assigned. She had to read a play and make a poster and a playbill for the play.

What should I do?

Call the teacher and complain?
Call the principal and complain?
Call guidance and complain?
A strongly worded email?
A petition?
A letter writing campaign?
Picket the school?
Change.org?
Withdraw the kid from the class?
Withdraw her from school?

or... let the kid figure it out?

 

[hereyago]

I vote go to the next school board meeting wearing a #Parentslives or #Snowflakelivesmatter playing the rap group Public Enemy's rap Fight The Power, lol

 

[QueenIsabella]

Well, my kid came home from school today on only the 2nd day and already has a project assigned. She had to read a play and make a poster and a playbill for the play.

What should I do?

Call the teacher and complain?
Call the principal and complain?
Call guidance and complain?
A strongly worded email?
A petition?
A letter writing campaign?
Picket the school?
Change.org?
Withdraw the kid from the class?
Withdraw her from school?

or... let the kid figure it out?

I vote for "contact the superintendent". I probably would also picket the school and pull my kid out.

Oh, wait. I wouldn't do any of those things. I think the OP is full of crap. Her DD caused this problem, the DD should have figured it all out. I know my DD13 had projects last year (in 7th grade) that involved working in a group, and they never got together--they did everything via googledocs, texting (who calls anymore), and utilizing time at school. Every student needs to learn time management and working with others. It doesn't matter if the OP thinks a particular project is stupid, or if she hates group work. In fact, it's painfully obvious that the OP's poor attitude toward school isn't helping her DD.

But hey, what do I know? I'm a slacker mom of the first order. I will help any of my kids if they're struggling, but mostly my involvement consists of asking if they've finished their homework.

 

[msjprincess]

Where did you read I was?

It also looked that way to me because of the *roll eyes*.

 

[tcufrog]

Op...
What were supposed to think when you wrote *roll eyes.* I've been around plenty of teenage girls to get a certain inference from such an action.

 

[Disney_traveler]

Op...
What were supposed to think when you wrote *roll eyes.* I've been around plenty of teenage girls to get a certain inference from such an action.

You just gave me a brilliant idea......maybe someone here isn't actually a parent complaining but the student in disguise looking for some ammo why they shouldn't do something.....

 

[DanceswithDisney]

Since I quoted you, wouldn't it be obvious I was referring to the quote? If that's not what you meant, I apologize. But I wasn't the only one who took your statement that way.

The rolling eyes was for my child partnering up with someone whose schedule did not mesh with hers. Just another life lesson that she should ask and say, I have conflicts on this day and this day, are you available on that day and that day. It is very hard to give up a practice for them to work on it. Interestingly I had to spend the time and shop and pay for all of the materials and pick them up from school. I have yet to have the other parent offer anything more than picking up her snowflake when they are done. And yes I am going to ROLL MY EYES because of that!!!

 

[zoo2tycoon]

If this is real this is very sad. If it is fake it is also very sad. Fifteen pages and nothing is going to change. Humorous to read though...

 

[msjprincess]

How much notice is your daughter given for these projects? My kids usually have weeks to do big projects.

 

[Disney_traveler]

If this is real this is very sad. If it is fake it is also very sad. Fifteen pages and nothing is going to change. Humorous to read though...

Most high school students I'm aware of have 6-8 courses a year (and I'm not sure how many years in this is). We've touched on 2 courses here so far. Well 1 in depth and 1 in the early stages.

Methinks 15 pages is but the tip of the iceberg.

 

[mom2rtk]

Interestingly I had to spend the time and shop and pay for all of the materials and pick them up from school.

That's what parents do. Countless times every day, the world over.

I have yet to have the other parent offer anything more than picking up her snowflake when they are done. And yes I am going to ROLL MY EYES because of that!!!

Did you ask her to reimburse part of the cost?

 

[DanceswithDisney]

How much notice is your daughter given for these projects? My kids usually have weeks to do big projects.

Assigned 9/2 and due on 9/12.

 

[Lanshark]

I assigned a 9-11 project due tomorrow. Oh well....

 

[EMom]

The rolling eyes was for my child partnering up with someone whose schedule did not mesh with hers. Just another life lesson that she should ask and say, I have conflicts on this day and this day, are you available on that day and that day. It is very hard to give up a practice for them to work on it. Interestingly I had to spend the time and shop and pay for all of the materials and pick them up from school. I have yet to have the other parent offer anything more than picking up her snowflake when they are done. And yes I am going to ROLL MY EYES because of that!!!

So basically, your daughter screwed up again. I'm sensing a pattern.

 

[Aliceacc]

It always saddens me to read these boards and see how poorly some people speak of the people in my profession.

And, for what it's worth, the OP could certainly have dropped her daughter off at the supermarket sometime in the 10 days she had, or done the family grocery shopping while her daughter did the project shopping.

 

[DanceswithDisney]

It always saddens me to read these boards and see how poorly some people speak of the people in my profession.

And, for what it's worth, the OP could certainly have dropped her daughter off at the supermarket sometime in the 10 days she had, or done the family grocery shopping while her daughter did the project shopping.

And I will admit my snowflake did screw up because this was announced to me at 10:30pm on 9/5. My kid would not be the first in history to advise a parent at the last minute about a project. However, this could be all avoided had this been done all in class.

 

[Snap Crackle Pop]

No, the teachers are screwing up by assigning projects to be done at home. There is nothing are doing at home that could not be done in the classroom on school time not mine! The materials should be provided by the school and this should be done in class.

I'm guessing you don't know how school works? There are projects that are done at home all the time, get used to it. She's not in elementary school so having homework and projects at home is not ludicrous. You demanding that these things be done at school is.
Maybe it would be a better option for you to put her in a private school (where they actually tend to have more work and projects, but I mean maybe you can demand they do them there) or homeschool her.

 

[clori]

My dd has a similar project last year for Spanish 3 honors. I don't know how groups were picked but dd was in a group of 2 with a friend and I happen to be friend's with the other girl's mother. They had to make 3 easy meals to represent an easy meal in a Spanish speaking country, USA, and a 3rd culture (no idea why). I think they had to take a picture of them working together due to perhaps in the past someone in the group not doing any of the work. The important part of the project was in class talk in Spanish about the food or something like that.

I didn't find getting the food to be a big deal. My dd came to the grocery store when I was going anyway. She communicated with her partner using the phone (texting or maybe an app). They picked Kraft Mac and cheese to represent USA, rice and beans for Spanish speaking place, and Israeli couscous for another country (mostly because we walked by a display). I said they could use some of my rice, milk and butter from home so they only needed Kraft mac and cheese, 1 can of Goya beans, and 1 box of Couscous. I'm sure if I asked the other mother we could have split the cost.

Timing was trickier with 2 different schedules but the girls made time the night before the project was due. Since the other mother works nights and the father was driving the older son to/from work and soccer for the 2nd son we picked up and dropped off the girl. They didn't need to make enough for the entire class. The other girl's mom gave them a ride in the morning instead of my dd taking the public bur or her dd walking and fortunately that day they had Spanish first since it is a rotating schedule. The teacher asked if she could have the food for lunch. I have no idea if she ever tasted any of it.

Do I like projects - not really but as a parent we get the kids what they need and the projects - group or individual have always been done on time. Usually projects completed the night before are child procrastination. In this project the girls felt the food would be better cooked the night before. I just consider needing occasional out of school supplies part of parenting and the education process. My kids attend public schools and I know the teachers spend plenty of money on supplies too.

 

[Southernmiss]

Part of being an adult is putting on the big girl panties and rolling with what comes our way regarding kids. Teen years to me are the most challenging, expensive and unpredictable. This is just the beginning. There's more to come.

School projects, extracurricular activities, time management, shopping for materials it's all part of it. Suck it up, add $ to the budget for unexpected school costs because they just happen.

Also, could you imagine taxes if schools paid for everything??

Being a parent means taking care of our kids, including their education and guiding them in how to not be over scheduled.

 

[Kimberlyann11]

One question: when were these projects assigned?

Maybe it's just the fact that my feet hurt and it's 90 something degrees, but these posts read as though everything else had to be put on hold because the project was due immediately.

That has not been my experience, either as a teacher or the mom of 3 teens. I've always found that with reasonable time management skills on the part of my kids, I was able to get them the supplies they needed at pretty much my own convenience.

So you were the parent with the good kids!! Multiple times I have had mine tell me at 9:00 that she needs posterboard and markers for a project due the next day. For what it's worth though, she was responsible for doing the project and if she had to stay up until three am, that's her problem. Fortunately, she got to be very good at figuring out what the teachers wanted and liked and managed to get good grades on projects in spite of her procrastination.