so calm this mama bear down

[DisneyJamieCA]

So, according the the information the we have here, the kid is going to class every day, doing the work assignments during assigned work time, and homework, if applicable... enough to be making a GOOD grade in math.... Yet, it seems appropriate to some to call her lazy... There can't be any real underlying issue here... It couldn't be the teacher or an underlying learning deficit... Just label the kid 'lazy'. Really.... Really? WOW...

If you had read what I actually wrote, I said maybe it's time to look for an underlying issue if it's not just her being lazy. However, you are putting your experience with an IEP in this, when the OP clearly stated there was no learning disability or underlying issue and she simply wasn't practicing them. We can only go on the information given - which in the end isn't a whole lot.

And to touch on luvjack's point again...yes, if there is an underlying issue then maybe having the kids do busy work was the right answer. However, again, the OP said her daughter wasn't studying them. No way the class should be made to do busy work because one student chose not to the assigned work. Life doesn't work that way! And without knowing if the student/class was forewarned about the missing "fun" time, we can't say whether it was fair. But I really wish people would stop trying to find an underlying reason for incomplete work when the OP said it's simply that her daughter chose not to do it!

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I can't believe this thread is still going

 

[undertheradar]

so dd 5th grade comes home today in tears saying she had to sit facing the cabinets today - with her back to the movie that everyone else was watching NOT because of a behavior issue BUT so she could practice her math facts.

DD is the only one in class (besides the special needs kids) who hasn't mastered them (timed computer program).

flashback 2 weeks ago. DD was also punished for not reaching her AR goal. She had to sit silently & read while the other kids got to get up, socialize & work on their sewing craft. The deadline had not passed yet - she was not the only child in this case.

flashback 5 yrs ago. different DD was also denied the sewing craft - same grade/different teacher. wasn't even allowed to do project over Christmas break. It was also because of AR goal. 5 years ago we met with principal/vice principal who felt that it's not a punishment she feels the teacher it is correct it is a privilege for the kids who meet their goals. #1 dd stopped reading for pleasure in 5th grade & still doesn't read now.

FWIW dd is an A/B student

SOOOO should mama bear be upset in your opinion?

This is the initial post and since this is OP's second DD that is experiencing the "punishment," it would look as if the OP does not work with her DDs on school work. With first DD, okay, perhaps it is the method. Now with a second DD and the lack of effort on learning these skills at home? Sorry, time for OP to start changing routine and adding these basic school/life skills into part of everyday at home. Making DD#2 a "victim" is just wrong.

 

[Sanchez]

So, according the the information the we have here, the kid is going to class every day, doing the work assignments during assigned work time, and homework, if applicable... enough to be making a GOOD grade in math.... Yet, it seems appropriate to some to call her lazy... There can't be any real underlying issue here... It couldn't be the teacher or an underlying learning deficit... Just label the kid 'lazy'. Really.... Really? WOW...

Says the person who always blames the teacher. . .

 

[Dizneefamily+4]

If that's the case, then the class is already being held back for one student.

No life isn't fair. But when a student is made to be resentful for the way she FEELS she was treated (regardless of anyone's opinion of it), you are hurting her for the long haul. That's the kid that starts to hate school so much she gives up.

I have seen that kid sitting in the corner, working on make up work with tears running down his cheek. That's not learning.

I can clearly remember my 5th grade teacher (I graduated h.s. in 1989, so 5th grade was EONS ago) requiring (forcing?) us to stand in front of the class and recite the Gettysburg Address - word for word. If we messed up, we had to sit down and wait to be called on again. Until we got it right, we couldn't go to recess. Harsh? Yes (and really, to this day I don't know what purpose memorizing it served, but I can STILL recite it.) I wasn't scarred for life. Do I remember it fondly? Nope. Nor do I have fond memories of that particular teacher. But again, that harsh requirement didn't force me to hate school or my other teachers. I had a very successful educational career culminating in earning a bachelor's degree. I even married a teacher! And I have nothing but the utmost respect for teachers. I could never, ever do their job. And my dh is one of the best!

 

[mefordis]

That is not a comparable situation since everyone in your class had to do it. A comparable situation would be if the teacher had sent a student to the back of the room during a movie to study the address while your class watched a movie. Did that happen?

OP, you didn't need to make a thread asking people on the Dis if this was teacher was right in what she did. Your gut instinct told you it was wrong. Keep following that instinct. If it feels wrong it probably is.

Unfortunately there is probably nothing you can do about it. (You have seen her tendency to be vindictive.) I know the time will come when my dds will get a lousy teacher. Thankfully that hasn't happened yet. All I can do is try to help my daughters be the best students they can be so they aren't the ones in the line of fire.

I can clearly remember my 5th grade teacher (I graduated h.s. in 1989, so 5th grade was EONS ago) requiring (forcing?) us to stand in front of the class and recite the Gettysburg Address - word for word. If we messed up, we had to sit down and wait to be called on again. Until we got it right, we couldn't go to recess. Harsh? Yes (and really, to this day I don't know what purpose memorizing it served, but I can STILL recite it.) I wasn't scarred for life. Do I remember it fondly? Nope. Nor do I have fond memories of that particular teacher. But again, that harsh requirement didn't force me to hate school or my other teachers. I had a very successful educational career culminating in earning a bachelor's degree. I even married a teacher! And I have nothing but the utmost respect for teachers. I could never, ever do their job. And my dh is one of the best!

 

[rgf207]

Says the person who always blames the teacher. . .

This x 1000

 

[DizBelle]

That is not a comparable situation since everyone in your class had to do it. A comparable situation would be if the teacher had sent a student to the back of the room during a movie to study the address while your class watched a movie. Did that happen?

OP, you didn't need to make a thread asking people on the Dis if this was teacher was right in what she did. Your gut instinct told you it was wrong. Keep following that instinct. If it feels wrong it probably is.

Unfortunately there is probably nothing you can do about it. (You have seen her tendency to be vindictive.) I know the time will come when my dds will get a lousy teacher. Thankfully that hasn't happened yet. All I can do is try to help my daughters be the best students they can be so they aren't the ones in the line of fire.

It seems exactly the same since everyone in the class had to demonstrate proficiency in math facts and those that did got to watch the movie.

 

[Dizneefamily+4]

It seems exactly the same since everyone in the class had to demonstrate proficiency in math facts and those that did got to watch the movie.

Took the words right outta my mouth...

 

[mefordis]

It seems exactly the same since everyone in the class had to demonstrate proficiency in math facts and those that did got to watch the movie.

The comparison would lie in what the pp's teacher did to the kids who did not learn the GB Address. What did she do? Then you can compare. Did she have them sit in the back room and miss out on a movie? That is what you have to compare. Not that both classes had to memorize something. That's not the issue here with the OP. It's how the teacher treated the OP's daughter for not memorizing math facts.

 

[Dizneefamily+4]

The comparison would lie in what the pp's teacher did to the kids who did not learn the GB Address. What did she do? Then you can compare. Did she have them sit in the back room and miss out on a movie? That is what you have to compare. Not that both classes had to memorize something. That's not the issue here with the OP. It's how the teacher treated the OP's daughter for not memorizing math facts.

As I stated, those students who couldn't recite it had to stay in for recess until they could.

 

[mefordis]

As I stated, those students who couldn't recite it had to stay in for recess until they could.

Oh, I apologize. I missed that part. Staying in for recess is more acceptable since I imagine it was quieter than a room full of kids watching a movie.

It just seems to me the teacher was trying to embarrass the student since she did not put her in a quiet area conducive to learning the facts, but in the same room so she could listen to the movie but not be able to view it. It just seems like a punishment as opposed to truly trying to help the girl learn her facts.

I love teachers and I have loved every single one of my daughter's teachers, ages 5 and 10. I have so much respect for the field of teaching, however, I will identify teachers who should probably have chosen a different field. It is a very special profession. Just anyone cannot do it.

 

[PollyannaMom]

In order to judge fairly, I'd really have to know more about the circumstances of the movie, how things were explained to the child, and whether "facing the cabinets" was like the old standing in the corner, or simply facing the computer to use it.

But my first thought was actually - does the student know the facts away from the computer? I'd hate to be basing her math assessment on her typing skills. Maybe she knows them, but is just not good enough with the keyboard to show her knowledge in that way?

I personally would have a hard time concentrating on practicing the facts during a noisy movie, and while upset, so if it was meant as extra help, it was probably ineffective. If it was meant for punishment, I would think going to another room would have been more appropriate. But again, I wasn't there, and wouldn't want to "go mama bear" without the facts.

If she does need more practice, OP, I'd suggest games that use the facts, but toward another end, so she isn't getting hung up on it as a negative experience. An example is a bingo game where you roll two dice, multiply the numbers, and cover the answer. The kids get concentrating on the bingo part instead of the math drill aspect.

Good luck!

 

[mom2rtk]

In order to judge fairly, I'd really have to know more about the circumstances of the movie, how things were explained to the child, and whether "facing the cabinets" was like the old standing in the corner, or simply facing the computer to use it.

I saw that question asked, but did the OP ever answer whether the reason the child had their back to the class was because that's how the computer was placed?

 

[sunshinehighway]

I saw that question asked, but did the OP ever answer whether the reason the child had their back to the class was because that's how the computer was placed?

No. I don't think the Op has responded in a while.

 

[Schmeck]

I also totally agree with this!!!!
There should be options for assistance for children who are struggling academically... during the school day... Without a lot of extra demands after school and at home... expecting parents to be 'teachers'.

OMG, we shouldn't expect parents to be teachers, yet we expect teachers to be parents - teaching manners, life skills, etc. I guess parents should be called breed stock instead?

As a parent I am my child's first teacher, and last teacher. My job as their teacher doesn't end once they graduate from school.

Most hard wiring in the brain occurs in the early childhood years. Shame on the parents who do not help their children get the proper exposure to learning in that time. I started with my children at birth. Patterns in their cribs, lots of reading to them, lots of music. Television was limited, no video games until they were in middle school, no violent ones ever. Computer software was academic-based; we played math and spelling games in the car. Both played sports for exercise, commitment, and discipline.

Even though one had "Spectrum-like issues" (school psych brought that up) and the other has numerous birth defects, both were successful achievers in school. I think if I had the attitude that the teachers were solely in charge of their education, they would not be so successful today.

 

[Granny square]

What homeschooler doesn't believe the parents should be helping this kid? That is whacked!

 

[mefordis]

What homeschooler doesn't believe the parents should be helping this kid? That is whacked!

This thread is about how the teacher handled the situation - not about speculating on what the op may or may not be doing at home.

 

[Granny square]

This thread is about how the teacher handled the situation - not about speculating on what the op may or may not be doing at home.

Lol, a mod? The op is a story about a kid, a teacher and a "mama bear." The conversation has probed into he bigger picture. Conversations often do.

My comment was re wuas's post. All of the blame is going to the teacher. As a homeschooler re a homeschooler. A homeschool parent who thinks that only a teacher can help this child is an anomaly in the world of homeschoolers.

 

[mefordis]

Lol, a mod? The op is a story about a kid, a teacher and a "mama bear." The conversation has probed into he bigger picture. Conversations often do.

My comment was re wuas's post. All of the blame is going to the teacher. As a homeschooler re a homeschooler. A homeschool parent who thinks that only a teacher can help this child is an anomaly in the world of homeschoolers.

I didn't catch anywhere the OP said she does not help her daughter at home. I'm more focused on the methods employed by the teacher, which would drive me closer to home schooling than ever.

Sorry, I'm not trying to moderate. I just feel it's unfair if people are speculating about what the op does at home without knowing for sure.