Someone hold my purse, and my phone, and my heels, and my earrings. Hand me that hairband, I need to pull back my hair. Anyone got some Vaseline? I need to rub it on my face so she can't scratch me. 'Cause there's gonna be a FIGHT TONIGHT!!!!
Matt and I went to Parent/Teacher Conferences tonight. And let me start out by saying that I am not one of those moms who says "Oh No, it can't be MY little darling!!!" Trust me, I am well aware that it can always be my kid. ( and usually is)
We went to this conference knowing that Emerson has been having trouble with homework this trimester. The teacher and I have been emailing back and forth and I think that we finally got it under control. Em was incredibly proud that she had no late slips last week and got rewarded for it at home. She gets it. Homework = reward, No Homework = no reward or TV or computer or freedom of any kind. Even a monkey understands that!
We have never really had too much of a problem with Emerson at school, she enjoys it. She has always done her homework in the past and has gotten good grades.
This year is apparently different, and I believe she needed this first trimester to gather her sea legs, so to speak. And I'm all for not dwelling on the past. We found the problem, we corrected it, LET'S MOVE ON!
But OH NO!! We have to discuss in detail everything that Emerson is doing wrong. And the worst thing about it is that she insisted that Emerson be there for this bash fest! She even told Emerson that she had a lot of good things to tell us, LIE!!!! Emerson actually teared up!
She brought out about 10 sheets of work to show us how Emerson spells. Why 10? We got it on the first example. Then she is asking Em what the words were, how is that productive? She suggested a reader, which is a book like a dictionary but without the definitions. Fine, I pick one up tomorrow for her and we will work with her more on her spelling. (Why, when the whole world has spell check? I have no idea) But mine is not to reason why but to do or die.
Then she talked about her reading goal for October. She was suppose to read 3 chapter books, done. She was suppose to take the Accelerated Reading test on all of them, done. She was suppose to be reading at a 3.0 grade, done. (actually a 3.2) She was suppose to get a 85% on the tests, oops, she got a 83.3% Result: DID NOT REACH HER GOAL!!!!! WTF??? Here's how that little conversation went:
Me: "So she didn't reach her goal because of the 83.3%?"
Teacher: "That's right, she needed an 85%"
Me: "Just so I understand, she missed the goal because of 1.7%?"
Teacher: "Well, it's 2%."
Me: (under my breath because Matt was pinching me under the table) "In what universe does 85 minus 83.3 equal 2?
Here's the KICKER!!!! We got Em's report card from her, all A's and B's with 1 C for spelling!!! I wonder what she said to the kids who were failing???? Did she shove bamboo shoots under their fingernails?
I know what you're going to say; "She must not think that Em's working to her full potential." "Cut the teacher some slack" "You're not being fair." Yadda Yadda Yadda.
I don't wanna!!!! I'm wearing the "mom's hat" and I don't have to play fair!!!!
Here's the conversation when Matt and I were leaving.
Matt: "You looked pretty pissed in there."
Me: " But did I look scary?"
Matt: "You looked pretty scary."
Me: "Good!! That's what I was going for."
Matt: "I guess you won't be first choice to chaperone the next field trip."
Me: "Nope, probably not."
Sorry about the ranting but this just buttered my biscuits!! I'm over it now.
Thank you *curtsy*
11 comments:
Wow, I'm not sure what's worse, having a teacher too nitpicky about everything, or having one that don't give a damn.
Oh no girl. You have every right. That is a little harsh, what grade is she in anyway, 9th, what the hell. Is she young or old??? Hard to tell, this one is.
We had a mean teacher when Morg was in 3rd grade. She was a mean old lady who needed to retire. I told Morgan she was really a witch and she loved to scare children and then put a notch in her belt everytime she did. I told him "you will not be a notch in her belt." We named her Hattie the Witch and we always had a good laugh. Sounds like she has moved on to your school.
Damn. Now that was ridiculous! PLUS to have your daughter there - that is HORRIBLE. I would have been PISSED too! Hell - I am pissed for you and I don't even know you outside of the bloggy world!
So, let me get this right.... the teacher was getting in her digs at Emerson for poor spelling, and yet the teacher cannot subtract correctly? Sheesh..... she would have gotten more than a scary look from me!
Actually, I'm with you... So she didn't make it by 1.7 % (not 2... 1.7!!!) Big stinking deal! At least she made all the other goals. She's just a kid, the teachers should cut her some slack.
Also... Does anyone actually know how to spell nowadays? I can't spell to save my life. Even my brother (who's like a walking, talking dictionary) sometimes has to check the spelling of some words. Again I say... She's just a kid!
Stupid teacher... Sounds like she's lucky Matt was there to keep you from tearing her to shreds. ;)
Unless Emerson has been giving this teacher a lot of lip and tude, I can see no reason why the teacher felt it neccessary to brow beat her in front of her parents. And even if she's been giving her lip, it's really uncallde for - I only offer it as a possible motivation.
a really good teacher finds a way to inspire and encourage without resorting to negativity.
Oh, I Get it. I totally get it. How frustrating! I'm really sorry this happened...
On a kind of random note, your response on LA Moms Blog just about made me spew Mountain Dew onto my keyboard! BWAH!
I thought it was so hilarious...then I found out it was you and I thought, "Of course!"
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving...
XO
Anna
How lame is she? She is the teacher and supposed to be encouraging...she could have given her the 1.7%.
Your poor daughter!!! I hope you did scare that teacher.... sounds like she's a little bit of an odd- over achiever....
All I have to say - I've got your back!!! :-)
Spell check isnt always available and doesnt always get it right anyhow so it's really good to be able to spell properly (and to know which homophone is which). That said and out of the way, how is one supposed to take a teacher seriously when they cant even do elementary math? One can only hope she simply rounded up. In any case, the teacher was absolutely in the wrong for ripping into the child for the least little thing. A suggestion that her spelling is worked on, fine....oops she didnt meet her goal I guess we have to work a little harder...that's fine too. Even the statement of "I KNOW you can do better than this" is totally acceptible.....but what she did? Umm nope. Take a swing for me too.
WTF! I REALLY don't need another reason to freak out, but this b*tch needs a real Come to Jesus talk, as we say down South......
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