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If I could list all the rules in a book, along with all the "new ones" that
are made-up along the way...you'd laugh. Here's a sampling:
Notebooks are a certain size , decorated a certain way, numbered a certain
way for every class (all different, of course, why make it consistent?)
some classes have binders and folders, others spirals, other composition
books...different highlighter colors for each class, glue for some, staples
for others, parent's signatures on tests must be the next day, if the child
is absent, all work must be IN the next day (even if they are
hospitalized!) (I think that one was made up at the last minute...)Its up
to the kids to have a buddy in ALL 7 classes to call about homework, then
make arrangements to pick it up/drop it off...if notebook pages
get "wrinkled", torn, or are partially falling out- points off during the
notebook check, TEN points off a math test for forgetting a dollar
sign!!!!??? (even though the answer was correct?)Is that excessive? Bonus
points are done ONLINE, but a printout of the "quiz" online is due THE NEXT
DAY (we had no ink and at 9PM we wrote a note to the teacher, explaining
that she could not print it out due to no ink..but she would re-take the
quiz and print it out for bonus points after we got ink the next day- ) The
answer was NO. (in the note I verified her score of 100, even wrote some of
the questions down so he'd know we didn't make it up to get a whole bonus
point!) Not good enough.
Do you see a pattern of inflexibility? Is it a bit ridiculous? No wonder my
child has ben hospitalized for gastro/intestinal issues! I'm so stressed
over her being stressed it's crazy.
All we have is our word, and her good grades (which are usually 100%). We
had no ink. Her dad's out of work- over a year now. College grad. We have
NO extras in our house. Ink is extra. Of course she didn't want me to tell
that to her teacher...
There's SO many more important things in life- but I feel like this kid
tries SO hard to earn everything, and punitive things that are so
insignificant (like a staple vs a glue stick) are getting in her way
because some teacher thinks it's important to have "rules" and may be on
a "power trip" like someone else posted. (not my words- someone else said
it) My kid has NO recourse.) Adults can quit a job and get out of a bad
situation. These teachers are drill sargeants who treat the kids like
enlisted soldiers! They have NO way out.
OH- ya'll know why we have no staples now. Extra. Staples and ink= $10.00.
Mortgage and a roof. What's important here?
On 1/28/10, Jo wrote:
> I'm with you OP, all the way!
>
> The more you explain all of the 'rules', pink not blue, 3 staples not
> glue, it really sounds a bit overwhelming and controlling.
>
>
> On 1/28/10, Fom OP about the glue vs staples wrote:
>> OK_ Here's WHY she used GLUE and not staples..... First- she has an IQ
>> of 140, when the "teacher's stapler" was circulated thru the room, it
>> was EMPTY when it got to her, so she BROUGHT the paper home,
>> UNfastened into her notebook. At home, WE didn't HAVE any
> staples at
>> home,(we only had a Mini-stapler that came with one row of staples,
>> and it was "out") so she used a glue STICK to carefully and neatly
>> adhere the paper into the notebook in its proper location, page
>> numbered correctly, date at the top, title letters "colored in" using
>> a PINK (NOT BLUE) highligher. She "problem solved" for herself
> by
>> improvising, rather than disrupt the class to ask for staples. (she is
>> also very shy and would not THINK about getting out of her seat to
>> ask for staples) I bought a stapler for home. I know my kid...... I
>> know what she would and would not do. I, for one , was NOT amused at
>> the cooking and cleaning joke. I don't find it funny at all- just my
>> opinion. On 1/28/10, Jo wrote:
>>> Deb,
>>> Thanks for your opinion.
>>>
>>> I find it amusing. We never agree on anything. I guess that's
>>> what makes the world go round!
>>>
>>>
>>> On 1/28/10, Deb ms/IA wrote:
>>>> I am sorry you don't seem to find following basic rules to be
>>>> necessary. In the situation listed by the OP it may seem simple
>>>> that glue vs staples isn't worth the time and effort. Glue can
>>>> be a mess if its the pourable type, won't stick if its the stick
>>>> type or there isn't enough glue to use for another project.
>>>> Teacher gave a simple task and that was to use the stapler.
>>>> Student didn't follow the direction so there is possibly a
>>>> penalty.
>>>>
>>>> example - I told students to log onto their accounts using
>>>> Firefox. Stood in front of two young men and stated where to
>>>> go. They went to Safari instead and their program wouldn't load
>>>> so they chatted instead. They got in trouble for not following
>>>> a simple direction. They are now behind because they didn't
>>>> follow one direction!
>>>>
>>>> Have you tried to hire any young people lately? You would be
>>>> surprised how many do not think following simple basic rules is
>>>> important on the job. You may deem filling out a green form and
>>>> filling it on Tuesdays dumb. But the office runs much more
>>>> efficiently if small rules are followed. Green forms could be
>>>> orders for new customers and they get special service.
>>>> Bookkeeping is easier if the form color code is followed. Maybe
>>>> the green forms are employee day off requests that need to be
>>>> filled a week early in order to adjust the work force or hire a
>>>> temp. Just because you, the employee see no use in such a
>>>> policy, the boss has a reason for doing things a certain way.
>>>>
>>>> The mom in this case needs to back off and let her daughter take
>>>> responsibility for her tasks and actions. The cooking and
>>>> cleaning reference was funny and trying to tell the mom to back
>>>> off.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Deb ms/IA
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On 1/28/10, Jo wrote:
>>>>> When a boss wants me to fill a form out in green on
>>>>> Tuesdays just because he wants it in green on Tuesday, it
>>>>> is time to find a new job because it isn't going to ever
>>>>> get any better (we are talking glue/staples here). As I
>>>>> said, these kids don't even have a choice whether to stay
>>>>> or go in this scenario.
>>>>>
>>>>> I find it interesting that you consider being on time for
>>>>> the job every day a 'little rule' and comparable to glue
>>>>> vs staple.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On 1/28/10, FLteacher wrote:
>>>>>> With today's extremely competitive job market, why
>>>>>> would you knock the
>>>>>> whole "old boss" scenario? Why not just do
>>>>>> what you are told? At my school, my principal has let
>>>>>> go of teachers that just could not follow the little
>>>>>> rules she had in place...like filling out paperwork
>>>>>> correctly or showing up on time every day. There are
>>>>>> rules for a reason. Period. Not a power trip. Not
>>>>>> interferring with creativity or making little
>>>>>> soldiers...just rules that should be followed because
>>>>>> they have been stated.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On 1/28/10, Jo wrote:
>>>>>>> Ahh, the old boss has rules scenario. Only difference
>>>>>>> is if you don't like your job and your bosses rules
>>>>>>> you can find another job or quit and find other
>>>>>>> arrangements to support yourself. I honestly believe
>>>>>>> if there weren't as many power tripping teachers the
>>>>>>> profession would have more respect from students and
>>>>>>> parents. I don't blame the parent for being upset.
>>>>>>> Rules such as explained are only there to exert power
>>>>>>> over those who are then told they are powerless.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 1/28/10, FLteacher wrote:
>>>>>>>> Although I do not agree with the previous poster's
>>>>>>>> comments regarding cooking and cleaning, I do agree
>>>>>>>> with the gist of the post. I am a sixth grade
>>>>>>>> teacher and it does sound like you may be too
>>>>>>>> involved in being your daughter's lawyer instead of
>>>>>>>> her mother. The teacher has rules and you may not
>>>>>>>> like them but it is not your class. Why is it your
>>>>>>>> daughter used glue instead of staples? It may be a
>>>>>>>> little thing to you but if the rule was stated then
>>>>>>>> that is that. Gotta follow the rules. When she has
>>>>>>>> a boss one day she does not care for or doesn't
>>>>>>>> agree with the boss's procedures she will remember
>>>>>>>> this situation. Please back the teacher regardless
>>>>>>>> of your beliefs.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> It really reminds me when my son was in sixth grade
>>>>>>>> he went from an A to a B in a quarter in science
>>>>>>>> because his ruler had been broken for three days.
>>>>>>>> He told me he needed a new one and I said I'd get
>>>>>>>> it over the weekend. That teacher took 10 points
>>>>>>>> off everyday he didn't have a ruler. You know she
>>>>>>>> had a box of them somewhere but that was not the
>>>>>>>> point. She had a rule and that was that. Did he
>>>>>>>> learn a lesson? Did I? You bet. He has never missed
>>>>>>>> a supply since then and has maintained straight A's
>>>>>>>> into high school.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Back the teacher and let you daughter toughen up a
>>>>>>>> bit. It all works out.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On 1/28/10, To- you need to step back wrote:
>>>>>>>>> Are you serious? First of all- telling me to
>>>>>>>>> cook, clean? For real? The reason I am involved
>>>>>>>>> is to PREVENT this type of ridiculous grading
>>>>>>>>> policy from affecting many MORE children, not
>>>>>>>>> just my own. The reason it was brought to my
>>>>>>>>> attention was BECAUSE it happened to my child.
>>>>>>>>> Telling a woman to cook and clean instead of
>>>>>>>>> taking an interest in her child's work at school
>>>>>>>>> is a sexist remark. She's my child and I will
>>>>>>>>> remain interested in her life until she is 18 and
>>>>>>>>> on her own. Cooking and cleaning can wait. On
>>>>>>>>> 1/27/10, You need to step back... wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> Honestly, I can't relate to your post.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> My parents were not so involved in my grades at
>>>>>>>>>> the 6th grade level. I learned to be
>>>>>>>>>> responsible for myself and to deal with my own
>>>>>>>>>> problems. Is this really that big of a deal? If
>>>>>>>>>> your daughter is "gifted", I would
>>>>>>>>>> think that she would be smart enough to get an
>>>>>>>>>> A without your OVER-involvement. I think you
>>>>>>>>>> need to back off and give your daughter a
>>>>>>>>>> chance to be responsible. You just seem way too
>>>>>>>>>> informed in this incident. Don't you have
>>>>>>>>>> anything better to do? Clean? Cook? Read the
>>>>>>>>>> great books with your kids. Anything seems to
>>>>>>>>>> be healthier than quibbling over one lousy
>>>>>>>>>> point.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Sorry if this is harsh but I hate to see the
>>>>>>>>>> pressure you are putting on your kid. She was
>>>>>>>>>> sick and probably doesn't need this stress.
>>>>>>>>>> Please for the sake of your kid, back off.
>>>>>>>>>> Fight the important battles. You are probably
>>>>>>>>>> making her feel like crap.
>>>>>>>>>
>>

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