Teaching Personal Responsibility

Join Teachers.Net

Chatboards

Recent Groups

Classroom Mgmt

MEMBERS

25 Members

+ Join Group

Pinned Posts

ALLAll Teachers

Teachers.Net LIVE CHAT Support group - Tues eve!

Featured Jobs

Full-timeMontessori Teacher

Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada

TemporaryTeachers, rural schools

Peace River North School District

Full-timeHead Teacher: 2nd/3rd Grades – Mills College Children’s School

Mills College

Teaching Jobs on Teachers.Net

Featured Job special only $39!

https://teachers.net/jobs

Become a Teachers.Net sponsor!

Classroom Management Chatboard

Teaching Personal Responsibility

by Beccah

Sep 23, 2014

Keeping track of assignments, teaching personal responsibility and intrinsic motivation are always a key component of a Middle School setting. I have found over the years that while I can work towards these goals with my students at school, it seems to be the parents who ultimately get in the way of any progress being made.

I have always believed that Middle School is the time to "stop holing their hands" and really let them fail if you have to (it's a safer environment to fail than High School at least). While I keep my homework listed in the same spot in my room each day as well as on my class website, I just received an email from a parent who insisted that I must also post the homework on our schools grading system (it's a bigger hassle than it's worth) since their student just "won't" use their agenda. And that I must not count their child's last assignment as "late" since I didn't post it to this site.

How can you get parents to understand that it their child'...See More

Comment

(6)

report post

view previous comments

Kent I teach at the high school level and we use Infinite Campus to do our grading and attendance. It allows parents and students to keep track of their grades,missing assignments and absences. I think this also allows the students to take responsibility for themselves. You always need to remind some of the students of this ability, especially the young...See MoreI teach at the high school level and we use Infinite Campus to do our grading and attendance. It allows parents and students to keep track of their grades,missing assignments and absences. I think this also allows the students to take responsibility for themselves. You always need to remind some of the students of this ability, especially the younger students or those new to the district. I also tell parents on open house night that one of the best things they can remind their students of is time management. These skills need to be learned before they move on to the next level because there is not going to be standing over them and making sure they get their work done. I think each level moves them towards this goal. On 9/23/14, PamG wrote: > > I am a parent to a new middle schooler - and a teacher. I > do like that I can check on his class websites and see how > he is doing, and what he needs to be doing. As a teacher, I > know that teachers are pretty busy doing all the teaching, > and that communicating with the parents is a low priority! > I also know that I want my child to learn responsibility so > that when he goes to college he can manage his own class > schedule. Letting him fail now is far better than him > failing later. Easier to help him out now than later. > > Would it be possible to send home a carefully worded letter > to parents explaining this exciting time where students are > learning to manage their own work and schedule? Something > that doesn't upset the teachers, but does encourage parents > to keep track of their kids - but from more of a distance > than they might be used to? > > > > > > > > On 9/23/14, Beccah wrote: >> Keeping track of assignments, teaching personal >> responsibility and intrinsic motivation are always a key >> component of a Middle School setting. I have found over >> the years that while I can work towards these goals with >> my students at school, it seems to be the parents who >> ultimately get in the way of any progress being made. >> >> I have always believed that Middle School is the time to >> "stop holing their hands" and really let them fail if you >> have to (it's a safer environment to fail than High >> School at least). While I keep my homework listed in the >> same spot in my room each day as well as on my class >> website, I just received an email from a parent who >> insisted that I must also post the homework on our >> schools grading system (it's a bigger hassle than it's >> worth) since their student just "won't" use their agenda. >> And that I must not count their child's last assignment >> as "late" since I didn't post it to this site. >> >> How can you get parents to understand that it their >> child's responsibility to know the assigned work for the >> day and to figure out a system that works for their >> child--not their parents?

Sep 23, 2014

report post

JenFnyc am,

I have been following a similar issue on a social site. A friend also has a new middle schooler, and she has received 5 "contracts" to sign as someone co-responsible for her middle schoolers behavior. As a parent, she doesn't want to sign, and to your point, would rather have her child use her own judgment, and if it happens, to "fail...See More

Sep 24, 2014

report post

Beccah Jen,

I don't give out a contract, but I do have the students and parents sign a syllabus at the beginning of the year. I put in there some basic information about what is expected, homework expectations, etc. It is especially nice when I have issues of plagiarism come up because I can point back to my syllabus where I have discussed it at ...See More

Sep 24, 2014

report post

Steph Schragen Great Job! I enjoyed your discussion. And I think that having the parents sign the syllabus at the beginning of the year is brilliant! This not only gets the parents more involved but assures that there is no miscommunication and that everyone is clear on the expectations that you hold for all the students. This eliminates the opportunity for the s...See More