Please tell me what is wrong with this...outstanding teacher!

[kittynh]

I just got the high school newsletter from Keene High school. They announced the winner of the Outstanding Educator Award!

Wow, the best teacher at the school!

There is one quote from her.

This is it....

"Being an educator gives me the responsibility to help people learn something new each day - and many times that is me!" Mrs. Matson

Huh?
But hey, she got $2000 as her award!

My daughter also brought home some class "contracts" she had to sign with her father and myself. This is a promise she will do her work on time and all that (all the students in a class sign them at the start of a new semester).

One was full of typos, misspellings, errors of grammar even I could find...

I can't imagine a teacher would accept a paper from a student that was such a piece of cr@p. It is an insult to the students that they have to accept and take home a document like that (it went on for pages).

Thank goodness for tutors!

[Hagrok]

You should have sent the Contract thing back corrected, and graded, with lots of red ink :)

[bluess]

We just got Blue2's 1st report card. In our county, they get graded at the kindergarten level on Profficient, In Process, or Needs Work.

The comments from both the kindergarten teacher and the ESOL teacher had grammatical and spelling errors. Oy.

[JLam]

You should have sent the Contract thing back corrected, and graded, with lots of red ink :)
Seriously, you should do that. I plan on having kids in the near future, and if any of my kids ever brought home something like that, I'd be at the school the next day, waving it in the teacher's face.

Oh, would they ever rue the day.........

[kittynh]

we walk a fine line with this school. If they want they can dump her from her LD status anytime. She made the mistake of getting good grades....

Anyway, 2 years!

then off to the most expensive high school in the nation! Yeah.

Until then, we shake our heads, keep our fingers crossed - know we can home school her if it gets too bad - and wait for the next sign that education in this state is seriously messed up.

Thank goodness for tutors. they are expensive, but well worth every penny.

And unlike my post here, they never make typos!

[eri]

By 'most expensive' do you mean St. Pauls in Concord, NH? Last I checked, it topped the list. Might want to check out the Vanity Fair article 'Scandal at St. Pauls' first. Nice campus though, plenty of funding. Too bad about mandatory chapel and the whole scandal thing.

[kittynh]

St.Pauls! Surely you jest! I'm talking the tuition wars between Landmark and Forman!

My daughter is Learning Disabled! St.Pauls is losing out by not taking Kitten2, but they wouldn't even let her step foot on their campus.

Then off to the most expensive college in the US

LANDMARK COLLEGE!

Her tutors have all been professors at Landmark College, which is a national treasure in my opinion.

[kittynh]

http://www.landmarkschool.org/index_flash.htm


http://www.formanschool.org/


these places are our dream for our daughter.

And then college. Since she already has tutored with so many of the staff, she is really looking forward to going. These places may be the "most expensive" but you aren't paying for a reputation or snob appeal. You are paying for the best education for a LD child in the world.

http://www.landmarkcollege.org/

[kittynh]

sorry the over reaction, but it comes off as kind of a "joke" to suggest she would be attending St.Pauls with her history.

[eri]

I didn't know who St. Pauls' would take or turn away. I taught there in a summer program - just talented high school students. Good luck at Landmark!

[kittynh]

St.Pauls offered to take Kitten (the now college senior). We were turned off by the religous aspect, even though I am an Episcopalian.


Plus, you were paying really high salaries to the heads of school and such (we check out that stuff). I wanted education not just reputation.

Kitten ended up at Westover School. I can't tell you what a great choice it was. In fact, it was the clear choice once we visited. No snobbery, just friendliness. The kids were learning, yet seemed to much more relaxed and happy. It wasn't competitive. And despite not attending St.Pauls she still ended up at a pretty decent college/university (it's actually designated that) and things are looking pretty good for the Grad School of her choice. (she's a ringer at 2, but the one she wants seems to be panning out so far).

Well, maybe it helps when Mr.James Randi writes you a letter of reccomendation (I'm so bragging, but I'm so proud of that letter)

[CFLarsen]

we walk a fine line with this school. If they want they can dump her from her LD status anytime. She made the mistake of getting good grades....

Anyway, 2 years!

then off to the most expensive high school in the nation! Yeah.

Until then, we shake our heads, keep our fingers crossed - know we can home school her if it gets too bad - and wait for the next sign that education in this state is seriously messed up.

Thank goodness for tutors. they are expensive, but well worth every penny.

And unlike my post here, they never make typos!

I know you've heard it before but: Why need to pay money to get an education at all? Why not get paid instead? :D

[kmortis]

What about Groton School (http://www.groton.org/home/home.asp) or Lawrence Academy (http://www.lacademy.edu/Default.asp?bhcp=1)? I used to live in Groton, and I know that they're both really nice campuses, and really expensive.

[Overman]

You guys are talking about which high school to go to?!?

I thought you just go to the one that has jurisdiction over where your address is!

I don't think it will make much difference at that level, you get out of it what you put in.

[Piscivore]

You should have sent the Contract thing back corrected, and graded, with lots of red ink :)

I have done that. Not on the hand-written notes on the spawn's weekly reports- everyone makes mistakes- but if it is a formal or semi-formal document, or something for general distribution that should have been proofread first, I show no mercy. :)

[kittynh]

Kitten2 has little choice of what high school to attend if she wants to attend college herself. Groton is nice, and New England is just bursting with some of the best high schools in the world. Heck, where Kitten went to high school was where the Jordanian royal family sends their daughters (if you want snob appeal). But, few high schools are geared toward the students with severe learning disablilities. You always read about how these kids have high IQs and stuff, but no one knows what to do with them.

Often they are dumped with kids in the public high school that are just plain old "slow learners" (not LD) or kids with severe personal or behavioral problems. So smart kids in classes with really "slow learners" or behavior problems. Such fun. And the first thing blamed for education increases... that darn budget for the special education kids.

However, high school is a lot of fun socially, and there are fun clubs to join and stuff. So really I am homeschooling her with the tutor, and she goes to the high school for the social life. For now!

Another option we have is for her just to zip through the public high school in 3 years, and pop straight into Landmark College! Her tutor suggested that as an option today. Not a bad plan as a back up. If we are going to be shelling out the kind of money Landmark or Forman charges, let's at least get college credit!

[veggie doll]

I have done that. Not on the hand-written notes on the spawn's weekly reports- everyone makes mistakes- but if it is a formal or semi-formal document, or something for general distribution that should have been proofread first, I show no mercy. :)

That seems reasonable. I'm studying to be a primary school teacher myself, and if I had written a formal document that was sent back to me with spelling/grammar corrections, I'd accept it and apologise.

[kittynh]

The sad part about this high school is that they have had 7 principals in 7 years.


It's too darn big a school. No one principal can handle it.


!"

I'm so tired of going into the school for yet another little talk. They are probably so sick of seeing me. It's all do I want to take things to the NEXT level and the point is that I just want her to get a decent education, or at least not be totally blown away at the indifference of so many teachers. I KNOW they are underpaid and the school is too big. But go to work for Wal Mart then. If you are going to be miserable in an underpaying job, at least go for a job where you aren't hurting kids.


Rant over.

[Kiless]

You guys are talking about which high school to go to?!?

I thought you just go to the one that has jurisdiction over where your address is!

I don't think it will make much difference at that level, you get out of it what you put in.

I disagree with this. Schools greatly differ and it's not just 'what you get from what you put in'. Especially when it's special needs students.

[kittynh]

The point is that special needs students have as much to contribute to the world as anyone else. More in fact. I'm pulling for Temple Grandin to come talk at TAM5! Talk about someone that shows the great advantages for the world in educating the learning disabled!

A school that looks at these kids and says, "minimum wage" or tries to teach them to say, "paper or plastic" is doing no one a favor. Because these kids tend to be brilliant.

[athon]

Teaching standards in many countries have changed over recent years, especially grammar and literacy. With revolutionary teaching strategies trying to change how students learned basic literacy skills in primary schools taking place in past decades, many children lost out on learning essential reading and writing skills. The thing is, it began a vicious circle. University teaching courses are not set up to teach teachers the basic skills; they assume potential educators already have them.

There is an attempt to change this in some systems, but it's difficult to do. The other problem is that primary schools are increasingly overburdoned with heavy curriculums, leaving less time to practice the basics. It is possible to fit it all in with some creative bleeding of subjects, but not all teachers have such skill.

Trends will change as people see the necessity of good literacy programs. However we are still seeing the aftereffects of poor program management committed to by governments in the 80's and 90's.

Athon

[rjh01]

Be very carefully about correcting other people's mistakes in English, least you make one yourself!

If you must do it only do the most serious mistakes like right <-> write.

[kittynh]

well, I'm not very good at English myself.

However, anything that goes home with the 3-5 year olds I work with goes through the head teacher first (she's really good).

So this week we get a new wrinkle.

The English teacher is asking my daughter to write in class. Her IEP plan says, "One on one help is required for any classroom work involving writing."

She is supposed to write a paragaph about a book the class has read (or heard on tape). She writes on the test (after the teacher ignores her asking for help, his reply, "just do it!") "See IEP" and turned it in.

I get called into school. The teacher is yelling at me that all he wanted was a paragaph, and she insulted him. I asked if he had read her IEP. He tells me he IS a special education teacher and doesn't need to read the IEP. That only applies to mainstream teachers. (nope, he's wrong). My daughters counselor says that my daughter should get a 0 for the assignment and that she should have been kicked out of class. She is praising the English teacher. I simply pull out my copy of her IEP, and wave it at them. The teacher then tells me and my daughter, that is she does not pass him English class she will never get into any college. If she can't handle his class she will never get beyond high school. I was tempted to hit the man. Especially as he was backed up by the counselor. I then informed him I was requesting a meeting, and that my daughters tutor, who is a professor at Landmark College would be included. I then asked the English teacher what his training and education was in special education.

Requesting a meeting is BIG. They said, "we don't need a meeting! This is your daughters fault. She is using her IEP as a crutch!". Hmmm, then why is she getting A's in all her mainstream classes? Why is she doing a college level course in psychology with her tutor? Does this man even know that she CAN NOT WRITE! (I mean, she can write her name. And that is it. Oh and she wrote "see IEP". I'm rather proud she could write that). Instead we are using technology. Why beat a dead horse?

I then get from this man the story of how his son is dying. He can not have the stress of a full LD meeting. How can I ask him to take time out of his schedule when he needs to be with his son. I know this man is a devote Xian that has adopted a whole BUNCH (10) children, all of whom are severely ill. This is "his calling". He never has time to meet with any parents, because one of his kids is always dying. Another teacher that is a friend complained that the man gets endless time off and is a total slacker because no one dares to come down hard on a man that is so "noble" as to adopt these children. Look, 10 of them? I know it's great to do and all that, but it sounds like a full time job! I feel for the guy, but when he brings it up so I wont' request a meeting (which can go on HIS record) then I feel sorry for the kids he teaches.

We are sending off the letter to the head of education for this district requesting the meeting. We are going to be Satan to some people (how can we do this to this Xian man?). But oddly enough, a lot of people are saying, "It's about time!"

This is so NOT fun. I dont' know how much more I can take. I'm used to working with teachers. I'm used to people that worry about the child. I"m not into getting people in trouble (if that is what happens) and fighting to have what's needed for my child.

I'm getting so downhearted.

Oh well, meeting time soon!

[Chaos]

What the...?

Who the **** is this jackass that is trying to ruin Kitten2´s education by refusing to do his job? They shouldn´t be preparing a meeting, they should be drafting his dismissal.


Keep it up, Kitty. Don´t ever give up.
In case nobody told you yet, you´re doing a great job. From what you´ve told us about Kitten2´s learning disability, I can imagine very well where she would be (in terms of education, that is, not geographical location) if it wasn´t for all the help she got, and for your determination in getting her that help. She surely wouldn´t be preparing for college.
You know I talked with Kitten2 at TAM. It was plain to see she loved the progress she is making. All that wouldn´t have been possible without you. Keep it up, Kitty. Don´t let that jackass destroy it all.

[athon]

Kitty, you have my complete sympathies. I've seen similar situations and they are near impossible to deal with. It sounds like you're doing everything right (IMO). Just don't be too surprised if things don't smoothly go yours and Kitten2's way. The system is a machine, and a rather stubborn one at that.

Keeping fighting, and know we're here cheering you on.

Athon

[slingblade]

The other English/Education majors in my cohort are poor spellers (sometimes very poor), have a limited grasp of proper grammar, syntax, and punctuation, and tend to have a limited self-awareness of their English skills. IOW, they don't realize they can't really "do" English.

As recently as last semester, as we were preparing to embark on our student teaching internships, other members of my cohort were bringing me their essays for correction. I recall one of them being especially bad, and felt sorry for the writer's students. The painful thing, to me, is that none of them seemed to think it was all that important. "I'll figure it out as I go along."

Urk? If after four years of college, majoring in English, writing paper after paper after paper, you still can't spell or properly order a sentence, then good luck mastering it while trying to teach. In fact, good luck teaching it; my own students nail me for every little error I make, and I don't make many.

And yet, they'll get the same license I'll get. It's rather irritating, to put it mildly.

[Chaos]

The other English/Education majors in my cohort are poor spellers (sometimes very poor), have a limited grasp of proper grammar, syntax, and punctuation, and tend to have a limited self-awareness of their English skills. IOW, they don't realize they can't really "do" English.

As recently as last semester, as we were preparing to embark on our student teaching internships, other members of my cohort were bringing me their essays for correction. I recall one of them being especially bad, and felt sorry for the writer's students. The painful thing, to me, is that none of them seemed to think it was all that important. "I'll figure it out as I go along."

Urk? If after four years of college, majoring in English, writing paper after paper after paper, you still can't spell or properly order a sentence, then good luck mastering it while trying to teach. In fact, good luck teaching it; my own students nail me for every little error I make, and I don't make many.

And yet, they'll get the same license I'll get. It's rather irritating, to put it mildly.

Ouch.

I´ve heard Americans tell me that my written English is better than that of many native speakers. Up to now I thought they were trying to flatter me.