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FLyellowdog

(4,276 posts)

13. A parent complained to me one time

Reply to arely staircase (Original post)

Sat May 18, 2013, 09:31 PM

May 2013

that my red marking grades were humiliating to his daughter because others could see her low grades written in such a glaring color.

It wasn't worth the fight so I merely said, "Thank you. I never thought of that." And I started using different colored pens for grading papers.

I learned early on in my teaching career to pick my battles. Teachers have a difficult enough time trying to be all things to all people without making a mountain out of a mole hill.

Get a basket and let the students put their homework there. You have more important things to do instead of fretting about this. Who knows what set the parent off that day...

Thanks for choosing this difficult career. I hope you find it rewarding...in spite of crazy parents.

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A Slice of Life for this Teacher [View all] arely staircase May 2013 OP

I bet you had a suggestion for her as well! femmocrat May 2013 #1

no arely staircase May 2013 #4

Gosh, if only there were some way to avoid that humliating experience... winter is coming May 2013 #2

yeah i know, if there were only some way.. arely staircase May 2013 #6

If she's got time to contact you, she's got time to remind the kid to do his homework. n/t winter is coming May 2013 #9

when we request meetings she never has time for that arely staircase May 2013 #10

It's called "enabling". Mom enables her son's poor performance. kwassa May 2013 #3

yes it is enabling but the campus admin calls it accomodating. arely staircase May 2013 #18

My Mom can trump you Yo_Mama May 2013 #28

similar situation in an elementary in which i used to teach arely staircase May 2013 #33

And in the end the kid's the loser Yo_Mama May 2013 #34

Did the boy become President in 2000? kairos12 May 2013 #48

Dear Mom: Not to worry. He probably won't be embarrassingly called up to get his diploma. Tierra_y_Libertad May 2013 #5

thank you. eom arely staircase May 2013 #7

I knew a teacher who would accept late work only if the student's parent called in and made the Brickbat May 2013 #8

that is right out of my life arely staircase May 2013 #11

Yeah, she lives in an area where the union is strong. Brickbat May 2013 #12

no, my union is weak in "right to work" Texas arely staircase May 2013 #14

A parent complained to me one time FLyellowdog May 2013 #13

thank you but problem with that arely staircase May 2013 #15

Unless it's unlike any school I ever attended, the kids already know who doesn't winter is coming May 2013 #16

exactly arely staircase May 2013 #17

a basket can also provide the opportunity for students to copy work sad-cafe May 2013 #47

High school...? Bigmack May 2013 #19

middle school arely staircase May 2013 #21

Principal called me in to a parent mtg for requiring that a student (17) print his name legibly. WinkyDink May 2013 #20

sadly i find that to be not only believable arely staircase May 2013 #24

Well, I have a great imagination, but not THAT great! The father was even intimidating! WinkyDink May 2013 #37

How can you lose in the long run?... Bigmack May 2013 #35

No, his old man. And the male vice-principal backed him up. So, yes, the kid was still in my class-- WinkyDink May 2013 #38

egads treestar May 2013 #22

yeah, but only after I made it clear I was willing to go to district admin. and the school board arely staircase May 2013 #29

A huge downside of the internet age - how many e-mails from parents do you get??? reformist2 May 2013 #23

tons arely staircase May 2013 #26

How humiliated will her son be when he's flunking in HS? n/t Yo_Mama May 2013 #25

middle school arely staircase May 2013 #27

The deficits accumulate Yo_Mama May 2013 #31

it is a common thing in parent meetings arely staircase May 2013 #32

Yeesh. My kid's a middle schooler. If you don't turn in your homework, you have to report winter is coming May 2013 #41

then i salute the campus administration at that school arely staircase May 2013 #43

I don't doubt it. It's a shame so many teachers don't get the support winter is coming May 2013 #45

I think the parents might be onethatcares May 2013 #30

Reminds me of the unfriendly conference I had to have one time FLyellowdog May 2013 #36

I hope you bought that teacher a hell of a dinner dsc May 2013 #39

She named that kid "Student of the Month" the very next month!!!! FLyellowdog May 2013 #40

no they didn't want him removed arely staircase May 2013 #44

Well, they certainly picked the wrong swamp donkey to mess with. FLyellowdog May 2013 #46

I would have made him stay after school to complete his homework Rosa Luxemburg May 2013 #42