Call every student’s parent each grading period? Wichita teachers balk at proposal [View all]

[proud2BlibKansan]

How often do you call parents? I don't think this is an unreasonable expectation for elementary teachers. Most of the schools I've worked in have required weekly progress reports as well as monthly phone calls. But there is no way a secondary teacher can call every parent once every grading period! That's insane. Some of our high school teachers have 175 kids!! They'd be on the phone all night every night.

WICHITA -- The Wichita school district wants to require teachers to write detailed lesson plans, file grades online every week and contact each student’s parent or guardian at least once per grading period.

Teachers union representatives called the contract proposals “insulting” and “out of touch,” adding that teachers already work too many hours outside the classroom.

“I understand every parent is concerned about their child, and teachers need to work to keep parents informed. But you can’t forget about another group of kids out there, and that’s … the children of employees,” said Greg Jones, who is leading contract talks on behalf of the union.

Mary Whiteside, the district’s director of human resources, said the proposals are an attempt to address parent expectations.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/04/26/3578960/call-every-students-parent-each.html#storylink=cpy