What Do They Do All Day?

I know that I am starting to sound like a broken record, but Rachel's teacher strikes again.  This week she has 3 and a half days of school, so of course the teacher schedules 3 tests: a unit test in Social Studies (we've been told to keep the book home for the last two weeks, so I don't know what they are using in class), a unit test in Science (the test on the whole unit is on Thursday and we just got the worksheets from which to study today) and a Spelling test.

Also, she sent home two pages of prayers that Rachel is to have memorized.  Well, actually she was supposed to have them memorized by last Friday, but quite frankly between the 2 reading tests last week which each covered 20 pages of material, the Spelling Test last week, reviewing for a Math test that never seemed to be given, and learning the Social Studies I didn't have a chance to also teach her the prayers.  I am tempted to attach the following note to the list of prayers and send it back to the teacher.

Dear Teacher,

I am well aware of the fact that I have not had a chance to teach Rachel the attached prayers.  Quite frankly, I thought that I was paying for a Catholic school education so that she would learn these basic prayers in school and I am quite troubled that it is March and she is not more familiar with them.  I figured that was what you were spending your time on since I am already teaching Math and Spelling at home, not to mention studying for Science, Social Studies and Religion, as well as reading over 20 pages twice a night for our new bi-weekly Reading tests.

My daughter is at your school for 7 straight hours a day, five days a week.  Not counting the 40 minutes it takes us to drive her to and from school, she spends about an hour with us in the morning (during which time we have to get our children up, dressed, and prepare breakfast along with packing a lunch) and 3 and a half hours with us before she goes to bed.  During that time, we must make dinner for her and the rest of the family, give 4 children baths/showers, read bedtime stories (no, the boys don't find Rachel's Reading assignments an acceptable substitute for their bedtime story) and do homework.  Clearly, when it comes to teachable time, you have the long end of the stick.  So why is it that after spending 7 hours in school, you feel that it is perfectly reasonable to assign upwards of 1 to 2 hours of homework to be done when your students get home from school?  This is on top of the Math that we started doing after you suggested that I buy a Math curriculum and start teaching Rachel at home myself.  Do you really think that two unit tests and a Spelling test is a reasonable amount of work for a first grader to digest in a week that only has three and a half days in it?  Especially, when on Monday, according to my daughter, you had a party all day because of St. Patrick's day and the pizza party that your class won.  Don't even get me started on the time and energy that you put in to winning class contests.

We spend every single night of the week doing homework.  I understand that parents must be partners in their child's education, but I feel that I am shouldering more than my fair share of the load.  Perhaps you should spend a little less time trying to win pizza parties and free dress days and more time teaching Reading, Math and Religion.  Two Science tests in two weeks when we haven't had one all year, tells me that I am not failing to get what I need covered at home, but that things are falling behind in the classroom.  I will teach Rachel these prayers when I can fit it in to the other homework that you have assigned and if that is not fast enough for you, take some time during class to have the children practice.  You certainly get more time with Rachel than I do.

Comments

[AmyH]

From my perspective as a teacher, you're absolutely right. I would send the letter. If I had the guts, that is, which I probably don't. I'm no help.

[Janet]

I would talk to the school pricipal and the teacher together. Trust me when I say that you need to make a point by point list of your problems with this incompetant teacher. Think how many other parents are going through the same thing and just not speaking up. Good luck.

[ella]

oh my that is horrid,my son is 8 and year four and i have badgered the teachers and the head of the junior school and the principle and we dont get homework no matter how hard i try. This year they have finally, but it included cleaning their room, doing chores and carring their bag to school and one topic they saw on the news they want to talk about. all these are worth points, the cleaning was worth the most. Although i relish the idea that you have home work, there are limits. Write the letter!!

[Heather]

Well, I'm just a random stranger off the internet (Found you via "More from BlogHer") but it sounds like you're quite within your rights to send the letter! If it were me I'd probably try to make it sound as nice as I could, but still send it. You need to communicate!
(/ stranger talk.)

[carrien]

I think you ought to send the letter, just as it is. And then I think you ought to go see the principal, explain that you are withdrawing your child from his/her over priced school because she is not getting the education that you are paying for and continue to do the excellent job of homeschooling her that you have already begun, only with more time and less pizza party.

Tell him if he wants to keep your daughter in his school he can hire a different teacher for the remainder of the year.

I Doubt that Rachel would have as much of a problem with it as you suspect. After the first few weeks.And meeting some new friends at your homeschool get togethers.

I already home school so that's my blanket solution for all the problems with schools that I read about.:)

Anyway, I like your blog.

[Andi]

What an awesome letter! And you should send it-truly, the principals do like to have the wake up calls, even if it hurts. Well, after they try to make up any excuse under the sun that it's just you being disgruntled, not anything they did wrong. Ok, so maybe sign it and send it the last day of school. Or slip it under the door or something :p)
I know exactly what you mean though...when my now 16 yr old was end of 4th grade at that very school, we were told "we think it's time he moved on to another school next year". Never mentioned what failing they contributed to the situation, not to mention the bazillion dollars I paid Huntington a couple years later because he didn't learn what he needed...imagine, unable to determine a main idea of a story. 7th grade vocabulary, 2-3rd grade comprehension. Oh, but I digress.
It's very unfortunate that the K-8 schools are so different from school to school due in part to the lack of intervention from the diocese and the broad range of opinions of each pastor. It's quite the crap shoot whether it's going to be a good year or bad. Then 180 to the high schools-sheesh, you can't find a better education around here, they're all 1st class. "real" schools.

I love your letter. Actually, I'm on the Diocesan school board (yes, I have that evil twinkle in my eye...) I think I'm going to bring it with me to the next meeting
muwahahahahaha!!!