Am I the only one....
@ScrappinHappyMom (914)
United States
February 25, 2007 12:34pm CST
My son currently attends school online, but he still has teachers that he reports to on a daily basis. Recently he got behind in a class and rather then the teacher contacting me directly she just blocked his class so he couldn't do any more work until he was caught up.
I understand why she did this, but my issue comes when I personally contacted her to see what needed to be done. She started right off the bat with the whole "I have over 80 students in my classes I don't have the time to contact indivdual parents." This is something I have heard from many times teachers in my son's time at school.
However, I do not accept this excuse and I told her so. I asked her to please not make excuses for not doing her job, she tried to tell me that I don't know how hard it is to have 80 students. I said in my job if I failed to complete a clients job and then gave the reason of having too many clients. I would lose that person, they would find someone else who did have the time.
So my question is do you really think it is a just answer for a teacher to say I have to many students to do my job properly so it is now the parents problem.
*Please note I am not bashing teachers, I know they work very hard as do alot of people in this world. I am just frustrated and starting to wonder if I handled the situation wrong.
9 people like this
24 responses
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
25 Feb 07
Then the teacher's superior needs to be notified. They need to cap the class at a lower enrollment if the teacher feels they cannot do an adequate job! My husband and I are both college professors and teach online classes frequently. We have a set number of students who are allowed in teh class for that very reason!! When the quality of the educations suffers then something needs to be done.
4 people like this
@rsa101 (38166)
• Philippines
26 Feb 07
I guess this is more of an agreeable arrangement. I can understand that maintaining a higher number of students is quite hard to manage especially all of them are online. I have never heard of an online teacher before in my place yet. I just could not imagine as of yet that the net could be used for education like online classes.
1 person likes this
@ScrappinHappyMom (914)
• United States
26 Feb 07
I am thankful that a teacher agrees that this is a poor excuse. All I really wanted to know was why my son was allowed to get two weeks behind and she didn't even send me an email.
I am seriously thinking about contacting the administration tommorrow.
1 person likes this
@angel106307 (372)
• Canada
25 Feb 07
I totally agree with you. They should limit the amout of student to one the teacher can handle. It's irresponsable for a teacher to take on so much if they can't do there job.
3 people like this
@dan20071 (724)
• Romania
25 Feb 07
That is an excuse that mustn't be used in any job. Everyone should have a reason for every action they take. And if that action is related to a job then the reason for it should be explained. You are very right to be frustrated and demanding for a better response. Someone that says that does not deserve to be called a teacher because in order to tech you need to have a bond with your students and I don't think she has that. Anyway, I think you went a little bit too easy on her, I recommend that you ask her one more time nicely and if she refuses again, just tell her that you will speak to the school management and have her tell you about "those 80 students" that don't allow her to give you a simple explanation and maybe some advice...
@ScrappinHappyMom (914)
• United States
26 Feb 07
That is exactly why I said what I did to her. Believe me I had several other things that I really wanted to say but I didn't want to be that crazy mom. I can't think of one job were someone would complain that they have to many clients to help each one.
1 person likes this
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
25 Feb 07
Wow. It soundsl ike your child is a good student, I can't imagine what she does to the other kids who are not. Even though he takes courses online, is there someone (like a principal) that you can contact? My husband and I both attend college courses online and we have someone at the school that we keep in contact with. Does the school your sons attends have anything similiar?
3 people like this
@ScrappinHappyMom (914)
• United States
26 Feb 07
That is the best part, when my son went to public school there were so many distractions and they kept trying to label him ADD/ADHD. Tha twe pulled him out. Now when he is in school there is quite and he can really consintrate (sp) on what he needs to do. For the first time in two years my son's grades are above D's, this incident is a rarity and he is working hard to catch up.
1 person likes this
@wmg2006 (5381)
• United States
25 Feb 07
The teacher is wrong! I have heard this same song and dance before and I even had a teacher dismissed because of this. I work in a job that is very stressful and has many thousand of problems each day, I handle over 200 clients and if I told any one of them they did not understand how hard it is to track and deal with over 200 clients, you know what they would tell me? They would say in such a nice manner that did not care how many clients I had to handle, right now I need to be handling them. And you are right they will take their business elsewhere. Teachers get by with way too much laziness, turn her in, go over her head, this is your child and the children deserve better. She needs to be home where she does not need to worry about 80 students. I have no patience with a lazy professional.
3 people like this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
25 Feb 07
No, I don't think you handled the situation incorrectly. Rather, the teacher was way out of line.
You have every right as a parent to contact your child's teacher. I expect you made an appointment first, rather than demand to be seen immediately.
It is also over the top, to block your son from his class, because he was late with assisgnments. Seriously, her attitude is not going to help your son at all.
It may be true that her class is too big, and you and her can protest about this to the proper authorities. But in the meantime, this teacher needs to learn better techniques in responding to parents.
2 people like this
@ScrappinHappyMom (914)
• United States
26 Feb 07
I tried to explain that by blocking the class until he gets this one report done that he will only fall further behind in his studies. She seemed unphased by this approach.
No I didn't make an appointment I phoned her and we spoke. She doesn't have a traditional classroom full of children so I didn't storm the class LOL!
1 person likes this
@lovevargas (41)
• United States
26 Feb 07
That sounds awful to do something like that to a kid is wrong. It sounds like he is trying and his teacher should be more understanding....GOOD LUCK!
1 person likes this
@angel106307 (372)
• Canada
25 Feb 07
It sounds like the teacher is too busy to care. If you stop caring as a teacher than it is the wrong job for you to do. A teachers responsablity is to help a student solve the problem and help them catch up with there work, or make sure they understand or set them up with a good tutor. This does not sound like a good teacher.
3 people like this
@ScrappinHappyMom (914)
• United States
26 Feb 07
I was think along this same line she really had the attitude of this is your problem not mine.
1 person likes this
@kikakandi07 (12)
• India
26 Feb 07
I agree. If the teacher has problems taking care of 80 children then she should bring it to the notice of concerned authority and not complain about it to the parents
@ScrappinHappyMom (914)
• United States
26 Feb 07
Yes my son takes all his courses online. He goes once a month to a meeting to be tested and meet the teachers so they can be sure that he is doing the work and learning.
@pookie92 (1714)
• United States
26 Feb 07
you are right, if she has so many student that she cannot do the followup that is required, she should lighten her load. If it is the policy of hte online school to contact the parents when the student falls behind, she must adhere to that policy. You should also have been aware that he was that far behind in his studies. It is important for the parents to keep up with daily assignments as it is for the teachers. After all, you are on a one to one relationship with your child.
1 person likes this
@_hope_ (3902)
• Australia
26 Feb 07
This is a child you are talking about not an alotted job i think it was very wrong for the teacher to of done it this way she /he should of had the decent respect to notifyiny you even if it be through a simple email to make you aware of your childs added needs .I think that just because of the way a child is educated there should still be some personal contact on a regular basis with the parent/teacher
@avonrep1 (1862)
• United States
26 Feb 07
My belief is when your teacher's fail, its up to the parents to makeup what your child's teacher is failing them on. I got tired of situtations like this in schools. Now I home school my children and they are thriving. It may be time to start looking at your other opitions.
@peni88 (469)
• United States
26 Feb 07
there is no excuse for what this teacher has said. my son goes to public school and his teachers always makes time for their students parents. my son also has an attention problem in school, and they are doing everything they can to try and make it better for him. if you dont mind me asking, why is your son taking online classes for school? i hope that things get better for you guys.
1 person likes this
@peni88 (469)
• United States
27 Feb 07
boy i wish my sons school had online classes. my son is so easily distracted. he was tested and does have add/adhd and is on medication. but its not working. if they up the dosage hes on now hed be a drone and just lay there. i should look into it though. thanks for telling me about this. i never knew it could be done.
@ScrappinHappyMom (914)
• United States
27 Feb 07
If you send me an email I will tell you how to go about finding a school online. It has really done wonders for my son, perhaps it could help yours also.
mtlg1975@msn.com
@ScrappinHappyMom (914)
• United States
26 Feb 07
My son attends online school because all of the bs that goes on in public schools became to much for him. We went a couple of years being told by teachers that he had ADD or ADHD and needed to be in special classes. Finally we broke down and had a total evaluation done on his brain, there is nothing chemically or physically wrong with him. He is just easily distracted, now that he is at home and able to fully focus and not have 20 kids talking around him he is excelling at school and is now passing the kids he used to go to school with, he is already into 9th grade studies but is technically in the 8th grade.
@limosonia1 (1559)
• United States
26 Feb 07
If she has a problem handling 80 students then she needs to cut back to a number were she can handle it. It is only hurting the student if she doesn't make time for them. They set limits to class rooms in the school for this reason it should be no different for an online teacher.
@ScrappinHappyMom (914)
• United States
26 Feb 07
She teaches more than one class. But I feel it still goes along the same line.
@mnksmommy (301)
• United States
26 Feb 07
It sounds as if she has too many students. If she cannot handle it--she needs not be a teacher anymore. A good teacher would have spoke with you and your son before acting that way.
1 person likes this
@my_lil_man (29)
•
26 Feb 07
No i think your right.
If she doesn't have the time to deal with each student to her best ability then she should go to someone higher and say this, this way maybe more teachers would be employed and each student would have more support.
At the end of the day our childeren should be given every chance to make something of themselves and a chance to be fantastic at what ever it is they choose the fact he is going on line shows he wants to do it and should be given that chance (in schools they have support teachers for this reason) so why not online !
hope things work out for him x
1 person likes this
@sarah22 (3979)
• United States
26 Feb 07
you where in your rights as a parent. and her as his teacher should of made him catchup without making him behind more. teachers have alot to do but at times they slack of and think we as parents should make it easyer for them. shes lucky to have 80 on line and not have them all in her class at once. she became a teacher and should do what she is getting paid for. glad to stood up for your child, some parents might not have and punished the child for not doing his work and let the teacher be right, wrong message right there, good for you
1 person likes this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
26 Feb 07
I totally agree with you there. As the same goes in the job that I was doing. You had to make time for all the Clients and if she hasn't got the time then she should cut her Students down as she is obviously not coping which will result to lack of Education. So I do agree with you there whole Heartedly
@llabteksab73 (800)
• United States
26 Feb 07
I would have to agree with everything that you said. THANKS!
1 person likes this
@liranlgo (5752)
• Israel
26 Feb 07
you have to report this teacher
it seems she is not functioning properly
it does not metter if she has 80,100 or 200 students
she knew what she is getting in to and she is obligated to help
if she can not do that she needs to get another help
someone that will help her with the tasks and the problems
your son is your son and it is most important that he will get the best education and treatment cause he deserves it..
1 person likes this
@cobradene (1171)
• India
26 Feb 07
Well, the system has always been blaming others instead of blaming itself. Ever since I was a kid in school, I remember being whacked by a ruler for doing math wrong by my teacher. I was only 6 years old. And these teachers used to talk to us in such a scary tone, half the time your mind would be wondering if you would get beaten up or punished today rather than just concentrate on the teaching. Today the system is reallyf facing alot of problems. Teachers really don't want to take the onus on themselves and don't want to commit themselves to their jobs. Am sorry, I've seen so much of discrimination in school . Am totally against the system of education which is nothing but just all about cramming stuff into your brains and finally pucking out in the papers.
