Just a Spoon Full of Verity: You're a Pathetic Excuse for an Educator

Sometimes there is no way around a situation; sometimes you have to jump right in and plow through the muck and mire, and pray you get through to the other side.

Things are quite politically correct in today’s time.  There are just certain things one does not say to another person.  We are expected to be respectful, polite, tact-full communicators.

The fact of the matter is, that isn’t always the best way to get a critical message across.

Case in point.  My daughter is failing 7th grade Washington State History.  A few disclaimers.

First of all education is the first focus of our family.  Everyone is expected to go to college.  We don’t have a problem turning off the tv because we don’t watch it in the first place.  Our kids are expected to come home after school, get a snack, and crack the books.  We have lots of well learned people in the family- and current and former educators- so we have tutoring and homework resources up the wazoo.

We communicate with teachers in some form or fashion at least once a week.  We make sure they- and other key support staff in the building including the administration- know how to reach us at all times.  We make it clear that we are a partner in our childrens’ education and will be responsive to any concern they might have.

We come from a long line of educators and those who have worked in edu in supportive roles- including me.  I ran a nationally recognized best practices program which focused on multi-cultural education in public schools and the importance of the family unit.  My mother was a teacher, my grandfather was a teacher, my aunt was a teacher, is now an administrator, and my sister is a teacher.  I heart teachers- it’s a job I could never do- not enough pay, not enough support, not enough resources.  THese are facts we all know.  My sister has only been teaching a few years, so she is one of the thousands who made the conscious choice, knowing how messed up the system is right now- to become a teacher and put in the work required of her to successfully teach all of her students.  I have mad respect for that.

We’re dealing with a teacher right now, Mr. B, the aforementioned 7th grade Washington State History Teacher, who, as it turns out, is doing a horrible job.

For all intents and purposes, it’s April 2009- there are just a few days left in March.  The school year ends in June.  Well, my daughter has had an F in Mr. B’s class since January.  We have not heard one word from Mr. B, nor has he been responsive to our attempts to contact him to find out just what the heck is going on.  To make matters worse, he fills out a daily progress report for our daughter, and never comments on her academics.  No notes about missing, incomplete or substandard work.

So we truly are puzzled about what is going on.  I- as a former trainer to teachers, am just plum not liking what I’m seeing.  A student of his has an F and he is not communicating with the family?  Hmmmm, this is a red flag.  It’s a red flag with sirens.

We do what any reasonable parent would do; run it up the chain of command.  We’re disappointed to learn that after weeks of complaining, turns out the Principal was talking to the wrong WA ST History teacher altogether- no wonder we never heard anything after a complaint.

Finally, we get a mid-day call from Mr. B.  We answer the phone only to find him engaged in a conversation with the school’s secretary, expressing his displeasure at having to master the 5 digit code to make a long distance call- our cell is long distance from the school.  We breathe and let that go.

Mr. B says he’s calling because he’s learned that we have some concerns.

Boy do we.

We start asking questions.  The girlchild has an F; why?  She’s not doing her work.

In the daily progress report, you never make a note about this, why; no answer.

Why, we ask again; she appears to be on task during class.

Appears.  Mm.  The sirens are getting louder.  Is that the Tsunami warning system I hear?

The girchild is about to flunk your class, and you have never once contacted us or responded to our contacts to you, why; I assumed you knew.

Knew what; That she has all these missing assignments.

And why would you assume that; Well because she has an F.

So you assumed that we knew that she hasn’t turned in any work- wait, when was the last time she turned in work Mr. B; when was the last day of the last semester?

Wait- what?  You mean she hasn’t turned in any work since January?  It’s practically April!  She has an F and she is going to flunk your class.

No she isn’t.

Oh, she isn’t?  And how is that?  She had a C the first semester and has had an F ever since, so how is it she is not going to flunk the class?

I have a classroom policy that does not require students turn in work until the end of the year.

Wait- so everyone in your class, in all the classes you teach, has an F?

Of course not.  But I accept work all year, with up to 90% credit.

What?  So you assign homework that they don’t actually have to do when you assign it, because you’ll still accept their work 8 months later and give them what, a B?

That’s right.  Mr. B sounded very proud.  They have 8 months to get their classroom work and projects completed.

The stupidity creeping through the phone was overwhelming.

Is this why you didn’t return our calls?

I didn’t know you were calling, but if it’s about your concern that she is going to fail, I’m not worried.

Oh, YOU’RE not worried.  That’s just swell.  Because you assume that she will get all the work done, is that right?

That’s right.

Because you assume that she is going to do the work.

That’s right.

Like you assumed we knew that she wasn’t doing the work.

That’s right.

Is this is building-wide policy?

No, this is just for my class.

And is the Principal aware of this policy you have?

I don’t know.

And what pedagogy or best practice model is this based on?

…what?

What pedagogy or best practice model is this based on?

….well…

Does this policy exist at the high school level?

…I’m not sure.

…What about college level?

…I have never taught at a college before.

No, clearly you have not.  This policy does not exist at either level.

And what is your policy for communicating with families?

I guess if they have a problem they can come in and see me about it, but I find little reason throughout the year to call home.

And what if their schedule doesn’t allow them to come into the school while you’re there, what then?

Silence.

You’re aware that our girlchild had a full conference and a plan was put in place to get her grades up and keep them up?

Yes.

You were there, if we recall…

Yes.  I hear she has done quite well so far.

Except for in your class.

Well, again, as I said, I am not concerned that she is going to fail the class- she has time to get the work done.

But knowing that we set a plan in place- which included the daily progress reports- which included the fact that failing grades are not acceptable, you never thought once to call us?  You never thought once to jot a note about THAT?

…

…

I have to get to my next class.

You obviously don’t care about the girlchild’s success-

Sorry you feel that way-

Knowing all of these factors and you STILL have said nothing to us, have STILL not attempted to deal with this- any how many assignment are we talking about?

Oh I wouldn’t know that until I look, it could be 20, it could be 50.

Fifty?

Yes?

Are you insane?

Excuse me?

Have. you. lost. yo. mind?

I would appreciate it if-

No, I don’t think you can appreciate anything.  We came up there at the beginning of the year and made it clear.  We met with all the teachers, including you.  Everyone- including you- agreed to the plan, and now you are telling me that you have your “own” policies, policies that aren’t in line with any best practices, policies that excuse the students from any and all accountability, policies that teach them to procrastinate for as long as is humanly possible- like the entire school year.  You can’t be serious.

Well, it works for me.

What was that?

It works for me.

It works…for  you?

Yes.

You’re pathetic.

E..excuse me?

You’re a pathetic excuse for an educator. *click*

Now, one could probably argue that accusing a grown person, an educated professional, of being pathetic, isn’t conducive to much more than angst and future arguments.

But the fact of the matter is, when it comes to the fundamentals of education, students only get one shot.

Teachers don’t have the luxury to do what works for them- they have to do what is in the best interests of their students.

I don’t think we do any good when we sugar coat or all-out lie to people about the quality of work they are- or are not- doing.

Students don’t have to turn in work, but instead can put it off and put it off until it has to get done- and they can still score 90%?!

You assume families know what is going on?

You fill in daily progress reports with useless info and omit what should really be included?

You don’t feel the need to initiate communication?

It works for you?

Those 4 or 5 admissions add up to a pathetic teacher.

We don’t do the teacher- or any student unfortunate enough to sit in his class- any good in denying that fact.