This is Math? Day 2
Follow-up
I opened my e-mail today, with the intent of sharing the
conversation I just had with my son’s math teacher (again), about the desk/student names assignment. I called her to clear up the confusion
on my son’s part, that her students were going to be tested on Friday,
9-17, on that activity. She said they were having a pre-test on Friday, and the
final quiz would be next Tues.
(Note: they are spending not just one, but two class periods, to further
this activity!) Students would have
to know both first and last names.
I then asked if these tests would be part of the student’s grades,
to which she responded "a small part." I asked her to then tell me what mathematical
concepts she would be testing, and she was silent for a long time. She finally said there were no
mathematical concepts being tested.
She said she had a meeting to go to in 4 minutes (I called during her
prep period when she is supposed to be free to talk). She said she had explained her methods
of teaching at the parent/teachers meeting we had had. She said she would excuse my son from
the test, if that was my preference.
I asked if that meant it would not affect his grade, that he would not be
penalized in any way by not taking the tests. She said that is correct. I told her I would be talking to my son,
and we would make a decision here at home about his participation. I am not concerned with how well my son
would do on the test. He has easily
memorized them all, and would probably get 100%. My frustration comes from valuable time
wasted on these worthless, touchy-feely assignments. My anger comes from students then being
tested on them!
I then called and spoke to the
principal. He is someone I believe
tries to be supportive of both teachers and parents, but in many cases you just
can't do both. He listened to my
concerns, and shared with me what he told the teachers at their first staff meeting,
which was to make sure students understood during every class period what and
why they were doing any and all activities, so they would have a clear
understanding about what needed to be done to meet the EALRs
[the state essential academic learning requirements]. We talked about my concerns for there
being so much that needed to be covered academically, and why was precious time
being spent on an activity like the desk/student names
one, particularly when neither my son nor myself
understands how this relates to anything in the math curriculum. Of course, the issue was not resolved,
(I would have liked the whole thing to have been removed from the curriculum,
but you and I know that just doesn't happen without some sort of legal
involvement), but he said he would talk to the teacher and make sure students
understand the reason behind giving this activity and test. Can't wait to hear what explanation my
son brings home today, if any!
So after having just gotten off the
phone, and then reading that this very same activity is being done in
California too........well you can guess I am furious.
Gayle
Mead School District
In case you didn't catch that, the Day 2 Math Assignment also showed up in a classroom in
California, and has also shown up in other classrooms in Washington State. When asked where this assignment came
from, the teacher told Gayle that she and another teacher had "put their
heads together and come up with it."
Obviously, that is not true.
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