How would you react if your kid was given an "Award" for Most Excuses for Not Doing Their Homework? (Tourettes, activities)
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I think that once someone goes to the media about an issue, their "privacy" does not need to be protected. So I would like to know what the excuses were and what other awards were given out. Because I doubt that this was the only one like this. I'm hoping other parents from the class share what kind of funny awards their kids got. Her homework was not being "ridiculed". The number of her excuses were being awarded.
As to how I would react if it was my child? I would have known about it before the end of the school year so there would be no shock for me.
I wouldn't be surprised that this kid will learn she doesn't need to play down her beliefs to those of authority if she feels she was treated wrong. I think she will stand up to bullies and might take action instead of blowing it off as if nothing will work or can be done about it. It's not embarrassing to speak out against something you feel hurts others, IMO. Watching her mom going beyond the school when she didn't believe they were treating her fairly and going to the media is a strong statement to me, IMO. Standing up for your child who is unable to do so herself isn't a bad thing to me. We differ, and that is ok.
I think kids follow example, including belittling others or laughing at their mistakes or decisions. If that mom takes a stand for her child I believe that child will only learn to take a stand for herself one day. She might even stand up for others as well. I don't see this as a bad example at all. We differ again, and that's how the ball usually bounces. It's rare to find a group of people with the same ideals about what's right and wrong. I'm not saying your wrong, I'm just not saying your right. I don't agree.
Fair enough.
It was my understanding that the mom contacted the school about the award, not the missing homework, and she said the principal blew her off and said the teacher was joking. I never read anything about her speaking to the teacher or principal about her daughter's missing homework, if it was indeed missing, why, or what to do about it. Seems like if she had dealt with that first, she would have happy to mention the lack of response she got. Instead, all she is complaining about is how the principal blew her off about the award. If she went to the media after first taking care of her responsibility as parent and resolving THAT issue, the most important issue, her daughter's education, or went after figuring out that her daughter actually HAD turned in all her assignments and was unjustly targeted, I might have more sympathy for her. The fact that she is seeming to shirk all responsibility onto the teacher is where she lost me.
The teacher did NOT handle this appropriately, we agree there. I just don't see it as something so devastating and life changing that the world needs to know about it. I've read about stories far worse than this, with teachers bullying, belittling, and demeaning their students, and was behind those parents 100%. This didn't strike me as one of those situations. The award may have been in bad taste, but it wasn't cruel. It didn't say "Biggest F Up" or "Laziest Kid." If she was singled out as the only kid to get a negative award, or if it was done in some way deliberately for the purpose of embarassing her, that would be wrong. But more than likely, every child got some kind of award, she wasn't the only one to get a "catastrophe award," the teacher's intention was probably not to humiliate her, and the fact may remain that she did not do her homework. Since the mother is only telling a very limited side of her own story, we don't really know what happened. Since it is so limited, I can only assume that she and her daughter aren't completely innocent in this.
I believe that parents SHOULD step in and fight for their kids. I also think they should pick the battles wisely. If I felt my child was being harmed I wouldn't hesitate to do what it took, even going to the media, to see that justice was done. I would also weigh the consequences of that carefully, and make a decision based on reason, not emotion, on whether or not it was worth it. In my opinion, this "catastrophe award" was not worth it. Kid, yeah, the teacher was wrong, but you should have done your homework.
You are not wrong, and there are plenty of parents who agree with you. Glad we can agree to disagree on this one.
I would NOT have gone on TV and broadcast it all over the place.
Me neither, but I'm glad this parent did. For one, it gives the teacher a taste of her own medicine. She sought to ridicule one of her students in front of the entire classroom; now we seek to ridicule her in front of the whole country. It's been suggested here that a private one-on-one conversation between the parent and teacher might've been best. But I still say if the student wasn't worthy of private, constructive criticism; niether is the teacher.
Secondly, teachers need reminding from time to time that they can't just do whatever they want and not think of the consequences. A little tact and consideration of the feelings of those they teach couldn't hurt.
I don't see anything wrong with it, really. It's not the teacher's fault the homework wasn't done. It's the child's and the mother's fault.
So you think this failure warrants any sort of treatment? Because that's what a lot of you keep fixating on, what the parent and the student did wrong.
No, it is not the teacher's fault the homework wasn't done. But it was entirely her fault (not the student's and not the parent's) that she chose to point this out in front of the entire class instead of using that time and energy to communicate in some way with the parent, or just refrain from making the "award". It's quite telling of her true priorities, no matter how many people choose to evade this important realization.
I had a teacher in 9th grade who gave out joke awards at the end of the year. The only one I remember was one given to 2 girls who talked a lot in class. I also remember not getting one, and feeling like the teacher had favorites and I wasn't one of them.
I think it was wrong of the teacher to single this kid out in a negative way, but I think the mom is kind of stupid for not being embarrassed for not knowing it was going on. I'm not sure which is worse. I have an 8 year old, and me or my husband makes sure he does his homework every single night. ETA I don't know about other 8 year olds, but mine wouldn't understand getting an "award" for something bad. It would just confuse him.
I had a teacher in 9th grade who gave out joke awards at the end of the year. The only one I remember was one given to 2 girls who talked a lot in class. I also remember not getting one, and feeling like the teacher had favorites and I wasn't one of them.
I think it was wrong of the teacher to single this kid out in a negative way, but I think the mom is kind of stupid for not being embarrassed for not knowing it was going on. I'm not sure which is worse. I have an 8 year old, and me or my husband makes sure he does his homework every single night. ETA I don't know about other 8 year olds, but mine wouldn't understand getting an "award" for something bad. It would just confuse him.
It's not that I don't agree, I do on some level, I hope the reason the mom put her in homework ed after school was to correct what might have been an issue earlier in the year with homework completion. I imagine she did or why enroll her in the first place. So, that much tells me she was aware at some point. I think she was more disturbed by the joke of something that her daughter might have been working hard to correct towards the end of the year and thought she had accomplished. But who knows for sure, it could be either way.
But, the highlighted portion of your post is the nail on the head for me. At 8 years old these awards can be construed in all kind of ways. I think awards should be something tangible to kids of that age. Jimmy was on the honor roll, of course he received a pat on the back, it's hard work to be there, Jimmy worked hard, people often get awards for working hard. I think getting the joke at that age is a hit or miss for kids.
Who knows, she might have an attention disorder or learning issue which could make this a more sensitive issue for the mom.
If my son got the award for the most disruptions in class and everyone laughed at him, I imagine he would be upset because he has ticks and can't help disturbing others at times. You never know. Best to keep awards given for work accomplished, IMO.
It was my understanding that the mom contacted the school about the award, not the missing homework, and she said the principal blew her off and said the teacher was joking. I never read anything about her speaking to the teacher or principal about her daughter's missing homework, if it was indeed missing, why, or what to do about it. Seems like if she had dealt with that first, she would have happy to mention the lack of response she got. Instead, all she is complaining about is how the principal blew her off about the award. If she went to the media after first taking care of her responsibility as parent and resolving THAT issue, the most important issue, her daughter's education, or went after figuring out that her daughter actually HAD turned in all her assignments and was unjustly targeted, I might have more sympathy for her. The fact that she is seeming to shirk all responsibility onto the teacher is where she lost me.
The teacher did NOT handle this appropriately, we agree there. I just don't see it as something so devastating and life changing that the world needs to know about it. I've read about stories far worse than this, with teachers bullying, belittling, and demeaning their students, and was behind those parents 100%. This didn't strike me as one of those situations. The award may have been in bad taste, but it wasn't cruel. It didn't say "Biggest F Up" or "Laziest Kid." If she was singled out as the only kid to get a negative award, or if it was done in some way deliberately for the purpose of embarassing her, that would be wrong. But more than likely, every child got some kind of award, she wasn't the only one to get a "catastrophe award," the teacher's intention was probably not to humiliate her, and the fact may remain that she did not do her homework. Since the mother is only telling a very limited side of her own story, we don't really know what happened. Since it is so limited, I can only assume that she and her daughter aren't completely innocent in this.
I believe that parents SHOULD step in and fight for their kids. I also think they should pick the battles wisely. If I felt my child was being harmed I wouldn't hesitate to do what it took, even going to the media, to see that justice was done. I would also weigh the consequences of that carefully, and make a decision based on reason, not emotion, on whether or not it was worth it. In my opinion, this "catastrophe award" was not worth it. Kid, yeah, the teacher was wrong, but you should have done your homework.
You are not wrong, and there are plenty of parents who agree with you. Glad we can agree to disagree on this one.
I think it is the teachers responsibility for handing out awards of this nature. It has nothing to do with the child doing her homework or not. That is a separate issue to me. This award only has to do with homework because she attached it to the word catastrophe and handed it to the child.
If she did do this to the other kids I'm curious as to what she insulted them with actually. I'm curious if she went through her grade book notes to see what sarcastic awards she could dole out to the entire class. I wonder what faults she could muster up for everyone? That would be interesting to hear.
As for going to the media, there are news show about horses eating marshmallows. The news isn't the police station. She didn't file charges on the teacher or school. It's for community news, schools are part of the community and I don't see the big deal on this one. Media is a great tool for gathering compassion to an issue you think is being ignored or put aside and taken lightly.
We have court shows with neighbors suing each other on it for dogs barking, goodness sake, plenty of people use the media for less than she did. It's not everyones cup of tea but it certainly has been done before.
We have a show in AZ called 3 on your side. People use it for these kinds of stories all the time. I assumed they did this kind of thing everywhere.
One thing I've been wondering... This is the third grade? Teachers use age-appropriate words.
Is "catastrophe" a third grade word? (It's been a while since I've had a 3rd grader.)
That's a good point. Even figuring a third grader would know the meaning of the word, there's a chance they wouldn't get the joke and interpret it on some level as "I'm a catastrophe" rather than "My performance was catastrophic".
Quote:
Originally Posted by DewDropInn
I'd REALLY like to know the teacher's side.
Like, to find out whether it was 100% joke, or if some part of it was true?
I would also, but only for curiosity's sake. I'd still be opposed to the "award" and for the story being publicized. Even if it was just a joke, and if all the kids got one, and they were all randomly assigned; it's a really bad idea. It'd only be a matter of time before someone else complained about one. It might even have been something misinterpreted as a slam on their child's race, gender, religion, weight, etc.
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