Do you think its fair?

[watzitoou]

My daughter just got a new teacher at KES. Here my daughter missed school for 2 days she was out sick. When she went to school she turned in her homework that was assigned the day she came home sick. He told her she got ZERO's for her missed homework on the days she was absent. When she came home from school, she was pissed telling me she got Zero's for not doing homework on the days she was absent. Here I have been trying to figure how she is suppose to do homework when she is sick?

When she didn't have homework, and the following morning she had a doctor appointment. The appt. was at 0930 and she didn't get out until 1215. by the time I grab some food on the way. I dropped her off at school just before 1300. When school was out 1430, she asked for her assignments that she missed and was told they were due before school got out. So she thought she had no homework since school was already out. She came home told me her teacher is very strict, I asked if she had homework she said no. Next day she went to school he asked for her homework, since she didn't turn in any assignments in. My daughter asked him him why he said everything was due before school was out the day before? Well he told her that he sends assignments to the parents thru email. She came home pissed off, she got more Zero's, asked me if I got any emails from him. Which I have never received any emails from him.

I have always known if a child misses school they have a day to make up homework. I have never heard of a teacher emailing parents the assignments. What if the parents never gets the emails? What if the internet is down? What if the child doesn't have all their books at home to do the assignment?

Here my daughter is A/B student, her homework is always turned in on time. With her new teacher she comes home in tears that she is going to fail.

Do you think its fair?

I emailed her teacher to let him know I haven't received any of his emails. How can she get a Zero's for emails I never received? He emailed back progress reports are coming up. :cursing: (that didn't answer my question). Since then I haven't received any emails from him, but my daughter is still getting Zero's for missing homwork, that he apparently is sending to me thru email.

[DocTurtle]

Don't sound fair, unless he is doing this to all of the other students? But even then, the child should get a chance to make-up the work.

I would send him a link to this post, see how he likes that :p

[FDokinawa]

almost sounds like your daughter wasnt asking the right questions and making a lot of assumptions.

When school was out 1430, she asked for her assignments that she missed and was told they were due before school got out. So she thought she had no homework since school was already out.

Did she even ask if she could turn it in the next morning?

And altho its been a while since I was in school, I'm pretty sure it was my resposibility to get my homework when I was sick. Either my friends brought it over, or my parents went to get it. I could turn it in late, but I still had to have it done when I went back to school.

Sounds like you need to have a talk with the teacher and figure out what he wants.

[Muku]

I am kind of surprised that you have been in touch with your childs teacher on your own. I would think that instead of leaving it up to her, since there is some miscommunication somewhere, that you would talk to the teacher.

There are always two sides to every story and in giving your child the benefit of the doubt you leave the teacher out of the discussion.

Strict or not, give him a call or go and see him and see what's up.

What grade is your daughter in?

[watzitoou]

almost sounds like your daughter wasnt asking the right questions and making a lot of assumptions.



Did she even ask if she could turn it in the next morning?

And altho its been a while since I was in school, I'm pretty sure it was my resposibility to get my homework when I was sick. Either my friends brought it over, or my parents went to get it. I could turn it in late, but I still had to have it done when I went back to school.

Sounds like you need to have a talk with the teacher and figure out what he wants.

For being a new teacher since the last teacher PCS'd last month, you would think he would have sent home a homework policy or some kind of information on his policy's or guidelines.

I did call the school for her homework, when I went there after school to pick it up nothing was there, teacher was gone. The office said he never brought anything down. When she went to school the following days basically told she got Zero's for missing assignments and he doesn't accept late assignments. Her teacher told her, he sends parents emails of all homework. So far all homwork turned in late is a Zero.

So far this month she has missed quite a few days being sick and 3 doctor appointments. When he first started he told the class, he doesn't believe in homework. All of her friends were so happy, but then all her friends tell me how much homework they have and how strict he is.

I did send him an email telling him, I have never received any of his emails, and how can my daughter get a Zero when I don't received emails from him? And his response was "thank you for your support and have a great day!" WTF???

[DocTurtle]

print out the e-mails, go to the school, and talk to whoever you think you need to. Drama will unsue and all things in life will be back to their norm. :D

Ok, sorry, just being a arse :p

I would try to call the teacher or arrange a way that you can talk with him either via phone or face to face. Sort it out with him one on one. E-mail can be very impersonel. Hopefully that will get everything back to it's normal sorts?

[Asshat]

Or simply schedule an appointment with the AP or Principal. This shouldn't be that much of an issue. If you get no love from the administrators, go to the district superintendent's office and talk to them.

[socalheart]

My "logical" recommendation: I'd attempt to talk to the teacher directly. It's not that my child is incorrect in the details of her story, but it's best to know what the teacher thinks he said to my child. If the teacher refuses to compromise, take it to the Asst. Principal. If that doesn't help, go to the Principal. If that doesn't help, there's always someone higher up. It's understandable that every teacher has a unique teaching style, but the school should have a set of guidelines regarding homework when a student is legitimately sick or otherwise unable to go to school. Good luck!

My "emotional" opinion: Handling student assignments through emails to the parents is effing ridiculous. That teacher is a b!tch, regardless of gender. How will children learn responsibility if you don't give it to them? Sending a copy of the assignments each week to the parent is a good backup. One hopes the parent follows-up on the homework being completed. The child is in effing elementary school, not entirely responsible for driving or walking herself to school like a teenager. Not every parent is going to be able to get out of work to pick up a homework assignment. Not everyone has effing email. The teacher is discriminating against students without email. How dare he assume that a family has email?! Should he also assume that we have a television or radio? It's a good thing I don't have to deal with that suchandsuch. :cursing: Per what you state the child says, the teacher has a cue stick shoved up his brain. Okay, that helped... me. :D
(Disclaimer for all those who want effing citations from some website, psych mag or professional blahblahblah: I don't have any for an "emotional" opinion, hence stating that it's opinion.)

[ryukyuboi]

Sounds like this teacher is fresh out of boot camp. I hope he is not one of these 'troops to teachers' types. From the way you describe the issue, the teacher's behavior borders on child abuse, imo.

DoDDS does have a general homework policy. It clearly states that each school shall prepare, publish, and widely distribute the particular policies and practices applicable to that school. You probably would be able to find KES's policy in a parent/student handbook. Although I don't know the specific homework policy of KES, I would bet there are allowances provided for excused absences.

I would request a conference with the teacher as soon as possible.

[watzitoou]

My "logical" recommendation: I'd attempt to talk to the teacher directly. It's not that my child is incorrect in the details of her story, but it's best to know what the teacher thinks he said to my child. If the teacher refuses to compromise, take it to the Asst. Principal. If that doesn't help, go to the Principal. If that doesn't help, there's always someone higher up. It's understandable that every teacher has a unique teaching style, but the school should have a set of guidelines regarding homework when a student is legitimately sick or otherwise unable to go to school. Good luck!

My "emotional" opinion: Handling student assignments through emails to the parents is effing ridiculous. That teacher is a b!tch, regardless of gender. How will children learn responsibility if you don't give it to them? Sending a copy of the assignments each week to the parent is a good backup. One hopes the parent follows-up on the homework being completed. The child is in effing elementary school, not entirely responsible for driving or walking herself to school like a teenager. Not every parent is going to be able to get out of work to pick up a homework assignment. Not everyone has effing email. The teacher is discriminating against students without email. How dare he assume that a family has email?! Should he also assume that we have a television or radio? It's a good thing I don't have to deal with that suchandsuch. :cursing: Per what you state the child says, the teacher has a cue stick shoved up his brain. Okay, that helped... me. :D
(Disclaimer for all those who want effing citations from some website, psych mag or professional blahblahblah: I don't have any for an "emotional" opinion, hence stating that it's opinion.)

For your recommendation - this teacher does everything thru email, I emailed him to see if I could meet and talk to him about being absent and homework. He said he sends the parents FYI's on homework that was missed that day. Turns out he has been sending my husband the emails - which he is deployed, been deployed and isn't coming home anytime soon. This teacher has my email address but he emails the AD person. So if he is deployed and I am not getting emails how is that fair? So I requested a policy on his homework and being absent. So far nothing. This teacher did forward all the emails to me, it was interesting to see that at 9:15pm he sent an assignment for my daughter 54 math questions. Now who in their right mind sends FYI's of homework assignments to kids at 9pm??

For your emotional opinion I agree.

Example: My daughter was sick Nov. 28 + 29 and over the weekend. She missed 2 days of school and went to school late Dec. 3. Here she turned in work from Nov 27th, which he said was late she got Zero's. He told her Nov. 28 + 29th homework is too late he wouldn't accept, also Zero's. Here she had to take a test in math which she didn't know anything about since she wasn't there when they started new chapter. She did take the test, she got a 54% which I told her atleast she tried. This teacher should have given her time to make up the homework then give her a test, or atleast review the chapter. Dec. 4, she had a doctor appt. she missed the whole day of school. Now looking at his emails that he forward to me. He sent a email at 9:15pm FYI assignment due following day. I never got that email so when he asked for the assignment my daughter told him she was absent the day before and no one told her about any homework. Thats when he told her, he sends emails to all parents.

In his email he told me that all my husband's emails kept coming back to him, so wouldn't that make you think I am not getting the emails?? Progress reports are coming out, he told me tuesday he will send me email. If her grades have dropped I will be going down there and seriously giving a piece of my mind..

[socalheart]

Progress reports are coming out, he told me tuesday he will send me email. If her grades have dropped I will be going down there and seriously giving a piece of my mind..

I'd send the school principal a progress report on the teacher, including the bits about asking a specific question and not getting an applicable answer, and the whole bounced back email thing. I'm glad that we won't be here when my child is of school age. I never had a lot of faith in DoDDS here.

[watzitoou]

Sounds like this teacher is fresh out of boot camp. I hope he is not one of these 'troops to teachers' types. From the way you describe the issue, the teacher's behavior borders on child abuse, imo.

DoDDS does have a general homework policy. It clearly states that each school shall prepare, publish, and widely distribute the particular policies and practices applicable to that school. You probably would be able to find KES's policy in a parent/student handbook. Although I don't know the specific homework policy of KES, I would bet there are allowances provided for excused absences.

I would request a conference with the teacher as soon as possible.

I did look thru the policy parent/studenthandbook and didn't see anything there - well the one online anyways.. I have also gone thru the DoDDs site, didn't find what I was looking for on KES homework absent policy.

I did request a conference this morning thru email, but he said he does everything thru email. :cursing:

My daughter said he was a 3rd grade teacher and he was going to be Amelia Earhart School principle, but took the teaching position instead.

[socalheart]

I did request a conference this morning thru email, but he said he does everything thru email. :cursing:

That's enough to take it to the principal. Print out the emails, and write a letter to the principal. It's just wrong to refuse a parent-teacher conference to better a child's education. People like that need to be the only one in a dodgeball pit.

[ryukyuboi]

Forget the email approach. Call the principal. If the principal is not available, ask that the principal return your call. Let the principal know that you would like to set up a conference with your daughter's teacher. Ask the principal for his/her assistance with arranging the conference.

[Mad Hatter]

Kick some ass seabass... I got your back... we storming up to the school or what... snap them fingers and i'm there...

[Fonze]

Does this affect her overall grade?.

[DoctorP]

I did look thru the policy parent/studenthandbook and didn't see anything there - well the one online anyways.. I have also gone thru the DoDDs site, didn't find what I was looking for on KES homework absent policy.

I did request a conference this morning thru email, but he said he does everything thru email. :cursing:

My daughter said he was a 3rd grade teacher and he was going to be Amelia Earhart School principle, but took the teaching position instead.

Each teacher usually sends home an information packet at the begining of the school year on their homework policy. Being that you just changed teachers, I would ask him for a copy of his policy in writing.

Also, go to the school and sign in as a visitor...let the teacher know (via email) that you are coming down to observe a class and what time. Go in and observe the classroom. After the class breaks, request to discuss your daughters situation. If he refuses, then go to the principle.

You have to take all options first, before going to the administration. The principle is an administrator, and really can not change the teachers policies. That is why you must try your best to deal with the teacher directly, before pulling the principle into it.

Good luck!

[farmgirl]

watzitoou,
Does KES have a school counselor? I have found that they can be very helpful in resolving issues between parents/students and teachers. I have also observed that some of the teachers seem to be ignorant of the fact that many AD military are deployed from Okinawa. That fact should be stressed to this obnoxious teacher! We went through the same scenario with emails going to my husband's work email and him not having access for weeks at a time. Unfortunately, it is the child that suffers.

[dk]

Turns out he has been sending my husband the emails - which he is deployed, been deployed and isn't coming home anytime soon.
I thought your husband had been deployed for quite a while already. Didn't you say this is a new teacher? What is he doing with your husband's email address if your husband is deployed? Were you able to give him a new, better email address to use instead?

This all sounds like a misunderstanding, and as this is a base school, the teacher should be a little understanding about your current situation.

[dk]

In his email he told me that all my husband's emails kept coming back to him, so wouldn't that make you think I am not getting the emails?? Progress reports are coming out, he told me tuesday he will send me email. If her grades have dropped I will be going down there and seriously giving a piece of my mind..
Ah, I see. Well, at this point, he should have made an effort to contact you about a new email address. Why didn't he call your house? This is ammo you can use if you need to go above him.

[watzitoou]

I did go and see her teacher...I swear he is GAY!! He has the gay walk, talk, look, and you go girl attitude.. asking my kids for hugs.... talk about a sleaze bag...

Turns out his wife is active duty and he decided to be a teacher and he knows how hard it is when the spouse is deployed.. He said he got my husband's and my email address from the former teacher. He didn't know my husband was deployed. Here my husband has been deployed way before school started and her former teacher knew that. But then as I was leaving he told me he knew my husband was deployed.. he was too sleazy for me and wanted to leave.

He said her missing homework was not only her, it was all the students trying to get away with not turning in homework. Which doesn't make sense, she turned in all assignments in and brought all the graded assignments home. I asked about her homework she missed while absent, he said there was no problems there. He also said he gives all students full credit for all assignments no matter how much they miss/get wrong. So then why did she have straight D's on progress report, that was a big jump from A's and B's. He said well all kids didn't really get good grades because he is a new teacher and they need to get use to him.

When I asked him about my husband's emails coming back to him, he said he really didn't pay attention to that, until I brought it up. Here he could have sent a note home with my daughter, called me, or something..but he said he does everything thru email, that it is easier to communicate with parents thru email.

It was interesting to know that to him all homework shouldn't last more than 1hr cuz its really easy to do. (according to him).. Most of her assignments she has been up past midnight doing them, she skips the one's she doesn't know and I try and figure them out. If I can't figure it out or don't understand it - I scan and email to everyone back in the states..at midnight.. so the answer they come up with and my daughter's - ends up both being wrong.

This teacher doesn't have a homework policy, just as long as its turned it you get full credit, and when absent you have a day to make it up, but if my daughter needs extra time to send him a note but email is better he said. My daughter has never needed extra time to finish missed homework before.

[atb35]

The problem with this guy is he is inconsistent. I dont fault him for not having a 'homework' policy as that is a military type thing, we have policies on how to write policies. Homework is pretty straightforward, you do it, you get credit, you dont, you wont...no need to write that out.

In your daughters case I think he was just being a dick, and I wouldnt tolerate that if I were you. If a child is sick, they have every right to make up the homework, but as someone else mentioned, it is also the students responsibility to get the homework.

[okisteve]

It brings back bad memories. When I was in jr. high we got a new math teacher one day, young guy right out of teachers college via the Air Force. First test we had I was late handing it down the aisle so he came to my desk and tore up the test paper, gave me an F on the test, and a D for the term. I had never done badly in school, but that was enough to get me kicked out of the honor society and soured me on math for years (which was a big problem because I studied engineering later on.)

If it were my kid's teacher I'd have told him off so he understood perfectly well what a jerk he was being.

[jml99]

Reminds me of my 8th grade science teacher. Not only did you not get credit for homework turned in late, you got NEGATIVE credit. He would take off 5 points from your "homework average" for each assignment turned in late, or missed. No exceptions. So when I had to be shipped to a trauma hospital for testing after a head injury, and I missed two days of school, he wouldn't even give me the assignments and automatically took 10 points off my average. My mom, being the daughter of a WAC sergeant, didn't take too kindly to that policy and had a lively discussion with him and the principal concerning where he could place said policy. After that, no more negative points for anyone else in that class.

[Blues]

how lazy is this guy to not give homework assignments during class?
Since you were with your kid, and she wasn't lying, then a parent-teacher conference should have been it...
If anything a student should be able to call a teacher for the hw assignment if it wasnt a worksheet...

weird....

[Tanimaga]

Hopefully everything is working out. Especially since the child is a year older and in the next grade since okisteve's last post. :)

[cauthan]

I am not that happy with KES. I have had some of the same problems. I think some of the teachers are overwhelmed and do not know how th deal with minor issues. I am tired of getting notices of every little problem my chil has in class. I know she is no angel and I do want to know if there are problems but come on. Stop being so petty and at this age there should be some leway.

[Muku]

I am not that happy with KES. I have had some of the same problems. I think some of the teachers are overwhelmed and do not know how th deal with minor issues. I am tired of getting notices of every little problem my chil has in class. I know she is no angel and I do want to know if there are problems but come on. Stop being so petty and at this age there should be some leway.

After reading all the things here on this thread and others about Dodd's I am surprised that anyone would think that leeway and Dodd's could be used in the same sentence together.

[Tanimaga]

I've dealt with many DoDDs school teachers in the years I've lived on Okinawa, and needless to say, my child goes to a Japanese school.

Not to say there aren't good ones, but the norm seems to be rather out there.

[Robind]

I did call the school for her homework, when I went there after school to pick it up nothing was there, teacher was gone. The office said he never brought anything down. When she went to school the following days basically told she got Zero's for missing assignments and he doesn't accept late assignments. Her teacher told her, he sends parents emails of all homework. So far all homwork turned in late is a Zero.

Since you have tried to contact the teacher (with no success :thumbdown:). I would print the email out and taker her interims and anything else that you have from or to this teacher and go to the principal with a complaint. He also may not have your correct email address, anyhoo I would bring the principal in to assist in this matter.

[Muku]

Since you have tried to contact the teacher (with no success :thumbdown:). I would print the email out and taker her interims and anything else that you have from or to this teacher and go to the principal with a complaint. He also may not have your correct email address, anyhoo I would bring the principal in to assist in this matter.
:scratchchin:


Hopefully everything is working out. Especially since the child is a year older and in the next grade since okisteve's last post.
:grin1::thumbup:


Original Post Here.....12-10-2007, 04:11 AM:argh14: