• “You do not speak for other parents. Anything you say about other parents is hearsay.” (math chair)
  

• “I can speak for Ms. Kahl; you can’t speak for other parents.” (math chair)
  

• “Other children aren’t having the problems Chris is having.” (principal)
  

• “Maybe Chris doesn’t belong in Phase 4.” (math chair)
  

• “He’s not doing badly in the class; I don’t understand why you’re upset.” (math chair, same conversation. Chris has a B average.)
  

• “I can’t invite you to visit the classroom, because your attitude is hostile.” (math chair)
  

• “No other parent has complained.” (math chair)
  

• re: the many parents who complained last year: “That was a different year and a different set of parents.” (math chair)
  

Not once has a faculty member or administrator suggested that he or she will address the situation.

Not once has a faculty member or administrator suggested that there is a situation to address.

Not once has a faculty member or administrator suggested that students in an IMS math class should be learning math from the teacher, not the parent.

Not once has a faculty member or administrator suggested that our concerns are their concerns.

The message has been: You’re crazy & you’re rude, and if you don’t go away we’ll dump your kid into Phase 3.

-- CatherineJohnson - 17 May 2006

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Comments

The message has been: You’re crazy & you’re rude, and if you don’t go away we’ll dump your kid into Phase 3.

Lol! Why yes, you are quite good at summarizing.

But seriously, I see a lot of the same things going on with my son in writing. If he is clear on his audience he does so much better. If not, he rambles and has a lot of the same issues with tense. I'm sure there are a lot of normal developmental things going on with this, but again, I don't see a consistency in bringing it to his attention. The same with spelling. Some words are pointed out, but others are just ignored. At this point, simple words should not be getting by anyone.

-- SusanS - 17 May 2006

Catherine--Meg's 6th grade Science teacher (this was last year) required the kids to choose an article related to science that was current within the last year. The kids then had to summarize the article using three logical sentences that were grammatically correct and also state why the article was important to the field of science.

The teacher's website included a list of websites with lots and lots of sources for kid-friendly news articles about science.

I thought it was a great assignment; it forced Megan to write three logical, concise and grammatically correct sentences and learn about science at the same time.

If you have any interest, I can provide the link for the teacher's website, which includes both the form and a list of websites.

-- KarenA - 17 May 2006

Susan - THANK YOU!

I'm really enjoying thinking about "KUMON for writing" - i.e. how to get maximum instructional benefit in minimum time.

When you look closely at a child's summary, you realize what a complex skill summarizing is.

It's cool.

-- CatherineJohnson - 19 May 2006

Karen wow, that's interesting.

I'd love to get the website.

I'll put this on the front page....

-- CatherineJohnson - 19 May 2006

* "No other parent has complained." (math chair)

* re: the many parents who complained last year: "That was a different year and a different set of parents." (math chair)

Old business axiom: For every customer that complains there are... well, between 10 and 30 that didn't bother, but just walked away.

Of course, it's easy to blow off complaints when you're the government. And labeling a complaint as an anomalous means it doesn't have to be addressed. Which would be too much like doing one's job.

-- OldGrouch - 20 May 2006

Old Grouch

THANK YOU!

I've been trying to get that number - I knew the axiom, of course.

Thanks so much for posting this!

I've been wanting to cite it to administrators & teachers every time they tell me I'm the only one.

It's unbelievable they get away with this stuff.

-- CatherineJohnson - 20 May 2006

Plus if they know me at all, which the middle school folks are probably starting to (in my new Middle School Identity - very different from my happy Main Street School identity) they'd know that even if no one was planning to complain, once I'm complaining other people are going to realize they're mad, too.

-- CatherineJohnson - 20 May 2006

studies show that for every customer that complains 26 more have the same complaint and are not voicing it, and of course, we all know that an unhappy customer tells more (many more) than twice as many people about the experience than he would if he were happy about it. So much for all the good will you were trying to build with that last advertising campaign. The power of the internet makes it possible to tell 6,000 of your best buddies about the lousy service you got yesterday. While not many people do that, the "viral" quality of the internet makes it possible even when it's not intended.

I love it!

IMS folks definitely haven't stopped to think about the possibility of a Yahoo listserv for Irvington parents!

WHICH IS GOING TO HAPPEN!

JUST AS SOON AS I REVISE THE DESCRIPTION!

-- CatherineJohnson - 20 May 2006