Comments on: Don’t Call Home http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2006/12/dont-call-home/ Challenge The Status Quo Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:26:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Tom http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2006/12/dont-call-home/#comment-7382 Tom Sun, 24 Dec 2006 00:38:16 +0000 http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2006/12/dont-call-home/#comment-7382 With some middle school students I had it made a difference but it was more about building a solid relationship with the parents. I called them mainly about good things at first to try to get to know them and to get them to trust me. That worked well with some of them but it took a huge amount of time. I called all the parents every week and some several times a week. It was an alternative school and so I felt it was worth it (and possibly the only chance I had). It failed miserably with other parents and I'm not sure why. With regular or older students I doubt it'd matter much especially if it was more of a one time thing. At some point it always comes down to the student and what they want to do. Tom With some middle school students I had it made a difference but it was more about building a solid relationship with the parents. I called them mainly about good things at first to try to get to know them and to get them to trust me. That worked well with some of them but it took a huge amount of time. I called all the parents every week and some several times a week. It was an alternative school and so I felt it was worth it (and possibly the only chance I had). It failed miserably with other parents and I’m not sure why. With regular or older students I doubt it’d matter much especially if it was more of a one time thing.

At some point it always comes down to the student and what they want to do.

Tom

]]> By: understanding » Continuum to Burnout http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2006/12/dont-call-home/#comment-6989 understanding » Continuum to Burnout Sun, 17 Dec 2006 00:44:07 +0000 http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2006/12/dont-call-home/#comment-6989 [...] 4. Wow, everyone, everywhere who writes from a firsthand perspective always says the same things. We’re always asking the same questions and struggling with these same issues. I bet students have been choosing not to do their homework, for one reason or another, since homework was invented. I feel powerless against all the forces that conspire to make this the case. We worry about the consequences, and are mystified by the causes. There are deeper social problems in play here. Do I really have the ability to address those issues in an hour a day as a math teacher? Should I even bother asking that question when it feels like no one in charge of anything here cares? Do I have a chance to make a difference, or is all this effort thrown away like the half-done homework papers I had back? [...] [...] 4. Wow, everyone, everywhere who writes from a firsthand perspective always says the same things. We’re always asking the same questions and struggling with these same issues. I bet students have been choosing not to do their homework, for one reason or another, since homework was invented. I feel powerless against all the forces that conspire to make this the case. We worry about the consequences, and are mystified by the causes. There are deeper social problems in play here. Do I really have the ability to address those issues in an hour a day as a math teacher? Should I even bother asking that question when it feels like no one in charge of anything here cares? Do I have a chance to make a difference, or is all this effort thrown away like the half-done homework papers I had back? [...]

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