Dear Mommy:

YAYAYAYAY<br>
Tri-Tammy......<br><br>
What a great way to convince DS that really, Mom's help isn't always needed.<br><br>
That being said, I think there is a point where students should ask for intervention when they're trying to do something or find something out and are unable to do so. BUT, they should try to do it on their own first....show that there's a little bit of gumption in ya!<br><br>
I mean, can you imagine if your child's teacher (who, for the sake of argument is a beginning teacher), were to bring in their mom when trying to contact you to sign a permission slip or some other school related task? What would you think?????<br><br>
I'll tell you how I handle it....<br>
I NEVER reply right when I get the email.....<br>
I sit on it.<br>
Then I vent<br>
Then I eat lunch or dinner, whichever meal is next<br>
Then I compose in my head<br>
Then I type<br>
Then I walk around the building<br>
Then I proof read<br>
THEN, I click send.<br><br>
This, I had to learn the hard way.

My personal opinion...worth what it's worth....<br>
Is that in elementary school, somewhat in middle or jr. high, and possibly less so in HS unless there's an abrupt change in performance, it is the teacher's responsibility to contact parents to a certain degree. But, it's also the parent's responsibility to contact the teacher for a conversation if there's a concern.<br><br>
So, if mom thinks that child seems to be slacking, or isn't working up to ability/potential/etc. the parent could contact the teacher just to check in and express concern. It may be that the child hasn't performed differently for the teacher at all....it all depends on where things are during the year.<br><br>
On the other hand, when mom contacts teacher because child "SHOULD" have received an "A" not a "C"...that's a different story.<br><br>
Know what I mean?

Mel....<br>
You've opened the AR can of worms!!<br>
lol<br>
And, I'm on your side.<br><br>
AR is great for those reluctant readers who need a little external motivation to read, to a point. It's not so great for those kids who ALREADY are good readers (like your DD and my niece) BECAUSE it's point driven.<br><br>
ACK ACK.....<br><br>
I think AR is misused by many teachers.....becuase they are young and inexperienced, because the administrator tells them to do incorrect thing.....because they don't want to use it the way it's intended.....blah blah blah.....<br><br>
AND, it's not great for kids like your DD, who are so much ahead that the ONLY books that are INTERESTING to them are in the middle school library in some cases.<br><br>
Oy!<br><br>
PM me for more ranting about AR if you're interested.<br><br>
St