Another lazy teacher

Pop Quiz
What did Erik do today in Creative Writing?
A. Write a poem about spring
B. Lay on the floor for 20 minutes, I mean 25 minutes, as a way of brainstorming for his next writing assignment
C. Draw a picture of a tree
D. None of the above

The correct answer is C.

I would have totally flunked that quiz. Although B is partially correct. It just didn't happen today. And after their 25 minute "nap" they got up and left, doing nothing with all that brainstorming.

Yep. Today he created his own art project in CREATIVE WRITING because the teacher told the class that she was really into her book and wanted to read all period. So they were allowed to do whatever they wanted.

She's getting paid to read a book? Can I please have her job?

Well, that was the last straw. I resurrected my email to Mr. Principal, attached Erik's Creative Writing art project, and sent it off.

Oh, you want to know what I said. Here ya go. My kids have got some real winners for teachers. 

Mr. Principal,

I would like to bring to your attention some things that are going on in some of the classrooms where I feel there is not enough instruction going on. My 7^th grade son Erik has Mr. Math Teacher for math and I’m greatly concerned that he is not learning anything in that class. He tells me how he spends some of the time lecturing, then gives them a math worksheet, and then often leaves the room or sits at his desk (is he online, checking email, checking facebook?). One time when he left, Ms. P. came in and took the entire class to her room as a practical joke on Mr. Math Teacher. By the time he found them, they had a wasted a good part of their classroom learning time. My children are in school to learn, not to play games. I was told that another day he brought his Nexus 7 with a farting app on it that allowed him to tap into the microphones in different classrooms. Erik tells me how he walked up and down the hall playing farting noises over the speakers in other classrooms. Whether this actually happened or not, I do not know. I do know that there wasn’t any learning going on if this is the story Erik told me today. I would rather my children come home and tell me what they learned, not what practical jokes were played by teachers.

He has brought home little homework this year. My understanding is there should be at least 70 minutes worth every night. He’s still pulling straight A’s, but I feel he is not being pushed enough. At Christmastime we left a message for Mr. Math Teacher asking if he had a math book he would recommend we buy so that we could send it with Erik to give him something to do when he finished his work in class. He told us not to worry about it; he would make sure Erik had some extra “worksheets” to do. To my knowledge that has happened only a few times. I really dislike worksheets and think they are nothing more than a copout for a lazy teacher.

Ms. Creative Writing Teacher is another concern. Erik has her for creative writing, Kiersten (my 8^th grader) had her last year and is in Writer’s Ink. Erik told me how one day she had them lay down for 20 minutes as a way to brainstorm and think about writing. That 20 minutes turned into 25 minutes and afterwards they did nothing with what they were supposed to be thinking about. Again, is she on her phone, facebook, etc. during this “quiet time?” Today she told them how she was really into her book and would be reading all hour. They could choose to do whatever they wanted. I’ve attached a picture of a tree Erik drew in CREATIVE WRITING, not art.

I had no concerns last year when the honors program was still in place. My husband and I even attended the meeting last year about the new honors program. I left there last year feeling like it could work. Now I feel that my kids are being left behind while teachers try to play catch up with other students or better yet while they get paid to underperform. I understand that if my children have extra time they should be working towards the honors program in any class, but it has been so poorly communicated that I don’t think they have a clue what they are supposed to be doing and I certainly have no idea what is going on in that regard. My dissatisfaction has led me to seriously think about moving over to the charter school.

Sincerely, 

Me