The parent did email me a picture of the comment. I did write a lengthy comment in a student's journal. The memory of the night that I looked through that journal came back to me very quickly when I saw the picture! It was the second journal the student had turned in. It was in March. The student had drawn pictures and/or scribbled on almost every page with a sentence written here or there. The work was unacceptable for first grade. I wrote that I was very disappointed in the work and reminded the student that acceptable choices during Daily 5 included writing not drawing. I pointed out what the student had done and did state in the comment that the work was unacceptable for first grade. I also asked if the student thought this work was a 3 or 4. I did then write that it was a level 1. My honest evaluation of the work. Students had a rubric which we went over frequently that illustrated what each level looked like. They also had a visual example of each level of writing to compare their work to. I wanted the student to honestly think about their work and decide if this was the kind of work they would turn in for a grade. The students had been working on self-evaluation of some work. I gave the journal back to the student so they could work on improving it.
I did send the parent a lengthy email explaining the reason for my comment, my expectations for journal writing and common core expectations. I stated that this was my honest evaluation of the student's work and I apologized again if the comments seemed harsh. I know I wrote the comments out of disappointment and frustration and probably should have worded things differently. As I said before, I usually agonize over how to word comments to get the point across without it seeming too harsh. I guess that night I was just too tired to be more diplomatic about things and just wrote how I honestly felt about the work! It is frustrating, even in first grade, when students do not take their work more seriously! Even as a parent, I would have been upset with my child for turning in work like that! However, I am not proud of the fact that as a teacher, I let my frustration show!
I have done all I can do! I will see if she responds back, but I am done with the situation! Thanks for all of your comments on the original post!
It doesn't sound as if you did anything wrong. You evaluated the student's work in March and asked them if their work was a 3 or 4. You let them know it was a 1 as it says in the rubric.
I think you beat yourself up for nothing. Remember we are human and sometimes we have to let students know the hard facts.
March? I thought the comment was written last week! I believe you did all you could and by March, that student should have known how to write in their journal, especially if they were scribbling and only doing one sentence per page. I think you were correct in your assessment at that time.
You gave honest feedback so that the child could improve their work. You were doing your job, and doing it well. You didn't write anything inappropriate. It was March, and the child knew the expectations. Good for you for having high expectations and for holding students accountable. If the parent doesn't like it, it's not your problem. Don't give it another thought- the year is over- hurray!!!
EllaKate,
The journal was originally turned in sometime in March and that is when the comment was written. I gave the journal back for her to work on making improvements. She just took it home last week.
This reminds me of a recent thread in this Vent forum where a parent of a first grader was complaining that her child's teacher had written things on her child's paper that were "too harsh". I said to her what I'll say to you: your comments seem fine. The parent is overreacting. If the child was doing level 1 work, letting them know it was level 1 work is not "harsh", even for a first grader. Even in plain language. Even if you used exclamation marks. Not too harsh. They need that feedback in order to improve.
I've taught first grade, and pictures and scribbles in a journal, with only a few sentences- in March- is not acceptable. Shame on his mother for not supporting you and for not letting the student know that the teacher was right- his work was not acceptable.
Your comment was fine! Kids need to hear the harsh truth and reality sometimes! Scribbling in first grade (MARCH!) is unacceptable. I wouldn't apologize anymore! And probably not in the first place simply because it makes it look like you did something wrong which you didn't.
Some parents don't want their child to receive any criticism. And that's not right either!
It doesn't sound like the child was bothered by the comment too much if this is the first you are hearing about it. If it really upset the child, he/she would have told her mother in March, mom is upset and was looking for something wrong.
AND, if that child was scribbling and not writing multiple sentences by March, he/she wasn't deserving of an achievement award.
I have done all I can do! I will see if she responds back, but I am done with the situation!
You are right to let this be. If she is open to moving on, she will. If she doesn't move on, at this point, she never will and nothing you can do or say will change that fact.
Makes you wonder if she is this unforgiving when she is a little harsh with her precious little one.
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06-01-2014, 04:03 PM
