I've gotten my first teacher's kid ever this year. Lucky me. Why, oh why, do teachers think they can do things to another teacher that they would be horrified if it were done to them?

Case in point. Last week, we started putting in final grades for report cards. Teacher's DS gets 4 B's and a C. The C is in reading. Report cards haven't gone out yet, but all parents in the district have access to their child's grades in our online grading system. I got an email sent sometime Friday morning. It starts out "I have no problem with my child's grade" (yes, she does), but I'm wondering why you have so few graded assignments in the last two weeks of the grading period."

Well, since she teaches at my school, she should know that we spent 7 of the last ten days giving district assessments. Those assessments included 40 plus question tests in Reading, Writing, Math, Science and Social Studies. All of the tests took until lunch/resource to complete (except Math, which spilled over into the afternoon) Besides those assessments, (which cannot be entered as grades and which I tried to review for each afternoon), we were also mandated to give a Developmental Spelling Inventory, a Vocabulary Test, a "comprehension" test, and individually test each student in fluency and with a Dolch word list. Those last five tests are entered into an online portfolio, which spits out one grade, which is entered in the gradebook. Her child's portfolio score was a very low C and counts for 60 percent of her grade. (By district policy)

So, while I have no problem discussing her concerns with her, I do have a HUGE problem with her going to the principal with her "concerns," before ever talking to me. I know this because two of my grade level partners saw her and heard her talking to her in the hallway about it. I'm pretty darn sure she would flip if another teacher did it to her.

How would you handle this?

She's only concerned about the reading grade and the portfolio grade is for reading only.

[leo1234]

you have nothing to worry about - just remember to keep your emotions in check. She was wrong to go over your head, but you can only control your own respnse to the situation. Letting her know that it really affected you will only fuel her and probably cause her to continue to go over your head.

I have had many teacher kids in my room. Sometomes they let their 'inner teacher' cloud their 'concerned parent' thoughts and actions.

Good luck

[Lady Teacher]

that she went over your head. Don't you just hate this? But it sounds like all of your bases are covered. You are following the district policy. Maybe she needs to be tutoring her kid in reading. Stay calm and good luck!

[teachnkids]

I'm sure what you want to tell her is she should be using her energies to help her son in reading instead of blabbing to the principal, but we know you won't because you are more professional than her!!!

I would send a short, sweet note back to her along the lines of "as you know the last two weeks were consumed with testing. I hate that there were not more grades for that time period, but there is only so much we can do in the time not taken up by district testing". It answers her question, yet does not address the grade.

[teach smiles]

There's always one parent like that in every crowd. Obviously, you have enough evidence to support when there were not grades for the last 2 weeks of the marking period. You don't even need to explain that, although it wouldn't hurt to remind her. She knows that without having to bother you about it. Sometimes, people always want what they can't have and she's just scoping for a way to verify information, even though she already knows the answer.

Yes, I do think it would have been more professional if she had talked to you beforehand, before ever talking to the principal. You think she would have the courtesy to talk to you first. I think she's just embarrassed by her child's grades and doesn't want to take accountability for it.

Good luck with this year. You will be just fine.

[MissESL]

*caution* YOU did not see her talking to the principal. Heresay is veeryy dangerous! :-)

I think that you shouldn't sweat it--BUT, if you are called to justify it, explain it as you did here. Point out that assessments were occurring and as per the process and district policy, this is how the grading works and turned out.

[jomo]

I have 25 students, and 6 have parents who work in my same small school district! Fortunately most are not like the mother you deal with. It's frustrating, but please stay as calm as possible.

You'll be fine - you can't change a district assessment. She knows it deep down.

I had a crazy a$$ed teacher who tries to request her kid's friends be in her sons class and whoever he thinks is not his friend in another class. She is a nut.