Your Child's Education

We all want our children to get the best education that they can get, want them to get good grades and we want them to have the best teachers.  Briley has had her share of good and not so good teachers.  I'm not saying they are all horrible, but they all have their different styles in teaching. I have friends that are teachers so I'm not knocking any teachers at all. It takes someone very special to be a teacher just as it does a nurse or daycare provider. I tip my hat to teachers, I couldn't do what they do everyday. 

Briley has never been a straight A student. She's always had to work for her grades. Math has never been her strong subject, sadly enough I know the feeling. Shawn has always had to help her with her math, I never have been able to. Her second report card came home with ONE low grade, actually VERY low grade in her Math class. Of course I questioned why or how it could be that low.  She had mentioned a paper she had to do that was worth about 40 points that she had forgotten to do.  It's one where she calculates her grades, gives them an average, percentage and then a final grade.  Ummmm......ok, at this point I'm thinking she's doing the teachers job!  :(  Not a happy mother here....

After talking to her and some other people, I hear that her math teacher really doesn't teach. We always thought that her Math homework was excessive every night of the week and most weekends with her doing problems 1-80 all, of course I exaggerated a tad but not much! She is to show her work on every single problem. Then I find out that she grades her own homework each day in class, and they never turn them in! The teacher walks around and gives them points for "completing" the homework.  I don't mind them grading their own work, I know that teachers have tons of work to grade.  But, to not even turn it in?  Am I missing something here? Is this just busy work?


Shawn would fight and fight with her of an evening of crying and not understanding her homework and him getting mad that she doesn't get it. Night after night, same argument.   I asked her if she would ask the teacher and she would say yes, but stopped asking him after he made her feel stupid too many times.  When they get their assignment, she closes her book and waits until she gets home to have daddy help her. Woah, no parent of the year award here!!! :)  


I have also been told that they are able to go to the teacher that they have trouble with, 15 minutes of their lunch hour to get help and ask questions.  Now, it may just be me, but what child in their right mind would want to take 15 minutes of their OWN lunch hour to ask questions to a teacher who has already made you feel stupid when you ask? Again, am I missing something here? 


Briley is up late every night doing homework.  She plays sports and that is one reason she's up late doing homework.  I commend her for getting decent grades and playing sports at the same time. I know that is hard. She has pitching, hitting, dance and basketball every night of the week. I'm glad she's involved in school sports and sports in general. I think there is too much out there that can lead kids astray very quickly and this is one way to keep them in tact. I can't imagine being a kid in schools now. I know it is much harder than it was when I was there.


Anyway, I have requested a meeting with her teacher. I feel that he needs to be held accountable for her learning. He is the one paid to do so. I understand if she doesn't get it, but I think he should be accessible and should be ready and willing to help her.  If not, I think he needs to find her a tutor.  I'm not sure how this meeting is going to go, but I am prepared for it. Shawn and I go next Tuesday to meet with her teacher.  


I just pray that God puts his hand over my mouth and doesn't let me say anything that could be used against Briley. I'm not sure that his teaching format in class is working, and if it's not working for my child, how do we fix it?


I'm a mom, I'm defensive and protective.  I can't do a thing about that. :)  I'm also concerned about her grades and I want her to do better. I just need to know how. I am hoping he has answers, that it isn't a battle cause I already have my weapons drawn. :)