Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Accelerated Math - Disorganized Teacher?

Hello all! I am just wondering if it is just me or what... So, give me your thoughts.

DS is in 4th grade accelerated math this year. Teacher appears not to like DS much... she emailed a few times with me with random complaints that DS's mind wanders and he does not appear invested in class. I get the strong impression she is not happy to have him. Last year's math teacher was fabulous - he was engaged and sufficiently challenged. This teacher lectures A LOT apparently. DS says they do not practice what she teaches in the class with any sheets. And I can assume she is not clear in her teaching because in my dealings with her I find her disorganized and unclear.

Anyway, they had one test that I was not informed of beforehand, that I received back to sign and he got a High Proficient on it (equivalent of an A). Then they are having a test today that I did not know about... She emailed about it late yesterday and said they did a "quick check" in class and that DS did not do well and he needs to study for test next day. The quick check was not sent home; so, no idea where he did poorly... DS and I don't know where they are in the textbook because she does not list anywhere what she is teaching daily/weekly and what lessons she is covering. All teaching seems to done via random internet handout/worksheets so they do not correspond. However, the test will be one taken from the textbook curriculum (as was the quick check). Yet, she did not say what the test is on anywhere. All of this, despite the fact that she tells us to go on google classroom - which is always empty ...

I feel like she is so disorganized and I feel "in the dark" ... Like I said, no idea they were getting a test today until late yesterday afternoon ( I mean, I knew one was coming but for the past two weeks all Google Classroom said was "test next week"). No clear information about what is on test and what lessons from textbook will be covered. I do not know what lessons they have covered in the textbook in class (nor does DS because she is teaching via internet handouts that do not correspond clearly to the textbook material), the homework does not correspond to the textbook at all so that is no help, etc. We had trouble figuring out last night what material from the textbook would be on the test (but the test will be drawn form the textbook, it will be an "envision test" so this is kind-of important to know).

I am trying to persuade her to list in a weekly handout, or post on Google classroom, the material being covered every week and the corresponding lessons in the textbook but she is very resistant to doing that. I am also ticked off she was not more forthcoming about the test and what is on it. We should not have to guess at this. Geez, even in college and law school this type of info was clearly laid out via internet or handout syllabus. It's not unreasonable to want that, is it? I am very organized so this is like nails on a chalkboard for me... plus DS is not very organized at all so the combination of him and a disorganized and not-forthcoming teacher can be very bad.

Thing is, as long as we know what material he is suppose to be learning and what he will be tested on, he can learn whatever he does not pick up in class at home ... And we can't seem to do that because she is being obscure. It feels a bit like she is purposely trying to be secretive.

Also, My understanding of the envision “quick checks” is that they are tools essentially for ascertaining where a student needs more work prior to the assessment. At least, that is how the 'quick checks' have been utilized in the past math classes. Based on that assumption, the “quick checks” need to be given at least some days prior to the test so that we (teacher as well as DS and DH and I) can see if there are weaknesses, where those weaknesses lie and address those weaknesses prior to the tests. We can not do that when the "quick checks" are given the day before test and are not returned to the student or to us, his parents, until after the assessment is given, which is what occurred this week. We did not really know what concepts he needed to work on for his test today because we were not informed until yesterday afternoon at 3pm that his quick check showed he needed to work on some things. When we were informed of the 'quick check,' it was in very general terms and she was mostly just pissy that he does not seem to pay attention to her The test is today and we still have not seen the quick checks that were given.

I mean this is fourth grade... And besides, this is info I got even in college and beyond ...

Reminds me of what I was dealing with last year. The first month of school went by and I had no idea DD was supposed to be doing homework for math, and I had no idea even what chapter of the book she was working on. The textbooks stayed at school, but I asked if I could bring one home after a while. At home she was supposed to watch online videos, that were each 30 seconds to around 2 minutes long and then do 4-5 question quizzes based on the videos. Half the time the quizzes had nothing to do with the videos. With some questions, there needed to be a written response, which the teacher was supposed to check online but sometimes weeks would go by with no checking. It was quite frankly, ridiculous. All of the kids in the class were basically working at their own pace which added to the chaos. I never had any idea when the tests were going to be.

From what I hear, we are doing the Envision curriculum this year (different school) and I know there must be something online, but so far the kids (who are now in the same level) are bringing home worksheets as "review". I am bracing myself for confusion. I am going to ask for a textbook.

I have no real advice, it sounds like you are trying to reason with the teacher and she is resistant to communicating. I suppose you could request a conference.

Envision quick checks are supposed to be formative assessments--as in, to inform instruction, rather than for grading purposes (vs. summative assessments like unit tests). As you note, they are only useful if they are used to guide instruction or studying. Which would require knowing what he got wrong.

Sounds like the New Zealand school system. I have never been told beand asfore hand there isa test or been told how they did in a test unles it happened just before a parent teacher interview. I'm not sure my kids have ever been told how well they did in a test. And a textbook? well i did see some once but my kids don't remember using them. What you are asking would be considered unreasonable here. Tgere is one difference though - the tests don't really matter. Yours do. I would ask but be have a plan B ready.

Thanks all. Quite honestly, in the past DS usually did not have to "prepare" much for a test... But we were always informed ahead of time before and told exactly what would be assessed. Even if we never did much with the info. The expectation, though, that kiddos will study is there. This time, I am thinking DS may want to study/prepare.. it is "accelerated", maybe he has to start studying now. And yes our tests count now... they count for if he will do accelerated next year, they could for if he will stay in the class this year. The class below this one has a big number of kids in it and he really is way too advanced for it. He has nowhere else to go, so if he has to teach himself the material to stay in the class so be it. All we need to know is what is covered because they skip around and don't use all of the chapters in the textbook - so she needs to tell us. Also, the test and quick check were on material that did not come him in homework packet so I can't count on that to inform us.

I know I must not be the only parent who is frustrated by this.

Also then she tells me DS has to study but doesn't tell me what he needs to study, etc.

After much emailing (and cc to principal). I did get her to agree to post on Google classroom "the written homework assignment with the lesson number that corresponds to the textbook lesson given each day." That is great. As long as she does it. But, I will call and email her if she does not. She is just being lazy.

Good work, Irena. In most schools, the teacher is supposed to submit lesson plans to her administrator (probably principal) on a weekly basis, which would include all the information you need to know. The Google classroom post may even be a required portion of her job. Either way, at the beginning of each week, she should already know to within a day (allowing for the class going a little faster or slower than projected) what should be on the board for each day. I'd continue cc'ing the principal every time you have an issue with her not posting that isn't immediately resolved.

Thanks Aeh, that is good to know. I started questioning around and it turns out this teacher has been a problem for a while. One parent told me there must be boatloads of complaints about her to the principal. Nothing seems to change. Ugh. On the one hand, glad I am not an idiot or crazy. On the other hand, sounds kind of hopeless. Well, as long as she tells us what is suppose to be being taught I think we will be okay. One parent pointed out that it is 4th grade accelerated where the children are suppose to learn 4th and 5th grade concepts in one year but that this teacher immediately starts them out with the 5th grade book. I don't know what to think of that. I feel sad... DS thought accelerated was going to be really engaging... ugh

DS16 had a teacher like that for Chemistry last year. She was known for being disorganized. After DS has a terrible first quarter, he was put on a 'contract' that was as much to keep the teacher accountable as it was to teach my son how to work with her. (The contract is something fairly standard for kids who look like they might be failing a class.) This eventually meant he figured out how to work with her. The school knows about this problem, other students complain but there isn't much the school can do about it. And this teacher mostly complied with the contract despite her horrible disorganization.

Well, well, well, looks like our school may be one in which teacher is supposed to submit lesson plans to the administrator. This morning there was an email to the class by the teacher stating to check Google classroom... the google classroom now lists exactly what will be covered for the entire first trimester and she has next week lessons broken down by number and even textbook pages. I can not believe she resisted doing that... I find that so odd! At least we now know what DS is suppose to be learning and what will be covered on the tests. As long as we know that, I think DS will be okay.