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 ...