Your children's Report Card

M

Macator2003

Active member
Jul 19, 2003
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Deep within the Forest
Ever since I can recall, there have been three report cards in Ontario's elementary school system. As a kid, it gave us an indication of how well or how badly we were doing. It also gave our parents a chance to review our progress with all the required classes.

Emily Noble, president of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario said:

"One of the challenges with the reports cards is you do have testing and assessing of the child and then write the formal report card. What we want to do is teach the children and improve school learning as opposed to spending all our time testing kids"

She said this in all seriousness. Please see the attached link, its:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060816.wteachers0816/BNStory/National/home

I disagree and will be making my thoughts known to the office of the Minister of Education. I suggest others that feel the same way, contact Education Minister Sandra Pupatello.

As a parent, I look forward to receiving THREE (3) report cards.

If "Johnny" is not doing well in Math, I want to find out as soon as possible. I don't feel that I or any parent should have to wait for the information to be delivered in one of two report cards.

As far as spending all of their time on testing kids, give me a friggin' break. Most of the people that I come into contact with work an extended week. They start earlier and stay later. They are working a 50 hour or worse still, a 60 hour week. They take projects home on a regular basis.

The timing for this couldn't have been worse, with most teachers coming off their 10-11 week summer vacation.

I'm not going to get into any mud slinging. I have met are some really good teachers over the past 5 years. They take their jobs very seriously and point our children in the right direction. However, I take exception to the Teacher's Federation (Union) pressuring the Minister into dropping one of the "barometers" of how our kids are doing in the subjects that they are being taught.
 
On the education file, the teachers' unions pretty much run the McGuinty government.

Indeed, McGuinty shocked people of all political stripes -- including Liberals like Sean Conway -- when he handed control of the once-independent Ontario College of Teachers over to the unions.

If you're someone who disagrees with this latest trial balloon from the elementary teachers' union, there is good reason to be worried.
 
Actually I believe they will be changing to four reports. Two formal reports and two interim reports. They haven't talked about the interim reports yet here in Ontario but it will be coming. Same as when I grew up in B.C. when we got an interim report in late October, a formal report in late January, an interim report in early April, and a formal report in late June. Two parent interviews in early February and mid November. The two formal reports were quite inclusive and several pages with comments, grades, expectations, etc. While the interim reports were just large index-type heavy cardstock with grades with pre-stamped school address and postage on the back that parents just threw in the mail once they read and signed them. This system was much better than the three report system in Ontario.
 
on a side note as a teacher myself why is it on parent teacher night I always seem to see the parents of the kids who are getting A's in the class, when you need to really see the kid who is getting the D bordering to failure
 
scouser1 said:
on a side note as a teacher myself why is it on parent teacher night I always seem to see the parents of the kids who are getting A's in the class, when you need to really see the kid who is getting the D bordering to failure
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That is the classic question. While i do not in any way accept the power of the teachers union I do support individual teachers who try to make a difference. It must be frustrating to deal daily with those kids who are from a "home" where the parents either don't give a damn or there are no real parents.

I have a solution to that problem but at present it is not very palitable, maybe soon.
 
I dont see the problem with 2 reports, infact i dont think we should test kids in elementary school. The Waldorf School in Germany (they have them here too but its not the same) focus on building self esteem and confidence in the early years and focus on the arts as well so that kids in later years will do things like risk take during math class or science without fear of being wrong or embarrased in front of their peers....and it is a system that has produced x amount of thousands of famous/successful people in all disciplines, many nobel prize winners, and important scientists.

The problem i see in ontario is we think we're the best in everthing - quick question then is why does ontario (which spends 4.3 billion on education) spend $1 billion more than the second most spent education system IN THE WORLD yet not showing close to the top in results?!?!?! The issue is never about money and never has been, but moreover like the rest of Canadian govt it's WASTE.

I think parents should focus on where the money is REALLY going, becuase it sure isnt going to benefit their kids, and that money could be well used in schools in the form of technology, resources, school trips, hand on learning thingys, equiptment - rather than focus on insignificant report marks.

Not attacking any poster here, but, if you dont know your childs a tool thats a parenting problem in my mind - obviously not putting in the reading writing math time with your kids. Most teachers are a waste of space who never worked a day in the real world) yet are guiding our kids and preparing them for real world jobs....this country baffles me.
 
trust me alot of us on the inside have a huge problem with the union itself, going to a meeting is like going to a Bolshevik or Peoples Republic (take your pick of country) Party convention, alot of hot air and grandiose schemes but little reality, and what I hear in return is well if you didnt have a union who would protect you if a teenage girl for example decided to charge you with sexual assault, ohhh please I am 5'6, 160lbs and with a disability, most judges would laugh at the notion of me even attempting to grab a teenage girls butt
 
asn said:
3 report cards? that's it? we used to get a report card sent home every month and then a parent had to sign it and send it back....
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But the problem I see is that Teachers will just fudge around the marks and stuff just not to get flak....the reason?....again the union. In other countries where they get paid peanuts but care more and dont have this massive union their jobs might depend on doing a job well done. Here you'd really have to fuck up to lose your job for incompetence...I had a highschool teacher who wouldve cleaned up at the Darwin Awards, yet he could never be let go.... :D
 
I really enjoy these threads especially the lack of facts that are often thrown around. e.g. "never worked a day in their lives" and teachers in other countries care more.

For three months of the year I volunteer to stay 3 hours after school coaching, five days a week.

When do you guys do that?

Then for the other 7 months I volunteer 3 days a week for 2 hours.

How many of you volunteer that much time at work?

Hey I love my job I just hate it when people suggest that no one is putting in an effort.
 
But this is getting away from the report card issue. I think progress reports are important for the parents so I think it (the number of reports) should stay the same or increase.

But I think it'd be great if there was more parental involvemnt. Earlier someone posted that you should have some idea of how your kid is doing (e.g. not doing any homework or homework is done poorly).

Just an example of parents and teachers working together. At my school they worked together to raise tens of thousands of dollars that were put into funding various sports programs that could not have been run otherwise.
 
Feedback is crucial, especially to kids. There should be MORE report cards, not less. McGuinty does cave in to the teachers' union, why? His wife is a teacher. Sadly the unions run things, they stifle anyone who does not toe the party line. Unfortunately the good teachers are made to look bad because teh poor & mediocre ones need the unions to keep their jobs.
Mr Frankcastle, good for you for volunteering, however what about those of us who volunteer to coach hockey, soccer, baseball, boy scouts...and so on. Unlike many - not all - teachers, we don't make a big deal about it.
 
I'm just merely trying to point out that they are incorrect in saying that all teachers do nothing. The only way I can illustrate that is by saying what I do.

Just as I'm sure you'd be quick to point out that you too coach if someone accused you of doing the bare minimum.

That's my point.

Hey I'm glad you coach too it's just more spots/sports/experiences for kids to get involved in.

The following bit is not directed at coach......

See here's another problem. People love to bash teachers and the second we try to say what it is we do they don't want to listen..... it's interpretted as bitching and complaining. Sorry but I'm not going to sit quietly while someone talks badly about me and my colleagues without knowing what we do.
 
frankcastle said:
I'm just merely trying to point out that they are incorrect in saying that all teachers do nothing. The only way I can illustrate that is by saying what I do.

Just as I'm sure you'd be quick to point out that you too coach if someone accused you of doing the bare minimum.

That's my point.

Hey I'm glad you coach too it's just more spots/sports/experiences for kids to get involved in.

The following bit is not directed at coach......

See here's another problem. People love to bash teachers and the second we try to say what it is we do they don't want to listen..... it's interpretted as bitching and complaining. Sorry but I'm not going to sit quietly while someone talks badly about me and my colleagues without knowing what we do.
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I can see FrankCastles point, and I would add that teachers do their job just as the rest of us do ours. I can imagine parents and others who bash you guys but may suck at our own profession....kinda like the dont tell me how to do my job....teachers dont tell us how to operate on the emergency table, or plead a case, or crunch those numbers, yet they often get the slack. And for those who whine about teachers vacation, fuck it, you had a free choice to be a teacher - dont fuckin complain!!! No one forced you into the career youre in.....

...but on a side note I think there are alot of people who do good work, volunteer that just never pronounce it.....hell, I'll bet some of us even save the world one day at a time with stories that would never make the news....;)
 
frankcastle said:
I really enjoy these threads especially the lack of facts that are often thrown around. e.g. "never worked a day in their lives" and teachers in other countries care more.
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Firstly, I dont think it's throwing a lack of facts around. You'd have to agree that you are a minority, a male, in a profession where women in your profession make up 90% of the workplace, and who have dreamed of being a teacher since grade 1. Just because you or others may be the exception, and I trust that you do, the truth of the matter is that these young women with birds in their heads enter the profession and have no clue what the real world is about. Isnt that the real reason computers are frowned upon by teachers, because they preach "learning" to kids but dont get off their sorry asses to learn a little computing themselves?

As for the "teachers care more in other countries" comment, what I meant by that is that they have to because theyre life is on the line - thats all (and by that I dont mean death but financially they'd be in poverty - REAL poverty)

Again, sounds like you do a lot of volunteering, but how many teachers use the I dont have to and you cant make me union line? Please dont take exception if you are not the majority who I was labeling.
 
It was only a matter of time until this thread turned into the old "teachers have it too good and are lazy people" argument. This type of thread always seems to pop up around late August and mid March. Some people are just so jealous (or envious?) of teachers vacation time and use this type of forum to vent their frustration of what they think is unfair. I fully expect another "teachers suck" thread to come in about two weeks.
 
dj1470 said:
It was only a matter of time until this thread turned into the old "teachers have it too good and are lazy people" argument. This type of thread always seems to pop up around late August and mid March. Some people are just so jealous (or envious?) of teachers vacation time and use this type of forum to vent their frustration of what they think is unfair. I fully expect another "teachers suck" thread to come in about two weeks.
Click to expand...

LOL yet the same people who really have a harp on teachers also seem to be the ones who sit idly by and do nothing about it.....

:D
 
Perhaps in elementary the numbers are that high (90%).

In high school its probably closer to 50% :50% male to female teachers.

At my school I can say that 1/3 of the teachers coach. And I haven't counted clubs and other groups. Just so happens that I'm more involved in the athletics side.

But FF you made a lot of good points.

As for the dreamy girl...... she's at the very least put herself through 4 or 5 years of university so let's give her some credit. And honestly a lot of the younger female teachers that are coming in are very good. I worry most when an old guy joins the department.
 
focus on learning, rather than testing? Not going to work. How the fuck are you supposed to know whether students are learning by not testing them?
 
I fully agree with LKD, short sweet and concise.

Sure tests can be stressful for some but how are you going to prepare a kid for say any profession that includes writing tests (be it lawyer, doctor, accountant, etc)?

Besides for some kids without the pressure of testing what incentive is there for them to learn? It's unfortunate but it's hard to motivate people in general to want to learn for the sake of it. But if they know some sort of consequence comes out of it more will put in an effort.
 
Hey Mac, here is a plan to improve your child's learning:

Instead of waiting for report cards to be delivered so you can assess your own child's progress, why not become an involved parent that actually calls the teacher on a weekly basis to touch base with how the kid is doing? Report cards are for the most part poor indicators of a child's performance, the testing debate can go on and on forever but what DOES work and can influence your child is you developing a relationship with the teacher so that you can be proactive in helping your child learn. Parents that are actively involved with teachers have kids that do much better in school. there is a DIRECT correlation with that and it has been proven many times over.

It is just a phone call, how hard can that be?
 
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