Here's how this society works right now ...the smaller the crime = the more time. Melt down the economy? You 'll get a bonus. Be late for school, you get one of your felony 3 strikes.
I don't think it's about the size of the crime, it's about the social standing of the criminal. Suburban white kid selling/doing drugs? Slap on the wrist. Inner-city black kid selling/doing drugs? Major jail time.
There was an interesting broadcast about this on NPR, of all places. I'll see if I can dig it up ...
(From the president of one of Canada's provincial school teachers associations) "Homework in grade one? This parent gets it. I'd be happy to get a letter like this. http://alfiekohn.org/teaching/hwletter.html"
I thought you would be pleased to see a parent advocating for their child and a teacher recognizing that.
I can't get too excited about it because I'm just tired of the way parents are supposed to address teachers. I don't see why parents should have to justify their decision not to make their child do homework in first grade, or why they should have to explain all the approved middle-class educational things they plan they to do with their kids.
Why can't the parent say, "we're not making our 6-yr-old child do any more schoolwork at the end of a full day. When he comes home, we'll stick him in front of the TV with a bucket of ice cream?" It's their kid!
You have to be one of the most close-minded people I have ever met! Even when someone provides a link about a parent advocating for their child you have to rip it apart with critiques. Who are you to say how a parent must address a teacher, maybe they are genuinely polite and wanted to address all the teacher's comments in their letter. You are always so negative and angry. I feel bad for you. Lighten up
I don't think the link is actually about a parent advocating for their child. I think it's a sample letter written by Alfie Kohn himself. (There's no attribution on the web page, and I'm pretty sure AK would make it clear that he didn't write it if that were the case.)
My whole point is that I don't tell parents how to address teachers, but everybody else in the education world does, including "liberal" types like Alfie Kohn.
I didn't see the original tweet, but it sounds like the Canadian school teacher doesn't know who Alfie Kohn is (sorry, Alfie!) and didn't realize "Opting Out of Homework" is a sample letter.
Oops! I sent Alfie Kohn a question about this, and he wrote back and said it really is a parent letter. He just changed the name of the child. I think he should make that clear on his website.
However, I stand by my earlier remarks. I'm tired of the way parents are expected to address teachers. This is turning into the next post ...
Thanks, FedUpMom. I too had trouble navigating his website and never did find the origins of the letter, though I did try. May everyone try to follow your example. But this also brings up another very important subject for parents. Sample letters can be wonderfully helpful. http://www.wrightslaw.com/ Is a treasure trove of advice. Letters a parent writes are so important. (the Kohn letter is serving an important function besides persuasion; it is documenting and creating a timeline of events.) http://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/articles/Letter_to_Stranger.html
Respect for a teacher shouldn't be a given! I think teachers should earn respect from both students and teachers. Some teachers do not deserve, and thus will not get, my respect.
Then there's this article about kids in Texas schools being charged with criminal offenses for breaking school rules.
ReplyDeleteHere's how this society works right now ...the smaller the crime = the more time. Melt down the economy? You 'll get a bonus. Be late for school, you get one of your felony 3 strikes.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's about the size of the crime, it's about the social standing of the criminal. Suburban white kid selling/doing drugs? Slap on the wrist. Inner-city black kid selling/doing drugs? Major jail time.
ReplyDeleteThere was an interesting broadcast about this on NPR, of all places. I'll see if I can dig it up ...
Here it is:
ReplyDeleteLegal Scholar: Jim Crow Still Exists in America
Here's the book under discussion:
The New Jim Crow
Saw this on Twitter today and thought of you...
ReplyDelete(From the president of one of Canada's provincial school teachers associations) "Homework in grade one? This parent gets it. I'd be happy to get a letter like this.
http://alfiekohn.org/teaching/hwletter.html"
I thought you would be pleased to see a parent advocating for their child and a teacher recognizing that.
Okay, I'll provide a true link:
ReplyDeleteOpting out of Homework
I can't get too excited about it because I'm just tired of the way parents are supposed to address teachers. I don't see why parents should have to justify their decision not to make their child do homework in first grade, or why they should have to explain all the approved middle-class educational things they plan they to do with their kids.
Why can't the parent say, "we're not making our 6-yr-old child do any more schoolwork at the end of a full day. When he comes home, we'll stick him in front of the TV with a bucket of ice cream?" It's their kid!
Hmmm ... maybe that's my next post ...
You have to be one of the most close-minded people I have ever met! Even when someone provides a link about a parent advocating for their child you have to rip it apart with critiques. Who are you to say how a parent must address a teacher, maybe they are genuinely polite and wanted to address all the teacher's comments in their letter. You are always so negative and angry. I feel bad for you. Lighten up
ReplyDeleteI don't think the link is actually about a parent advocating for their child. I think it's a sample letter written by Alfie Kohn himself. (There's no attribution on the web page, and I'm pretty sure AK would make it clear that he didn't write it if that were the case.)
ReplyDeleteMy whole point is that I don't tell parents how to address teachers, but everybody else in the education world does, including "liberal" types like Alfie Kohn.
I didn't see the original tweet, but it sounds like the Canadian school teacher doesn't know who Alfie Kohn is (sorry, Alfie!) and didn't realize "Opting Out of Homework" is a sample letter.
ReplyDeleteOops! I sent Alfie Kohn a question about this, and he wrote back and said it really is a parent letter. He just changed the name of the child. I think he should make that clear on his website.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I stand by my earlier remarks. I'm tired of the way parents are expected to address teachers. This is turning into the next post ...
Thanks, FedUpMom. I too had trouble navigating his website and never did find the origins of the letter, though I did try.
ReplyDeleteMay everyone try to follow your example.
But this also brings up another very important subject for parents. Sample letters can be wonderfully helpful.
http://www.wrightslaw.com/ Is a treasure trove of advice.
Letters a parent writes are so important. (the Kohn letter is serving an important function besides persuasion; it is documenting and creating a timeline of events.)
http://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/articles/Letter_to_Stranger.html
Respect for a teacher shouldn't be a given! I think teachers should earn respect from both students and teachers. Some teachers do not deserve, and thus will not get, my respect.
ReplyDeleteOops, should be..."respect from both students and PARENTS".
Delete