Please ask your children what they've done

at school all week.

Survey of three (2MS, 1Elem)

Elem student has watched 8 movies this week, with no discussion, report, or any work to do with movies. Has played and taken long recesses. Did two work sheets.

MS students...4 subject areas..Math, Science, Language Arts, Social Studies

Monday
1. Math-teacher was providing remediation, so students were divvied up and sent to other classes with no work to do.
2. Science-studied sound
3. Language Arts-read a book, worked on essay
4. Social Studies- book work

Tuesday
M-nothing as teacher was testing EOG remake
Science- different section of sound
LA- same as Monday
SS- " " "

Wednesday
M, discussed cartesian coordinates, filled in and colored shapes
Sci- book work
LA- finished essay
SS- bookwork

Thursday
Math- geometric puzzle shapes making squares. (One student did bring a deck of playing cards and some students played blackjack until the teacher became aware and stopped the game. Teacher was entering grade data for students, and not supervising the class.
Science: Open book test.
LA- finished reading book.
Social Studies-farmed out to other classrooms, given busy work to do.
........................................................................................................
Folks,
You know I'm the biggest supporter of our schools, especially when we get it right. When we have students sitting around doing nothing, then I have concerns that my tax dollars for education are used for babysitting and daycare.

Apparently, the EOGs are done for students who passed them, end of course FINAL grades at least in middle school and elementary have been recorded and turned in to be blessed off by the administration, and to prepare for end of year awards.

The question becomes, so just how much impact are these kids getting in the final two weeks. Hiding behind the "state law mandates 180 days" is a cop out.

Given the cost of transportation, utilities, salaries, and other expenses, I don't see how JoCo can justify what has occurred this week, and will, no doubt, be the rule for next week as well. Entertain the kids, keep them in school because the law says so, and waste money that could be better used.
I'm also sure that the examples are far more representative of activities of this week and next, than just being isolated incidences at 2 schools.

It's difficult for me to cheer when the schools operate less than admirably. Surely, there has to be some way that we can accomplish the required testing, remediation, and retesting, while simultaneously reaching and teaching those who passed their EOGs and seemingly sit and wait for the week to transpire.

 

I was fussing about this very thing earlier today. My DS has accomplished NOTHING of any consequence this week. He watched 2 freaking movies today. Seriously??? I sent him to school to watch movies? ALL day? Just send him home already. EOG's are passed, just get it over with. Why can't it be like HS, if they've passed their exams, let them be done. If they didn't pass, then let THEM be the ones dealing with it. :?

 

Its been like this for atleast 14 years. I can't say for sure before that. I'm definitely not saying its right... it was stupid then, its stupid now. All i remember about the end of the middle school year was getting reallyyy good at thump football and watching 80,000 different movies.

 

NONE of my kids have done squat this week. Not a one has had homework. Not a one. Many have watched movies. I sat in one IEP meeting last week at the high school wondering why in the world my child was doing a report on aliens. Yes, aliens. Just a total waste anymore. I have kids in elementary, middle and high school. Most of the older kids have just been playing on the computer. Truly deciding on how many to homeschool next year. And it was not just b/c of this one week w/ nothing to do. Many, many factors. I'm STILL waiting from a call from the high school that I was promised last week at an IEP meeting. Has it happened yet? NO. We have no definitive answer as to where our children are going to high school next year. So right now, the JCPS are not very high on my list. Wonder what movie my kids will watch tomorrow.

Stephanie-- mom to 7

 

My child's teacher is doing remediation so the kids in the class were divvied up and sent to other classrooms. Apparently there are not enough desks/chairs in the classroom so my child ended up sitting on a jacket on the floor for hours. :?

 

EOG's are done, but EOC's aren't. Although I agree with everything you said, I know that my rising freshman is spending at least two blocks a day with her algebra teacher preparing for the EOC. However, this affects just a small number of kids.

The rest of the time she's done squat.

She's at home today....she's ummm, not feeling well.....

 

Complain to the board of education. I'm sure this has nothing to do with the teachers. You have mentioned that the school system regulates how many days they must attend school. I agree with letting them go home after finishing/passing the EOG or EOC tests. Teachers should have to focus only on the ones who didn't pass, however, the school system makes everyone attend class still.

 

Mine have done nothing all week....and have been allowed to bring their iPods. It INFURIATES ME! The least they could be doing is teaching them how to write their names in cursive since that got eliminated years ago because it's not on the EOG's....


don't even get me started.....

:banghead:

 

Why do the EOGs take place so early anyway? Oh, yeah - to give time for do-overs... I guess budget cuts have done away with summer school.

 

I'm so glad we only have 2 more weeks to deal with JCPSS!!! Two weeks from today my baby walks!!! :hurray:

 

HAHA! That brings back memories. I was all state in thump football! But I seem to remember watching the same movies over and over. To the point that you could quote them in your sleep. Speaking of sleep. I just remember getting a lot of naps in the last two weeks of school. What can you do when the teachers can't punish the students because everything is finished.

How do you suspend a child that is finished with school and wants to go home?

 

Well, I guess Wake County isn't wasting as much money as I thought. My kids have still had the normal homework and class work as usual. Today is my youngest son's last day. He won't be doing a lot today because he is in a 4th/5th grade combination class so the 4th graders in his class get to help with 5th grade graduation.

 

Mine son has not done a damn thing and it irks me to no end!!!!!:banghead:

 

I'm just glad homework is done for the year. Baseball, football, t-ball practices/games, and Daisy Scouts with just me to do everything around here. One less thing for me to worry about, I'm ready for summer!

 

3rd grade at West view - still doing home work, still has tests. He had approx 2 hrs of home work last night. Math test and spelling tests roll on. They have been reading a book and are watching the movie of that book today. They had done this earlier with Sarah Plain and Tall.

We love Johnston County Schools (so far)

 

My daughter has done nothing, she loves it lol, me..well I'm glad homework is done..she has worked hard this year, very hard. She passed her EOG's with high 4's and made the honor roll all year, she has earned this time to do nothing..she goes to school cause it's the law for her to go. Nothing is going to change..not going to bother saying anything now. Gives me more time to do fun things with her once she is home..I'm very involved in her Girl Scout troop, so now we can focus on that as well.
Sheri

 

down time

So state law mandates how much time kids stay shool. When the teacher can't fine enough work to keep my child busy the entire day they call me and want me to reprimand my kid for being bored and wrestless. Prepare them for the real world. When you complete one job either go home be given another job

 

this is totally off topic, but did you use to live down from the Clayton Primary school....(now its West Clayton Elem.)
your screen name is that of someone I remember when I was little...

But hey I got that phone call today with my kid as well, he is now resting easy with the grandparents since 12:10 today.

 

2 MS students report that today they were divvied up, sent out for 1st block with menial busy work until 1130, then to another alternate classroom, and for the rest of the afternoon, sat and talked amongst themselves.

Elem student watched 2 movies, and played kickball and games. Movie one was Scoobie Doo cartoons, and Black Beauty.

Might as well as flushed the moeny they spent on educastion this week down the toilet.

Here's an idea....why not do EOGs at the end of year and allow the schools to take their lumps. i.e. EOGs are really supposed to tell us how well the schools educate our children. The test scores are supposed to indicate who good a job the educators have done. Yet when one allows retest upon retest, it defeats the purpose. If numerous students are failing EOGs, that speaks to the level of education provided.

 

Public Education - Follow The Money!

It's a boring read but it gives a basic view of funding:
http://www.crpe.org/cs/crpe/download/csr_files/pub_crpe_disp_may08.pdf