So, what do you think?

[KI4NGN]

=( It is region blocked. However, from what I gather from other postings, it would seem that the teacher is not well understanding of the kids she teaches. Maybe she would be better suited to teach older children. At 8 years old I would think that the child could only find such an "award" as hurtful.

I'd say she understood that age group very well, and she obviously did not intend for it to feel good, but to apply consequences to a con-artist who refused to do her assignments and consistently thoughht she could talk her way out of it. The repeated attempts were disrepect for the teacher, and disrespect for all of the other students who met their responsibilities. She had to get the kid's attention, and she did it in a way that everyone in the class learned from.

That being said, I never did my homework and yet throughout high school I kept a 3.8 GPA and a 3.5 QPA. Homework truly is silly. In fact I have read a lot of arguments on the subject of homework, including the opinions of many teachers. It seems to be a subject with drastic variations in opinions. I suppose how one learns is also a factor in the usefulness of homework.

Homework is meant to reinforce the lessons of the day and to prepare for the lessons of the next day.

I hated homework but always did it because I was expected to.

Homework is the opportunity for the parent to participate in their child's education, but I realize that's becoming an alien concept.

How one learns is an individual idea. Teacher has to deal with classrooms, and they sure can't excuse one student from homework while requiring others to do it who really need it.

[KB3LAZ]

I'd say she understood that age group very well, and she obviously did not intend for it to feel good, but to apply consequences to a con-artist who refused to do her assignments and consistently thoughht she could talk her way out of it. The repeated attempts were disrepect for the teacher, and disrespect for all of the other students who met their responsibilities. She had to get the kid's attention, and she did it in a way that everyone in the class learned from.


Homework is meant to reinforce the lessons of the day and to prepare for the lessons of the next day.

I hated homework but always did it because I was expected to.

Homework is the opportunity for the parent to participate in their child's education, but I realize that's becoming an alien concept.

How one learns is an individual idea. Teacher has to deal with classrooms, and they sure can't excuse one student from homework while requiring others to do it who really need it.

Consequences and outright humiliation are different.

[W9PSK]

My opinion is that both the teacher and the mother have failed in their responsibilities. The teacher should have made sure she personally notified the mother that there was a problem with homework. By "personally" I mean either in person or over the phone. By the same token, the mother should have been more involved in what assignments her daughter was being given. The root cause of this situation is a lack of communication between the school, the parent, and the student.

With that said I think the teacher owes the student an apology for giving her such a demeaning award. She's the professional and it's incumbent upon her to act accordingly. Demeaning your students is not part of a teacher's job description. My mother has been successfully teaching for 35 years in a very tough school district, and she has never resorted to demeaning her students. Everything she does revolves around helping her students to reach their full potential and instilling in them the belief that they can do anything they set their minds on.

[KI4NGN]

Consequences and outright humiliation are different.

The humiliation was the consequence.

[KI4NGN]

My opinion is that both the teacher and the mother have failed in their responsibilities. The teacher should have made sure she personally notified the mother that there was a problem with homework. By "personally" I mean either in person or over the phone.

I can understand that opinion, but I personally believe that is not the teacher's responsibility.

I wonder if the parent ever showed up for parent-teacher conferences? I wonder if the mother ever wondered why her child was apparently never getting any homework?

By the same token, the mother should have been more involved in what assignments her daughter was being given. The root cause of this situation is a lack of communication between the school, the parent, and the student.

With that said I think the teacher owes the student an apology for giving her such a demeaning award. She's the professional and it's incumbent upon her to act accordingly. Demeaning your students is not part of a teacher's job description. My mother has been successfully teaching for 35 years in a very tough school district, and she has never resorted to demeaning her students. Everything she does revolves around helping her students to reach their full potential and instilling in them the belief that they can do anything they set their minds on.

I couldn't disagree more. The teacher did nothing wrong.

I recall in one of my grade school years that we used to have a "gold star" board. Some students had many more stars than others, and some had none. Was it demeaning to those who had less or none?

You would have the teacher give the class the impression that they were all doing the same level and quality of work when that is blatantly false.

Is lack of positive feedback a negative feedback? Is that demeaning? Should the teacher have made the child feel good about refusing to do her homework?

Have you sat in your mother's classrooms? How would you know what she's done? Maybe she's done things that she does not feel are demeaning but you would? Think she has never embarassed a student in that tough school district? I think that highly unlikely, though of course I could be wrong.

[N2EY]

Consequences and outright humiliation are different.

But how much was the little girl actually "humiliated"?

I mean, what WOULD have been an appropriate way of handling it, given that the parents didn't even think there was a problem?

73 de Jim, N2EY

[AF6LJ]

Sue, it is you who must continually review what you have written.

I responded to:



So what did you mean by that? Don't treat them as third graders is obvious, but what else then? Fourth graders?

You wrote it, not me.

Okay let me draw you a picture.
What I meant was to talk to and deal with them a grade or two above their current grade level.
Is that so hard to understand?
Besudes how do you get talking to them like adults out of what I said unless you were looking for an augument in the first place.

I say something and you try to come up with the most ridiculous thing you can pull out of what I post.

By the way something for you and that other dude to remember......
I will never admit to being wrong to anyone who doesn't address my error in a respectful manner.
Which means if I am wrong and you call me out on it, you had better be nice about it otherwise it will be a cold, I mean sub zero day in hell, before I admit to someone who is demanding I admit my error. Nobody except for the staff or owner of this site demands anything from me.
You want me to admit I am wrong when I truly am ask nicely.

[N2EY]

My opinion is that both the teacher and the mother have failed in their responsibilities. The teacher should have made sure she personally notified the mother that there was a problem with homework. By "personally" I mean either in person or over the phone. By the same token, the mother should have been more involved in what assignments her daughter was being given. The root cause of this situation is a lack of communication between the school, the parent, and the student.

How do you know the teacher didn't do that? (This is one of the really aggravating things about news stories - they don't tell you the really important stuff.)

I suspect the teacher tried to get the parents involved, and they foo-fooed it off.

With that said I think the teacher owes the student an apology for giving her such a demeaning award. She's the professional and it's incumbent upon her to act accordingly. Demeaning your students is not part of a teacher's job description.

I don't think the teacher owes an apology. Nothing demeaning was done.

I think the student owes the teacher an apology.

My mother has been successfully teaching for 35 years in a very tough school district, and she has never resorted to demeaning her students. Everything she does revolves around helping her students to reach their full potential and instilling in them the belief that they can do anything they set their minds on.

Have you ever sat in on her classes? What would she do if a student never did homework?

73 de Jim, N2EY

[KB3LAZ]

The humiliation was the consequence.

An incorrect one.

[KB3LAZ]

But how much was the little girl actually "humiliated"?

I mean, what WOULD have been an appropriate way of handling it, given that the parents didn't even think there was a problem?

73 de Jim, N2EY

You answered your own question and found the root of the problem, the parents. If the teacher felt that homework was vital to learning and that the child was being deprived of that vital process and the parents did not seem to find it an issue then the parents are at fult and thus the ones that should receive the consequence of humiliation or otherwise. Its neglect.

As I stated, I never did my homework and it did not really make a difference in my GPA. That being said, after a long period of not turning it in my parents would be called and they would take the appropriate action. Because whereas I did not feel my homework was of importance to my education, they did. Which is part of their job, making sure I am getting what is "best" out of my education.

Besides, this child is eight years old. Children of that age only understand so much responsibility and even less of the consequences of their actions. It is the parents job to nurture them into responsibility and understanding. It is the teachers job to teach and inform the parents of any ill behaving or falling behind. If the parents do not care then that is another matter. One can go above their heads.