I'm Right. No, I'm Right.
Education is important to my husband and I, and we try to impart that to the wee ones. For us, it isn't about the grades. While I want to know that the wee ones have given their best effort, I'm ok if that means they didn't get straight As. That said, I want to make sure that they understand the material - especially in the younger grades where what they learn is truly the foundation for everything else that's to come.
In that vein, we go over all the assignments and work and tests that come home. We go through what they did well - where they remembered some of the lessons they're being taught or where they did their best handwriting or where I can see that they checked their work and erased a wrong answer. And then we go through the parts that the teacher marked wrong to ensure that the wee ones understood what was done incorrectly.
I have to be extra careful with Mister Man, however. Not only does his Asperger's mean that he's extra sensitive, but his teacher isn't the best at grading. She'll miss problems that are clearly wrong, and sometimes she'll incorrectly mark a problem wrong that isn't. That drives me batty, but I do my best not to let it show.
When the wee ones do a problem wrong, I have them redo it, especially if it's something that they've gotten wrong on a regular basis or where they clearly haven't used their best efforts.
I came across this paper the other day where Mister Man had to measure an object and report its length to the nearest half centimeter. Apparently, Mister Man also has a very strict sense of right and wrong.
But I have to give him credit. When I went back and measured it myself, it is definitely 8 1/2 centimeters. And you know, it's not such a bad thing to teach him to stick to his guns, too.
How do you handle it when your child's teacher doesn't grade things correctly?
8 comments:
I'd email her back and tell her that that particular problem was actually 8 1/2. And then I'd jump into a kind explanation of how important it is to him to have his work graded properly.
Like Tracey, I'll email the teacher to discuss the problem. I think it's great how you and your husband go over all the work with the kids. That's hands on parenting at its best!
Good for Mr. Man!!!!
I don't have kids or teachers to deal with butI 'm glad he checked his work and was RIGHT!
Tracey - We have enough problems with the teacher that grading... I'm sort of not up for adding that to my list with her. We have way bigger issues to deal with. And at some point, he has to learn that those in authority aren't always right, and it's ok to know inside that we're right even when they don't recognize it.
Kelly - It does make me giggle that he'll bring in his redone work to show her. He gets proud of it, although I do have to re-emphasize each time that I do NOT want her to change his grade, just that we're focusing on doing things well and learning the material.
Joanna - That's what I said. And when he finds that he's right... more power to him. I was actually sorta proud of his reaction, much as it made me giggle.
This is a tough one. If there are other issues going on with the teacher, then I think you are doing what you can already by showing him HE'S right, and that authority figures aren't ALWAYS right. It says right there on plain ruler and paper!! I think the world of you going over all the work with your kids. It's a lot more than I do!
I would probably ignore it while reinforcing to my son that he was, in fact, correct. Maybe. As I type that, I think no, I would address it with teacher, but then there is the whole "choosing your battles" thing....so really, I have no idea, but I think that is way funny that he re-corrected it. Awesome!
I'd say, "We're all human and so we all make mistakes sometimes. Your teacher made a mistake. She was probably using the Teacher's Answer Book which had the mistake in it. She probably didn't have time to do all the problems herself and then grade 25 sets of homework pages carefully."
I find that the first editions of math books have some errors in them in their answer keys, and usually it would take some student to alert me to the incorrect answer. Usually high school math books have the answers to the odd-numbered problems in the back of the book for students to check their answers. They have to show their work, of course.
Sandra - There are other issues with the teacher. There are some "effort issues" with Mister Man's class, so I'm trying to make sure that we're not a part of it ;)
Kori - It's definitely a choosing your battles thing. And the book may well be wrong. It's not worth it in the long run, and he knows he's right.
Pat - That's a better answer than what I gave ;) I'm more along the "we all make mistakes sometimes, and it isn't important to rub people's noses in it. Sometimes you just have to know in your heart that you're right."
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