Getting written feedback on boarders' work

BigValley
Sat, 02 Nov 2013 16:11:32 +0000

Let’s see if we can make this discussion productive. I wrote that “looking at the back and forth between the teacher and the kid is by far the best way to tell if the kid is getting effective instruction at school.” Some have warned, in the words of a recent poster, “That type of access won’t occur unless you force it and nothing good will come of that.” The only responsive post relating a bad thing that happened to a parent or child who expressed interest in seeing their kids papers is a snide remark from an AO at Loomis. My experience in occasionally asking to see my kid’s work has been a productive one. I think that AO at Loomis should get an ironist of the year award if, like many prep schools, Loomis asks applicants to submit a graded essay with their applications. They know as well as I do that a graded essay tells the reader about the student and the education he has received so far. That said, has any parent out there actually had an awful experience as a result of asking for, or getting to see, their boarding student’s draft essays or see teacher comments on essays that have been turned in?