<p>I suspect this teacher decided who she liked and didn’t like in the first day or two and never even read the papers. Every paper he wrote received essentially the same grade, with no comments at all. He was “C-/D” writer and ended up with a C+ in the class because it was possible to raise your grade by getting 100% on all the spelling tests and other nonsense work. At first I tried making sure he had zero grammar or spelling errors and had included all of the checklist items. (They teach writing by formula in our school–thesis sentence, check; three paragraphs, check). When I found that made no difference to the grade, I tested my theory by writing one of S2’s papers for him–didn’t let him touch it. It may not show on my cc posts, but I write for a living. This teacher gave my best effort a C-. Again, no comments. After that I told him to spend as little time as possible on his papers and forget about it. He wasted an important year in which he needed to be learning how to write and didn’t, but more importantly he just gave up on school in general as an unfair institution.</p>
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<p>The only tolerable year was when my equally uncoordinated older sister was in the same PE class as I was. We were never on the same team because we were always the last two to be chosen.</p>
<p>My H’s family is also one of teachers. Teaching is an art, so you can understand a subject but must know how to impart the material. Math teachers seem to be difficult.??
I think they can teach to kids who are excellent at math, but if you are good at math but not superior it becomes a problem. My D’s have a math phobia from that. On the whole I think teachers care and the atmosphere has been one of general support,its just the one bad apple. That English teacher had major anger management issues it seems abusive. anyway thanks for the reassurance, generally I’M STUBBORN and dont like to have things get the best of me and I try to teach the girls the same but in this case its a battle I dont want to attempt, and its nice to get let off the hook, esp by people who know what the college admissions business is like. I’m sorry for all of your bad experiences. P.S. congrats to all who have found their athletic niche</p>
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<p>Boy, you said it. I think the problem is that the people who become math teachers are really really good at math. It comes so easy for them that some can’t comprehend that others don’t get it. </p>
<p>I have a friend whose dad actually was a rocket scientist. She did not inherit his math gene and he was the LAST person she would ask for help in math…he just could not comprehend that she didn’t get it.</p>
<p>My children could each be the test case for whether a math teacher is a good TEACHER or not. They did not inherit any math abilities from their parents, yet they are bright students who pay attention and do their homework. If a teacher actually TEACHES (e.g. clearly explains the material), they do well. If a teacher expects them to pick it up on their own, or explains in a confusing maner, they do poorly.</p>
<p>My daughter had a math teacher in her public high school who became a math teacher BECAUSE she hated her OWN math teachers in HS! She said she was really strong in English as well and so felt she could use language to teach Math. She could explain things three different ways from Tuesday and it was the only time my daughter did well in a math class. Son’s HS precalc teacher could tell exactly what a kid didn’t get by having them do a test problem for him. He too could explain things multiple ways. And I think thats what counts most… finding different ways to say the same thing and therein lies the rub: Language is not generally a strong suit to the number lovers. Our private HS has hired four new math teachers this year for the second year in a row I believe. One preferred public school - which my daughter translated to she didn’t like to make sure her students were actually learning anything, and I translated into she didn’t like being responsive to parents. And another one just couldnt teach. She could do it, but couldn’t explain it. So… we’ll hope for good things this year. </p>
<p>Son texted this morning asking me to ask his Dad something… I replied, “better to come from you.” He called later in the day for no other real reason than to say he was probably going to miss lunch (back to back classes from 9-1:30 cafeterias close at 2). I was like… umm can’t help you. (although I should have reminded him about the bag option, but he was going to the “grille.” </p>
<p>Seriously, one good conversation has placated me. I really don’t need to know too much more until Sunday… and that’s probably mostly how the weekend went, as if he’d tell me all of that. While so many other kids on CC don’t seem to be at all into the party scene, that would not be my son. Not a huge party animal either, but definitely likes to have a good time. One more reason it’s good if he has an athletic commitment.</p>
<p>Back from the dr. Darn it! Tore my meniscus just like I thought. :(</p>
<p>Good Lord, Northmin - you are just having one heckuva time! So sorry to hear that…</p>
<p>NM, that stinks. I tore mine two years ago. Surgery isn’t too bad – make sure they allow you enough physical therapy to get full strength and range of motion. The 80% of function standard is NOT sufficient. Trust me.</p>
<p>So we are redoing D1’s bedroom to make it a more usable guest room. But we (especially H!) are having some difficulties taking her things of the walls – even though she’s a college graduate and has been essentially out of the house over 4 years.</p>
<p>It mattered a LOT to her that her room be her room when she came home, and we didn’t really care. Now that she doesn’t care so much, we can’t make the changes … Anyone else go through this? Are we unduly sentimental??</p>
<p>My senior English teacher took an automatic dislike to me from day one. I was a straight A student but unlike my 2 best friends who were also straight A’s I didn’t just roll over when told to do something. Even as a student I was always questioning things. At one point after getting high C’s on almost every paper I did a friend who was always getting A’s and I switched papers. I handed in hers and she handed in mine. Yet again she got an A and I got a C. My mother was a career teacher in a different district. I told her about it and she made a trip over to my high school to talk with the teacher. Boy did she let him and me have it. She told him what I had done and told him to grow up and get over it. That we didn’t have to LIKE each other but had to get through the year. I had straight A’s until getting to his class and she expected that to continue unless I didn’t do the work. Then she let me have it with the “experiment” wasn’t a good idea and that I was to never do that again. I was to treat the teacher with respect and he was to treat me with respect or else. My mom didn’t mince words. Teacher changed his tune after that and I did get A’s but I worked for them and I never tried to hand in someone elses work either. Boy, the power of a mother!!!</p>
<p>We cleaned but no other changes. S1 hasn’t been home for more than a couple of weeks since he left as a freshman (senior now but overseas until Christmas and hopes to get a job overseas upon graduation). S2 is already saying he expects to just stay in Morgantown this summer and we will encourage that. (Modadunn, both our boys are familiar with the party scene and I much rather they be out of our house now that they have graduated so I don’t have to be on constant guard duty.) I don’t think either would care what we did to their rooms, but it isn’t a high priority since we have six bedrooms in this house. We will probably leave everything alone until we downsize. We had hoped to do that the summer after S2 graduated from high school but decided it just doesn’t make sense to sell into this market. We had live-in help when they were growing up so needed a lot of space but it’s just a lot to clean now with only two of us.</p>
<p>Oh Zetesis, I feel for you. Must be hard.</p>
<p>Anybody else being more tight-fisted with your spending money? I know we sure are. Tonight we did decide to eat out. But first we discussed how much money we would spend and where we would go to dinner. Haven’t had to discuss this issue in such a long time…And we were proud to only spend $19. I think we are going to have a set amount of “dining out $” each week. We used to live by the envelope system, and will probably go back to that. An envelope with the grocery money in it. Another envelope with the dining out money in it, etc. When it’s gone, it’s gone. Make a meal out of what is in the pantry and freezer. Hurry up payday!</p>
<p>I look at it this way. Those things on the wall are just things. That person is all grown up and no longer that same person. Its just stuff. </p>
<p>The way we look at it, if we remove something from Ds rooms, and donate them, someone else can get joy from that painting, stuffed animal, pair of shoes.</p>
<p>As well, their rooms are reflective of the young women they are now, something my H and I are really proud of. We have pictures of their past, their rooms reflect the now and the future.</p>
<p>My Ds never cared what we did to their rooms. They weren’t attached to things, more the people, the animals, and such. Pictures were enough for them.</p>
<p>Maybe its because we were constently purging, cleaing, rearranged, donating, upgrading, that they were used to transistions and looked forward to the changes that were a kind of rite of passage- going into middle school, going into high school, and now going into college. When they come home, they like what they see and like that its an adult room, not a childs.</p>
<p>There is something to be said for a space reflecting the person there now, not the person they used to be.</p>
<p>Yes, I’ve been extremely careful, since about spring, with my budget. I am pleased - and have many things under control or paid off. The best thing I did was not to carry cash. That way I don’t go drop a few dollars at Dunkin Donuts, which adds up after awhile. I only use my debit card and I just won’t use it for coffee or little things. So I’ve pared here and there and been careful…and what a help. And I haven’t missed the things that I cut out. No new clothes, either. I did need walking sneakers for work (nurse) but that is it. It feels good.</p>
<p>ilovetoquilt22 I WISH my kids were that way. When S left I wanted to redo his room. H said no to leave it. I did pack up some of his legos and the first thing he said when he came home on break was what did I do with his legos. D has also told me that it’s okay to clean the room but that is all.</p>
<p>S’s room was decorated when he as in second or third grade I think and D’s room was decorated when she was in fifth grade. I mean I think it’s time but guess not quite yet…</p>
<p>I know in theory it’s just things, but right now it all feels like memories to us… We’re doing it bit by bit; works for us.</p>
<p>NorthMinnesota–when it rains it pours! I hope you have a very speedy recovery. How the heck did you do it, anyway?</p>
<p>DS came home for 3 day weekend and we could not get him to move, remove, straighten or organize a single thing in his room. He didn’t take anything extra back to college, either. Not even a sock or a washcloth.</p>
<p>But…At one point I walked into living room and he was napping on the couch clutching his favorite “blankie” from years ago. DH and I just stared at him for a while, and later decided that this was just one last comfort stop in the journey to grown-up land.</p>
<p>He seems to be doing swell at school and enjoying classes, dorm and new friends, but most of weekend was spent touching base with old friends, places and foods of “home.” </p>
<p>Sigh. I think it’s good.</p>
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<p>That happened to a friend of mine the third year of law school. One of the profs disliked him intensely for some reason, taunted him, always called him by the wrong name. The wild thing was that the guy was the Editor in Chief of the law review and was an outstanding citizen of the school in every way…not cocky at all, very likable. It was so odd to see hate being dished out every class to guy who was truly the cream of the crop.</p>
<p>We’ve tidied Son’s room but that’s it. He would be very hurt if we did anything dramatic to his space.</p>
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<p>A picture is worth a thousand words …</p>