Re: How do you defend teachers you disagree with?
    Posted by: AP courses are COLLEGE courses... on 9/27/13
    () Comments

    And should be taken by students who are ready to handle that kind
    of work load, responsibility, etc.

    What exactly do you mean by "more support"?

    On 9/26/13, Mom to Three wrote:

    >

    > I realize that you probably were thrown a sharp curve by the

    > actions of this teacher who expected a smaller, highly talented

    > class and probably a lot less effort than his/her peers in

    > planning, grading etc.. However, what you do not do is

    > knowingly sacrifice or limit the futures of bright, talented

    > high school students who you realize from experience may take a

    > few weeks to get used to the higher level of studying etc. for

    > an AP class if this is their first or second one.

    >

    > The problems is really the administration's in that it did not

    > clearly define the number of students which could be in an AP

    > class due to staffing patterns AND/OR did not higher enough

    > teachers to cover the classes. You need to bring your

    > principal into this discussion right now first with yourself

    > and then with the teacher because he/she has not listened to

    > you... I would certainly make it clear to the teacher if he/she

    > persisted that it would show up in your reviews AND that your

    > recommendation would be that the teacher not be assigned AP

    > classes in the future. How about the most basic content area

    > class as the teacher knows well the accompanying behavior

    > issues that would be attached.

    >

    >

    >

    >

    >

    >

    >

    >

    > On 9/25/13, HS Admin wrote:

    >> I am a secondary director for my content area, and am the

    >> primary evaluator for all of the teachers in my department.

    >> I have one teacher in my department who is essentially

    >> trying to force students out of his AP class because he

    >> feels his numbers are too high. All of these students were

    >> recommended for that level, and many of them aren't doing

    >> particularly well right now.

    >>

    >> I voiced this concern to him a couple of weeks ago, when I

    >> told him that he needed to provide more support to his

    >> students. I sent him some materials to use, gave some

    >> suggestions as to how to approach planning, etc., and he

    >> has hardly taken any of the advice so far. I am obviously

    >> following-up by observing and documenting evidence, but

    >> that hasn't made a huge effect so far.

    >>

    >> As it stands right now, I have had parents calling and

    >> complaining about this teacher, and students coming to

    >> speak to me about dropping the class. Our policy is that

    >> you can't drop a class without a parent conference, so that

    >> has been what I have been scheduling.

    >>

    >> How do I handle the conference when the parents come in? I

    >> clearly disagree with the teacher's approach (this is my

    >> first year in the position), but I obviously don't think it

    >> would be appropriate for me to say that in front of

    >> students or parents. Up to this point, I have asked

    >> students about their own study habits or how they are

    >> advocating for themselves in class, but I don't know if I

    >> am even handling that the right way. If students drop down

    >> to a lower level, they will not be in an AP-track for other

    >> courses, and I have been discouraging them from dropping.

    >>

    >> How do you handle parent meetings/complaints when you know

    >> they are justified?


    Posts on this thread, including this one

  • How do you defend teachers you disagree with?, 9/25/13, by HS Admin.
  • Re: How do you defend teachers you disagree with?, 9/26/13, by Mom to Three.
  • Re: How do you defend teachers you disagree with?, 9/27/13, by AP courses are COLLEGE courses....
  • Re: How do you defend teachers you disagree with?, 9/28/13, by lynne.