Written on March 28, 2010 at 9:40 pm by

Parent/Teacher Conference

Filed under Kids {41 comments}

Last week I had a parent/teacher conference for my daughter.  A standard conference, she hasn’t done anything to get into trouble. We’d known about the conference for a few weeks and we, as in the daughter, had been pretty worried about the meeting. That she was so concerned about the conference made me a little worried but I figured if she was really in trouble I would have had a note or something and there hasn’t been any. Daughter has been asking for the last couple of weeks if I plan to ground her after the parent/teacher conference so I wasn’t going into it expecting to hear rave reviews.

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that she is doing extremely well.  She is excelling in all of her coursework.

I was not surprised to learn that she has turned into the class clown and that she chats a little too much.

We aren’t here today to discuss my daughter’s mastery of first grade, however.

During the review of her homework I learned the answer to this problem:

Remember this? If you don’t you can catch up here.

I received a whole bunch of really great answers but none of them were any better than her answer, which was wrong.

The answer is:

|||||..

Apparently the | represents 10 and the . represents 1. There is also a square which represents 100. The teacher even showed me the plastic toys that the kids used to figure out the problem.

Too bad she never sent home the directions.

When I asked her the answer to this problem specifically, and I told her that I didn’t get it, her response to me was:

“Well, she should know how to do it.”

To fully appreciate her response you really need to read the original post if you haven’t already.

After I learned the answer to the problem I mentally spaced out, the rest really didn’t matter to me all that much. I was told about my daughter’s new found sarcasm to which I laughed (inappropriately) and I reminded that she is a wee bit stubborn. Like I didn’t know that already.

There was no grounding, no need for it but if there had, I wouldn’t have because I was so tickled to finally learn the answer to this stupid first grade math problem that had been bothering me for at least six weeks.

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
Be Sociable, Share!
  • http://weworkforcheese.com Nicky

    Maybe it’s just me, but if they TELL you that you should be spending 1/2 an hour with your child doing their homework, then it just seems to make sense that they provide instructions! If “she should know how to do it” then why would you even send it home as homework? If she knows how to do it, she’s learned it and does not need to bring it home for you to “help” her with.

    Sorry. I’ve never really gotten over my kids’ first grade experiences. And this post made me realize that I get to relive it in a couple of years. (Shudder)
    .-= Nicky´s last blog ..Cheap Date Lookin’ For Sugar Daddy =-.

  • http://travelingsuitcase.blogspot.com/ sandy

    Saw your post over on Wine at Five and noticed you were a fellow Ohioan. So thought I’d pop over and say hi. Sounds like you’re as tired of the Ohio winter as I am. I keep hoping for sun and warmer temps; but then….I’m often disappointed.

    Glad your conference went well. My daughter is a teacher, and if you think you and your daughter were nervous about the conference think of it x 25 from the teachers perspective. It takes hours and hours of prep, and is quite a chore; particularly when many parents truly think their kids can do no wrong. You weren’t surprised to hear your daughter chats too much and is a bit of clown. That same situation with some parents can be quite a problem. My daughters had some real fireworks in conferences. Things are so much more complicated then when I was young. Kids without 2 parents, kids being raised by the adult of the day etc, kids in need of meds, kids coming from troubled homes. Tough thing these parent teacher conferences. I know my daughter’s were last week and she really dreading them. She teaches in inner city in St. Louis, and some won’t even show up; but the stories she tells afterwards…whew, give me pause.

    Good luck to you and your daughter. Tell her to keep up the good work.

    Sandy

    Nicky…doing it once in school really doesn’t give one enough practice. They do need to do things multiple times, to see what they’ve remembered.
    .-= sandy´s last blog ..Traveling Interstate 70, Illinois =-.

  • http://www.IslandRoar.com Maureen@IslandRoar

    Yes, they need to do it at home to remember; I agree. But would it kill the teacher to provide the instruction? This is frigging first grade. If you r daughter didn’t get it, you can be sure half the little boys in the class were in LaLa Land.
    .-= Maureen@IslandRoar´s last blog .."Wicked Good Post" =-.

  • http://grampysworld.com Grampy

    I see the battle continues. I can’t wait until next year when my granddaughter goes to first grade. We will end up helping her with her homework. It has been a long time since I have been in first grade.
    Glad the conference went well. And I believe we have a little like mother like daughter going on.LOL

  • http://laundryhurtsmyfeelings.blogspot.com/ joann Mannix

    That is ridiculous! And the snarky little note on the first post is unacceptable! Didn’t you say this is first grade? And 30 minutes of parent homework? WTF! That’s some serious tv watching time. Ha.

    My daughter was taught the same type of math program. I can tell by the worksheets. The problems were always very puzzling with little direction. I hated that math curriculum. I will have to say we had a teacher willing to, you know, be a teacher and help explain things to us.

    Oh, and I do the same thing, the mental vacuum where I just nod and act like I’m absorbing it in. I already passed first grade, man. No need to revisit.
    .-= joann Mannix´s last blog ..Breaking The Rules =-.

  • http://comedyplus.blogspot.com/ Comedy Plus

    Wow, that’s the weirdest kind of math I’ve ever seen. It’s apparent to me that I couldn’t pass 1st great. Yikes.

    Have a terrific day. :)
    .-= Comedy Plus´s last blog ..Awww…Mondays #58 =-.

  • http://www.mothershandbook.net The Mother

    That “new” math escapes me, too. Math is supposed to make sense. It’s not supposed to be some arcane language that only the teacher understands.

    Can we just go back to numbers, please?
    .-= The Mother´s last blog ..Guaranteed Weight Loss Program =-.

  • http://cynicalbstd.blogspot.com/ Jay

    Yeah, this whole “You should spend time with your kid helping with homework, but the instructions are a secret” thing would cause me to have a few words with the teacher. LOL ;-)
    .-= Jay´s last blog ..Joe Effing Biden … =-.

  • http://beetle-blog.com babs-beetle

    I think, if they want parents to help children with their homework, they should supply ‘How to’ books for the parents :)

    Well done daughter!
    .-= babs-beetle´s last blog ..Remember the Magnabeetle? =-.

  • http://cuteasabuggy.blogspot.com Buggys

    I’m glad you finally got the answer. Congrats to your daughter for doing well. This teacher is talking to you about your daughter who is sarcastic? What about the teacher who is judgemental, self-righteous and snide? Perhaps you need to schedule a conference with her mother.
    .-= Buggys´s last blog ..Online Dating? =-.

  • http://lolasdiner.blogspot.com Lola

    Ah yeah, SHE should know the answer. The instructions should be stapled to the assignment or it should reference the book page number. I swear teachers just want to make us parents feel stupid.
    .-= Lola´s last blog ..Calling all Deadheads… =-.

  • http://www.thegirlnextdoorgrowsup.com Laura

    Got to LOVE Everyday Math! Wait until she learns long division – it is mind boggling. And of course they do not do it they way we learned it!!!
    .-= Laura´s last blog ..Feel Good Friday: The Bad, The Good, Steak and a Vlog =-.

  • http://suzicate.wordpress.com SuziCate

    Why must they make simple things so difficult? I remember having to relearn all sorts of basic things when my kids were in elem. school because they started teaching everything differently!
    .-= SuziCate´s last blog ..Guilty As Sin, Or Not =-.

  • http://jude8753.com Jude

    I am so happy not to have kids in school any more and I agree with Comedy Plus I would never pass first grade if I had to do it over. The things they teach kids in first grade now a days is mind boggling.
    .-= Jude´s last blog ..Baking In The Oven With The Orgreenic Pan =-.

  • http://mommamiameaculpa.com meleah rebeccah

    Im glad your daughter is doing well in school. And she sounds as if she is a little bit like you personality wise!

    I totally remember the post you wrote about the homework assignment with the non-instructions. And that’s why I laughed Out Loud when I read “After I learned the answer to the problem I mentally spaced out” Ahahahahhahaahahhaahha!
    .-= meleah rebeccah´s last blog ..‘Doing Things Differently™’ – My Week In Review [Part Eight] =-.

  • http://bnhwelch.blogspot.com Heather

    There is plenty of my nieces homework I would love to discuss with the teacher! LOL!

    It doesn’t make much sense to be told to help with homework when they fail to send home instructions for the parents.
    .-= Heather´s last blog ..My Stray Dog… =-.

  • http://queenofthedogs.blogspot.com/ peedee

    ahhhhhhhhhhhh, I can sleep now!! lol I’m glad she’s doing well. And tell her from one class clown to another….As long as the teachers laughing, your ok!
    .-= peedee´s last blog ..Sunday Flowers =-.

  • http://www.injaynesworld.blogspot.com/ injaynesworld

    Just be grateful your daughter’s teacher isn’t a nun. You do not want to go to a parent/teacher’s conference and sit across from a nun. And by sit across, I mean in one of those tiny desks while she lords over you with a ruler that she’s not afraid to use. My mother pulled me out of Catholic school after just one of those “conferences.”
    .-= injaynesworld´s last blog ..injaynesworld it’s the "Sunday Recap…" =-.

  • http://mrsblogalot.com mrsblogalot

    My son’s teacher went on maternity leave mid year and finally there is someone sending home some answers! And someone who understands that it has been decades since learning this stuff and since we’ve never had to use it in all of our lives so far, we’ve obviously forgotten it.

  • http://lisa-griffiths.com Lisa

    It appears that elementary school is taking it too seriously for my taste. When my son spent his stint there, some odd 20+ years ago, it was more fun. As well it should be! Kids need to be taught, but give me a freakin’ break. My niece spends at least a couple hours each night helping her daughter, 9 years old, grasp the concepts of geometry?!! I’m all for the reading assignments, but some of this stuff is for crap.

    Now tell me, shouldn’t they be spending more time learning the computer and how to access bank accounts and pay bills online? Real world stuff…

    Ah well, I suppose there are those ‘special’ kids who will go on to be doctors or such. But even then, let the kids have a bit more fun before the reality sets in during middle and high school.

    Just sayin’.
    .-= Lisa´s last blog ..Eating In the Raw =-.

  • http://weworkforcheese.com Nicky

    Sorry, don’t usually do this, but I feel the need to add a comment to my comment. For one thing, I may have been a little…um…emphatic in my response. It was 5 am my time, and this really did bring up a ton of unpleasant memories. I realize kids need to practice what they learn in school. And while I respect teachers and what they must go through, I have a hard time hearing a glib response like “she should know what to do” or in my case, “he should…” when as a grown woman with 2 college degrees, I can’t figure it out.

    It would seem this is still a sore spot for me, even if it’s no longer 5 am. Sigh. Sorry.
    .-= Nicky´s last blog ..Cheap Date Lookin’ For Sugar Daddy =-.

  • http://thequeenofwtf.blogspot.com/ The Queen

    As a Para,, this pi$$e$ me off. I work all rooms K-4, and none of our teachers would dare do this. If a child is sent homework home, there is no way you send it back with RED nasty SHE KNOWS WHAT TO DO! written on it. Even her handwriting looks mean and rude.

    plus.. the llll …. and squares.. are second grade work here… and they struggle with it..

    WTF? ok.. end of my rant..
    .-= The Queen´s last blog ..Keeping your man home! =-.

  • http://www.ezgreatlife.com John@Family, Fitness and Finances

    Man, this makes me realize how happy I am that I don’t have to deal with teachers and homework anymore! Don’t get me wrong, I miss my kids being that age, just not all the hassles that go with it! :)

  • http://www.toomanymornings.com MikeWJ at TooManyMornings

    I hate math. My son is doing algebra that’s so far beyond me I can’t help him. Thank God I married up and have a wife who’s smart enough to tutor him. Fail.
    .-= MikeWJ at TooManyMornings´s last blog ..Ninety-Nine Miles From LA =-.

  • http://www.howmuchlongertillfriday.blogspot.com Nicole

    I’m so glad you posted that. I think it was a parent/ teacher conference post that first got me reading you.
    .-= Nicole´s last blog .. =-.

  • http://abbyandizzysmom.blogspot.com Erin

    This makes me a little scared. My twins are 4 and we’ll be starting kindergarten next year. Is this the kind of shiggedy I have to look forward to? Nasty nasty teacher comments. I’m dumbfounded. And did I mention I’m scared?
    .-= Erin´s last blog ..Memoir Monday: Even Stay-At-Home-Moms Do Karaoke (Badly), or, Bringing Mom Sexy Back Mommyologist Style =-.

  • http://www.shoot-me-now.com Katherine

    Jen, REALLY? Your daughter is SARCASTIC? Where did she get THAT from?

    (Hey, I can hear you yelling at me from over here…)

    And injaynesworld – oh my GOODNESS you are SO right. Catholic school conferences are the WORST. At the beginning of the year my 8th grade son’s brain was still in summer. So we had to have a conference. They SURPRISED me… by having EVERY SINGLE TEACHER he has in there. WITHOUT WARNING. SIX TEACHERS sitting in a circle around my son. And then, in walks the NUN PRINCIPAL – the one I am scared to death of. I was floored. Yup, those are some BAD conferences!
    .-= Katherine´s last blog ..Oh Dear! =-.

  • Pingback: NYC pays poor for good conduct, with mixed results – Boston Globe

  • http://beingme-alison.blogspot.com/ Alison

    Like it would have been so hard to send out directions on what line dot and square was worth. Really. That is not hard at all! Jesus it’s first grade… Glad you finally know the answer!
    .-= Alison´s last blog ..Winner for Mommy Meditations! =-.

  • http://www.insightsandbellylaughs.com Robin

    Wow..it just gets harder from here..unless your a math wiz..start saving for those tutors..I always used the math genius’s from HS for 20/hr…rather than the 75 /hour for the teacher tutors….now my older daughter, 21 has to get a tutor for the math graduate GRE’s and shes not even a math major…it never ends..!
    .-= Robin´s last blog ..I Look Like Ashton Kutcher…well kinda.. =-.

  • http://www.redheadranting.com/ Jen

    Sorry I haven’t responded to these, I am reading them, but I just haven’t been around much and to respond using my phone is just a big fat pain in the ass.

  • http://www.saltsays.com Salt

    I saw numbers and my brain automatically shut down. I would actually fail first grade math. Sad.
    .-= Salt´s last blog ..Crack is the new black… =-.

  • http://www.toomanymornings.com MikeWJ at TooManyMornings

    I’m tired of you not responding. I’m taking my words and going home.
    .-= MikeWJ at TooManyMornings´s last blog ..Ninety-Nine Miles From LA =-.

  • http://www.candiceandco.blogspot.com Candice

    *sigh*

    I know how you feel.

    I had to direct my daughter to her Father for any and all help with math by about the 3rd grade.
    .-= Candice´s last blog ..Giving thanks. =-.

  • http://madmadmargo.blogspot.com MadMadMargo

    Is this what they call “new math”? Yikes, I’m doomed!
    .-= MadMadMargo´s last blog ..Me-Me’s Playhouse Caption This! No. 37 =-.

  • http://www.theguysperspective.com/theguysblog One of The Guys

    This looks like the same math program my first grader is doing. My wife and I were stumped on the last homework.

    I used to teach third grade for eight years and I always preferred to have the homework come back undone instead of having the parents helping too much. That way I knew what my students really knew.

    This is why they invented this math. It’s parent proof!

    All we ever want as parents is to have a teacher that understands our child and appreciates them, maybe half as much as we do. (I just felt like saying that because we worry every year about what teacher our kids will get)

    I’m not surprised your daughter is funny. You are!
    .-= One of The Guys´s last blog ..Moves that paralyze =-.

  • http://www.fromhuskiestohusbands.blogspot.com Stephanie

    This teacher still annoys me! Ugh about that math answer!
    .-= Stephanie´s last blog ..Back on the Right Track? =-.

  • http://slightlysarcastic.net Sheila Sultani

    Finally, we get the answer to that damn math problem. It’s a shame there is so much stress for a 1st grader.
    .-= Sheila Sultani´s last blog ..Say Hello To My Little Friend-Kiddie Style and Other Crap =-.

  • http://www.pricillaspeaks.blogspot.com Pricilla

    WHY do they keep changing math?
    It worked just fine when I went to school….
    .-= Pricilla´s last blog ..What Happened to Spring? =-.

  • http://howtobecomeacatladywithoutthecats.blogspot.com CatLadyLarew

    Too much homework for first grade! Don’t they know that kids’ work should be playing outside after school?
    .-= CatLadyLarew´s last blog ..Mellow Yellow: Theme Thursday =-.

  • http://amothershood.com Lanita @ A Mother's Hood

    You should have been in the parent/teacher conference when my husband railed on the 2nd grade teacher because they weren't teaching out daughter “real”math. Instead she was learning some really strange counting system…probably the one you struggled with. He is a commodities trader (capable of multiplying fractions x 1000's in his head) and could not grasp what they were teaching our daughter. Thankfully she has learned real math since then. He is much happier.

Find Me at my Day Job

Books Written By My Friends

Categories

Save up to 80% on custom printed products at Vistaprint. Order today!