7th Grade History Teacher: Inappropriate?

[DrPizza]

I'm not going to take the side of the teacher, but, to the OP, you claim:

School is for the top students only. (top 25 from each school)
Half the students are on Ritalin
Teacher takes off 1 week per month to work a 2nd job while the school pays for a sub.

IMHO, you're lying to try to make your point.

Summary of what's probably correct after removing the exagerations:
1. students pay for their own school supplies
2. your son has ADHD
3. your son was told to join a group and didn't.
4. your son's teacher is teaching him a lesson far more important than history... he needs to be responsible and do what he's told to do.

Kudos to the teacher for letting your son learn a lesson the hard way. He was told to join a group, and he didn't. His grade will suffer for it. Being able to do what you're told to do and work with others is too important of a skill not to learn at some point. Sounds to me like the other students in the class figured that skill out and your son hasn't. Maybe he doesn't belong in the top students group...

 

[ATLien247]

Originally posted by: DurocShark

I've come up with a theory as to the cause of clinical ADD. Has anybody noticed the new "Brain Function Enhanced" baby formula out there? Both myself and my son were formula fed babies. I don't know about me, but my son couldn't breast feed because my wife got a serious infection after giving birth, and the antibiotics she was on was making him sick. My daughter, on the other hand, is fed nothing but breast milk.

I can't help but think that something missing from formula either contributed or even triggered the ADD symptoms in myself and my son. The fact that diet can improve the situation just puts more weight on the theory. I've passed this on to my son's psychologist (the one that actually TALKS to him and recommends medication changes to the psychiatrist) and he says he's seen some minor papers on just that subject, but no major studies have been done yet. It kinda makes sense though. If there is a predisposition to ADD in a child, and that child is missing some signifigant nutrient in its diet for the first year of its life (when the largest brain development occurs), that would be like leaning on that tower in Piza.

Good theory, but I disagree.

I come from a family of six brothers. Of those six, the first three (including me) were breastfed only; the latter three were breastfed when convenient, and supplemented with formula. One out of the first group of three has been diagnosed with ADD, and one out of the last group of three has been diagnosed with ADD. Form your own conclusions...

 

[SagaLore]

I don't believe in ADD.

Although I do believe that school needs a new staff.

 

[Riprorin]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
I'm not going to take the side of the teacher, but, to the OP, you claim:

School is for the top students only. (top 25 from each school)
Half the students are on Ritalin
Teacher takes off 1 week per month to work a 2nd job while the school pays for a sub.

IMHO, you're lying to try to make your point.

Summary of what's probably correct after removing the exagerations:
1. students pay for their own school supplies
2. your son has ADHD
3. your son was told to join a group and didn't.
4. your son's teacher is teaching him a lesson far more important than history... he needs to be responsible and do what he's told to do.

Kudos to the teacher for letting your son learn a lesson the hard way. He was told to join a group, and he didn't. His grade will suffer for it. Being able to do what you're told to do and work with others is too important of a skill not to learn at some point. Sounds to me like the other students in the class figured that skill out and your son hasn't. Maybe he doesn't belong in the top students group...

Great post, you hit the nail right on the head.

The fact that he started this thread suggests to me he's not too sure of himself and is looking for the lemmings here to validate his behavior.

A colleague's son sounds very similar to this kid - ADHD, on Ritalin, can't get along with others, alienates those around him, etc. He's 18 now and is a chronic underachiever with the mentality of a 12 year old.

Do your kid a favor and help him to grow up and take responsibility for his actions.

It's the best gift you'll ever give him.

 

[EXman]

I'd have all my notes, emails, ect and call for an appointment with the principal. Tell him/her this teacher what you think and ask the principal to please look into and get back to you and what his course of action with this teacher will be.

 

[DurocShark]

Originally posted by: EXman
I'd have all my notes, emails, ect and call for an appointment with the principal. Tell him/her this teacher what you think and ask the principal to please look into and get back to you and what his course of action with this teacher will be.

I got a meeting setup with this teacher and a couple of his other teachers, the pricipal and the counselor on Thurs. So we'll see how it goes.

 

[Cerb]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
(snipped things that may be right.)
4. your son's teacher is teaching him a lesson far more important than history... he needs to be responsible and do what he's told to do.

Those are two lessons, and often mutually exclusive (often, particularly in school, what I was told to do was not often what I needed to do to get something done), not to mention the last one simply cannot set in without incentive(sp). If you want him to be responsible, then there's no need for this thread--let him deal with the teacher and his decisions. Harsh, but it works.

Kudos to the teacher for letting your son learn a lesson the hard way. He was told to join a group, and he didn't. His grade will suffer for it. Being able to do what you're told to do and work with others is too important of a skill not to learn at some point.

...and forcing him into group activity will do this? Anyone able to find any kind of study on this? Not saying he doesn't need to elarn to get along with people, but how can that be gotten through to him reliably?
His grade should suffer for it, but not because he isn't in a group directly. Rather, he should be allowed to do whatever it is on his own. It WILL be subpar, and his grade WILL suffer for it. Then it will be obvious the consequences of not having gone into groups. Currenty he could easily figure it several different ways, one of which simply being that he pissed off the teacher--nothing to do with socially interacting with peers.

Sounds to me like the other students in the class figured that skill out and your son hasn't. Maybe he doesn't belong in the top students group...

Maybe not. But does he belong in the bottom or middle, either?
Being intelligent and able to learn does not make a good student in a typical school. Being able to do what one is told and memorize does.

 

[Gulzakar]

A business is a collective effort and schools are just now recognizing this...if your kid can't hack it, that's his problem. I suggest you encourage him to be more social.

Other than that everything else seems a little odd.