Honor roll student gets F-forgot name test

[cookie7]

My daughter is a principal honor roll student at a christian school, with the highest average grade in the last three years (second, third & fourth grades). She's in fifth grade now, and last week she got an F because she forgot to write her name in a test. It was not the first time and the teacher already advised the students about the situation. The teacher broke in pieces the test of the students who had forgotten to write their names in front of everybody in the classroom. Tomorrow I will have a parent-teacher conference with the teacher...any advise, please?

 

[cookie7]

Teacher dropped to F honor roll student

My daughter has been principal honor roll with the highest average grade in the last three years. Last week she got an F in Reading because she forgot to write her name on the quizz. The teacher had already advised the students about that...do you think that is correct that the teacher broke into pieces the quizzes with no name on it (about 3 out of 22) after telling all the students to stand up, and calling the names of the kids that had their names written on the tests...the rest of the class was advised they got 0. My daughter has been very responsible and she has also won local competitions in spelling and speech meet representing her school statewide in the last two years. It was very embarrasing for her the way the situation happened in front of her classmates. I'm going to have a parent teacher conference tomorrow...any advise?

 

[SummerS]

One of the things that you may want to mention is that she was not graded on the actual work. We as teachers are supposed to be grading the work, and are not allowed to be influenced by other factors. Leaving a name off the paper has nothing to do with the work, and I would definitely mention that part

 

[ttbw]

i agree

with the pp. This grade does not reflect what your daughter knows. I realize that no name papers can be a pain in the behind, but I would remind the teacher how responsible your daughter is and how everyone makes a mistake at some point in their life. Has she (the teacher) ever made a mistake. I also think it is terrible how she embarrassed the children. Humiliation isn't going to get her anywhere. I would be frank with this teacher. Be professional ,but don't give in.

 

[Hockey73]

I would not make a big deal out of it at the conference. While I don't agree that it was appropriate to announce specifically who had gotten a zero on the quiz, one bad quiz score will not affect your daughter's total grade in the subject. In fifth grade, one quiz never decides the grade. If the teacher stated that this was the consequence for not putting your name on the quiz, then that is the consequence that the students were prepared for. You can express your concern but what's done is done and you need to help your daughter learn to rebound quickly and make up the score. The teacher was just trying to make them accountable for all of the directions, the first and foremost being put your name on your paper. This consequence might become more common as she gets older. Personally, I had several teachers I can remember in high school who had a policy of throwing away any paper without a name and we had to redo the work and take a late score. Use this as an opportunity to help your daughter see that she needs to accept consequences, learn from them, and move on. It's also important for kids who get high scores in everything to understand that one bad day every now and then isn't going to affect things that much. Try to stay positive and treat it as a learning experience.

 

[Jsjones1117]

I know this is hard

but I am a teacher who point blank tells the kids and parents that the first time or two of no name we lose points. After that I throw away the papers. I have done this to my own childs papers. I do think that doing something like tearing it up in front of the whole class is a little much. Good luck with the outcome of this.

 

[briteach]

Zero is unacceptable

I agree with points off, but giving a zero is unacceptable. Putting your name on does not show the student's abilities and what they have learned...isn't that what teachers are supposed to grade on?? Especially in 5th grade!!! I understand (maybe) in high school, but in 5th grade the point of tests is to show what you have learned. I back you on this one.

 

[Miss Melissa]

I think she should lose some points, especially at her age, but I don't think a zero is really necessary. I also don't agree with her ripping up the paper in front of everyone. Good luck with the conference. Let us know how it turns out!

 

[Large&NCharge]

It is the teachers fault that your daughter forgot to put her name on the test after being reminded.......am I hearing you correctly?

 

[cookie7]

No, It was my daughter fault that forgot to write her name, but she's a principal/president honor roll student with the highest average grade in the last three years, and she has also won the speech/spelling in house competition in the last two years. I didn't like the way it was handled the situation, and the fact thay the teacher dropped her grades'test to 0 (F) instead of losing points.

 

[Large&NCharge]

According to the first post it was not her first time. What do you suggest will help your daughter remember to write her name at the top of a test paper, especially if she has already been reminded.

I got to tell you a teacher reminds you and you still don't do it.......what else do you want done? Your daughter needs to assume some PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY for things like that.

 

[ashleymarie81]

I agree with fiver326. Many of my honor roll students tend to go into panic mode as soon as they make a lower grade...especially the PARENTS! They're final average always ends up just fine.

I would not have handled it the way in which that teacher did with calling out students' names in front of the others. I do think that following directions is an important life-long skill that all students should be held accountable for. Yes, the work should be graded based on the objective covered, but again, following directions is a biggie. I know we all make mistakes in life, but we have to own up to the consequences for them too. Hopefully, those students will remember to put their names on the paper from now on!

I'm only responding to this because I have just gone over this issue with my students that if you misspell a word that is on the actual assignment or if you do not capitalize/punctuate sentences on workbook pgs then technically it is not correct. You have to know my particular group of students too. Our principal supports this as well. We're not helping our students by letting them get by with the carelessness. Sometimes this is the sort of wake-up call that is needed.

 

[scrapper123]

Way too much....

I use a money system in my class. We have business days where students can bring in and sale items or buy items. They strive to achieve as much money as possible.

Ever have one of those days where you can't get it together? We all have. I do remind students constantly about that and by now they should jsut do it. But, hey I have forgotten to put my name on papers that I turn into my principal.

I simply have my students give some of their classroom money. That seems to drive the point home and they usually do not do it again.

I am a teacher that never wants to make my students uncomfortable or afraid of me and I would want to know if I did something that offended one of them. Just my two cents. Hope the talk goes well. Good luck!

 

[Paul S.]

Ridiculous

It is ridiculous that th teacher did that and that 2 other posters thought that the punishment should be accepted because it won't have any serious harm.

I WOULD make a big deal of this. If the teacher did not change the score back, I would take it to the principal. The teacher may be frustrated with other students but why take that out on your child? What does it really teach your child other than to be rude to those who make mistakes?

Start off by mentioning that the zero does not reflect the time and knowledge put into the work. As a teacher yourself, you can comiserate with the teacher that it is frustrating for students not to put their name on their paper but that your child does not need to have their grade ruined over it.

Start there and see what happens. Then, take the matter further.

 

[twinsister]

No name

I agree with fiver326 and ashleymarie81. It was one paper. I think it is important for children to realize that things happen. Life goes on. There are too many parents who fight their children's battles. A good student makes mistakes sometimes just like those who are not straight A students.
There might come a time when a parent really needs to step up in defense of their child. The parents will be taken more seriously if they do not have the reputation of always fussing about something.
That is my opinion.

 

[Teacher too]

What about...

What about the important lesson to fight for what is right? I mean, do you really want to tell the child that they can't disagree with something they think is unjust? that they just need to take it?

I agree with others who ask what is the point of flunking a student who simply forgot to put their name on a paper. How many times have you left your original in the copy room? I think that the next teacher should rip it up and throw it out.

 

[teachingmommy]

This is a tough one...

The teacher did tell the students that their names must be on their papers. It is evident that this is not the first time this has happened. After getting a zero do you think she'll make the extra effort to make sure she puts her name on her papers? She probably will.

As a parent I would have to think about what the honors she is receiving actually mean? Will these honors be used as a gateway to a scholorship to a private high school or are they just nice awards? If they are going to be used for a scholarship, I would definitely disuss this with the teacher. If not, I would probably have my child take the zero and learn from it. If she is an honor student, chances are she learned the material that she was tested on.

 

[Large&NCharge]

What, you did not like our answers under a previous post you wrote so you tried to rephrase this and post it again? Too funny. You should be embarrassed. Here is your previous post for those out of the loop:

http://proteacher.net/discussions/showthread.php?t=63702

Bottom line, the kids were forewarned, daughter was still irresponsible, a consequence was issued and she will learn from it.

Are you now going to repost this a third time somewhere else under a title that makes it seem even less your daughter's fault?

 

[fishgirl]

Just because your daughter is an honor roll student and an award winner, doesn't mean she is excused from having the same reponsibilities as the rest of the students. Are you saying that just because she is smart she should be excuse from having the zero but the other students, who evidently aren't as smart as your daughter do deserve the zero? I, too, was the top students in my class in school, but I also had several papers thrown in the trash for not putting my name on it. Yes, it seems unfair, but life is unfair. The teacher gave the students a warning/reminder and if they didn't listen, they deserve the consequence that was assigned.

 

[PoohBear]

learning the lesson

Not following directions has consequences and it's better to learn that on a 5th grade test than later on in what could be more serious situations. You seem more concerned about her "status" as an honor roll student than her education. Learning to take responsility for mistakes is just as important as earning an A on a test.

I'm sure getting an F and having her test torn apart was hard for your daughter but I think she'll remember to put her name on her test from now on.

I was an honor student also and got the first F of my life in 6th grade. I was extremely shy and wouldn't do an oral report because I was terrified of being in front of the class. Believe me, that F shocked me into gathering all the courage I had and doing the oral report. And, not surprisingly, it got easier each time until here I am spending my life in front of the classroom

 

[tammynj]

To me, it seemed like the original poster might not be an adult. I got the impression that it was a student looking for ammo. No one else seemed to think that, though, so maybe I am wrong. It's kind of funny that Large&NCharge found a previous post.

It is a tricky situation. I don't agree w/ the public humiliation, but students do need to learn to take responsibility for their actions (or non-actions). Hope it works out okay.

 

[Mikesell]

When I taught First Grade in a private school we had a policy. The first month of school if a student forgot their name on a paper they wrote it 5 times on the back.

The second month it got thrown in the trash.

That was with 6 year olds... and they learned really quick to write their name.

Now, we didn't take tests, and that might be different, but nonetheless, it's what we did.

Kelly

 

[g8rFan]

In my class...

I take 2 points off for a no name paper. Beginning with the 2nd semester I take 5 points off.

 

[gel2981]

no name papers --points taken off

I, too, think that it is important for a student to take responsibility in the classroom for their work. It is really aggravating for me to get papers without names. It costs me time in the classroom. That being said, I have told my students that I will no longer grade work without a name. They are required to do the paper again, usually during their recess time. One year, each time they forgot their name, I made them do the paper again and write their name 20 times, increasing the number by 10 if they forgot again.
I do not think that this should be a public humiliation, however, and I'm not sure if it's legal (or just local policy) to take points off a grade for something that is not academic. We did this in the past but it seems like we were told that we could not take off for that.