Gavin had a pretty good day at school today. Unfortunately, he post a point in Math class once again for getting frustrated.
I gotta be honest, I’m not sure I agree with this point system being used this year.
There has to be some sort of accountability but some of the reasons these kids are losing points seems really petty. There isn’t a set guideline for what behavior requires the loss of a point. It’s essentially up to the teachers discretion.
Elliott lost a point today as well.
According to him, they were doing a worksheet and the teacher instructed the class that they were supposed to skip some of the problems because they were too difficult.
Elliott says that he didn’t hear that because other kids were talking.
Instead of skipping the problems that were supposed to be too difficult, Elliott completed them. He ended up losing a point because he didn’t follow the directions.
I get that he has to follow directions (that’s important) but his only crime was essentially doing problems that he didn’t have to do and in fact, were deemed too difficult.
Now I know there are two sides to every story and quite frankly, this isn’t a big enough deal to warrant anything being done. Elliott was upset but he’ll survive and I don’t want to be one of those parents (whatever the hell that means).
The bottom line is that the boys are doing well and while it’s not perfect, it’s the best environment for them and they need to learn to adapt.
No school is perfect but our school is outstanding overall.
As their parents, we will keep a close eye on things and be there if the need should arise.
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Points should never be taken away. Kids get frustrated and some can even become violent and confrontational if you do so. I have taught kids in first grade through grade twelve that have behavior problems and also students with special needs. Taking away points does not work. I know lots of teachers who have gotten seriously injured by following the system with a student who does not have the ability to follow it. I understand that he didn’t follow the rules, but I would have thanked him for doing the extra work and asked him to go back and copy the requested problems on a new page.
A points system is used for behavior management. It is unacceptable that there are not clear guidelines for earning or losing points. If it is up to the individual teacher that’s fine- but each teacher must have clearly defined expectations for this system.
Also… In a good points system, students only lose points for egregious offenses (hitting, throwing, cussing). Rather, the kids who followed the rules earn points as a reward while the kids who were not able to follow the rules do not earn the points.
^^that is uber important as it makes the point system a positive behavior support rather than a punitive management system.
PLEASE BE “ONE OF THOSE PARENTS!”
Lost_and_Tired wanted to say he done his best and I would have given him a star
I am one of "those parents" and i know exactly what it means – seen as overprotective, bucking the system, the kid is always right, my kid does not wrong etc…. whatever. i believe a point system works when you are being positive. points taken for negative behavior sets up being afraid. i know it is a fine line about your school because for the most part you are grateful to have what you have. what you can do is tell your principal in the nicest way possible that you know that the teacher is correct (whatever) but you need to get thru to your kids, could you please set up a video camera in order to show your child exactly what the situation was at the time and use it as a teaching tool. When really you will be videoing to see what the hell is going on and handle it appropriately. you know that teachers are people too. that means they are going to have a shorter fuse on some days than others. but for my kids the workers need to leave that at the door. that is one reason that i said no corporal punishment for my nt kids. 1st if my kids were so bad they needed a paddling i needed to be called in way before that and 2, if the principal was angry or fed up or something happended at home before work or for any reason he was going to paddle harder. not my kid. nobody hits my kid. I am all about the hidden button camera as well. not because you want to "catch the teacher" you just need to no what is going on so you can address it. good luck
THellenberg yes. 🙂
While I don’t think that Elliott doing the extra problems is a hideous offense, part of the overall school experience is learning to listen to directions. It reminds me of the Executive Chef at our school stressing the importance of reading each recipe ALL THE WAY THROUGH, so as not only be surprised that something has to be made IMMEDIATELY to have time to chill, set, etc. Or in case you need the oven to heat to 500°F and have no time. Or you don’t have all the ingredients – you get the idea. So I am reading through the ENTIRE document / recipe when I notice this girl next to me yelling out all the weird shit in the middle of the page – ‘I AM THE SMARTEST PERSON IN THIS CLASS!’ ‘And I am very pretty.’, etc. Now these were in the instructions, but in the middle – not at the end, where we had clearly been instructed to finish. I shouldn’t laugh but it was the horrible prissy girl in the class (come on, you’ve all had someone like this….. Lol), and I get to the bottom of the instructions where it says, ‘Ignore EVERYTHING you’ve read to do, turn the page over, and silently return it to the Chef’s table.
Being the ‘Devil’s Advocate’, so to speak – one of your most recent posts is that you, Dr. Patti, and Lizze are all frustrated by his inability to explain to you what the problem(s) is(are) in Mathematics. With both parents and a therapist confused, I can imagine that a teacher with many other students to deal with as well a child such as Gavin that can’t tell you what it’s wrong could very well be having difficulty.
Lost_and_Tired
I have 2 boys on the spectrum. My oldest is out of district and I. Have worked with many point systems, even when he was in my local district. I do not think any child should lose points. Once you earn them, they are yours. If anything perhaps maybe not earn or depending on max potential earn some for doing the work but not all. My children are night and day but that option to lose points has never been successful for me. Good luck!
Never heard of a school punishing kids for doing extra work. Sounds pretty backwards to me.