Social Studies Tests/Conferences

Parents seem to be the really stinky part of this job. After attending conferences and meetings and placing phone calls, I can say that they are the pits sometimes!
Although the conferences were not quite as bad as last time, they were still very interesting! Parents will send mixed messages to teachers, bottom line! My biggest complaint is that we make modifications for certain students and then their parents get angry! They want their students to have the good grades but then they get upset because they are sometimes in denial about the capabilities of their children. It seems like parents are just beginning to realize that their kids are in 5th grade and this is their last year before they have to up to middle school! It seems like the 5th grade is getting the brunt of the parent concerns because they have let these problems progress this far without attention. Parents are requesting that we check their childs' planners and help them pack up at the end of the day. These kids are in 5th grade!!! I think it is sad that they cannot be responsibile enough to pack up their things at the end of the day! I realize that there are some exceptions to this expectation but for some of these students it is a bit rediciulous!

Social Studies Tests:

The tests have been given and graded and for the most part, they were really good! It became very apparent to me who studied and who spent no time preparing at all! There were several students who I was pleasantly surprised with and there were others who also surprised me, but not in a good way!! Testing in classes where there are varied levels of students is a complicated process!! I had to make a modified test for those who qualified. Then there are those students who don't get a modified test, but need it read aloud to them! Then there are the students who get the modified test, but not read aloud to them! I was lucky to have Emily in there with me, other wise it would have been even more complicated! I really appreciate the chance to teach in my specialization area...finally! It has really inspired me to look into the middle school levels and see what classrooms are like there. I would love to teach social studies all day long, but I am fearful of student attitudes at that age!