easy child's major melt

mrscatinthehat

Seussical
easy child is ending her junior year. Only a couple of days left. She has been working pretty steady and hard this year and doing well. Much better than the previous two years. Not that she was a bad student then but she just kicked it up a notch this year.

Well in her chemistry class they are doing a full class project. One that everyone has a role in. Different jobs and such. They are making soap. It is interesting. She has asked me to purchase many items for the project. Though I never have a problem with providing what she needs for school I have some concern with her being one of the only ones doing the providing. She said that no one else in her group will get the stuff etc. This has been going on for over a week now. So I have bought it all. No problem (well a little problem but certainly not with her). Tonight she tells me she needs something else for tommorow otherwise she wont' be able to do the next step. I said ok we would go to the store. She sat next to me and started to cry and freak out. I picked up the phone and called the school. I dont' normally make a habit of this but easy child rarely cries.

I left a message for the teacher as he was still in class. easy child and I went to the store. Figured out what would work for what she needed. While at the store the teacher called. I sat in the shoe department and had a long talk with him. I explained that I understood what he was doing with such a project trying to teach the kids that they all have to work together to make it happen and if someone doesn't hold up their end that others have to pick up the slack. I also said I had no problem providing the stuff that was needed. My concern came with what her grade would end up being because the others didn't hold up their end. I explained that it was bothering her to the point of making her cry and that was not normal for her.

He was very patient and explained that there were individual components and one very small overall complonent. He also said that he knew who in what groups was doing the work and that their grades would reflect that. He told me that easy child was not going to need to worry about her grade that as long as she did her lab reports and portfolio that she would do just fine. He thanked me (I was surprised at this) for being concerned and bringing it to his attention. I in turn thanked him for listening.

When I got off the call I spoke to easy child. I high lighted what she needed to know. She was much better. She did say that it was not something she liked that I call in. I explained that I knew that and that is why this was only the second time that I had called about something like this. (The first was freshman year and slightly different). I usually try and let her handle these types of things but she was just losing it to the point I felt I needed to handle it. And it obviously wasn't a bad thing as she has been much more relaxed tonight. I explained to her that it was one of my duties when things got out of control to step in still. She was ok with it (I can tell she is easy child and not difficult child by that).

3 days left. I will make through junior year.

beth
 

everywoman

Well-Known Member
Good for you. As a high school teacher I would love it if more parents would take an interest in and support their kids. You would be surprised at how many parents never take the time to even come to the school to meet me. They will come pick up a report card, come to make a complaint about a discipline issue, call if the student fails a class (the call only comes at the last minute) but they won't come and participate in the child's education. As a teacher, thank you.
 

Lothlorien

Active Member
I'm glad the teacher knows the effort she has been putting in and won't suffer because of the rest of her project mates. I bet she feels great that you made that call on her behalf. Just think....one more year!
 

eekysign

New Member
You're such a good Mom. I wish you were allowed Moms in college, I could have used one MY junior year of university....

I had a group project, and my group didn't do the work. They wouldn't return my calls, they wouldn't meet up, etc. Finally, I got desperate enough to call my professor, who was dumb enough to call a group "meeting" at his office the next day. The girls (who were all roommates) in my group ripped ME a new one - said *I* was the one lying, who wouldn't return THEIR calls, etc, etc, etc.

Thank god it was obviously a lie (I had brought all my completed part of the project to the meeting, and since they hadn't done anything, they had nothing), and so the professor ended up grading me on just my own work.

Group projects are such nightmares. Your poor easy child.
 
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