Just had to share this with you guys, especially the folks who were here a decade ago when "trouble" usually involved projectile objects/furniture and a lot of colorful language on his part.
He apparently was talking with- some pals earlier this week about one of his teachers, using from what I gather less than complementary terms. She, of course, ended up being in the vicinity and difficult child thought she overheard what he was saying. So.... he wrote one of the most articulate e-mails I have ever read in my life to her, explaining what his issues are with her teaching style, but also voicing appreciation for her class (and putting something in there about the fact that one of the reasons he was able to appropriately address his issues with her was *because* of her class, LOL).
She apparently was threatened by the e-mail and took it to a superior, who by all reports promptly burst into laughter and told the teacher it was one of the most well-written pieces of "hate mail" that she had ever seen and that they need to keep difficult child in class.
So I guess there was some kind of pow-wow after class between difficult child, the teacher, and another teacher, with the e-mailed teacher expressing her unhappiness with- the e-mail and difficult child's opinion of her teaching style, eventually resorting to the old standby of "I *am* the teacher." difficult child, remarkably, had already made the decision to stick it out in her class (it's a requirement for a class he really loves) though he's well aware that in all likelihood he's not going to pass.
He comes home, tells me he got in trouble (Mom's stomach drops to toes), shows me the e-mail, and explains the whole thing. All I can say is... WOW! What a difference a decade makes. None of his criticisms were personal. It was very well thought out, with good examples, very respectful (I have no clue what the woman was threatened by) and quite frankly... I'm just amazed.
The capper of the whole thing was that apparently she had *not*overheard his comments, just his volume.
This college thing has been challenging for him. He's struggled with- authority figures for... ever? He gets so frustrated when he doesn't get straight A's, completely discounts the fact that he hasn't been in a real class for at least 10 years and that the fact that he's still hanging in counts for a *lot*. I'm just so proud of him for hanging tight - and also for so eloquently and appropriately communicating with- his teacher, even if she didn't appreciate it.
He apparently was talking with- some pals earlier this week about one of his teachers, using from what I gather less than complementary terms. She, of course, ended up being in the vicinity and difficult child thought she overheard what he was saying. So.... he wrote one of the most articulate e-mails I have ever read in my life to her, explaining what his issues are with her teaching style, but also voicing appreciation for her class (and putting something in there about the fact that one of the reasons he was able to appropriately address his issues with her was *because* of her class, LOL).
She apparently was threatened by the e-mail and took it to a superior, who by all reports promptly burst into laughter and told the teacher it was one of the most well-written pieces of "hate mail" that she had ever seen and that they need to keep difficult child in class.
So I guess there was some kind of pow-wow after class between difficult child, the teacher, and another teacher, with the e-mailed teacher expressing her unhappiness with- the e-mail and difficult child's opinion of her teaching style, eventually resorting to the old standby of "I *am* the teacher." difficult child, remarkably, had already made the decision to stick it out in her class (it's a requirement for a class he really loves) though he's well aware that in all likelihood he's not going to pass.
He comes home, tells me he got in trouble (Mom's stomach drops to toes), shows me the e-mail, and explains the whole thing. All I can say is... WOW! What a difference a decade makes. None of his criticisms were personal. It was very well thought out, with good examples, very respectful (I have no clue what the woman was threatened by) and quite frankly... I'm just amazed.
The capper of the whole thing was that apparently she had *not*overheard his comments, just his volume.
This college thing has been challenging for him. He's struggled with- authority figures for... ever? He gets so frustrated when he doesn't get straight A's, completely discounts the fact that he hasn't been in a real class for at least 10 years and that the fact that he's still hanging in counts for a *lot*. I'm just so proud of him for hanging tight - and also for so eloquently and appropriately communicating with- his teacher, even if she didn't appreciate it.
difficult child! Sheesh some teachers can be so sensitive - can't take constructive criticism.
