Get Schooled

By ljcrcb

September 9, 2008 8:31 AM | Link to this

NO! Teachers have lives outside the classroom. Besides, even if you had reached her, there was no way she could have gotten the spelling books.

Part of this assignment was learning about the responsibility of taking home the book.

By just a teacher

September 9, 2008 8:31 AM | Link to this

Gut response at 8:25, pre-coffee: in a word, NO.

We all have email. We are expected to check it, respond to it professionally. If individual teachers do not, take it up with them or their supervisor. Unlike medical professionals, teachers are not paid to be “on call.” (And seriously. A homework “emergency”? Truly?)

Maybe a distinction should be made between elementary and high school. At the high school level, I just think this is a bad idea.

By TinaTeach

September 9, 2008 8:32 AM | Link to this

A seperate answering service that the teacher can check would be fine, but as a teacher I am dead set against providing cell phone numbers to students (high schoolers for sure). For every one student who might use the line, three might abuse it. Also you must realize that teachers have a right to uninterrupted vacation time.
Is this the first time that your child forgot her homework at school? Maybe your child’s teacher can set-up a Wiki (Rockdale County currently uses this). Then the teacher could post the assignments on the website nad you wouldn’t need to call her.

By TnT's mom

September 9, 2008 8:38 AM | Link to this

NO. Teachers should not give out cell phone numbers, especially to elementary age students. If a student forgets something, they must learn the consequences. Teachers are people too and have their own lives. They do not need to be oncall 24/7 for students. If the assignment is that difficult and the parent can’t help, it should just wait until the next day when the student can go to the teacher and ask for help.

By sue

September 9, 2008 8:40 AM | Link to this

Ooooo. I’m not a teacher, but I can say absolutely not!! I can imagine that their cell phones would never be quiet. Teachers have just as much right to their family time as anyone else. I don’t want my clients calling me at home…….

I think that it would be great if the teachers would be required to post major assignments on their web pages but to require that every student have access to their cell phone???

By Jeff

September 9, 2008 8:47 AM | Link to this

HADES NO!!!!!!

Teachers are required to do FAR more than any other profession as is!

If a teacher WANTS to do this, fine. (T does, on a limited basis. And yet she STILL has students harassing her YEARS after they had her class.)

Note that I say all this with a work Blackberry attached to my hip that is never more than a couple of rooms away unless I am on a cruise/ anniversary-related vacation and that my office line is forwarded directly to 24/7. I do it as a professional courtesy/ job security thing though, and I’ll straight up admit to being nowhere NEAR as busy in my IT job as I was back when I was teaching!

By Sweet Lou

September 9, 2008 8:47 AM | Link to this

Absolutely not. If teachers are expected to be accessible 24 hours a day, then they should get paid for 24 hours a day. Somehow the teacher became responsible for the student forgetting to bring their materials home from school. To expect a teacher to make themselves available over a vacation period is outrageous. This isn’t the expectation for any other profession. Shift a little more of the responsibility back to the students and off of the teacher.

If the teacher chooses to give the number out, fine. Unfortunately, some people don’t know the meaning of courtesy and will call whenever they feel the need.

By Sylvia Lang

September 9, 2008 9:01 AM | Link to this

Let’s see. In addition to being a policeman, psychologist and part time nurse, counselor, and physical trainer, nutritionist and educator, you want your child’s teacher to be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Do you want others to have access to you at their whim?

By jim d

September 9, 2008 9:06 AM | Link to this

Well, fraid I’m going to have to disagree with many bloggers today. (nothing new—right?)

As a professional I carry my cell phone with me at all times. I expect my employees to do the same. Anyone providing a service is generally on call in our society and teachers are no different. They are providing a service!

What kills me here is the no’s, although it doesn’t surprise me. A lot of teachers clammer to be respected as professionals and yet they refuse to act as such. Is it any wonder they attain such little respect?

Aileen

Wow! 8 years already? don’t sound right does it?

Anyways, I suspect The teacher in question extended the deadline due to many students failing to be prepared to turn it in on time and her inability to fail that many students on aa major assignment without having it adversely affect their grade (reflecting on her teaching aabilities)

I’m also often amazed that bloggers who feel teachers deserve their vacation time fail to grasp that we parents and our children also deserve ours. A teacher that would assign homework or projects like these during a holiday should weigh what they are doing or be prepared to be a bit let down when it doesn’t materialize.

By please

September 9, 2008 9:12 AM | Link to this

Can you say, Helicopter Parent?

By dbow

September 9, 2008 9:16 AM | Link to this

Spoken like a true parent of the new generation. Always blame the teacher and expect them to be at the students beck and call. I’ve got an idea, let me have your cell number so I can call you with inane drivel on a Sunday morning. Let’s see how quickly you tire of that before you change that number.

By dbow

September 9, 2008 9:19 AM | Link to this

Wow, for someone that’s supposed to know something about education, you’re pretty stoooopid.

By anne

September 9, 2008 9:24 AM | Link to this

As a parent, I say, “Absolutely not!” This in no way constitutes an “emergency”. It is a good lesson in responsibility and the consequences of not remembering to bring home your homework. This is one of those times, as a parent, that you just have to step back and let your children learn what happens when they don’t do as they have been instructed.

By A S

September 9, 2008 9:24 AM | Link to this

Jim D-

In “on call” professions the person usually has a higher salary than teachers. People bash teachers, but then they don’t pay teachers a fair salary. A teacher’s day does not end when the kids leave. There is lesson planning, grading, committee meetings, sports games, etc.

If you provide a service….ie locksmith you are required to be on call. The more you are on call, the more $$ you make.

Why blame the teachers? If we don’t teach students to be responsible and hold them to it they won’t turn into responsible adults!

By A S

September 9, 2008 9:24 AM | Link to this

Jim D-

In “on call” professions the person usually has a higher salary than teachers. People bash teachers, but then they don’t pay teachers a fair salary. A teacher’s day does not end when the kids leave. There is lesson planning, grading, committee meetings, sports games, etc.

If you provide a service….ie locksmith you are required to be on call. The more you are on call, the more $$ you make.

Why blame the teachers? If we don’t teach students to be responsible and hold them to it they won’t turn into responsible adults!

By Teach4GA

September 9, 2008 9:24 AM | Link to this

I made the mistake of calling a parent from my cell phone in class about her child’s conduct. The parent decided to save my number and call me whenvever she saw fit. For example, my phone is ringing at 6:30am one morning as I am trying to get my kids ready for school. She called another night at 9:30pm. If you think that I would ever give my phone number out again for a measly $55K a year (with 13 years experience and a master’s) you are CRAZY!!!! I am not compensated for being on the job 24-7. And honestly, I wouldn’t accept a job that expected that of me anyway. I have a family too!

By jim d

September 9, 2008 9:28 AM | Link to this

dbow,

When you become a customer I’ll gladly share it!

By jim d

September 9, 2008 9:32 AM | Link to this

AS,

In “on call” professions the person usually has a higher salary than teachers.

Yeah but we don’t get summers off. (LOL)

By HS Teacher Too

September 9, 2008 9:35 AM | Link to this

It has nothing to do with salary. I don’t have my doctor’s cell phone or home phone numbers and you know damn well that the home phone numbers are unlisted. I have a medical emergency (as in, life/death), I call AN ANSWERING SERVICE which tells me to either (1) wait for a phone call from the on-call doctor, or (2) GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM IMMDIATELY.

So, jim d, your little hypo fails. Why? Because you’re comparing apples and oranges. I have a medical emergency, I do not reach my doctor, and certainly if I do, it’s on his terms, not mine.

What’s more, forgetting a spelling book is in no way analogous to life or limb scenarios that would cause me to call my doctor; and likewise it is not analogous to needing a plumber at 2am when a pipe breaks, or any other of the infinite examples of “on-call” professions or trades. I simply can not think of a similarly urgent “emergency” that would require parents to have 24/7 access to their childrens’ teachers.

You know I usually think you’re on target, jim d, but you’re waaaaaaay off the mark today.

By D. Aileen Dodd

September 9, 2008 9:40 AM | Link to this

Some of you asked about my cell phone number.

As a journalist, I am on call 24 hours a day. I work an 8-hour shift, but if a story breaks on my beat I must get on it. My cell phone number has been published on this Web site for about a year. As an education writer, I prefer to be reached on my cell phone because it is always with me.

I have gotten calls from readers at 6 a.m. wanting information about their local community. I have gotten calls from readers when I am in the grocery store check-out line over the weekend with my kids. It is part of my job to respond to readers and return urgent messages as soon as possible.

By A S

September 9, 2008 9:40 AM | Link to this

Jim D,

As a teacher, I didn’t have the summer off. I taught summer school, and attended staff development, and went to grad school.

If I gave out my cell number for all 117 of my students that would be insane. Even if 25% of then felt the need to call that would take up all my free time. Again…responsibility of students?

By PW

September 9, 2008 9:45 AM | Link to this

Not all on call professions get higher salaries than teachers.

Ask DFACS workers.

Some college professors don’t make $55K.

If a teacher didn’t provide alternate means of contact, then I agree that a system should be in place that allows a student or parent to check on assignments.

I’m in the minority on this blog when I say that I don’t feel that teachers have such a low paying job for the work they do. If you make $55K in 9 months, in 12, you would make over $70K. Policeman and Fireman who risk their lives on a daily basis don’t make that.

Go ahead, flame away.

By HS Teacher, Too

September 9, 2008 9:50 AM | Link to this

Oops, meant to say “Immediately.”

By jim d

September 9, 2008 9:51 AM | Link to this

Ms. Dodd,

I fear we are fighting a loosing battle here. Teachers will never willingly submit to allowing their numbers to be published regardless of how right it is.

They have this imaginary status thingy going on within their own little world.

By JC

September 9, 2008 9:54 AM | Link to this

Was the assignment assigned on the day before the holiday break?

If so, I agree that it is a little much to expect a child to complete homework over a holiday. At that point, I would discuss it with the teacher.

However if this is a weekly assignment, assigned on Monday, normally due the next Monday, but falling on a Tuesday because of a Monday holiday, Then we would make the decision work with our child to finish early in the week or let it linger into the weekend.

Very much the same decision I would make at work if I knew I had work due after a holiday.

Either way teachers do not need to give out their cell phone numbers. This is not an emergency that requires immediate attention.

By Martha

September 9, 2008 9:59 AM | Link to this

Give out my personal phone/cell number? Not no, but HELL no! How long do you think it would be before the number is written on every bathroom wall, sent to every person in the school and then I get calls at 1 a.m., 3 a.m.? Saturday and Sunday? No, thank you. My cell phone is for MY convenience. Your child’s lack of planning does NOT constitute an emergency for me. Let’em suffer the consequences and this crap will stop!

By Courtney

September 9, 2008 10:00 AM | Link to this

I’ve got to agree with the majority here. As a future teacher, I cannot imagine being at my students’ beck and call 24/7. While the situation in question is unfortunate, I do not believe that the responsibility falls to the teacher here. It is the students’ responsibility to make sure they have all of the books and supplies they need in order to do their homework.

Teachers already do so much that is outside of their job description (and are, in my opinion, paid entirely too little for doing so) that to ask them to be on call is ludicrous. I’ve seen several people mention the fact that students may abuse such a courtesy, however, I believe that there are parents out there who will abuse the number just as much as students may.

I can see where it might be useful, but I believe in the long run such a system would only lead teachers to take on more work and be more stressed than they already are.

For those of you out there who are willing to give out a personal phone number I say more power to you, but I do not believe that all teachers should be required to do so.

By Martha

September 9, 2008 10:03 AM | Link to this

And then I decided….well, sure. Just as soon as my board of education gives me a cell phone, sure. Let’em have the number. BUT, it will be turned off on weekends, holidays, during the school day and after 9 Monday thru Thursday.

I’d like a Blackberry with all the bells and whistles, please.

By D. Aileen Dodd

September 9, 2008 10:09 AM | Link to this

My mother was a teacher and an elementary school principal in a low income community. Our number was listed in the phone book. She received calls at home from parents or teachers who needed her help. Cell phones weren’t invented at the time, but she gladly gave out her home phone number. And you know what, parents and teachers did not abuse the privilege of having access to our home phone number.

By jim d

September 9, 2008 10:10 AM | Link to this

Anyone care to help me out of my state of confusion?

Don’t all cell phones have a voice mail feature? If so—are teachers just not smart enough to activate it?

By Jeff

September 9, 2008 10:11 AM | Link to this

JC:

Even if the assignment had been given on a Friday before a 3 day weekend and due the following Tuesday, it is a valid homework assignment and there is no valid reason to not do it.

You think teachers don’t do work-related activities on the weekend?

Heck, I’m IT now and I STILL do work-related things on at leasr half the weekends in any given month!

By Old School Al

September 9, 2008 10:12 AM | Link to this

As a rule, NO!! However, I am a middle school teacher and I use my cell phone for ALL of my parent contacts. That way, I have documentation that I called when the parents say that they “didn’t know that little Johnny was failing and got into a fight!” As a result, most of my parents end up w/my cell number w/in the first month or so of school. I use two cell phones, and the one I use for parent contacts doen’t go everywhere with me — I have a separate phone for personal use. I don’t have a problem with them calling, if I don’t want to be bothered, I turn off the ringer. After 24 years, however, I have had to make my home number private, because parents have called my house as late as 1AM, getting my number out of the phone book. Calling my house bothers me more, because it affects everyone in my household.

By Karen

September 9, 2008 10:12 AM | Link to this

Are you kidding me? NO WAY…part of getting an education is learning responsibility! That is nuts to even suggest it.

By Jennifer Falk

September 9, 2008 10:12 AM | Link to this

Since first grade, any teacher that my kids had, that I considered to be “outstanding” and had a true gift for teaching and making connections with kids - did provide phone numbers or emails to their students for emergencies. Now that you mention it, providing contact information happened with each one of them. Now every student and parent needs to understand the limits of those calls, and be respectful of the time and family obligations, but I think the majority do.

But I will say that the pattern of providing contact information continues today through high school. Those teachers that are accessible- kids work harder for them, because they know that the teacher really, really cares. I bet if you talked to some teachers, they would tell you wonderful “learning moments” they had with students because they were able to connect in this extra way.

By HS Teacher Too

September 9, 2008 10:15 AM | Link to this

This may not be true at all schools, but it was true at mine: parents did have access to a main number. If there was an emergency, they could push through the right menus to eventually reach a person who, if they agreed it was an emergency, would in turn reach me. The parents didn’t reach me; the school did. This is pretty similar to a doctor’s answering service, actually. And I will say this: I never, once, had a phone call come through to me about a homework “emergency.” (Of course, I also never, ever, as a rule, gave vacation assignments, for exactly the reason jim d said. I resented them as a student, my parents resented what they did to family time, and so I refused to perpetuate that cycle.) I have, however, had school administrators call me on occasion when I was otherwise “off,” and those calls were more than fair. I am a professional, and my bosses sometimes do need to reach me during “off” hours.

I still maintain that money has nothing to do with it.

By Jennifer

September 9, 2008 10:16 AM | Link to this

Since first grade, any teacher that my kids had, that I considered to be “outstanding” and had a true gift for teaching and making connections with kids - did provide phone numbers or emails to their students for emergencies. Now that you mention it, providing contact information happened with each one of them. Now every student and parent needs to understand the limits of those calls, and be respectful of the time and family obligations, but I think the majority do.

But I will say that the pattern of providing contact information continues today through high school. Those teachers that are accessible- kids work harder for them, because they know that the teacher really, really cares. I bet if you talked to some teachers, they would tell you wonderful “learning moments” they had with students because they were able to connect in this extra way.

By jim d

September 9, 2008 10:17 AM | Link to this

Courtney,

Teachers already do so much that is outside of their job description (and are, in my opinion, paid entirely too little for doing so)

It’s not too late to change your major to “Business” which will enable you to leave every day at 4:00pm and party all weekend.

By Gwinnett Educator

September 9, 2008 10:20 AM | Link to this

NO WAY! There are too many people out there that do NOT show common courtesy. I have had parents abuse the email system. I have had (first yr of teaching) a student decide they wanted to call just to hold a conversation. I check my email regularly. However, I refuse to give my cell number. If the school system wants us to have that kind of emergency line, tell them to provide us with a cellphone.

I KNOW some would call during dinner, during family time, during my bedtime. People are like that now. Basic phone etiquette is hard to find these days.

By Jen

September 9, 2008 10:20 AM | Link to this

Absolutely not!

I would hardly deem a forgotten book as an emergency - it’s a lesson in responsibility for the kids and that’s about it.

When my kids forget to bring something home for an assignment and they’re unable to get a copy from a school friend, they suffer the consequences of a poorer grade and additional hours at home making up for it. There’s no way I would think to bother a teacher at home - they are not on call 24/7, nor should we expect them to be.

I’ve purchased small notebooks for my kids and each day they have to write down every assignment they receive; each evening we review the assignments. They now know that it’s their responsibility to track all assignments given, and to bring home the necessary documents to aid in the completion of each assignment. My husband or I sign off on them every evening and their teachers are aware of the list and have the option of checking the notebook if they wish to do so.

By lizzylove

September 9, 2008 10:25 AM | Link to this

Are you kidding me? Are you REALLY, REALLY KIDDING ME? No, parents do NOT NEED an number in case of “emergency”. Keep yourself organized as a parent. And children as young as kindergarten are able to write their own assignments into an agenda. Oh, this really hit a nerve!

By Perkle

September 9, 2008 10:30 AM | Link to this

How about this being a lesson in responsibility? Are you going to rescue your child every time they screw up? I think remembering to take your book home is part of the learning experience. And also, the assignment does not seem like an unreasonable amount.

By Precious snowflake melter

September 9, 2008 10:37 AM | Link to this

Look, it’s your kid’s fault for not bringing home her spelling book. Let her suffer the consequences and her lesson will be much better learned than if Mommy bails her out.

As stated before, teachers have lives outside of school. They don’t want to talk about how little Susie did on the math test with you as they try to shop for groceries. Would you have a medical discussion with your doctor in the middle of wal mart? Then why expect it of your kids teacher!?

I would venture that teachers might be more receptive to the idea of open contact if so many parents didn’t teach their precious little snowflakes that they are entitled to everything they want when they want. Raise children that are considerate, respectful, and responsible and I’m sure that the idea of reasonable after hours contact would not be greeted with such hostility.

By liza

September 9, 2008 10:41 AM | Link to this

Jim D the difference between your clients calling you and students calling teachers is that your clients are likely to have valid business. When a student calls it is likely to be over something lame like forgotten spelling words. Best not to go there.

By jim d

September 9, 2008 10:42 AM | Link to this

Perkle,

Learning to activate a voice mail could be considered a learning experience as well. Wouldn’t you say?

By D. Aileen Dodd

September 9, 2008 10:47 AM | Link to this

Sorry to interrupt the dialogue, but I am working on another education story for tomorrow. I would like to interview English, math and science teachers living in Georgia. If you are one or know of any, please call me on my cell at 404 808 5428.

By jim d

September 9, 2008 10:48 AM | Link to this

Old School Al,

A second phone! GREAT idea, and tax deductible I’d guess if used exclusively for work.

By Stacey

September 9, 2008 10:48 AM | Link to this

My son’s Kindergarten & 1st grade teachers did give out their cell #’s for emergency but I don’t think a forgotten spelling book qualifies as an emergency. His K teacher called me one evening to clarify something that I had e-mailed her about. I called his 1st grade teacher twice, both times at her request, because she was not able to keep our scheduled conference time. His second grade teacher did not give out her home nor cell # but she does check her e-mails, even on the weekend. I do e-mail the teachers with questions or concerns and respect that they chose not to answer after school hours or on the weekend.

By Tony

September 9, 2008 10:52 AM | Link to this

Emergency? How dare you suggest that forgetting your spelling work at school constitutes an emergency. Media tends to distort the realities of education in order to create issues and this is an excellent example.

Most teachers I know would be willing to bend over backwards to help any student succeed with assignments. E-mail and Internet web-pages are some ways teachers provide the kind of information parents may need regarding homework. I realize not all teachers/schools are up to date in that department. After all, we do not receive funds to keep computers up to date.

Being “on-call” as many of you have alluded to with other professions is an interestingly new concept. Service calls after hours usually rake in higher than normal rates. I believe the HVAC technician that came to my house one weekend charged over $200 just for coming out on a Sunday. If you all are okay with us establishing a fee structure for after-hours service then I am all for it. Doctors charge for emergency phone consultations in the middle of the night. Business people have capitalism on their side and are able to set fees for their “emergency” services.

Do not degrade us with your negative inuendo (jim d et al) for wanting to protect what little time we have with our families.

By jim d

September 9, 2008 10:52 AM | Link to this

Oh No Liza,

I’ll go there with ya. I’ve been awoken in the early am hours because someone turned off a switch. I’ve been woken in the middle of the night from someone requesting service first thing in the morning. Shall I continue?

By jeff

September 9, 2008 10:56 AM | Link to this

are you for real? HELL NO. Get your freakin kid organized and let me have my time as MY time. Your inability to be a parent is NOT MY PROBLEM. If you want me to be available to you 24/7, then PAY me. Otherwise, deal with it.

By jim d

September 9, 2008 10:57 AM | Link to this

LOL —- Ya gotta love her! 404 808 5428

By Missed Call

September 9, 2008 11:06 AM | Link to this

I missed the call (AFTER WORK HOURS) from my Mother telling me my Father was in ER from a CA and had to have a quad-bypass because I was on the phone with the country club scheduling my bosses t-time.

I am a secretary for pete’s sake. These people really need to get in reality and figure out how non-important they are in the scheme of things. Parents, that goes for you too!

For the record, work calls now rollover to voice mail and I return them during office hours. I do however, check and respond to email after hours.

By jim d

September 9, 2008 11:08 AM | Link to this

Tony,

With all due respect.

Degrade? I think not. Well unless one feels expecting to be treated as a customer is degrading.

I my friend, while being able to charge the customer for a service call if I actually go out, do not charge them for answering the phone and attepting to walk them through the issue.(which I will generally do)

Personally I see no problem with teachers doing the same. This is the age of communications, right? Perhaps education should step into the new millinium.

By queeng65

September 9, 2008 11:14 AM | Link to this

Since when does it become an emergency because someone child forgets their homework? This is part of the growing process to becoming a good student. Let teachers enjoy their few hours of free time they have. We spend many of our free hours grading papers, planning, researching, etc. Someone needs to give us a break! Although, I do give my parents my home number it is totally inappropriate to expect to be at someones beck and call 24/7. You adults act worst than the kids. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

By Private School Guy

September 9, 2008 11:19 AM | Link to this

I see a lot of issues with this. First I don’t even carry a cell phone. I have one that I use when I go out of town or to make long distance calls with. So is my employer going to pay for a cell phone? Second I make extensive use of a school web site for posting work. Questions can be addressed there. School got along fine for years without parents calling teachers whenever they wanted. What happened to personal responsibility? I often wonder what has happened to the brains of all those people I see in stores who have to call their spouses about every purchase. What happened to making lists, checking them and asking questions when you had a chance. It seems no one is able to make any decisions anymore they just mindlessly call people and ask for help.

By teacher teacher

September 9, 2008 11:21 AM | Link to this

Wow, SO hit a nerve here. Jim D, I am totally surprised that you would even suggest that teachers provide their cell phones. You are usually so level-headed with your comments. If memory from my corporate experience serves, my company PAID for my cell phone bill so that I could be reached at anytime. If the counties want to provide me with a cell phone and pay for my extra minutes, then rest assured, I’ll consider it. Until then, my cell phone is a personal choice to have and as long as I am paying my own bill, I’ll choose how,when, where to answer it. And, for the record, I do currently use it to call parents.

Most of all, I am amazed that a)parents are questioning a teacher’s assignment given over a holiday weekend and b) that you would assume your child’s lack of planning is my “emergency”. Call me when you have a true family emergency (death in the family, major sickness on eve of major assignments, etc). I’m cool with that. But when I provide calendars, assignments, emails,web pages, etc to keep you informed, I expect you to take advantage of said technology and let me have my dinner in peace.

And for everyone, hasn’t this blog addressed enough and at length the amount of hours that teachers work (weekend, afterschool, summers) past their contract times? None of us (at least the good ones) are in it for clock-watching and punching a time card, but seriously? I spend a LOT of time outside my job that 8 hours a day doesn’t give me. I’m an English teacher if that helps. I am required to give at least 3 writing assignments a semester. If I have 90 kids, and I spend a MINIMUM of 10 minutes on each paper (for ONE essay), that is 15 hours of straight grading on top of planning, duty, etc. Yes, we all know the “sob” story, but now you want me to handle parent phone calls at random times in my off hours? Why can’t you use the technology I provide to help both of us?

I am sorry, but I am so disillusioned by parents who think it’s a right that I should be on call 24/7. Maybe if all of your students did their homework 24/7, we’d be having a different conversation.

By Denise

September 9, 2008 11:31 AM | Link to this

Not a parent or a teacher but I still vote heck no. 1) In this example your kid leaving their book at school is not an emergency to discuss with a teacher. That’s no better excuse than “the dog ate my homework”. Besides, what was the teacher supposed to do? Send you an email on her/his free time to rectify a problem your child created? Go open the school so you could go get the book? Postpone the assignment? Nope! None of the above. 2) Once teachers leave the school, they are done for the day, in my opinion. Yes, they do have to grade homework and develop tests but that is a part of THEIR work that THEY decide to do outside of their planning periods. Unless someone specifically invites you to call them (I think this in most situations actually) then you shouldn’t and basically don’t have the right to. You definitely don’t have the right to call a teacher (again, or anyone else) at 0:dark:30 talking about little Timmy unless -again- you have been invited to do so.

A good rule of thumb is “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. Before you call a teacher in the morning when he/she is getting his/her family together and getting ready for school, think about how aggravated you’d be if someone called when you were frantic trying to get your kids ready. Before you call a teacher late at night, think about how p** you’d be if someone called you once you got in the bed. If you’d be angry at either of these, then assume the teacher will be angry too!

By catlday

September 9, 2008 11:38 AM | Link to this

Absolutely not. When my home number used to be published, I got all kinds of stupid calls (Why isn’t my son’s (park and rec) team practicing?)

If it is a real emergency, call the principal or superintendent. If you say, ‘I don’t want to bother them” then it is not really an emergency.

I am willing to bet the students in question had the assignment WAAYY before the holiday weekend. If not, complain to the principal, and let’s see if he backs the teacher or throws them under the bus.

Ms. Dodd, times are different now than when your mother was a teacher. Heck, times are different now from when I started (1973).

Everytime I have given out my number I have regretted it.

Folks, emphasize from toddlerhood that the child has some reasonable responsibility. That so many in the example “forgot” tells you something.

By Mr. Anderson

September 9, 2008 11:44 AM | Link to this

No. I don’t like teachers generally (I think they became teachers because they can’t handle the adult world). But even these jerks deserve a break. Home number in case of emergency? Wha? If it’s that much trouble, the parents can help. Oh yeah, parents don’t want to parent. Nm.

By jim d

September 9, 2008 11:59 AM | Link to this

Ah, teacher, teacher,

But if you’ll notice I never said teachers should supply the phone.

My employees carry phones that I provide.

My point has been and continues to be that as professionals, teachers should act as such. If this entails providing answers to the customer—after hours— so be it.

I’ve also touched on an area that few have dared embark with me in regards to assigning homework over a holiday.(one of my touchy areas for years). My feeling here is that if a teacher plans to assign something for kids to do over a holiday that the teacher must be prepared to work as well. I don’t think it is being unreasonable to require a teacher to give up their time when they may have asked 30 students, 50 siblings and 60 parents to give up theirs. Do you?

By Noelle

September 9, 2008 12:04 PM | Link to this

You’re kidding, right? Teachers have enough problems without having to deal with calls from parents over a holiday weekend because their kids screwed up. And that doesn’t even take into the consideration the many parents who would abuse the privilege.

Your daughter made a mistake. Don’t bail her out — let her learn the lessson, and maybe next time she won’t forget her book.

By Mike D

September 9, 2008 12:29 PM | Link to this

First of all why is it the teachers fault your little Dumpling left their book at school. This teaches your kid resposibility. When I have a three day weekend, I am expected to be ready for work on Tuesday morning.

By dan T

September 9, 2008 12:30 PM | Link to this

Jim D

LOL, Stir’em up

By Get a clue

September 9, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this

Jesus $%^# Christ, of all the inane, make my child’s education the teacher’s responsibility requests.

Teachers on call 24/7? But of course. Perhaps teachers should also be required to carry “emergency toilet paper” on their person 24/7 in order to wipe your child’s butt if they “forget”.

Maybe Cox should have taken that money and funded long term substitute teaching assignments for reporters, so they would have a clue before commenting on education issues.

Is it any wonder teachers have become “scapegoat du jour” after reading this drivel?

By what a...

September 9, 2008 12:42 PM | Link to this

Well, it’s quite clear that we really shouldn’t be expecting any professional behavior from teachers as they aren’t. It’s amazing how many teachers use the excuse of “well kids need to learn to be responsible.” Of course, they then complain that their students don’t complete homework or their parents don’t insist their kids to study, and that’s the reason their students aren’t performing well on the tests.

A solution is, folks, private schools. It’s time to abandon public schools with a bunch of non-professionals pretending to be educating their students.

By jim d

September 9, 2008 12:44 PM | Link to this

Mr T,

You do know me—have I said anything here today I wouldn’t have otherwise said?

I think a few here would like to hear it from a teacher, that I am pretty much what I appear.

Have a great day dude, but don’t bust too many heads. BTW, the kid sends his regards. Plans to visit y’all during his first furlough.

By TheBlogger

September 9, 2008 12:45 PM | Link to this

You have got to be kidding with this blog, right?

Teachers are not “on call” 24/7. There is already a teacher shortage in some areas. Imagine what would happen if little Sally was given the teacher cell phone number! Sally may decide to play a prank on the teacher at 3 am - or maybe even every hour. How many people do you think would then run from the profession?

Teaching is not like a doctor where a life may be at stake. Teaching is not IS where computer systems must be running 24/7.

Also, any emergency that your little darling had was created by their own lack of responsibility. How could or should a teacher help?

Maybe, just maybe, you (as the PARENT) should teach your child about personal responsibility. Ya think?

By teacher teacher

September 9, 2008 12:52 PM | Link to this

Hi Jim D -

My apologies - I didn’t see your original post with the fact that you provide your employees cell phones. If that were the case, then hey - time to reconsider.

To address your (and others) point about homework on a holiday weekend. For YEARS, school has been centered around certain holidays. Just because it is a holiday weekend, your child is in school and assignments are given as such. Doesn’t our state BOE stress that we start school early (in August) so that teachers can cover material in time for standardized tests? If Labor Day is such a sacred holiday and we shouldn’t give assignments for “family time”, then parents need to petiton the state to have school start AFTER Labor Day.

For the record, my weekends ALWAYS involve some measure of work. And yes, I graded assignments over Labor Day weekend. My only time I don’t grade on weekends occurs during Winter Break, Spring Break, and the summer. I would say that it’s the case for most high school teachers.

By jc

September 9, 2008 12:58 PM | Link to this

You wonder why ga. is near the bottom on education…big part of the problems is the teachers. Whaddya mean I have to work past the end of the school day.n Most of you teachers are LAZY

By what a...CROCK!

September 9, 2008 1:00 PM | Link to this

No what a… what is quite clear is not that we shouldn’t expect any professional behavior from teachers; it’s that if this blog topic is indicative of the prevailing mindset out there, then we shouldn’t expect any responsible behavior from parents.

You think your child’s boss fifteen to twenty years from now is going to want to deal with a dozen or so requests every weekend from employees who “forgot” to complete the essential elements of their job?

Seriously.

By Leia

September 9, 2008 1:04 PM | Link to this

Absolutely not! My phone would ring all day long! What I consider an emergency involves blood gushing from someone’s body or a death in the family, not that little Johnny forgot his/her homework! I cannot believe you would even consider this. Students would abuse this and prank call the teachers in the middle of the night and on weekends as well. This is the craziest thing I’ve heard today, and I work in a public high school! Let your child learn responsibility now, and you won’t have these “emergencies” later. Unbelievable!

By Get a clue

September 9, 2008 1:07 PM | Link to this

jc,

Thanks for providing us with a SHINING EXAMPLE of why we are at the bottom in education. Citizens who want to shift the blame from their child’s actions to the teacher.

Did the teacher forget to take the necessary materials home, or did the child?

And if you actually think that the teacher’s workday ends when school lets out; then I’m not sure you are capable of actual intelligent thought as it pertains to education issues.

In other words, you’re clueless!

By I Teach

September 9, 2008 1:09 PM | Link to this

When Gwinnett County pays for my iPhone and also pays the bill, then they can dictate who gets my phone number. Jim D - I am a professional, and part of me doing a professional job does not call for me being on the phone all day long. You’re ridiculous and I’m glad your son graduated, so, I don’t have to worry about getting him in my class…

By Courtney

September 9, 2008 1:10 PM | Link to this

Jim D - Are you implying that you personally are on-call 24 hours a day 7 days a week? Because this is what it would mean for a teacher to provide the services you suggest. Each teacher would be on call to those 30 student and 60 parents (assuming they’re an elementary school teacher…those numbers triple for middle and high school teachers). There’s a fine line between what you deem to be a professional and what other might call a doormat.

If teachers are receiving phone calls at all hours of the night, then they will not be able to serve our children to their full capabilities during actual school hours as a result. With that being said, wouldn’t we be shooting ourselves in the foot? If a teacher is not allowed the off-time that everyone needs because of one or two irresponsible students or over-bearing parents the teachers are not the only ones who suffer. All of the students they are hired to teach will suffer as well.

How many clients are one of your employees responsible for handling by themselves? How much work is required outside of the office for your employees ? Jim, you can’t compare one aspect of your business to teaching without allowing us to see how the rest of it measures up to the teaching profession.

By jc

September 9, 2008 1:16 PM | Link to this

Boy, Get a clue…you really told me. Sounds like you are a little sensitive to this issue.

By for the love of teaching

September 9, 2008 1:17 PM | Link to this

sound of head hitting my desk

forgive me, but when I have emailed an agenda to my parents detailing all books needed each day, homework assignments, and major grading opportunities, when I have posted it in my room for all the students to see, and I have copied the agenda and passed it out to each student individually …

why is MY professionalism called into question because I don’t want to have parents calling me at home because their child was unprepared?

By csquare6

September 9, 2008 1:22 PM | Link to this

To Aileen: As a professional I am certain that your cell phone and the bill that goes with it is covered by your business. Most teachers pay for their own cell phones. School systems pay for the cell phones used by administration.

You cannont require anyone to pay for a phone that will be used by the parents of the kids they teach.

It is a common problem with kids in the third and fourth grade. They will not bring their books home. If you have a kid with this problem, perhaps the system will give you another set of books to be used at home. I know it hurts but kids have to learn to listen, write down what they have to do and then do the assignment. Sometimes the parents have to let that one or two bad grades “happen” before the student learns a very valuable life lesson.

By Old School

September 9, 2008 1:22 PM | Link to this

I live happily in a small town and have a landline number that is published in our local phonebook. My school email address is posted on my page of our school website and I also give it and my workroom phone number to parents who come to our open house evenings and to any who ask for it.

I refuse to give my cell phone number to just anyone and am very particular about friends and family members I call on it.

Just about everyone here knows me and how to find me.

And jc, for the record I am anything but LAZY. My school day is from 6 a.m. until 4;00 p.m. unless there is a meeting (4 times a month) that keeps me here longer. I do not nor have I ever had a planning period. I am on a 10 month contract but usually put in 2-3 days a week at school during the summer for no extra pay because I choose to do so. I do not whine or complain. Actions speak louder than words and I prefer to do what it takes to best prepare my students for careers and/or postsecondary education.

There are myriad reasons for Georgia’s educational woes but I don’t think calling each other names or pointing fingers/laying blame is going to do much towards correcting them.

By Tony

September 9, 2008 1:30 PM | Link to this

These statements sound pretty degrading. Don’t all cell phones have a voice mail feature? If so—are teachers just not smart enough to activate it?…A lot of teachers clammer to be respected as professionals and yet they refuse to act as such… They have this imaginary status thingy going on within their own little world.

I know of no teacher who is unwilling to open and maintain good communications with parents. Let’s be frank about the points brought up in this blog. The items listed by the blog topic were trivial and it was suggested there were multiple parents in the same boat. As stated, there are plenty of avenues to use without creating an issue that need not exist. Calling teachers about spelling homework and other trivial matters is not appropriate. There are much more important issues to which we could devote our time.

By Get a clue

September 9, 2008 1:34 PM | Link to this

Acutally jc I’ve never had a problem at all with giving my number out. The real problem is actually getting a working number from parents, and getting parents to return phone calls and last but not least, getting parents to understand the greater long term good of holding a child responsible for not doing work is better than staying up until two in the morning and doing it for them because the child waited until the last minute. (And what’s worse, because they are “concerned” enough to stay up until two in the morning, they have a HUGE blind spot when it comes to analyzing their actions as effective parents)

Having too many calls to answer would be actually be a nice problem to have for a change. But ONLY if parents would stop making excuses and start teaching the child responsibility.

By Jimbo

September 9, 2008 1:43 PM | Link to this

Your kid messed up in remembering. Deal with it. That will teach them. If I forgot something I needed from work to work on at home who would I call? Life has lessons, learn them teach them.

By teach

September 9, 2008 1:48 PM | Link to this

wait, wait, wait …

IMPORTANT homework EMERGENCIES in the third grade?

Seriously?

By jim d

September 9, 2008 1:53 PM | Link to this

Well Tony,

Fraid we disagree today.

I know of no teacher who is unwilling to open and maintain good communications with parents.

Wanna meet a few? Be more than happy to introduce y’all.

Calling teachers about spelling homework and other trivial matters

The question asked in the blog topic was this. Should teachers be required to provide parents or students with emergency contact numbers they can call when they are having trouble with an assignment?

You blow an assignment off as being trivial. If that is the case I’d suggest just doing away with homework and grades altogether. At least then teachers could quit gripping about students not doing it and parents not lording over their kids to see it is accomplished, Making everyones life much simpler!

By Joyce

September 9, 2008 2:02 PM | Link to this

The situation given was that the child forgot the spelling book. I don’t think that the ability to call the teacher after-hours would have resolved anything anyway. As far as a child needing guidance as they attempt to complete an assignment, that situation doesn’t merit an “emergency call” either. Just do the best you can and discuss it with the teacher when you get back to school. Most teachers I know would work with a child in that circumstance, or if not, would have an insight as to what happened.

Additionally, I too find it difficult to believe that the teacher just threw this assignment at the students on the Friday before a holiday weekend. It sounds like a standing assignment that should have been started on earlier in a week leading up to a long weekend!

By tony2

September 9, 2008 2:07 PM | Link to this

You blow an assignment off as being trivial.

No Jim D, her kid blew it off. Now it’s time for her kid to get a bad grade, and then get puniched, and then not forget the book again. it’s the LEARNING PROCESS. Perhaps some adults could stand to embrace the process as well.

By tony2

September 9, 2008 2:09 PM | Link to this

You blow an assignment off as being trivial.

No Jim D, her kid blew it off. Now it’s time for her kid to get a bad grade, and then get punished, and then not forget the book again. it’s the LEARNING PROCESS. Perhaps some adults could stand to embrace the process as well.

By Dan T

September 9, 2008 2:22 PM | Link to this

My wife teaches and she gives the parents our phone number. In the 6 parent years she has done that her and I have never had a conversation about parent calling too much or abusing it. She teaches 5th grade. I however teach high school. As a male in high school I do not give my phone number to students. It is not that I don’t want them to call if they have a problem it is just that now a days you never know what you are going to be accused of. Let say a female student calls to ask me about an assignment and decides to say something on the phone that she would normally not say at school. All of the sudden I have problems. Big problems. I don’t want to put myself in that situation.

By Chrissy

September 9, 2008 2:28 PM | Link to this

This is part of life. Kids need to learn how to handle the mistakes they make. Teachers have a job to do and that is it, they go home to their own families. Can you imagine the calls teachers would get? The teachers would leave the profession and find better jobs. As society we want some one else to be responsible for our mistakes. This country is spiraling down hill at a fast rate.

By mom3boys

September 9, 2008 2:30 PM | Link to this

So, if you were able to reach the teacher, she would what…break into the school and get your kid the book?? Are you kidding??? Geesh. In MS, we have websites and homeworknow.com where this info is often available online. Ask your teacher if that is an option for handouts to be posted for darlings who can’t remember to do their work or bring it home. Phone numbers…NO WAY!!!!!!!!

By Steve

September 9, 2008 3:00 PM | Link to this

You have to be kidding! This is the most ridiculous blog topic I have read in a while. Are you telling me that a teacher who already is putting in 10-12 hour days is expected to now take parent calls at home or in the grocery store or on vacation? WOW! We ask so little.
When is the last time you asked for your doctor’s private phone number, or your accountant, or your lawyer? Give teachers a break. They deserve time to have families, hobbies, …. a life. Teachers are public servants who give more that they get.

By Emily

September 9, 2008 3:03 PM | Link to this

Hmmmm…let’s think about this question, should I give my number to my students?? Well, that would be okay I guess if the students were going to use it for the purpose that it is set for, but unfortunately they won’t. There might be a parent out there trying to make their kid do their work, but if the student didn’t bring their work home with them, they probably didn’t have much intention of doing it anyway. I find it HIGHLY unlikely for a huge group of students to “forget” their spelling words. When I was in school and forgot something, then my mom ran me back up to the school if it was before 8. If not then she just said too bad, you should have got it when you were at school. For the person that made a comment about parents needing a break too, you should have thought about that before having kids. They don’t go away and if you keep babying them by needing to contact their teacher at the drop of a hat or your little precious not doing what they are supposed to,they probably never will. It is time the parents start holding up to their end of the deal- TEACHERS do not raise your children. They are only educating them!!!!!!! Just like most everyone else, when I leave work, I LEAVE work!!! I’m not on call and I don’t get paid to be on call. If I wanted to take a job like that, I would not have entered this profession. For the person who said we as teachers wanted to be treated like professionals but don’t act like professionals, you’re a complete idiot! As far as I’m concerned, I’d like to be professional and not be the next teacher on the news because some kid has my cell phone number, calls me everyday and the parents sue. I’m sorry, but as a young high school teacher, I’m not interested in being the next media spectacle. I think that’s pretty professional, don’t you? As for the amount of pay we make, guess what people, EVERY single one of you had the same opportunity to be a teacher and make what we do and work the amount of days we do. If you want summers off and only 190 days of employment then it looks as though you’re in the wrong profession. We are not responsible for your child that can’t get their stuff together because you haven’t taught them any responsibility!

Let’s just be honest, there’s no reason to give a teachers number out. Your child has plenty of time at school to get that information. If they don’t get it that’s their fault! Please stop blaming teachers for the things you didn’t teach your children to do!

By MBW

September 9, 2008 3:08 PM | Link to this

As a teacher, I would be willing to give out a phone number for parents and students to use, but I believe that I should reserve the right to restrict when/if I answer it, since I am not officially “on call”.

Similarly, I am happy to answer questions about content, or some aspects of the assignmets, but I would not dictate an assignment over the phone.

If a child forgets his/her homework and leaves it at school, that is a mistake that your student needs to learn from.

By jim d

September 9, 2008 3:11 PM | Link to this

Dan T,

I think more kids have “got your number” than you might believe. :-)

By liza

September 9, 2008 3:18 PM | Link to this

Jim D, Aileen, etc. - do you think that our doctors should allow us to call them at home with all manner of questions? If I forgot to procure a refill during office hours should I be able to call him at home (without charge) on a Sunday afternoon to get him to call this in for me? I do agree about not giving homework on holiday time, and hope that this assignment was not given out the Friday before the weekend.

By jim d

September 9, 2008 3:21 PM | Link to this

Dear Emily,

“Just like most everyone else, when I leave work, I LEAVE work!!!”

Oh to be young, niave and childless. You will learn dear.

HAGD,

By edge770

September 9, 2008 3:25 PM | Link to this

I don’t believe cell phones are the answer.. But, a wiki, or web page would most certainly be the best way to handle. I believe that all faculty (and all Elected officials) be required to have and maintain frequently a up to date website that contains, assignments, syllabus and homework information, and if all else fails a email address. It would also seem need be that in case these things fall near a holiday, that there be a little juggling of the schedule. In this case parents are coddling the kids, and teachers failing to use proper skills to communicate their assignments.

By Joy in Teaching

September 9, 2008 3:25 PM | Link to this

I used to subscribe to the “let me provide you with my number in case you need my assistance with your assignment” club.

But that changed.

About 15 years ago, one of my freshmen turned into a regular little stalker. He’d call…talk dirty…and then hang up. (This was before caller id.) And we’re talking 20-50 times a day. It took a bit of running around on my part, to the phone company and to the sherrif’s department…and then I had to keep a log each time he called. And then voila about 2 months later, he was finally apprehended.

For added fun, because he was a minor, I was not even allowed the privelege of know who he was other than “he is one of your students.” So, I got to be in a classroom with my unknown phone stalker for the rest of the school year.

Creepy.

Thanks, but no thanks. While he was the only one out of the, by then, hundreds of kids who had my number to do that, that was enough.

By Jessalyn

September 9, 2008 3:25 PM | Link to this

Teachers shouldn’t be expected to be on call 24/7. I don’t think parents nor students could be trusted not to bother the teacher at all hours. A much better idea would be for the teacher to have a blog or website with the spelling words listed there so they can be accessed 24/7. Have students type the words onto the site for even more practice with the words.

By ljcrcb

September 9, 2008 3:26 PM | Link to this

Anne, Jen, and lizzylove, thank you for being responsible parents. You make a teacher’s job more complete by supporting what she/he is trying to teach — responsiblity. When I was a teacher, I appreciated parents like you more than you will ever know!

By Seasoned Teacher

September 9, 2008 3:27 PM | Link to this

1)If you had the teacher’s number what would you have asked her to do? Most teachers do not have access to the building during off hours so she could not have let you in to retreive a textbook. 2)It sounds like a standing assignment, therefore you and your child knew that the assignment was due a full week or better before the weekend started. Your child and you choose not to work on the assignment before the weekend started, therefore your child and you choose to give up part of your holiday time. 3)At the highschool level standing assignments are expected to be submitted on the announced due date. Assignments accepted late generally incur some penalty. 4)As an adult you are aware that bills must be paid on time or you incur a penalty. As an employee you are expected to meet deadlines for projects, even if you choose where and when to work on the project you still have to meet the deadline. 5)Had there been a death in the family, serious car accident, house fire,……those would be emergancies. Call me, my land line number is listed in the phone book and rolls over to an answering machine. I will be more than happy to help you or your family in anyway that I can. But for a forgotten textbook? to complete a standing assignment?

By DJ

September 9, 2008 3:34 PM | Link to this

I gave my cell phone number to a kid once. Another kid stole the number. I got 66 text messages over the summer from the kid who stole my phone. True story.

If the schools want to provide us a seperate phone line and phone to conduct “teacher business,” fine. But I would like for my personal cell phone that I pay for to stay private.

By jim d

September 9, 2008 3:37 PM | Link to this

Liza,

Answer this for me. Ever had to call a doctor after hours? Yeah Dear, I wouldn’t hesitate to call them. Everyone of mine has an answering service and they are pretty good at calling me back.(without charge)

Let me also say that almost every teacher my child had in HS was excellent at returning calls and providing information to the parents. I attribute this to strong leadership in the front office.

He now attend a college where one of the perks is that his professors are available 24/7. The school maintains the honor of being in the top 5 colleges in the South and is the only public school in that list. Why is it on the list? I believe simply because they are doing everything possible to assure the uccess of students. If our public primary and secondary schools were to do this we would actually be able to accomplish the lofty goals of NCLB.

I’m glad we can agree on the no homework thing over a holiday.

By Emme

September 9, 2008 3:41 PM | Link to this

Do Doctors give their numbers to their patients? Do lawyers give their numbers to their clients? Do bankers give their numbers to their customers?

Nope, and neither should teachers. Nothing is life-threatening in the education world. It’ll wait. Most teachers put in 50-60+ hours a week and it is not in an office where they can go to the restroom, make a personal call, talk with an adult. They are, for the most part, locked up with children all that time and even have to eat lunchroom food, unless they bring their own from home.

No, leave the teachers alone. OR better yet, go teach for a year yourself…see what you think!

By jane

September 9, 2008 3:49 PM | Link to this

I am a former College Prof, I checked my email several times a day, but would never give out my phone number. I think that is resonable. Plus, most students really do not know the meaning of emergency. They are far too likely to abuse the situation if they had their teachers numbers.

By jane

September 9, 2008 3:49 PM | Link to this

I am a former College Prof, I checked my email several times a day, but would never give out my phone number. I think that is resonable. Plus, most students really do not know the meaning of emergency. They are far too likely to abuse the situation if they had their teachers numbers.

By jim d

September 9, 2008 3:50 PM | Link to this

Emme,

They are, for the most part, locked up with children all that time

Never thought of it that way. It would explain a lot of their Psychosis.

By Vicki

September 9, 2008 3:52 PM | Link to this

If my boys forget an assignment at school, that is their problem. Until they were in the 3rd grade, I would help them out by suggesting that they call a friend for help, but I will not be calling around to all the moms in the classroom.

As a punishment from school, they might get a note sent home, they might have to sit out of recess or they might have to go to detention. Either way, they have to remember their work and bring it home. This is the only way the kids will learn to be responsible. I can’t go to college or to their place of employment and make sure they are getting their work done.

As for expecting to have a teacher ‘s phone number, no, I can communicate with her/him via e-mail.

Dang, I sound mean….

By ginny

September 9, 2008 4:01 PM | Link to this

NO, NO, NO, and NO! It is the student’s responsibility to remember to bring home his/her homework! If it is left at school: so sad, too bad! I have two kids - one in college and one in high school. The sooner the student learns that he/she is responsible, the better off he/she is. Helicopter parents need to back WAY OFF. So what if little Savannnah or Travis has a nuclear meltdown! Mommy and Daddy need to teach personal responsibility.

By QueenWildcat

September 9, 2008 4:07 PM | Link to this

I am a teacher, and I give my students NUMEROUS methods of reaching me if they have an “emergency” or just a question concerning an assignment. Those methods do NOT include my cell phone number. I have two email addresses (a school and personal email) which can be used to contact me if a child needs help. I feel that if a teacher assigns work outside of the school day, students should be able to contact that teacher for assistance; however, I remind my students that sending an email at midnight is probably NOT going to be much help since I’m already in bed.

Forgetting a spelling book is NOT an emergency. Even if the parent could contact the teacher, what could the teacher do to assist the parent? Absolutely nothing. Some common sense needs to be used.

By Becky

September 9, 2008 4:09 PM | Link to this

I agree with jim d on pretty much every thing that he has posted..I work in an office & pay my own phone bill, but if my boss or the owner of the company ever calls me, I answer.. I think that most parents that care enough to call a teacher, are also parents that wouldn’t abuse the privilage (sp) of having been given the teachers phone number..

I have gone out at all hours of the night with my ex when he had a service call..Yes, he owns the company & at any given time all of his employees were on call..

jim d, as you said, we drove to Ozark, AL at 3:00 in the morning one time only to find out that the clerk that had “checked” the plug to the cash register & told us that yes it was plugged into to the wall outlet, only to find out that NO it wasn’t..

By lyncoln

September 9, 2008 4:11 PM | Link to this

A touchy topic today, wow.

I don’t recall many of my college professors providing telephone numbers to me. E-mail, yes. But even those were school addresses, and it was typically stressed that my professor went to bed early, so if it was after 11 p.m. the response would likely be the next morning.

Jim D, the use of a professional answering service provided by the school would probably be reasonable, but that’s for the schools to decide. Currently, schools choose not to provide work cellphones to their teachers. As many mentioned, school websites and the like are already provided for just such assignment information.

Also, not all ‘professional’ positions require a worker to be on-call. Many lawyers are not on-call.

I’m surprised that Aileen had such a problem finding a student in the class that had remembered the assignment. That type of parent phone tree would seem to be the best choice for finding the assignment information. I guess you just have to call more parents to find the student that did take their book home?

Another idea would be have one or two parents who do have personal contact for the teacher in case of emergencies like this. That way, you could call the parent to have a question passed on to the teacher. Better to have a single person calling with one question than 20 parents all calling with the same question.

Until the school chooses to provide the cell phones to the teachers, I would leave phone information as a choice for an individual teacher to make. Some might provide a phone number, others might not. It’s currently not part of the expected professional conduct of a teacher.

By kalalu

September 9, 2008 4:29 PM | Link to this

my sister’s teachers posted homework assignments on the internet. I know every kid doesn’t have access to a computer. but if it is real homework emergency and you can’t get a hold of the teacher via telephone or email, then get over to the public library and use their computers. in the case of spelling homework it might not work, unless the teacher scanned the book and lesson and had it posted there.

By wow

September 9, 2008 4:31 PM | Link to this

Dear what a: My kid goes to private school and guess what? Private school teachers have much more protection that public school teachers! NO…I don’t have on cell # from any teacher of his, nor does the school require them to give it to us! NO…I can’t just waltz through the building any time I take the notion to do so! NO…I am not allowed to go into classrooms and disrupt during the school day because I “just need to ask you this one little thing.” I am a public school teacher and ALL of these issues occur more than one time daily. I did provide my cell# to parents before and lived to regret it. They continuously called me for any reason they deemed necessary—example: Talk to Johnny because he won’t go to bed. Johnny is acting bad this weekend and I want you to do something to him when he gets to school. Why didn’t you let Susie be the table monitor this week? Why did Johnny tell Susie that she was ugly? Why didn’t Adam get Art Student of the Year? Amy said all of your yellow crayons are broken and that is her favorite color. Sharon’s mom says that Sam was cutting up in class today…I think you should get him placed into special education because none of us like his mother anyway.

The list goes on and on. I finally got smart and changed the number—never to give it out again. JimD, you are forgetting that the society we are currently living in is the “ME” society. Each of the 850 students per semester I serve would be more than happy if Mom and Dad could contact me at any time they complained about a slight in order to fix it!!! Hmmmm…I could potentially get 25,000 calls a month if each parent called me once a day! That’s not including the ones who will call you 15 or more times daily(yes that has happened), nor the ones who won’t call at all! I guess there could be a standard deviation of 500, or so…would you want that many calls? Be realistic!!!!

By catlady

September 9, 2008 4:33 PM | Link to this

Everyone notice that the blogmeister says that this is the biggest WEEKLY assignment.

lincoln: Don’t think the parent phone tree will work because a) most schools cannot get such things as room mothers for ANY reason anymore and b) privacy concerns.

BTW, Becky, my “boss” is not the students’ parents!

Any teacher who is willing to give out their numbers, fine, but, as I said, I have been burned too many times in the past with stupid stuff. Call the principal or superintendent if it is an emergency!

By Slowens

September 9, 2008 4:41 PM | Link to this

If taxpayers are willing to provide the money to provide all of the teachers in their system with a work phone, then I am all for it. As a teacher, I realize the importance of communication but it is ridiculous for us to be required to give out their cell number. Many professions provide their employees with a cell phone, why shouldn’t it be the same for teachers? Fork it out taxpayers!!!

By Hell no

September 9, 2008 4:46 PM | Link to this

I’m not a teacher but all I can say is NO. Try this on for size Aileen, the teacher should have to provide you and your “forgetful” kid with their cell number for homework emergencies when all the parents provide thier cell numbers for the teacher to call to assign emergency assignments. The time is 8:00 pm and the teacher suddenly decides it would be nice if your kid would read 5 chapters and give a verbal summary for the class the next day. Enjoy.

By DB

September 9, 2008 4:53 PM | Link to this

This is NOT an emergency — this is a simple case of forgetfulness. To call a teacher and whine because your child forgot their schoolwork is a gross intrusion on their personal time.

This is what is known as the Law of Natural Consequences — you forget your materials and can’t do your homework, then you get a poor grade. Oh, well. Better to learn this in 2nd or 3rd grade than in high school, where the transcripts actually matter. I bet you that, if they get a poor grade, they’ll remember NEXT time.

You have to be willing to allow children to fail — you often learn far more from your failures than from your successes.

By luvs2teach

September 9, 2008 5:01 PM | Link to this

I’ll admit, I haven’t had a chance to read everyone’s comments yet, so if I repeat what someone else said, then I apologize in advance.

I have two competing thoughts about this; one is that I know (and some research shows) that at-risk students do better if the teacher can be more accessible, and giving out phone numbers is an example. Second, however, I feel like some things need to be private, and that there needs to be personal boundaries - the whole cell phone revolution has taken this boundary and stretched it pretty thin - for many people, not just teachers, and there are many people out there who have no concept of a boundary at all. There are also people with horrible cell phone etiquette, who think nothing of disturbing both the person they are talking to, as well as everyone around them in the store, the theater, the restaurant, the roadway.

I would never want my personal phone number to be expected to be shared (I don’t have that many minutes anyway). If the county wants to provide me with another cell phone, then I might be ok with it. But I would definitely shut it off at certain times. I don’t give assignments over holidays - as a parent, I hated them, too. I have a class website, and I check my e-mail even on the weekends - if I were away to where I wasn’t checking e-mail, I wouldn’t be answering my cell phone either. The school provides a homework hotline. I think that’s sufficient. The biggest lesson a child needs to learn is that poor planning on his part does not constitute and emergency on ANYONE else - teachers and parents included.

Food for thought - last year I was at an out of town event where I was doing a good bit of imbibing of the grape. My students had a question about a project and they decided to call me, over the weekend, knowing I was out of town - they had the number because one of the parents was a chaperone for a prior field trip and we had exchanged numbers. The parent gave the kids the number - I answered because I thought the number was someone else. It was a sobering moment - literally. And the question wasn’t anything that couldn’t wait.

I used to have a landline and my phone number was listed - I have a somewhat unusual last name so I wasn’t hard to find. I often got calls. Some were the kids being funny; some were the kids being rude. Rarely did a parent call. If those of you out there think that middle schoolers aren’t going to abuse the privelege of somebody’s info, then you don’t know today’s kids - there is no sense of privacy with them - they post everything for the world to see on myspace and facebook.

By DB

September 9, 2008 5:02 PM | Link to this

PS: At the private school my kids attend, almost every teacher gives us a copy of the syllabus, complete with their cell phone. They all encourage email as their primary means of communication, though, as most of them only check their cell phones a couple of times a day. We also have a directory, with the teacher’s home address and telephone number. Several teachers mentioned that they welcomed calls with QUESTIONS on assignments, but only before 9 pm. Fair enough.

Given this, I would NEVER EVER NEVER call a teacher after hours for something as inane as forgetting homework materials. Never, in 15 years, have I found it necessary to intrude on a teacher’s personal time after hours. Unless there’s blood on the floor, it can wait until the next day. Now, I have been pleasantly surprised at responses to emails late in the evening, discussing scheduling issues, etc. I send an email at 10 pm to a school address, I do not expect an answer before the next day, but occasionally, a night-owl teacher will respond at 11 pm :-)

By Matt's Mom

September 9, 2008 5:04 PM | Link to this

I made the mistake of publishing my cell phone number my first year teaching. This inconsiderate parent called me every half hour from 3:30 pm to 9:00 pm to complain about a homework assignment. Not only did she call me, she called my supervisor to complain that she could not reach me. I was livid! It was a third grade homework assignment not a doctoral thesis.

As a college student, if I have a question about an assignment that a classmate cannot answer, then I will e-mail my professor. I am aware of their other committments and personal time and allow them time to respond. Ultimately it is my responsibility to keep up with assignments and as questions when they are given. For young children this may be difficult, hence the purpose of agendas and rubrics. As an educator it is partly my job to teach my students to be responsible. Notice how I said “partly”. It is also the parents job to enforce the importance of responsiblity for oneself in their children.

By Sarah

September 9, 2008 5:11 PM | Link to this

No, parents should not be allowed to have phone numbers. We work really hard with elementary students to teach responsibility like bringing home needed materials. We would be talking to parents 24-7 if we gave out our numbers. What we need to work on is not having Mommy fix their problems. Children will only learn after suffering a few times. I have a class website and anything important is put on that page so that parents can print it out if their child loses it. They have to make the effort to go check out the webpage and print out what is needed. I think I’m being awfully generous by doing that.

By SallyB

September 9, 2008 5:12 PM | Link to this

jimd I don’t think that you will find a teacher who does not return a parent’s phone call….usually at night..on personal time, because teachers are not allowed to leave their classes during the school day to make phone calls!! I don’t think you would find a lot of objections to an answering service such as your doctors have, but since a student problem is not likely to be illness or life or death,the call back may not be immediate. I only wish parents would return the teacher’s calls !!!! Oh…and FYI, teachers are paid by contract for 190/191 working days!!! If a teacher can live on that, perhaps he/she could take the summer off…without pay, of course. Most have to attend some kind of classes to keep their certificates current as well as find a summer job to supplement the summer layoff.

All of my grandchildren are in private school in 2 different states and the teachers DO NOT give out cell phone #’s. The do give e mail addresses.

Aileen Leaving an assignment packet and/or book at school is NOT an emergency! As someone above pointed out, there would be nothing the teacher could do about it anyway as teachers do not have keys to the building….and hopefully, even if he/she did, she would not go there to open if for you to get forgotten work. I have seen parents of children who “forgot” something at school do all kinds of things…not the least of which is call other parents as you did….and have them fax packets/worksheets/etc to the negligent child.

By jlh

September 9, 2008 5:13 PM | Link to this

I would just like to know what kind of job jim d has to allow him to blog endlessly on the computer all day? Maybe I should find such a job. Perhaps jim d should become a teacher in a 99% poverty rate school, laidened with gang kids, guns, drugs, etc. to see why you don’t want your personal info given out. Also, in said school, and yes this is a REAL school, the parents themselves don’t provide contact numbers or even a valid addresses much of the time. I have gone to a house for a home visit because the child was hurt and no numbers were valid, only to find that the house was vacant. Lofty opinions always come from those who don’t have a clue. Yeah, your baby may have had some slightly rough times, but go to the hood schools and whine. See who cares then. I just had a 13 y.o child murdered in his own front yard. Attribute this to the prevelant gang activity in the area. Yes, I really want my number floating around that type of crowd, so that I too can be a target when I p** of a banger. No thanks.

By jim d

September 9, 2008 5:19 PM | Link to this

jlh,

there are certain perks to being your own boss. Of course there is a down side as well. (We don’t get the summer off thingy)

By Janine

September 9, 2008 6:11 PM | Link to this

jimd.…as SallyB reminded you…but you seem to disregard…Teachers are paid for 190-191 contract days . The “summers off” thing is WITHOUT PAY!!!. It’s just that the 190 day salary is divided by 12 so the teacchers will have income during the “layoff” period that comes every year. Please try to accept that as fact…which it definitely is!!!!

Years ago, when I started as a paraprofessional, I was paid only for those 190 days…nothing during the summer, even though I came back every August. Then, the district , yielded to pressure and agreed to divide the 190 day salary so that paraprofessionals could receive a paycheck all year long.

I am quite baffled by your refusal to accept this.

By cjc

September 9, 2008 6:30 PM | Link to this

No, the teacher should not have provided her cell phone number to the parents. Students must learn to be responsible and to accept the consequences if they fail to do so.

By Teach4GA

September 9, 2008 6:31 PM | Link to this

Janine thank you! First, everybody thinks we get 3 months off, when it’s actually 8 weeks which equates to 2 months. And as you stated, it’s money we’ve already earned. And for the moron that wants to compare firemen and policemen salaries to teachers, please understand this…we MUST have a 4 year degree AND a teaching certificate. Last time I checked, that wasn’t a requirement for either of those professions. Secondly, if you think that $55K is a lot of money, think again. My brother dropped out of college and drives a trash truck and makes more than me!

Lastly, it’s perfectly okay for a teacher to give homework over the weekend or holiday break.

By SET

September 9, 2008 6:33 PM | Link to this

If you have an emergency you can call 911.

Your kids screwing up their homework preparation doesn’t qualify.

Lack of planning on your part is not an emergency on my part.

By luvs2teach

September 9, 2008 6:35 PM | Link to this

Questions for everyone:

Would you text a teacher? Or be ok with a teacher texting you? Would you allow your child to text a teacher?

Teachers - would you text a parent? Would you prefer text to e-mail or phone conversation? What if a parent texted you? What if students texted you?

Everyone - would you be okay with teachers, parents, and students chatting online - through a class message board for example? I’ve had college classes that had live chat as part of the class, as well as posting questions and comments on a discussion board.

Would you be ok with a teacher having a class myspace or facebook? Kids can post questions as bulletins (on myspace) or as comments on either myspace or facebook - they can also message directly through the sites.

I ask because in reality, our kids aren’t having long, drawn out conversations on the phone - they’re texting, and messaging through social networking sites. I have had students ask me if I’m on AIM or MSN, so they can ask me questions while online. I’m intrigued by the idea (the whole mountain to Mohamed thing - online is where they are), but scared of the whole liability thing - I’m not sure my county would support that.

What do you all think? Yes or no? Why or why not?

By DivaGLAM

September 9, 2008 6:42 PM | Link to this

As a teacher, I am SOOOO sick of people degrading what teachers do. NO ONE would be where they are without US:) jim d is only here to get everyone excited and ‘fussy’. I feel sorry for his family. I don’t get summers off as a teacher, we are ON call over the summer for principals, former parents, etc. SO PLEASE GET A CLUE ABOUT WHAT WE DO… The question here should be - ‘where does the responsibility lie’??? I am sure the teacher worked with the students. BUT if it was a weekly assignment, and students knew that…OH WELL!!! LOL

By JC

September 9, 2008 7:16 PM | Link to this

Jeff…I don’t believe that I said it wouldn’t be done, I said it was a little much to expect and I would talk to the teacher. However, my child would complete the assignment.

BTW, both my wife and I are in education, so I am well aware of expectations and workload of both teachers and children.

The IT world and its project-oriented environment where there are customer expectations and emergencies is somewhat different from a child in school.

There is no project within a school environment which is of such a time-critical need that it need be assigned on a Friday before a long weekend.

But the main point of my response to the blog is that I would support the teacher’s privacy and discuss any concerns at a later time. I wouldn’t try to track them down on a weekend.

By Be reasonable

September 9, 2008 7:25 PM | Link to this

Perhaps the question should have been framed differently. Given it is a human nature to forget things from time to time - and I’m sure there is no teacher out there who has never forgotten something and called on someone to bail him/her out in some way - should there be a way for parents and/or guardians to get in touch with teachers, particularly over a long break? I can understand many teachers’ concern for their private lives and not wanting to give out their cell phone numbers.

I think jim d’s suggestion to have schools provide cell phones is an option, though I doubt there is any system out there who can afford the cost. Use of web/wiki and e-mail seems to be a much more affordable option.

I can’t believe so many teachers are willing to simply say, “well, it’s too bad. they just have to learn to be responsible.” I’m sure you assign homework because you feel it is important and useful for your students to learn whatever the academic subject might be. Are you all willing to sacrifice students’ learning of the academic subject simply because students forgot something? The fact that students (or their parents) want to contact you to find out an alternative seems to show that those are the parents you want to be collaborating with. Are you willing to simply write them off because their children weren’t responsible enough?

By cj

September 9, 2008 7:52 PM | Link to this

An e-mail to the teacher went unreturned over vacation break.

Dear God in Heaven! A teacher actually used a holiday weekend and went on a vacation. How awful!!!

Your daughter forgot her homework. She had to suffer the consequences. That’s teaching her responsibility. I fail to see how teaching a child responsibility means that the teacher is unprofessional. I have a feeling the teacher may have reminded the students a few times before they left on Friday to make sure that they had their homework.

BTW, I don’t agree with assigning homework on the Friday before a holiday weekend, BUT it does sound like it’s a weekly assignment that she should not have put off until the weekend before it was due. Besides, our administration policy is that if a child forgets their homework, they can’t come back and get it at all. The secretary won’t let them past the office.

By gateach

September 9, 2008 8:10 PM | Link to this

I am a teacher and I do give out my phone number. As a parent, I know what it is like to have questions. It is very difficult to get in touch with teachers during the day. I do not mind limited evening phone calls. If I am busy, I won’t answer! In the past couple of years I have done this, only two parents have called. Honestly, teachers can be so defensive. It aggrevating!

Calling for a spelling assignment would be unreasonable. The kid should have been responsible enough to bring the assignment- even in third grade. That does not necessitate a phone call. Just send in a note the next school day. The kid can learn about natural consequences.

By cj

September 9, 2008 8:12 PM | Link to this

One more thought. A lot of people are using the doctor’s answering service analogy. But, answering services won’t always put you through. For example, when my son was a month old, he had to go to CHOA for an x-ray of his skull to see if the bones had fused early. I tried to get a hold of the doctor the next day (New Year’s Eve), and every time I called, I was told that she would call me back. Well, five o’clock came and went, and no phone call. I finally called the answering service to see if I could get ahold of a doctor to find out if my son had this condition (which is potentially serious and does require surgery). The answering service would not put me through at first, because if the doctor didn’t have the report in front of her, she couldn’t tell me about it. I ended up having to wait until Jan. 2nd to find out what the radiologist report said. Now, I understand homework is a big deal, but if I couldn’t get a hold of a doctor to answer that question on a holiday, why should a teacher be on call during a holiday weekend?

I have no problem with giving out my number once the county provides me with a phone. I have a pre-paid phone since I rarely use it, so every call (even voice mail) costs me. If I would get a phone, I would like for there to be some stipulations. As a rule, I don’t make phone calls after 9pm, so my phone would be off after 9. Plus, it would be off during holidays, but again, I wouldn’t assign homework, so there wouldn’t be any homework “emergencies”. See? We can all get along with those, right? :)

By thomas

September 9, 2008 8:14 PM | Link to this

First of all, the issue begins with this- it’s a matter of respect. Aileen, when I hear that any parent wants to call a teacher over a child’s forgotten spelling book it implies these things:

1) That school assignments and grades are all that’s really important to the parent 2) The teacher is not really respected and that all that really matters is this parent’s opinion and feelings. 3) The parent doesn’t really care about the teacher at all. She is not a professional, one to be respected. She is no more than a woman who must be dealt with as a course of the regular order of living. 4) Furthermore, it can be implied that people with this sort of attitude don’t really care about school at all. It is nothing more than a place where their children must go and there hurdles and hoops are jumped through in order to “be prepared for a good station in future life.” Real learning and growth are not important. Only the acquistion of credentials signifying “outstanding achievement” and recognition of status with “chosen” people.

Did everybody understand that? Or was the message too “heavy”?

Why did the parent just say what she really meant- “witch just give my child an “A” and let me and my child get the heck on. You can keep the spelling book.”

But the question that comes to my mind is- how did she get all those parents’ phone numbers? (And yes, I know this is Aileen Dodd, AJC reporter talking, but COUNTLESS soccer moms are just like this. They call other parents in order to spy, collaborate, conspire, and spread rumors. What I wrote refers to THEM more than the writer of the blog)

By liza

September 9, 2008 8:15 PM | Link to this

Jim D - Your doctor’s answering service does not equate to direct phone access to a teacher. You DON’T have direct access to your doctor for trivial issues round the clock. However, the answering service that your doctor uses may be a good compromise between parents and teachers. My doctor has one, but the service will not get a message to him unless it is an emergency. If I forget I need a non-life sustaining prescription or leave a glove in his office they will NOT have him paged to phone in that prescription or unlock the office so I can retrieve my personal item. If teachers had someone fielding calls and only forwarding the actual emergencies I think most would be fine with that. However, a forgotten spelling book would most certainly not qualify. Perhaps this could also serve to train helicopter parents in what does and does not constitute an emergency.

By TeacherMom

September 9, 2008 8:32 PM | Link to this

ABSOLUTELY, UNEQUIVOCABLY NO! I maintain a website for my students, at my own cost, that I update daily with homework assignments, class calendars, syllabi, helpful links, etc. I’m working on a wiki where students can post and answer questions. I also post a school-only email address and encourage parents and students to use that address, which I check every morning and several times in the evening. I’ve never had a parent or student request my cell phone # (which is my home # too), and I wouldn’t give it to them if they asked. All of the information anyone would need is easily accessible from my site.

I never had a college professor give out his cell #. Instead, all of them gave posted office hours, office numbers, and their email address and/or web address. I wouldn’t dare contact a professor (or a teacher—even a colleague) after hours for any reason. Never have. Never will. THAT is unprofessional behavior. Nothing is important enough to interrupt personal time. Today’s kids (and their parents) need to learn boundaries! Life isn’t all about THEM!

(BTW, I don’t assign homework or projects over a holiday. If a student procrastinates on a long-term project and has to work over a break, then too bad, but that’s his decision, not mine.)

Luvs2Teach, Run away from Facebook and MySpace. I had to take my pages down, on the advice of my principal and superintendent, after students posted inappropriate comments and pictures as a joke.

DO NOT text students or allow them to text you. Yes, it’s tempting, and I would love to do it too, if not for this litigious society we live in.

I recently sat through a three-hour ethics seminar and we were told to avoid any communication with students that is not within the boundaries of the school building or a school-sponsored event. Our principal told us that our mantra should be, ‘I love my certificate.” I love mine.

As for class bulletin boards, wikis, etc., go for it. They’re great tools that protect you from compromising situations, but still convey the information for the students.

By 3rdGradeTeacher

September 9, 2008 8:41 PM | Link to this

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!

oh please stop. Do you have ANY idea what some parents feel constitutes an “emergency”?

Of course you do because your article is a perfect example of why NOT give out teacher’s personal phone numbers. A parent like you will call thinking homework is an EMERGENCY.

It is not. Death, losing a limb, winning the lotto, THOSE are emergencies.

I always told my personal children, once they were old enough to stay home alone that if they called me at work it better be AFTER they had called the fire department.

By SD

September 9, 2008 8:46 PM | Link to this

No No No. The people who are saying that teachers should give out their numbers have clearly never taught middle and high school students. If your child is too lazy to write down the assignment and bring home the books, then it is his/her problem. Not mine. As for turning my phone off at night, this is my only phone. I do not have a landline. If there is a true emergency from a friend or family member, I need to be able to take the call, which means I cannot turn it off. Additionally, when parents corner me at the store or mall, I politely but sternly tell them that they will need to call the school and schedule a meeting with me if they would like to discuss their child’s academics. My students and parents know well in advance what is coming up. They can call the school-purchased homework hotline, the school-purchased homework website, they can visit my personal website which lists the class calendar for the entire unit as well as the class notes for the day, look at the class calendar inside their child’s notebook, or read their child’s agenda. I have never been accused of not communicating with parents. At what point is the responsibility going to fall on the student and parent and not the teacher?

By HS Teacher

September 9, 2008 8:52 PM | Link to this

I have always used my cell phone to call parents. But, voice mail has not been set up. That means I don’t take messages; just personal conversations.

I take the cost of my cell phone off on my taxes each year. I updated to an iPhone in July, and now I can TM parents as well as email them at work.

Nothing like putting it on speaker phone and let the student listen to the parent answer. That was we can have a 3 way conversation. It clears up a lot of problems and helps with understanding.

Of course, here in Clayton Co about 25% have a Disconnect number on file. Then, I make a home visit! With Map Quest and On Star it is easy to find any address.

By Debi

September 9, 2008 8:55 PM | Link to this

No, No, No, No~~~However, see if you can get extra copies of your child’s books to keep at home. This may be a long shot since most schools are short on books, but it’s good for a try. Also, as an educator, I NEVER want to speak to a parent when I’m home. And for the idiot who said that teachers are not professionals, our undergraduate education cost just as much or even more than yours! And it really guiles me that the EDUCATED complain more about EDUCATION than anyone else. If educators are subpar then so is your education. Kapeesh!

By Tony

September 9, 2008 9:18 PM | Link to this

jim d you hit upon a thread that is important to this discussion - the value of homework. Truth be told, homework has very little value in the context of students’ learning. Perhaps we should abolish homework.

By tarheelcoach

September 9, 2008 9:30 PM | Link to this

I have provided my players and a lot of my students with my cell # for years - by now tons of kids have it, and it has NEVER been abused by anyone. That said, I think the situation mentioned here would be an example of abuse, not an emergency.

By Teacher2

September 9, 2008 9:56 PM | Link to this

jimd, Please explain the difference in analysis of a problem with a teacher not answering an SCHOOL e-mail account over a long weekend compared against you being against any homework assignned over a long weekend. In a word, that is hypocritical. FYI - I had students who WANTED to do an enjoyable & creative assignment over Labor Day weekend. It was assigned on the Friday before Labor Day & due the next Friday. It could have taken as little as 45 minutes - at anytime during the week. I assigned it so the students who WANTED to get creative could do so. Several students told me the assignment was the HIGHLIGHT of Labor Day weekend (from upper-middle class kids no-less). Finally, does anybody else wonder how jimd does any workd seeing that he is on this blog constantly. That proves he has a different concept of “reality” than ever could be even imagined by a truly dedicated & passionate teacher……

By Dee

September 9, 2008 10:04 PM | Link to this

Are you kidding? Teachers have a life, and you need to recognize it!!!!!! I went out of town for the Labor Day weekend. Do you think I wanted to to talk with parents while on vacation? I want to enjoy my personal time without mixing business with pleasure. I need to relax so I will be ready to teach my students when I am at SCHOOL!!

By luvs2teach

September 9, 2008 10:09 PM | Link to this

TeacherMom - I was posting those questions more to provoke discussion, rather than something I do myself. My point was more about debating what point we draw a line - teacher’s cell phone numbers to me can be just as risky as a myspace or facebook. I’m sad to see that no one thought it worthy of discussion - why does it have to be a phone? Why can’t it be another mode of communication?

More food for thought - like many others I often call parents from my cell (thus effectively giving them my number unless I “*67,” or whatever the code is). I call from my cell either because the school phone isn’t available or I am calling from home, and my cell is my home phone as well. What I have found is that, if I’m lucky enough to even have a working number, parents will often not answer when I call from the school phone - why? Because the school’s name comes up on caller id! So effectively, I’m getting the message that the parents want us to be at THEIR beck and call on our phones, but they’re not willing to talk with us about their child on theirs.

Tarheelcoach - coaching is different - players usually have more respect in my experience - besides, you can always bench them. I’ve never had issues with my players having my number- only my other students.

By i'm swiss

September 9, 2008 10:38 PM | Link to this

As a former HS teacher, I’d never give out my personal number — not because of calls like those mentioned in the blog premise (I wouldn’t mind that), but rather because I wouldn’t want hundreds of high school kids having access to call me 24/7.

From a logistics standpoint, however, there are affordable and (in my opinion) acceptable solutions. For example, there are affordable, web-based voice-mail services which can forward to personal phones during business hours (without exposing the personal cell #). After hours, calls may be routed directly to a voice mail — and an email is sent to the recipient announcing the voice mail. There’s even a sound clip of the message that you can play directly from the email. It’s actually what I use for my work phone (as I work for a startup with a very limited budget).

By I_Teach

September 9, 2008 10:41 PM | Link to this

Are you KIDDING????? Teaching is my JOB. I should be able to STOP WORKING at some point and focus on our OWN lives and families!

Forgotten spelling books and notebooks are NOT emergencies. Calling me tell me your child is ill, there’s a family emergency, etc…well, that’s a different story…I DON”T ever give out my phone number….

How DARE your child’s teacher not answer her email on her BREAK!!!! Shame on HER!

Tell me, what other job, other than doctors, do people expect workers to be on the clock—??????

I give above and beyond-i am the sponsor of three student groups that keep me at school late weekly; i coordinate the asep program, and do the yearbook, and volunteer as the reading bowl coach….

So, when I go home, it is my FAMILY’S time…not more time devoted to your children.

Your example of an ‘emergency’ is insane. It also explains a LOT about students….! Parents! Make your child suffer the consequences of not listening!

ARRRRRRGH. I love teaching, I really do. I love my kids, all 90 of ‘em. I DON’T love the expectation that I am at parents’ beck and call.

Don’t ever call my house uninvited….

By HB

September 9, 2008 10:59 PM | Link to this

So I’m just curious…let’s say you did have the teacher’s cell # and called about the spelling “emergency”? What sort of help would you expect from the teacher? The book is still at school. Would you expect the teacher to help you get into the building? If the teacher is out of town for the long weekend, is there anything he/she could do over the phone to help? I’m just unclear on what the homework question for the teacher would be in this situation.

By Teacher

September 10, 2008 12:15 AM | Link to this

Jim D-

There is a program called Georgia TAPP (Teacher Alternative Prep Program). If you feel your views of the world will refresh and renew this teaching profession, I encourage you to put your views to the test and become a teacher. Let’s see what you are saying after a year.

By jim d

September 10, 2008 5:25 AM | Link to this

A couple of things here.

1) I know I’d never make it as a teacher because I’m not an administrative a* kisser.

2) for educators I’m amazed at your inability to comprehend this sentence. “Some of us began to wonder wouldn’t it be great if we had the teacher’s cell phone number to reach her for important homework emergencies.” Some of you great minds please explain where in this sentence Ms. Dodd has indicated she felt this was an emergency.

3) my ability to make a living and blog at the same time while not being on a government payroll really just kills a few of you doesn’t it?

By mkmarshall

September 10, 2008 6:35 AM | Link to this

Is this a real question? This privilege would be severely abused by may, such as yourself. You call this an “emergency” number and then go on to tell how it might be useful when your daughter irresponsibly forgets her book and can’t do her homework. Aileen, this is not an emergency. This is all part of growing up so allow her to suffer the consequences and learn a lesson. Don’t bail her out, or worse yet expect the teacher to do so, by asking if you can bother the teacher outside of normal school hours. There is a saying I see around from time to time that says: “Your failure to prepare does not constitute an emergency on my part”. It is generally posted on near the secretary’s desk or some other person who deals with many requests like this. It is also a reminder to me that I should be prepared. This sort of thing happens to everyone. It is about learning not to do it again, so I when I am in a pickle, I must remind myself that I created the situation and I can’t expect others to drop everything and fix it for me. Your inability to distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate use of the number is exactly why it should not be given. The number would be used for all manner of ridiculous things. Multiply that by 25 or so and.. you get the picture.

By kate

September 10, 2008 6:44 AM | Link to this

I’m a college professor and there is NO WAY I would give my students my cell #. First, I used my cell 10 min. all of last year, so it is rarely turned on. But second, why should students have that number? There are rare emergencies that they cannot reach me via e-mail or leave a message on my office phone.

Why are we moving to a 24-hour/7 days work week? What happened to privacy and down time?

By jim d

September 10, 2008 6:59 AM | Link to this

Teacher2,

Speaking of concepts of reality, some might find the time of day teachers blog of interest.

By just a teacher September 9, 2008 8:31 AM

By TinaTeach September 9, 2008 8:32 AM

By Teach4GA September 9, 2008 9:24 AM

By HS Teacher Too September 9, 2008 9:35 AM |

By A S September 9, 2008 9:40 AM

By Martha September 9, 2008 9:59 AM

By Old School Al September 9, 2008 10:12 AM

By Gwinnett Educator September 9, 2008 10:20 AM

By queeng65 September 9, 2008 11:14 AM

By teacher teacher September 9, 2008 11:21 AM

By Leia September 9, 2008 1:04 PM

By I Teach September 9, 2008 1:09 PM

By for the love of teaching September 9, 2008 1:17 PM

By Get a clue September 9, 2008 1:34 PM

By teach September 9, 2008 1:48 PM

By Leia

September 10, 2008 7:16 AM | Link to this

Everyone - jim d just likes to stir the pot, so, just ignore him! He is the type of parent who ruins it for his son. His son was basically a really good kid, but, some teachers avoided him like the plague because they didn’t want to deal with his father. I know this to be a fact.

I will never give out my cell phone number, and I don’t feel like less of a teacher because of it. I have a website up, and a wiki site as well. If there are any questions, and I have the time available - I will answer them. But, I have not and will not sacrifice time away from my own children and family to cater to my students. Does that make me a bad teacher? I think not. I am actually a mentor teacher and have been awarded many times for the work I do in my classroom. My greatest achievement is when students come back from college, or Iraq, or whereever and tell me that I made a difference. They tell me that now they can appreciate me being “hard on them.” Good day, folks - it’s time to teach!

By jim d

September 10, 2008 7:32 AM | Link to this

Hmm,

By Leia September 9, 2008 1:04 PM

I wonder what she was supposed to be doing at 1:04 pm yesterday?

By Leia

September 10, 2008 7:38 AM | Link to this

jim d - As a department chair, I get 2 planning periods - 1st and 7th. That is when I have some time to blog. But, thanks for confirming my opinion of you!

By jim d

September 10, 2008 7:55 AM | Link to this

Leia,

and thank you for confirming mine of you.

12:18 – 1:11 6th Period

1:17 – 2:10 7th Period

By Mom of Mandy

September 10, 2008 8:11 AM | Link to this

jim d, you are so lame! Maybe that was Leia’s lunch period or study hall (or whatever they call it now)time - get over yourself! And, my daughter’s school has different times for 6th and 7th periods from the times you posted. Not every school has the same bell schedule, jack@ss!

It’s so funny that you would bring up the times that teachers post when you know that you’ve been backed into a corner! Classic 4 year old mentality!

By Old School

September 10, 2008 8:27 AM | Link to this

By Old School Al September 9, 2008 10:12 AM

For the record, the above is NOT me. (and right at this moment, my class’s reading time ends and lab begins.)

By Jeff

September 10, 2008 8:34 AM | Link to this

jimd:

The point that the teachers are making is about your hypocrisy.

If it is wrong for teachers or other government employees to blog at work, it is EQUALLY wrong for private employees to blog at work.

And that goes for everyone from the CEO to the crewdog.

Wait, that’s right, at less than half your age I’ve FORGOTTEN more about Genuine Leadership than you’ve ever known.

By jim d

September 10, 2008 8:45 AM | Link to this

M of M,

Nope dear,

just making a point. The comment had been made she knew something as fact. Fact is that this is the actual schedule from the school my child attended. If she was privy to personal fact regarding my child that was more than heresay she would have had to be at that school.

Simple logic indicates she may be either a liar or a thief. Maybe both.

By jim d

September 10, 2008 8:52 AM | Link to this

Jeff,

When I blog it costs me.

When teachers blog on the clock it costs our children.

You really don’t see any difference there do you?

And Jeff, Leadership? You really don’t want to go there with me cause it won’t be pretty.

By Leia

September 10, 2008 9:05 AM | Link to this

Mother of Mandy - thanks for having my back! And, you were right - I do happen to have 6B lunch, and the school I teach in has a slightly different bell schedule (by no more than 3 minutes for each period) than the one I used to be in a couple of years ago.

Jim D - not that I need to entertain your “simple” logic, but, I used to teach at a different school, and I accepted a department chair job at my current school a year ago. But, nice try! And, just so you know - my kiddos are taking a quiz right now, and I’m “stealing” a few moments to try to educate you, but, as we all know - you can lead a horse to water, but,…

By TeacherMom

September 10, 2008 9:33 AM | Link to this

My students are taking a predictor test in another part of the building so I have time to make one comment about this:

…wouldn’t it be great if we had the teacher’s cell phone number to reach her for important homework emergencies.

Homework is NEVER an emergency. ‘Nuff said.

Luvs, I’m glad to hear you’re not doing those things. I was worried for you!

I’d love to hear a discussion on how to take advantage of new technology to communicate with students without setting yourself up potential lawsuits. My former students—who have graduated—have my contact info and use it to keep in touch with me, ask questions, and update me on their lives. I love that. I wish I could have that kind of communication with my present students. It’s a shame we have to be so cautious and defensive.

By Emily

September 11, 2008 2:01 PM | Link to this

Jim D.

I’m just gonna be very honest. I’m not sure you’re getting too much work done with all the damn posts you’ve made. And being young is a great thing, but being young doesn’t make you naive. There’s not a lot of people my age with the amount of education I have. Not only that, but I have 10 years of experience. I guess over that time I’ve learned that if you don’t have time for yourself, then you get kinda burnt out on the things you’re doing. If I’m burnt out on teaching, then I’m not really doing my job am I? I have been the sickest I’ve ever been in my life when I bring home work with me, so in a sense, when I leave work, it’s over. I don’t worry about it til the next day. I guess those are just words of being young and not understanding the real world and how it works though…

By iteachlit

September 11, 2008 6:28 PM | Link to this

A third grader forgetting a spelling book is not an emergency. Let the natural consequences occur often enough, and eventually kids will learn to be responsible. Give my number to kids and parents? Are you nuts? Then all the obnoxious parents like Jim D would be bothering me. Bet he is a real a**hole to work for. Not answer my email over my vacation? Probably not. It isn’t life or death.

By Lisa

September 16, 2008 11:24 PM | Link to this

I don’t think so. I would definately quit teaching. They do not pay me enough to do all that. I would rather work at Walmart and sell my house!!!

By Lisa

September 16, 2008 11:41 PM | Link to this

meant definitely