I must document this somewhere. No names will be used, to protect the innocent.
This year, I'm working on a team at school with two other teachers. We are sharing the same students, rotating throughout the day. The other two teachers have been working together for the past couple of years, so I agreed to follow their lead on their homework policy. Students who do not turn in their homework at school call home immediately and tell their parent. No excuses.
I don't permit my students to give me the excuse "I forgot". I know it sounds harsh, but they say "I forgot" as a cleansing phrase for everything!! Apparently, it is the universal response that erases all responsibility for anything.
The phone is right by my desk, so I hear these conversations, and I am realizing that these children don't have a lot of phone etiquette or experience. I can only imagine the parent answering their phone and hearing, "I didn't do my homework" ---- no hello, no identification, no pre-conversation niceties.
One student, in particular, is amusing me considerably with the phone messages he's leaving. 2 days of homework. 2 phone calls home.
Day 1 - "Grandma? I got in trouble. I didn't do my homework............ *pause*.............. say yes if you're mad. (remember, this was a message on the voicemail!)
Day 2 (remember, I don't allow them to say "I forgot". This was ingenious on his part) "Grandma? I got in trouble. I didn't do my homework, because of my memory................*pause*.................. thank you for hearing this."
After this message, I asked if his Grandma worked. Response? "No! My grandma is OLD!" I dare not check his records to find her age. I fear she's younger than I am.
Actually, he probably exhibited the most telephone savvy. At least he thought of a closing statement for each message!!
Honestly? I hope he misses a lot of assignments.
3 comments:
i'm so glad you are documenting. i think i am too old to work. tell that boy thanks for reminding me. ready to share morning tea on the front porch every morning G? NOT KIDDING! My word verification is gramme!
One of my pet peeves is lack of phone etiquette. I make my children (yes, I am mean) introduce themselves first and then ask for the person they need. Unfortunately, when they call me they rarely use the etiquette they use for others. Sigh.
The old grandma is awesome. I wonder if she is going to a nursing home at the old, old age of 45. Poor old woman.
I have been on the look out for one of those rotary dial telephones that has an absurdly loud ring that makes your heart jump into your throat when someone calls. My children need to know how it used to be. And I really need to stop texting. (Spell check doesn't even recognize it as a correct word!) Actual phone conversations, they are few and far between anymore!
I hope that little kid will also call home more often...maybe you could do a lesson plan on phone etiquette?
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