Parent volunteers grade papers to help teachers



Q. In my daughter's school, parent volunteers correct student work and assign percentage grades and district performance levels. I am uncomfortable with this. I understand that it has been ruled that it is OK for students to correct one another's work, as that activity provides another learning experience for the students. I can understand that logic.

I do not believe that having parent volunteers grading student work provides any extra learning for my daughter and violates her privacy. If I am not right, please help me understand the value of this practice.

A. This is one of those questions that is really difficult to answer simply. On one level, I understand your point and there have been times when parents volunteer to help in the classroom only to turn around and share with others how the kids are performing.

That is totally inappropriate, but it can happen with parents simply helping in the room with centers or reading just as easily as it can happen with grading papers. If we are to make sure no parent knows how another child is doing, we would not allow any parent volunteers in the classroom at all.

If you are uncomfortable with your child's papers being seen by another parent for one reason or another, just talk with the teacher and share your concerns. The teacher is simply asking for help in managing and returning papers more quickly, but I am sure the teacher does not want you to be uncomfortable.

She should simply pull your daughter's papers from the group and grade them separately. Most of us, as parents, are fine with a paper being corrected by a gownup, but none of us want those grown-ups talking about our kids or judging them in some way. I understand your dilemma, but I think you and your child's teacher can solve this pretty quickly.

Q. I am writing to warn creative-type students not to take a few years off to pursue their dream, especially if it's a fad that will pass. How do I know? Because it's what I did: I was a typical high school graduate who wanted to be either a singer-songwriter or an artist.

So here's my question: I have a job doing what I do best, but want to get a better-paying one. However, interviewers always ask, "Then what were you doing at age 18-25, when you should have been getting a bachelor's or master's degree in English?" I have actually had them ask, "Were you in an accident or something?"

A. I think it is wise to warn kids about "taking time off" from life in general. After high school, kids should be on a path to either college or a trade. We want kids to have goals and aspirations, but the current graduating classes are pretty comfortable living off of mom and dad for many years.

Some of this is the economy, and some of it is the nature of the home life these days. Adults well into their twenties and even thirties are often found living at home. If you want something more from a career, you have to earn it.

If you are already doing what you do best, then you need to work hard at it for a while. I still recommend college for those seeking a professional life, and skipping it is not a good idea. If you can take college courses at night, you can set yourself on the path you would have taken if you were driven at the time.

Anything is possible if you work for it, but work you must.

Contact the writer at goasktheteacher@yahoo.com


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