Emily has this thing at school called the "Zero Club." The only ticket in is to get all of your multiplication tables right on a timed test. Emily has not made it in yet. Apparently, she is following in my footsteps with the math thing (although multiplication was just a matter of memorization for me so it actually came easy). Anyway, I asked her yesterday who she played with at recess and she said she didn't get recess because she is not in the Zero Club yet. Apparently, her teacher told the class Friday that anyone who was not in yet, was going to have to stay in for recess until they were, and work on their multiplication facts. When I asked her how she felt about that she said she didn't care but, I just don't think that it's right. She may not care, but believe me you, a kid like Emily is going to start to care real quick when she has no method of getting her energy out for any period of time during the day. Besides that, it just doesn't seem like the way to teach her her multiplication tables is to in effect, punish her. I am not even sure how I feel about taking away recess for any reason, behavioral or otherwise. It seems to me that taking away recess for a kid who is talking to much or won't stay seated is only going to make things worse. If kids don't have that ever-brief period of time to run-free they will just act out in class instead.
Anyway, what's your feeling, on both the whole concept of recess itself, and Emily's situation specifically.
a phone call to that teacher is in ORDER!!!!!!! Not all children learn at same rate ESPECIALLY a child like Emily and Meg with EFD. Memory and memorization is NOT a strong point.
ReplyDeleteShaming a child b/c they are learning slower is WRONG. OHHHHHHH i am boiling here. A phone call to teacher then prinicpal needs to be in order to take that stupid shamful club away.
No matter how hard she works she might never memorize them fully and to be shamed or penalized for that ohhhhhhhhhhhh what's her name let me call her.
What Trace wrote.
ReplyDeleteJen
Yep, I think she pretty much covered it. You just don't mess with recess. It's the wrong thing to do both practically and philosophically.
ReplyDeleteSo basically the benefit of Zero Club is recess?
ReplyDeleteI hate,no - HATE the idea of taking recess away. The one 20 minute period where they can get loud and burn off some of that kid energy.
How far off getting the tables right is she? A few problems or lots? I mean, if it's going to be November before she's 'in the club' and back outside then I would be calling that teacher straightaway.