That drastic action was taken because Dorval refused to go along with a misguided scheme cooked up by educational theorists and school administrators.
Under this scheme, it’s no longer possible for high school teachers at Ross Sheppard and numerous other Edmonton schools to give a student a mark of zero on an assignment or test, even if the student fails to hand in the assignment or write the test. Instead, students are given a final mark based on the work they do complete.
I met with Dorval on Thursday and immediately thanked him. It’s not often any of us see real heroes, people who put their reputations and jobs on the line to uphold a righteous principle. Dorval fits that category. By refusing to accept lower standards in our schools, he’s standing up for all parents and students.
Check out the complete story HERE.
I was the kind of teacher who never contacted parents until the first parent/teacher interviews of the year. It tended to make them curious about who I was and bring them into the school to talk to me. It was then that I could show them the printout of all the assignments we had done up to that point and which assignments the student had failed or failed to turn in.
Often this was a shock to parents but a shock that they could immediately take control of. I always gave the students the opportunity (like Mr Dorval) to make up any missed assignments or even to re-do ones they had done poorly on. Sure it meant more work for me but I was all about getting things done without excuses.
Kids will never remember the facts you teach them but they will remember the learning and study skills they need if you re-enforce and reward possitive behavior. Enough with just GIVING people self esteem. Self-esteem is EARNED and only appreciated when worked for.