Nice Try

We had midterms last week, and one of my students, Joel, was a little nervous about taking his progress report home and getting his parent's signature.

First, he signed the progress report himself. No, he didn't forge his parent's signature, he signed his own name. When I told him that wouldn't work and gave it back to him, he took it home and returned it with the required signature.

However, I noticed that his progress report was altered significantly. You see, there are three different categories they are graded on. The first is tests and assignments, then class journals, then weekly reading logs. This student had a C- in the first category, and an F in both of the other categories (a natural consequence of never doing your homework or turning in class work incomplete).

And so, fearing the wrath of his parents, Joel decided to cut the incriminating evidence off of the bottom of his progress report and had his mother sign the top section in order to convince her that he had a C- instead of a D. To earn even more brownie points with Mom, he had also circled each low score and wrote next to it, "made up missing points" or "turned in work" in bold blue pen.

The poor boy wore an expression of real terror today when I handed his progress report back to him again, this time stapled to an undamaged copy-- one that now contained a teachers note at the bottom. It read, "I am concerned about Joel. He has significantly altered the appearance of his signed progress report. Joel has not made up any missing work or low scores, however, I will be happy to meet with him before or after school to help him improve his grade in my class."

Not that I'm proud of this, but it's an interesting experience to see a student nearly a foot taller than me cower when I said, "No more monkey business. I want this signed by tomorrow, or we're calling home together and you can explain your grades to Mom and Dad."

I'm sure this was terrifying. But I did remember to say it with a smile. :)

I really do empathize with his predicament. Something very important must hang in the balance at home if he can get good grades at midterm, and he made a valiant effort in attempting to cover up his lack of effort. Now he's going to get in double the trouble for trying to trick his parents.

But I have to laugh anyway. I can't believe the lengths a kid will go to, or that he actually thought any of it would work!