Last week, I got 2 phone messages in my box on the same day. I returned the calls and was then yelled at for about 30 minutes by an angry parent. Not awesome. Last week Thursday was May 7th. This "conversation" I was supposed to have was about p/t conferences which were A MONTH AGO. I'm sorry, but if you're THAT concerned about your child's grade, why on earth would you wait an entire. freaking. month. to ask me about it?
So she calls, I call back, and she basically yells at me for not returning her phone calls earlier. Apparently she called 3 or 4 times and thought I was ignoring her. I only got 2 messages, so I apologized for the miscommunication, but I did indeed return her calls as soon as I could.
Basically she was mad and demanded to know why she didn't know about her daughter's low grade. She didn't like my explanation, either, and then demanded to know why I didn't tell her. I didn't specifically tell "her" but I did send a note home which was signed by the girl's father. This would be an understandable miscommunication, but the child's parents are married so it's not my fault if her parents aren't communicating. I did my job. I sent home a note that your daughter chose to not share with you. I had to dig through my files to find the signed and returned copy, but I read it to her and said it was signed by her husband. As much as I understand that families have problems and maybe they're even going through a bad patch, I take zero responsibility for her non-communication with her child and/or her husband.
THEN (my favorite part) she pauses and demands--demands!--an explanation as to WHY I don't accept her daughter's extra credit! I'm an evil, satanic woman, I tell ya. I love to make "A+ students" suffer. I told her that each class when her daughter comes in I tell the class that they can take an extra credit worksheet if they need it. Her daughter is too busy chit chatting and socializing to be bothered to take one. She's sitting at her computer, and I explain the extra credit to her and even tell her where on my webpage she can print out the extra credit worksheet. She does, and asks when it's due. I tell her that her daughter needs to turn it in by the end of the day Friday. What does she say to me? "Okay. I'll print it out for her and tell her to finish it when she comes home on Sunday from Girl Scout camp." Um...didn't I just say it was due Friday? Ugh. Whatever. I figure I'll make an exception one time and explain--again--to this child when the extra credit is due.
Fast forward to Monday: I don't see the child and she doesn't turn in the extra credit. Okay, fine. Now it's officially late because this parent SWORE it'd be in on Monday. On Tuesday, the day this child comes to class, she proudly presents the extra credit like she didn't have to be told to do it by her mother. I was in the middle of trying to explain the lesson to the class and had to tell this cihld 14 times to sit down. Okay, 14 is an exaggeration. At least 3, though. Three times I said, "Please sit down, I'll talk to you about it in a minute." Ugh. I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaate when I have to repeat myself, not because the child doesn't understand, but because they just choose not to listen. This isn't a Title 1 or special ed, she's a relativly bright child and doesn't always like being told to "wait". This isn't the first time I've had this issue. Blarg.
So the kid finally sits down, I get through the anticipatory set and the model, pass out the handouts, and I find said child. I take her extra credit, explain when it is due, tell her when to turn it in, and tell her that today is an exception because she and her mom were confused about when the assignment is due. I ask her if she understands and she says yes. Good, no problems.
That was Tuesday. Today is Thursday. I was busy all morning updating the website and grading and taking care of things around the building. Just after lunch I checked my cell phone and saw that I had a missed call and a voicemail. I check my voicemail: it's the mother. Again. Telling me (a.k.a. sternly and almost yelling) that I didn't clearly explain myself on the phone last week and now both she and her daughter are confused about the extra credit and when it is due. I tell her that I DID indeed explain to her daughter when it is due, just like I do at the start OF EVERY CLASS. I'm sorry, but my patience is running thin. It's MAY. I announced extra credit in August and September!! Hey-Zeus! The fact that your child is confused is not. my. freaking. fault. At least not now. She's chosen to NOT do extra credit. She's chosen to TALK THROUGH CLASS. And NOW you want her grade to be magically fixed? Blah!
So I hang up with mom, and right away go down to this girl's homeroom to once again--again--explain when the extra credit is due. I said it 4 times, and asked 4 times if she was confused or didn't understand. "Yes, I understand." I stopped short of saying, "Okay, if you don't understand I don't want to get another phone call..." I really, really wanted to, but I know if I DID I'd get another stupid phone call.
Then it hit me. The mom called me on my cell phone. How the heck did she get my number? Then I remember: last week, I called on my cell phone because the office lines were all in use. CRAP. NOW this parent has my number stored in her cell phone or in her records.
%*$%@)!@(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Son of a gun. Stupid stupid stupid stupid!!!!!!!! Note to potential teachers: don't purposely or inadvertently give out your personal emails or phone numbers, because anytime there's an issue with "one of those" people, you're going to be bothered on or off the clock. That's not awesome.
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