tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post8800894998507083025..comments2024-03-28T06:53:24.022-05:00Comments on a blog about school: “Full academic surveillance”Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12919030671050831251noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post-26217260205568957132011-08-22T13:04:04.088-05:002011-08-22T13:04:04.088-05:00I'm not sure if it is the across the board pol...I'm not sure if it is the across the board policy, but I know that some teachers in seventh and eighth grade require reading logs.KDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07883213697051461818noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post-50444003634858593342011-08-20T11:07:28.225-05:002011-08-20T11:07:28.225-05:00KD -- Sorry to have neglected this comment until n...KD -- Sorry to have neglected this comment until now. But please tell me that junior high students don't actually have to turn in "reading logs"!<br /><br />FedUpMom has a great compilation of posts from across the blogosphere complaining about reading logs <a href="http://kidfriendlyschools.blogspot.com/2010/08/join-chorus-against-reading-logs.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07559356125770114400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post-40485770316644154682011-08-20T11:02:22.457-05:002011-08-20T11:02:22.457-05:00Stephany -- I just realized that I never responded...Stephany -- I just realized that I never responded to your comment! I'm afraid you caught me just as I was going on a sanity-preserving internet holiday. But thanks for commenting. I feel the same way about Power School. This year they've even extended the program to elementary school kids, who don't even get any real grades -- for all those parents who keep a constant watch on their kids' standardized test scores, I guess.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07559356125770114400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post-56088480676791624682011-06-09T02:43:43.348-05:002011-06-09T02:43:43.348-05:00I refuse to participate in the Power School progra...I refuse to participate in the Power School program here in Iowa City, opting for the old-fashioned method of conversing with my child to find out how her classes are progressing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post-82256973272207919002011-06-06T15:38:29.629-05:002011-06-06T15:38:29.629-05:00Ugh. These programs are such an unbelievably bad i...Ugh. These programs are such an unbelievably bad idea. <br /><br />Our public middle school brags about its program that allows parents to view all their kids' grades in real time, and I think: what problem is this supposed to solve? The kids aren't under enough pressure yet? Somebody allowed them a moment of privacy by mistake? They've found some little corner of their lives which isn't about performance and ranking? There's not enough unpleasantness between parents and kids at the end of the school day? What, exactly?<br /><br />My older daughter's private school has a similar program, but I never log in. I've forgotten how, and I'm not interested in finding out. My husband has logged in a couple of times to top up her lunch account, but that's it.FedUpMomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00951858601020687242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post-15963828152987981442011-06-05T22:41:08.702-05:002011-06-05T22:41:08.702-05:00This post calls to mind Foucault's Discipline ...This post calls to mind Foucault's Discipline and Punish, the French title of which is Surveiller et Punir. The metaphor of the Panopticon seems especially apt. I think Foucault should be required reading in teacher's colleges. (I know, as if! But one can dream can't one?)StepfordTOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08340282997915000608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post-45783049082940126862011-06-03T10:50:32.525-05:002011-06-03T10:50:32.525-05:00In junior high, the ICCSD starts using such a syst...In junior high, the ICCSD starts using such a system called PowerSchool.<br /><br />I can relate to the concerns expressed in the article. When my older kid first started junior high I would check it often...more recently not so much.<br /><br />I think schools struggle with how much information to provide parents. When my oldest child was in school for the first few years I found much of the information incredibly vague...or given to me in "eduspeak" terminology, which I didn't always understand. If a child is struggling, they should clearly articulate this to parents...which didn't happen with our oldest child.<br /><br />I don't care if my kid always gets her reading log turned in(yes they still have them). I still want to know what the big picture is though, or if she suddenly starts declining in a certain subject.<br /><br />In fall there is an event at the junior high where you meet all the teachers briefly, and they tell you about what they are teaching, contact information etc. They seemed much more willing to talk about what they would teach the kids. Coming away from that experience, combined with the PowerSchool, I did find it a little odd to be getting more information than ever before, when I had expected less.KDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07883213697051461818noreply@blogger.com