Need opinons...

[catnapper]

This is seriously bothering my husband and I. Our son wrote a poem for English class. Its supposed to be free-verse, which means just about anything goes. The only thing is that each stanza HAD to start with "I sing"..... so he didn't make that up, it was the only criteria for this free verse poem. The teacher gave him a grade far lower than we think he should have.

I need HONEST opinions... is it good? Lousy? If you were a teacher, what grade would you give it? I won't divulge the grade he got for it, but he is a Junior in highschool and has a written IEP (He's severly dyslexic.)

“Lonely Runner”

I sing by running
The pain screaming in my legs.
My heart beating as fast as a hummingbird’s wings.
Cool air kissing my face.

I sing about track practice.
The countless miles around the county.
The coaches barking at you
As the ticking clock works against your mind and body.

I sing during track meets
Nervous and jumping at the sound of the starter’s gun.
The all out sprint during the first and the last laps of the race.
The cheers of family and friends while I run.

I sing of the VICTORY.
The glistening sweat turned into gold.
The satisfaction of running
Creates inner knowledge that I have done my best.

I don't know much about poetry, but I think it is good. Its passionate and paints a good picture.

I really think this teacher has something against my son. She's given him poor grades before when they weren't warranted and now this.... so PLEASE give me honest opinions on what this poem should have gotten. If you all say B, then B it is, C, D, etc. I just need to know if she's a witch with a vendetta against him!

Thanks!

[aly]

I think its really good and deserves an A or B.

Maybe it was too short? That is the only thing I can even think of.

[Logan]

I think it is well done, but I don't know what the teacher's expectations were. I'd be in front of her in a heartbeat, if I were you!!! You need to find out what he did or didn't do to get a grade that you feel was undeserving.

Good luck.

[Katiesmom]

I feel he should have gotten an A or B nothing less than a B...If I was you I would find her reasons for giving him a lower grade than it deserves....I would go before her If I was in your shoes

[catnapper]

Thanks. We've met with her several times throughout the school year. To no avail. We've written papers with him that were A/B papers and he got a C. One of the other English teachers in the school helped him write a paper and THAT got a C-!!!

Thank goodness there's only a few more weks left to the school year. We have a meeting with the guidance counselors soon to make sure his IEP is accurate and they want HER to be in the meeting too. We said, "NO WAY!" Apparently, by law a teacher has to be there to present their opinions of him as a student.

[rg_girlca]

I agree with the others that your son's poem was really good and deserved an A or B.

Have you spoken with the principal about this teacher and how you feel she is unfair to your son in regards to marking his work?
I would definitely want her there for the meeting and bring a copy of the poem with you and get a feel of what others think of it.

[Fallon]

I don't think it deserves a bad grade at all. The imagery is very creative, and I agree it is passionate. That teacher sounds kinda harsh.. what did she give him anyways? I think you should talk to her and find out what she graded it on and why it was lower than you expected. It deserves an a in my opinion and for his grade level.. now that I think of it an A+.

I like this part the most..

I sing of the VICTORY.
The glistening sweat turned into gold.
The satisfaction of running
Creates inner knowledge that I have done my best

[ChrisH]

I'm just a simple soul and know nothing much about poetry, so I am not sure if my opinion is worth all that much but .. I think your son's poem is beautiful! I really, really, do.

Chris

[Cataholic]

With a C-, I would have thought there would be an explanation, "John, you knew the poem had to be longer" or "John, didn't you copy this from somewhere"?

I would go to the teacher with this. AND, I would go to the IEP meeting with an advocate from the dyslexia foundation.

[catnapper]

Talked to the teacher and found out she took a lot of points off for "not having parallelism" - whatever that is! She needs to find a hobby other than picking on dyslexic kids.

[Amber]

I think it's really good. A or B

My language Arts teacher is same with me. For some reason she doesn't like me. I've always got C's and D's sometimes F's, and my papers were well written.

But since she is gone (had a baby) our subsitute is nice and Im getting A's and B's now.

Maybe you should set up a meeting with her, and discuss with her about the paper.

[catnapper]

Originally posted by Cataholic
I would go to the teacher with this. AND, I would go to the IEP meeting with an advocate from the dyslexia foundation.

Good idea. She's been very combative since September and now wants to be the teacher in charge of his IEP... we don't thnk so. She wasn't following it as it was this year! We've threatended to sue the school district (we won;t but it sure was fun to threaten it! ) My husband has a IEP specialist at his school that is working with us and she told us not to sigjn or say anything until she loos over the paperwork and give us the go-ahead.

I just posted what she said he was missing. To me, thats fine to miss one thing, but to slash the grade 20 points for one missing part. Its a free-verse poem for Pete's sake! She's taken points off for him having his name too low on the paper (you know, upper left 1" margin, well he had upper left 1 1/4" margin from top - he had hit enter by mistake, leaving it too low. What does she do? Sit there with a ruler?)

Not to sound like a ninny in front of her, I just let it go, and am wondering myself what on earth paralellism is... for all I know, its in there but not to her discrimitating taste. I really hate this teacher.

[dukedogsmom]

I'll try to get my mom to look at this soon. Though it might not be today. I think it's very good and he showed a lot of creativity, too. I don't feel I have enough experience to grade him but if it were up to me, it would be an A. My mom has her Masters Degree and was an English teacher before that. Wait until tomorrow and I'll get her to post something, too. After that, print this out and take it to the school. You need to file a complaint if she's giving him a hard time.
*I saw your note about meeting with a guidance counselor. My mom was that, too!*

[Rachel]

Originally posted by catnapper
We've written papers with him that were A/B papers and he got a C. One of the other English teachers in the school helped him write a paper and THAT got a C-!!!

Maybe the teacher suspects that he *got help* on this poem and took off points for that. Personally I liked this poem very much. It put me right into the position of the runner (and for an old lady like me, that takes something).

[catnapper]

Originally posted by Rachel
Maybe the teacher suspects that he *got help* on this poem and took off points for that. Personally I liked this poem very much. It put me right into the position of the runner (and for an old lady like me, that takes something).

We helped him very minimally on this one. Its was 98% his... a word or two were changed and one sentence was restructured, but the imagery and body of it is all him.

I guess I should have given a bit more background. She didn't want our son in her class because of his IEP - that's extra work for her. She doesn't want anything to do with IEP students because she's the "academic" teacher (as oppposed to general english which is basically "see spot... see spot run.") We fought to have him mainstreamed and he's doing well... actually is in an advanced placement history class. We weren't about to take a step backwards and stick him in a basic english course. That won't help him in college. Of course, she's denied not wanting him in her class, but its pretty obious when we talk to other parents in the district and compare his experiences with other students.

Dukedogsmom, thanks, I would appreciate your mom taking a look at it.