In the long run, it is not helpful when parents constantly correct their child’s homework before they turn it in. Correcting your student’s homework gives teachers a false impression and ultimately hurts your child. If everyone’s homework in the class is perfect, the teacher will assume everyone gets the material and will either move on or give a test on the material. Teachers use homework to decide which students need more review, which are ready to move on, and whether the lesson was effective.
Teachers & Parent Involvement
Teachers hold higher expectations for students whose parents are involved in their education.
Biology Class Dissection Anxiety
As students return to biology classes, many feel anxiety over being forced to dissect animals. If this is an issue for your child, we suggest the following:
1. See if your state protects your right to choose alternatives.
2. After finding out about their rights to opt-out of dissections, have your student talk with their teacher about the curriculum during the first few weeks of school. Have them ask the teacher about any planned dissection labs and if they will use animals and/or offer alternatives.
3. If they do want to opt-out, now is the best time to let teachers know that they will be choosing dissection alternatives so the teacher will have the opportunity to plan accordingly.
Newton Country Day School Tutor
If you plan to attend the Newton Country Day School Tres Bien Auction, be on the lookout for our Y3K Tutor In Your Home auction donation. With our generous support and your auction bids we will be able to help this Newton, MA school. The evening’s success will directly benefit the school’s programs and activities. We hope to help inspire the Newton Country Day School students and teachers with this fundraiser.
Newton Tutoring & Test Prep
Newton Parent Testimonial
“I cannot say enough good things about Y3K. The owner has tutored both my son and daughter through elementary, middle, and now high school. His skill, warmth and flexibility have enabled both of my children to address their challenges and achieve their goals. He is engaging and knowledgeable across subjects, and is also able to teach study habits and organization skills, even when there is resistance! 🙂 He is a complete professional, and willing to go above and beyond the call of duty to attend school meetings as an articulate advocate. He has had a truly significant influence on my children’s academic success and self esteem, and has been a great resource for me as a single parent. His dedication, humor, and abilities as a teacher make him not only an extremely gifted tutor, but also an excellent mentor and role model for my young teens. I give Y3K my highest recommendation!”
-J. C.
Newton North High School Parent
(Newton, MA)
Keep Your Child Home From School When Sick
If your child unfortunately does get sick, you must keep them home from school if s/he has:
A fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the past 24 hours (or has taken a fever reducing medication within the past 24 hours).
A cold in the active stages: coughing, running nose, sneezing.
A sore throat and/or swollen neck glands.
An undiagnosed rash or skin eruption.
Vomiting or diarrhea during the past 24 hours.
Head lice that have not been treated.
If you are uncertain if your child might make the other children sick, you should contact the school nurse or your doctor before sending to school. It would be wrong to infect the rest of the students and teachers with your child’s illness.
Newtown, CT Tragedy – Sandy Hook Elementary School
The Y3K Tutor In Your Home family’s heart goes out to all of the children and adults of Newtown, CT. Especially to those that attend the Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Parent-Teacher Conferences: Your Responsibility & Tutor Help
Before parent-teacher conferences, decide what information you would like from the teacher and questions you would like answered. It is often helpful to make a list ahead of time. Your tutor, who knows your child well, can help you come up with important items for your list.
Dissection Choice: Know the Law
If your student chooses to not dissect an animal and is given a hard time, explain to the teacher that you know the state policy. For example in Massachusetts the 2005 State Board of Education Policy gives anyone the right to refuse to cut up animals. In fact Massachusetts residents can mention the following policy:
“All public schools that offer dissection as a learning activity should, upon written request by a student’s parent or guardian, permit a student who chooses not to participate in dissection to demonstrate competency through an alternative method.” [2005 MA State Board of Education Policy]
Look up the policy where you live and have it ready to go to avoid being intimidated.
Dissection Choice
Many students feel the stress of peer pressure and fear of repercussions by the teacher when not wanting to dissect animals in biology classes. These students find cutting up animals to be morally objectionable, yet feel forced to do so. In fact this moral dilemma can cause grades to go way down. Some people do not realize that even though each year, 10 million animals (including frogs, cats, and fetal pigs) are killed and then cut up in classrooms across the country, humane alternatives do exist. Studies have shown that students who use alternatives to dissection perform just as well as, if not better than students who cut up animals. In most states students have the right to refuse to dissect animals if they choose and most do not even realize it. The reality is your student does not have to dissect animals if they do not want to and it is the school’s responsibility to find alternatives for each student.