Mother Talkers

Drama Homework Drama

by Hillary

Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 07:34:48 PM PDT

PhotobucketWell, it's happened. Our refusal to subscribe to cable has ruined my second grader's chance of getting into Princeton.

Miles got a zero on an assignment for Drama class because he couldn't find a humorous television commercial to describe. I told him to explain that we don't have cable, therefore we don't get any commercial stations, therefore, he really couldn't view any commercials. The teacher didn't like that explanation.

Photobucket

That's cool, he can get a zero on this stupid fracking assignment as far as I'm concerned, but I don't want the teacher thinking it's Miles's fault. I almost feel like writing a letter that says it's against our religion to watch commercial television, but well, that's not true. We let the boys watch DVDs and stream Jetix and Cartoon Network programs on line, so it's not like we totally object to mindless entertainment. But we don't huddle around the box every night waiting for the next installment of the crap that passes for entertainment and enjoying the artistry that is television advertising.

Anyhoo, I drafted a letter to the teacher, but I thought I would show it to the collective MotherTalkers brain before sending it in with him to see if you think I'm stirring up a shitstorm or if I've remained respectful enough. And so, here it is:

Dear Mrs. [name redacted],

I am writing in response to your note regarding last week’s Drama assignment. While I understand that because he didn’t hand in a description of a humorous commercial you must mark Miles's homework incomplete, I feel the need to explain what he meant by "not having cable."

It is true that we do not have cable television service. This was a very conscious decision in our household to limit the amount of commercial television viewed by our family. As you know, when you don’t have cable in the [location redacted], you don’t get much in the way of reception. The only station we receive reliably is the public television station, [station name redacted]. As I am sure you are aware, they don’t air commercials on PBS. That, along with the high quality of the programming, is why we like it so much. Miles loves NOVA, History Detectives, Fetch!, Cyberchase and other great PBS programs.

Commercial television is simply not a part of our lives. Some evenings there isn’t even time to switch on the TV at all, what with homework, dinner, showers, reading, playing creative computer games like Zoo Tycoon and quiet playtime, etc. As I’m sure you can imagine, weekends are also always packed with non-television related activities. There are days that go by that the television doesn’t even get turned on in our house.

The fact is, Miles and the rest of us rarely see commercial television, with the exception of visits to my husband’s father’s house or my parents in [location 180 miles away redacted]. Because of this, Miles was very limited in his ability to view commercials and, therefore, to find one that he found humorous.

But please don’t feel sorry for Miles. It’s not all education and drudgery at the  [last name redacted] house! He views DVDs and programs on the Disney and Cartoon Network websites several times a week. However, neither of these means of viewing programs includes an opportunity to see commercials.

So, as I say, I understand he gets a zero for this assignment. I just wanted you to understand the context for his explanation.

Best regards,
Hillary

Well, folks whaddaya think?  I had another paragraph in there about what a budding marketing genius Miles already was, about his zest for promoting his business ideas, his blog, my husband's band, etc.  But I thought that might be laying it on a bit thick.

QUICK UPDATE: I sent the letter in today, attached to the sheet she sent home that I was to sign indicating I knew he had gotten a zero on the assignment.  Because this is drama class and it's only once a week, I'm not going to take it to the level of a phone call and a meeting. Let the chips fall where they may.  My main concern was that she understood that Miles didn't not do the assignment because he's lazy or insolent.  She can blame us and our weird ways for the outcome.

Reflecting on this, I suppose we weren't enough on the ball on this assignment, partially because Miles was sick last week when the assignment was originally due.  He missed two days of school, including the day of his drama class and he was generally under the weather for most of the week.  He also had the big Odyssey of the Mind competition over the weekend and it was just generally a very hectic period.  We didn't take the assignment very seriously because it didn't come home on a ditto like most of his assignments do.  I think my husband and I sort of blew it off and thought perhaps it was just an activity, and wouldn't receive a grade.

Last night as he was going to sleep, Miles asked me if I was mad or disappointed because he got a zero.  I told him no, because this wasn't really his fault, that his dad and I had not really made a point of finding time for him to view television commercials.  He seemed comforted by that.  The kid hasn't missed an assignment other than this one in three years of school.  Every sheet of homework, always done.  Projects, always right on time and complete.  I don't see this as a permanent stain on his reputation.

Tags: Homework, Drama, Television (all tags)

Permalink | 49 comments

  • very respectful. (0 / 0)

    good letter. I wouldn't change anything.

    If this is ever an issue again, keep in mind you can watch most commercials on YouTube. Of course, my favorite commercial right now is a beer commercial, so that might not be appropriate for Miles. :-) For the record, Maya loves this commercial even though she has no clue what it's for. She just thinks it's funny when he keeps saying "Dude."

    That said, we don't watch many commercials at all thanks to TiVo.

    by Erika on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 07:53:47 PM PDT

  • Great letter (0 / 0)

    ridiculous assignment.

    by Lisa in Austin on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 08:00:21 PM PDT

    • seriously (0 / 0)

      hey, kids: watch commercials for School!

      OMFG. What was the point of the assignment, anyway, Hillary?

      by Rachel on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 08:02:45 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      • Booming Business (0 / 0)

        They are finishing up a six week unit called Booming Business in his homeroom.  They try to integrate the unit content into the special classes as well, so the Drama teacher, I guess, wanted to get the kids thinking about commercials as a form of drama.

        The unit itself has been, apparently, great fun for Miles.  They wrote a jingle, made flyers, did a commercial on the morning school TV broadcast, and then created and sold chocolates and lemonade to the fourth graders.  

        Miles loves business and has a real entrepreneurial drive, so he's enjoyed the unit a lot.  

        Miles and His Favorites: The World As Seen By a Seven Year Old

        by Hillary on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 08:07:42 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

  • You are very kind (0 / 0)

    The letter was very respectful and clearly explains the situation,I don't know that I could have been so kind. I am sorry but why would watching commercial television be part of any mandatory school assignment. My 4 year old does watch Noggin,PBS Kids and Sprout(PBS Cable station) but I consider it entertainment on occasion or a diversion when he's sick,the weather is bad,etc. not an integral part of education.

    by kwetsel on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 08:11:00 PM PDT

  • as a teacher... (0 / 0)

    i think your letter was very respectful.  you gave your side of the story without insulting her intention to do what must've seemed like a very creative/fun assignment for the kids.  i like the you tube suggestion... maybe he could still do it?  i think teaching kids to be critical of marketing is key... though i wish we lived in one of those countries that doesn't allow marketing to children.  maybe you could suggest she allow him to do it with a you tube commercial (if the grade will hurt him or he wants to do the assignment), but if you want to make a point, i think you've made it well.  sounds like a great unit.

    by slackermom on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 08:14:13 PM PDT

  • I'm in agreement here... (0 / 0)

    I thought your letter was very respectful and explained the reasons why Miles was unable to complete the assignment.

    That said, I really don't understand why the teacher would only use ONE method of getting the assigment done. Not every household is as television friendly as mine.  :) There are several other ways to get the point across and the assignment done. Why not ask the kids to note how and where advertisers push their product? For example, how many billboards does he pass on the drive to school? What are they selling? What is the most popular tennis shoe among his peers? What is the most popular/common car he sees in a parking lot?

    by gloria on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 08:21:43 PM PDT

  • I hate unclear assignments! (0 / 0)

    It's tough for young kids to properly complete their homework if the parameters of the assignment aren't clear.  We've had numerous misfires in our household due to this problem.

    I think your letter is good because it doesn't protest the grade, which I would bet pisses off a lot of teachers.  Maybe she will give your child a chance to do some sort of extra credit assignment to make up for the zero....

    by Exurban Mom on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 08:37:11 PM PDT

    • Not protesting the grade.... (0 / 0)

      you know, I'm not the kind of parent to whom grades are particularly important.  In fact, I've been known to go out of my way to insist that whatever issue I've raised is NOT about a grade, but rather, a principle.  However, looking back, I feel like sometimes, me and my children were taken advantage of because we didn't make it "about the grade".  I've seen many parents make it "about the grade" and have their children rewarded for doing so...while mine didn't receive some particular recognition that went along with grades BECAUSE I didn't "make it about the grade".  I've seen my kids penalized, literally, because there's so many parents who are willing and able to be at the school, every day, demanding that their children get the grades they feel they deserve...and who knows?  Maybe in many instances these parents are right.  Maybe I should have fought harder "for the grade" at times.

      by tjb22 on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 09:07:14 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      • who's to say? (0 / 0)

        My folks were "not about the grade" people and it never hurt my sister and I. I think I actually would've been humiliated if my parents had made a protest for the grade's sense, because I know I would've felt that a.) they didn't think it was a good enough grade; and b.) they didn't think I could handle the situation on my own, either by talking to the teacher or getting my butt in gear for the next term.

        Yeah, some kids in my classes did have parents who made a fuss over the grade for the sake of the grade and they did get things done in their kids' favour, but I didn't really see that it made their kids better students or smarter people. Quite the opposite, sometimes.

        by Rachel on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 09:27:26 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

        • Yes....in the long run, (0 / 0)

          I feel as if my kids are more intellectually honest people who have a greater appreciation for what it means to take a principled stand.  However, I'd be lying if I didn't say that there have been many times in which I felt as if my kids received less than their fair share because I didn't make it about grades.  The latest example involves my 7th grade daughter.  Testing consistently places her in the most "accelerated" of categories in every subject.  She is a very bright, gifted and original thinker.  Back in November, her teachers offered what amounted to opportunities for grade inflation if she intended to compete for scholarships to the local private schools. I pretty much turned it down...however, did I do the right thing?  According to my own principles, I did...will my daughter think so when she understands what was offered?  I can't say.    

          by tjb22 on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 09:38:52 PM PDT

          [ Parent ]

          • oooh, that's a tough question (0 / 0)

            Having the luxury of not facing this question for about 10 years, I have to say you made a good, strong decision. But in your shoes? Wow, I'dve found it difficult too.

            Really glad you're back, Teresa...

            by Rachel on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 09:48:12 PM PDT

            [ Parent ]

            • This parenting thing (0 / 0)

              isn't easy.  Its constantly asking yourself, over and over, if you did the right thing at the right time.  I'm feeling better about it as my adult-aged children haven't shown themselves to be ax murderers.  

              I'm really glad to be able to post a bit.  I'm trying to pace myself a bit...I'm having some issues with a new medication right now and I really, really want to get it right.  I guess I'm saying that I'm going to have to exercise and certain amount of self discipline...not always as easy as it sounds.

              by tjb22 on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 10:13:20 PM PDT

              [ Parent ]

              • that must be a comfort (0 / 0)

                to see how the older ones are evolving while still having the younger ones to shepherd through!

                Good luck with your new medication; it's a real tricky b*stard and I hope that your doctors are working with you and you're not having to bang heads to get your point across!

                by Rachel on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 10:53:51 PM PDT

                [ Parent ]

                • It is proving tricky. (0 / 0)

                  No head banging yet...but honestly, there's such a thing as being too medically self sufficient, I guess...the thought always seems to be that I'll figure out a lot of it on my own.  Sometimes I like this, and sometimes I feel a bit abandoned.  My almost/sorta son-in-law is a pharmacist, so I think I'm going to run a few thoughts by him tonight.  

                  by tjb22 on Thu Mar 13, 2008 at 12:17:29 PM PDT

                  [ Parent ]

      • Hey, Teresa! (0 / 0)

        Good to "see" you!

        Hillary, Miles's teacher can suck it.  But your letter is too respectful and dignified to put it like that.  Which is good.

        by Erin on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 09:34:15 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

        • Good to see you and all the (0 / 0)

          other MotherTalkers, too!

          Yeah, its hard to put "suck it" in a letter to the teacher...although, at times, when I've been sure that I worded such letters very respectfully, teachers have reacted as if I did, indeed, tell them to "Suck it".  

          by tjb22 on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 09:43:29 PM PDT

          [ Parent ]

      • Good to see you here again, (0 / 0)

        tjb22!

        by lonespark on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 11:27:18 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

      • I'm so honored! (0 / 0)

        Thank you for sharing your wisdom on my diary!  It's so good to see you here.

        I see where you are coming from, but I agree with you, kids need to have a strong sense of themselves and I hate those parents who undermine them with whiny "it's not fair" kind of stuff.

        Miles and His Favorites: The World As Seen By a Seven Year Old

        by Hillary on Thu Mar 13, 2008 at 03:29:25 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

  • What a great letter! - commercials on the web (0 / 0)

    My hat is off to you (and I admire your list of family activities too).

    I went TV-free when I moved out after my divorce: an interesting experiment (4% of US households at the time had no TV) that involved inviting myself to friends' houses whenever a big sporting event was on :).

    Next time an assignment like this comes along, there ARE places you can watch commercials on the Web. For example Hulu has a collection of all the Super Bowl spots. (Only available in the US for now, alas.) I hate commercialism myself, but I have to say, I love commercials that pack a lot of "story" into 30 or 60 seconds. They can be an art form, and I know teachers use them creatively in order to try to engage the short attention span generation.

    by madwoman in the attic on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 10:09:25 PM PDT

  • I think you did fine (0 / 0)

    And you might add into the letter that next time, if she feels the need to add the assignment, that you could spend some time as a family to find some humorous commercials on YouTube for him to write about.

    I nominate this one:

    by shenanigans on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 11:37:54 PM PDT

  • Forget the letter (0 / 0)

    phone and talk to the teacher.  There's too much possibility that notes and letters get taken out of context or that an angry voice is read into them.  Phone the teacher and talk about the situation.  

    "Nothing worth having comes without some kind of fight. Gotta kick at the darkness til it bleeds daylight"

    by lonestar canuck on Thu Mar 13, 2008 at 05:02:34 AM PDT

    • That's a good point (0 / 0)

      I've noticed that most teachers seem to be more phone people than letter people.

      by shenanigans on Thu Mar 13, 2008 at 08:46:46 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      • Speaking of which (0 / 0)

        I need to call my daughter's teacher, and I really hate doing it. I feel like there's no good time to call, that it's hard to leave a message that's private for her, that I'll only interrupt her. It brings all of my phone discomfort to the fore.

        Gah. I think if I can remember to call well after school hours there's a way to leave a private voicemail (that she probably will forget to check for days). I wish I could just send her an email to call me at her convenience.

        I should really talk with the principal about streamlining this system better. Ironically, I can easily leave messages for him.

        by shenanigans on Thu Mar 13, 2008 at 08:51:01 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

        • I know how you feel (0 / 0)

          our school has phones in the class so I hate to phone because it rings right in the room and I don't want to disturb everything.  

          Maybe you can leave a message in the office for her to call you at her convenience.  No details as to why you're calling - it will have an air of mystery and get her to call back quickly.    

          In the long run it's just easier to call and talk to a teacher about something than to do a letter - it just prevents the chance of being misinterpreted...for both sides.  

          "Nothing worth having comes without some kind of fight. Gotta kick at the darkness til it bleeds daylight"

          by lonestar canuck on Thu Mar 13, 2008 at 09:01:29 AM PDT

          [ Parent ]

      • email (0 / 0)

        Miles's homeroom teacher is great with email.  She has her email up on her laptop on her desk all the time. If I email her, she usually gets back to me within an hour.

        Since the teacher involved here is a "specials" teacher, she doesn't really live anywhere in the building.  So, I think a hard copy of a letter was the best approach.

        Miles and His Favorites: The World As Seen By a Seven Year Old

        by Hillary on Thu Mar 13, 2008 at 09:03:56 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

  • I agree with Lonestar Canuck about phoning (0 / 0)

    I used to email teachers about things, but I discovered that when they replied they would often copy other teachers and the principal. (These were not "suck it" type emails- just questions or explanations.)  

    I felt uncomfortable about that.  If I wanted to talk to everyone, I'd have emailed them all in the first place.  I'm not shy. So- now I call.

    That being said, I think the letter is great. In your case, not having cable is a choice- but for some it might be due to the cost.  No child should be penalized for that.

    by happy clam on Thu Mar 13, 2008 at 05:47:58 AM PDT

  • Why not offer to make your own commercial? (0 / 0)

    That way he can show he understands the concept she was trying to get across. It could also be a fun family project. If you don't have a video camera it should be easy to find a friend with one that you could use.

    I wouldn't mail a letter. Having been a parent, volunteer in school & PTA officer for over 20 years I have seen firsthand how defensive some teachers can get even when no offense is intended. My suggestion is to schedule a meeting & go in on a positive note. Compliment the teacher on doing non-traditional projects to teach a lesson while keeping it interesting. Then explain your views & ask if an alternate project is acceptable. She might just like your idea. It is certainly more work than having a child watch a funny tv commercial & then review it.

    This is a good opportunity to also teach your son a life lesson. There will be other times in life that he may be asked to do a project in school or work (later on)that is a bit outside his normal scope. It isn't always best to just not do it without offering an alternative or finding a way to do the task as well as hold on to his beliefs. The suggestion about using the internet to find a funny commercial is a good compromise to the tv issue & one the teacher might bring up when you go to explain why he didn't fulfill her assignment.

    By the way, I howled (no pun intended) when I watched the cat herder example posted! I had never seen it & my neighbor has rescued about 25 feral cats. We live in the country & she also has horses. I could just see her starting a cat drive to round up the strays!!

    by alicetben on Thu Mar 13, 2008 at 05:59:27 AM PDT

  • A much nicer letter (0 / 0)

    than this bogus assignment deserved.

    And I think the teacher could have come up with some other way for Miles to get credit, like describing a funny situation in one of the programs he does watch.

    But I'm sure she will appreciate your respectful tone. Maybe she will consider altering the assignment in the future.

    by minnmom on Thu Mar 13, 2008 at 06:15:15 AM PDT

  • Alternative? (0 / 0)

    The only change I would've made would have been to suggest an alternative assignment that he could have done for the credit he missed - for example, since it's a drama class, would attending a PLAY and writing about it have sufficed?

    This teacher sounds incredibly lazy.  Assigning homework about TV?  Come on...

    by aaustin on Thu Mar 13, 2008 at 07:54:35 AM PDT

    • Hang on. (0 / 0)

      When you're teaching about drama then TV is a really useful tool.  Where to kids see acting on a regular basis?  Storytelling?  It may not always be good acting or good story telling but it's available to them where a trip to a theatre isn't always possible.  

      As far as the commercial assigment goes - I did entire units on commercials with my grade 6 class because we were looking at tools and tricks advertisers use to make their product look like something it isn't.  It's pretty valuable in trying to make kids not take everything they see on TV as truth.  

      Yes, there ought to have been an alternative assignment for kids who don't have tvs - but that is rare and it's quite possible the teacher didn't even think of it - she's learned something now.  

      Look, I had to go to the freaking mat with a mother who thought that her son was perfectly okay to plagiarize something since "how many ways can you right about Jamaica anyway?"  I'm a little sensitive when we start jumping on the teacher's "laziness"  

      "Nothing worth having comes without some kind of fight. Gotta kick at the darkness til it bleeds daylight"

      by lonestar canuck on Thu Mar 13, 2008 at 08:02:31 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      • I just hate when we get the (0 / 0)

        "grab your torches and pitchforks, we're hunting..." mentality.  

        "Nothing worth having comes without some kind of fight. Gotta kick at the darkness til it bleeds daylight"

        by lonestar canuck on Thu Mar 13, 2008 at 09:02:45 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

        • I'm not into that approach (0 / 0)

          I tend to usually think the teacher has best interests at heart.  I know he enjoys her weekly sessions, so I didn't want to make it hard on him.

          The good news is that Miles didn't seem to melt down over this. I didn't get a call from the guidance counselor that he had to be removed from class or anything.  And he didn't have a reflection sheet or a note from his homeroom teacher in his bag.  So that's progress!!!

          Miles and His Favorites: The World As Seen By a Seven Year Old

          by Hillary on Thu Mar 13, 2008 at 09:05:54 AM PDT

          [ Parent ]

          • Oh I know you're not (0 / 0)

            you totally looked at the situation and were completely reasonble - it's just that often commenters (not so much here but other places) get all frothy over hunting (teachers, men, Republicans) that it turns into a wacky angry mob kind of thing.  

            I mean, I think there's value in this assignment - it could have been handled much better obviously - but I do think there's value in critiquing commercials and that it's not really an assignment about watching tv.   But you know that - I'm just spouting off to avoid cleaning the bathrooms because my mother in law is arriving soon...

            "Nothing worth having comes without some kind of fight. Gotta kick at the darkness til it bleeds daylight"

            by lonestar canuck on Thu Mar 13, 2008 at 09:12:10 AM PDT

            [ Parent ]

            • get scrubbing! (0 / 0)

              You want your MIL to find out you have dirty toilets?????

              Miles and His Favorites: The World As Seen By a Seven Year Old

              by Hillary on Thu Mar 13, 2008 at 09:13:30 AM PDT

              [ Parent ]

            • OT--MIL arriving (0 / 0)

              My MIL drops by with minimal (20 minutes) notice. We have a MIL drill we all go through-- even DS launches his whole self into it, scurrying around, picking up his toys in a frenzy. I can get the entire house cleaned, when necessary, in 20 minutes, including toilets-- so why does it take all day when I have more time?? It's like MIL brings her own time-space continuum when she stops by.

              by minnmom on Thu Mar 13, 2008 at 09:18:38 AM PDT

              [ Parent ]

              • it's the accordian theory of time (0 / 0)

                when you have a crisis, the task expands or compresses to meet the deadline. Good news: you can clean a house in 20 minutes. Bad news: you have to see your MIL in order to get it done!

                I'll be doing my version of the drill this (Friday) afternoon; DH invited PIL over for the Friday pizza dinner. So bizarre - they never call us to invite us over; it's always DH who calls and either says, we're coming for dinner or says, come for dinner. If we don't call, we never hear from them. Then when we do call, they say "well, we're not dead, although you wouldn't know because you never call." (Seriously, that's what FIL said a few weeks ago...)

                by Rachel on Thu Mar 13, 2008 at 11:52:15 AM PDT

                [ Parent ]

          • hey - awesome that Miles (0 / 0)

            didn't melt down. Good progress. Also, great that he enjoyed the class as much as he did, too!

            by Rachel on Thu Mar 13, 2008 at 11:55:06 AM PDT

            [ Parent ]

      • there can be value in teaching (0 / 0)

        across a variety of media; it all depends on the teacher. From what Hillary says, this teacher sounds pretty creative and the class sounded exciting. If she's teaching the kids some critical evaluation skills that happen to involve TV commercials, I think that's fine. Not that my opinion matters for a toss, since this is between Hillary, Miles and the teacher, but just my 5 cents.

        by Rachel on Thu Mar 13, 2008 at 11:54:27 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

Permalink | 49 comments