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When faced with a failing grade students many times want to point the finger at the teacher, and sadly enough some parents jump right on the band wagon without ever finding out exactly why their child has a failing grade in a subject.

Teachers have an obligation to teach the content and students have an obligation to listen, participate in discussions, complete assignments, be engaged in activities, and actually stay awake during class time. Yes, the very last is meant to be sarcastic, but in reality it is a real problem in many classrooms today.

As a teacher of 22 years I have taught every grade K- 8 except sixth grade. In the primary grades parents keep more in touch with their child's teacher and have a better grasp of what is going on with their child. They visit the classroom and the teacher actually has a chance to discuss concerns with the parent.

As students get older you see parents much less. During parent teacher conference night many teachers will not see over five to six parents from a class of 25 students. Usually the parents that show up to conferences are the parents of students who do well in school.

So where does the fault lie? I would insert that the fault generally is with the student. Are there bad teachers? Yes, there are incompetent teachers, but there are also incompetent parents who never enforce homework rules, study time at home, ask about what is going on at school, set reasonable bedtime hours, or even know what their child's teacher looks like. I have actually had parents who did not even know I was their child's teacher half way through the year.

Teachers don't set out to fail children. As a matter of fact teachers go the extra mile to try to help children succeed in school. I have given extra credit assignment points for children who may have made a poor grade on a test or an assignment, only to have the child refuse to even attempt to do the extra credit work. I have even given the option of dropping the lowest grade when I know a child has really given their best effort.

Good teachers are constantly checking for understanding of concepts and skills taught. We also are in the classroom observing what goes on with our students. We know when assignments have not been turned in and when participation in class has been very minimal. Usually content is presented in a variety of ways to accommodate various learning styles, which is just good teaching.

Maybe when we can convince parents that even as your child gets older, parents still need to be interested in their progress at school, and not just at report card time, grades may change for the better in some children. Kids are very astute and know whether their parents are proactive in their education, which in turn does affect their attitude about school in general.

To expect good grades from your child is paramount in getting good grades. If you still don't know who is responsible for failing grades, take a look at the attitude about school in your home.

Learn more about this author, Kathy Myers.
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