Dear parents,

Your child is enrolled in a class that offers the option to receive a grade: American Government,  Biology, Chemistry, General Science, Geography, Physical Science, Psychology, Sign Language, High School Spanish I, or Spanish II.

We have noticed that grading can be an area of frustration for teachers and parents alike. The most frequent problem is that parents are unaware of their child’s lack of progress until a grade is assigned. In many cases, students are under the impression that their assignments are optional or can be completed late, while parents and teachers have quite a different understanding.

In order to improve in this area, we ask parents to notify the teacher if they would like their child to receive a grade. (Email addresses can be found online in the submenu of the Contact Us tab.) 

Learning Center teachers do not fulfill all the same roles as traditional teachers. Specifically, the primary job of our teachers is to present the material, with an occasional assessment. Parents and the students themselves are in charge of monitoring student efforts and assessing their difficulties in order to make any necessary adaptations by contacting the teacher, etc.

In light of this, parents who want their children to be graded should:

1. Contact the teacher and ask to have your child graded. Be sure to mention the applicable class.

2. Be aware of the homework assigned

3. Check your child’s homework and address any deficiencies that you notice (e.g., “You were supposed to do three exercises but you only did one”).

4. Look at graded papers and discuss deficiencies.

5. Encourage your child to contact their teacher if they are confused. They should do this on the same day as the confusion sets in, whether it’s about a grade or the assignment or something else. If they miss that chance, they should do it as soon as possible, by email or in the next class.

As a safeguard, I am asking teachers to notify parents at mid-term if students are not passing their class, if the parent has asked that their child be graded.

Because the Omaha Homeschool Learning Center is not an accredited educational institution, our grades do not carry the same weight as a traditional school. The teacher will give a grade, but ultimately, as a homeschool parent, you will make the final decision on all grades.

As a professional teacher, I have seen a wide range of grading practices. If you or your child is unsatisfied with the final grade given, you may want to have your child do an extra credit project for your evaluation, which you can consider in determining a final grade. You may also want to take into consideration the effort made, which in many classes can raise a grade. You are, of course, welcome to simply assign the same grade as the teacher.

We appreciate the opportunity to work with you and your child in these classes. I think that our teachers are outstanding, both in their content knowledge and in their excitement for their subjects. However, this can be a confusing area, so feel free to contact us with any concerns that you may have.

Thanks,

 Jack and Holly Donnelly