Teachers Could Deny Privileges to modify Behavior

Q. Recently my son was denied permission to attend a class field trip because

       of his behavior. I didn’t think that it was fair to make him stay at school and miss the

       trip, so I kept him at home. Does a school have the right to refuse to take children on

       field trips as punishment for behavioral issues?   Angry Mom

A. Yes, according to the current School Law, 30^th Edition text p.466, administrators and

       teachers have the right to deny students participation in field trips, interscholastic

       sports, and other activities, when behavior is an issue and suspension is not

       deemed necessary. Having said that, I personally do not like to see children miss

       educational field trips that they will probably not have the chance to attend

       again. When it comes to behavior, I prefer to see the school psychologist become

       involved and set up a behavior modification plan that the classroom teacher and

       parents are trained to implement. The psychologist can also observe the child’s

       behavior and recommend any outside assistance if needed. I would suggest that you

       talk to the classroom teacher ahead of time and ask him/ her what his/her policy is

       regarding behavior and field trips. Volunteer to attend the field trip with your child.

       Also ask him/her what other strategies could be used instead of missing trips and

       other fun activities. Let him/her know that you are willing to work with him/her and

       follow the steps in the behavior modification plan if one is created.

       Teachers work hard to meet the New York State standards and to teach their

       students what they need to know. When there are behavior problems, teachers have

       to stop teaching to address them.    

Complete the Free Lunch Form to Help your School District 

Q.   My district continuously sends home ‘free lunch’ application forms. Every year

   they harass parents to fill out these forms. I know that I do not qualify for

   free lunch. Why do they ask all parents to fill out these forms?

A.   The free or reduced lunch program is for parents who can demonstrate that their

         children are eligible to receive it based on their total household income. Children

         who receive Food Stamps, Aid to Dependent Children (ADC), Temporary

         Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), or the Food Distribution Program on Indian

         Reservations (FDPIR) are all eligible for free or significantly reduced breakfast and

         lunch. Other households are eligible depending on their income and number of

         persons in the household. Foster children may also be eligible. Children with

         special needs whose disability interferes with their ability to participate in

     regular food service programs without some modification, may also apply for special

         meals or substitutions. A doctor’s note will be required. The information in the

         lunch forms are kept strictly confidential.

         The reason districts want as many families as possible to complete the lunch forms, even if

         families are not eligible, is because the information provided is used for the

         allocation of funds to federal programs such as Title I and National Assessment of

         the Education Process (NAEP), State Health or State Education Programs, and for

         Federal, State, or local means tested nutrition programs. Districts have to prove that

         they are in need of and entitled to these federal funds used to provide programs and

         improve instruction for students. It is in parents’ best interest to complete

         these forms so that their children’s schools can receive the federal funds needed to

         implement and provide enriching programs to meet the needs of all children

         attending that district. Also some families think that they are not eligible and they

         are. You can obtain lunch forms and guidelines to see if you qualify from the

         central registration office in your district.

Homework Helps your Child do Better in School

Q. My son entered 4^th grade this school year and he has so much homework already. It

       takes him hours to complete his homework and he gets tired while I get frustrated.

       Why do teachers give so much homework and is homework really necessary?

       Who should I talk to about the volume of homework? Frustrated Parent

A. You are not alone in this dilemma. When parents get home from work, the last

       thing they want to do is hours of homework with their children especially if a

       child is having difficulty with a particular subject.   First let’s discuss the purpose of

       homework and its benefits. An article entitled Helping Your Child With

       Homework by Nancy Paulu from KidSource.com, provides the

       following reasons why teachers give homework. Homework can help children:

• Review and practice what they’ve learned;
• Get ready for the next day’s class;
• Learn to use resources, such as libraries, reference materials and encyclopedias; and
• Explore subjects more fully than time permits in the classroom.

         Homework helps your child do better in school when assignments are meaningful,

         are completed successfully, and are returned with constructive comments from the  

         teacher. An assignment should have a specific purpose, come with clear

         instructions, be fairly matched to the child’s abilities, and designed to help develop

         a student’s knowledge and skills. Teachers often use homework as a way of

         observing whether students have grasped a concept or not. Then he/she knows

         whether he/she needs to review further or can move on to a new concept.

         So how much homework should a student receive? Many educators believe that

         homework is most effective for the majority of children in 1^st through 3^rd grade

        when it does not exceed 20 minutes each school day. From 4^th through 6^th grade,  

         many educators recommend from 20 to 40 minutes a school day for most students.

         For students in 7^th through 9^th grades, generally, up to 2 hours a school day is

         considered suitable.

         Of course some children can handle more and others struggle to keep up. Parents

         have to judge whether their child is the only child who is taking a long time to

         complete tasks or is mainly one subject that takes so long. If your son is

         struggling in only one subject, ask that teacher for extra help or consider a tutor. If

         he is struggling in all subjects, ask the teacher if he is having difficulty in his classes

         also. If he is doing well in class but not in homework, it is probable that he is tired

         and getting to bed late after doing homework. This can become a bad cycle.

         Observe whether your son can do the work but he is wasting time (watching TV,

         going to the bathroom etc.). Give him specific times when you expect homework to  

         begin and to be completed. Reward him when he meets the goal. If you still

         believe that there is just too much homework, you need to make an appointment and

         speak to his teacher. If your concerns are not appreciated, you may have to speak with the principal.

       Lisa-Anne Ray-Byers is a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist who

       has worked in education and special education for two decades with children of all

       ages. She holds graduate degrees in speech-language pathology and multicultural

       education. She also holds certification in educational administration.

       She is the author of the book, “They Say I Have ADHD, I Say Life Sucks!

       Thoughts From Nicholas. She is currently employed in the Hempstead School

       District. You may contact her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by visiting her website at  

       www.asklisaanne.com.

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