Ms. almost-11 (teary-eyed, screaming):  Mom, it was a mistake! I’m great at math!  Math is easy for me!

Me (teeth-clenched sotto voce): Honey – I’ll look into it, but I’m sure your teachers are grading consistently.  You need to understand that sometimes you just don’t do A work.

Ms. Almost:  Friend X and Friend Y got A’s, and they’re worse than me!  I know they made a mistake!  I hate you!  You just don’t ever believe me!

Me (losing out a bit on the sotto):  Honey.  I will look into it.  And Then We Will Talk.

Dear Teacher:

Ms. Almost was extremely upset last night about her ‘B’ grade in math.  She insisted that she finds math easy and (of course!) that Friend X and Friend Y, who got A’s, are “a lot worse in math than I am!”  She also claims to have completed all the homework and to have done well on tests. 

I certainly realize that there’s a large number of potential reasons that she earned a grade that surprises her.  I think our key job at tonight’s parent-teacher conference will be to explain carefully and as thoroughly as possible why she got a B and how the grades are objectively derived using consistent criteria across all students.  I’ll do the best I can to support your explanation.  My goal is to assist her to accept that she did earn the grade she received (as opposed to having it given to her ‘by mistake’).  I’m looking for your help in doing this.

Thank you in advance for helping us to help Ms. Almost improve her performance,

Faith

Faith: After your email, I have looked over Almost’s grades and realize I have made a grave error.  I must have gotten lost on my grade book when I was recording grades and put the wrong letter grade down.  She does in fact have an A and we will quickly correct the error on her card.  I am soooooo sorry to have caused her undo stress. 

o_O

Sic passeth THAT life’s lesson…….