Teacher writes “loser” on student’s homework
What do you think of a teacher who marks his student’s homework with “loser”? Rex Roland in Buncombe County, North Carolina actually writes the word “loser” on the homework of his sixth grade students. This, he said, is just his way of motivating them to do better. This is no big deal for most of his students’ parents but one parent in particular doesn’t approve of his methods.
Patty Clement said that calling his students “loser” is not acceptable. She wants him removed from the school. Clement said that she first noticed Roland writing “loser” on the margin of her daughter’s homework last year. She brought the issue up with the school management and the principal promised that the incident will not happen again. But just recently, Roland wrote “minus 20% for being a loser” on Clement’s daughter’s homework.
Some parents have defended Roland’s method of teaching and said that it is his way of engaging his students. He jokes with them and relates to them at their level by using their words. They think that Roland’s way of teaching and motivating students is actually progressive.
But Clement doesn’t agree with them. She said that Roland has made her daughter a target for harassment and bullying. She has even started an online petition called “Please Get Rex Roland Out of Enka Middle School” demanding justice for her daughter and anyone that he has done this to.
While many of his students love him for being cool, name-calling can still be traumatic for kids. Nevertheless. firing Rex Roland may just be too extreme. What he probably needs to do is find a better way of motivating his students.
What do you think of this story? Do you agree with Patty Clement?
