What is a reasonable time frame for a teacher to respond to a child's question about school work?

[amcal]

My 3rd grader is having a bit of difficulty understanding the multiplication table that was introduced last week.  I notice she's struggling on a few homework problems that are based on this table.  So, since the actual table is in a book at school, I encouraged her to let her teacher know that she's not quite understanding how the table works and ask if she could review it with her.

DD asked her to do this on Monday.  The teacher said she would review it with DD.  It is now Friday and it hasn't happened. 

I have sent an email asking that this either be reviewed with her or the table sent home so I can review it with her.  No response yet. 

What is a reasonable amount of time for a teacher to respond to a child's request that information be reviewed?

[earthmama369]

That's too long. For a child asking me to do something like that, I would expect to help them that day. If they asked toward the end of the day or on a particularly crazy day, I would address their question the next day at the latest.

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by earthmama369 

That's too long. For a child asking me to do something like that, I would expect to help them that day. If they asked toward the end of the day or on a particularly crazy day, I would address their question the next day at the latest.

Is it "the" multiplication table or something else?

http://www.google.com/search?q=multiplication+table+printable&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

http://www.eduplace.com/math/mw/background/3/06/te_3_06_overview.html

[amcal]

She finally emailed me tonight and basically said she would go over it with her but that it's a chart that I'm probably familiar with so - basically, I got the impression that she thinks it's ridiculous that I need her to go over something so basic when I could just do it myself.

But, you know what?  I've never used one of those charts nor did I have any idea what it was.  I looked at the links above, and sure enough, it's very basic and had I known, I would have reviewed it with DD.  Growing up, we didn't use those.  In fact, I've never even heard of it.  So, I'll go over it with DD - no problem.  But, I still think, if it's that basic, she should have taken a quick second and answered DD's question.

[sapphire_chan]

Wow, holy assumptions bat-teacher!

I'd make it perfectly clear to the teacher that you never used a multiplication table when you were in school and that if your dd has any further questions the teacher should do her JOB and not assume that everyone comes from the exact same background.

Yeesh, if she'd sent the table home, even a sketch and a description, you could've helped your dd days ago!

[One_Girl]

Were they still working on the chart that week and did the teacher maybe think that the further instruction she was giving was effective based on your dd's performance in class?  Perhaps she didn't realize your dd was still having trouble with her homework towards the end of the week and was agreeing to go over it with her and send a chart home so you could also.  It is hard to convey tone in an e-mail, but saying that you would probably be familiar with a chart that has been around for a very long time doesn't sound offensive and it is hard to know if she was putting your dd off or assuming that the problem was gone based on what she showed she was capable of in class.  Math has always been a subject I struggle to retain at first, and I have done things in math class with the information fresh and the teacher right there that I can't do at home many times so I can see how it is possible that your dd is able to do the work with the teacher there giving a prompt that triggers her memory (or possibly reviewing a couple problems and how to solve them).  She may truly just totally blank out at home because she is not really internalizing the information yet.

[MusicianDad]

Um, wow. I would have a hard time accepting such a long time between request and response, and the assumption that you should be able to go over the chart with your DD without actually having seen the chart at all as anything other than the teacher saying "Do I really care if she's learning?"

[Lisa1970]

I am in Texas and in a district where teacher and parent interaction is very discouraged. So, if I had asked something like that of a teacher, it never would have happened anyway. I think, in my opinion, I would wait until after Christmas to worry too much about it, just because they are likely trying to finish some things up and have holiday parties and leave for Christmas. But once you get back from break, I would want things addressed within 2-3 weeks. I would remind her and offer to have my child stay after school for help.

I think if it were not the holidays, I would say 2 weeks. That is assuming you are offering to have your child stay after school when there is more time for it. During the school day, it can be difficult to stop the entire class to help one student, sadly. I know of teachers (not in Texas) who have 30+ kids in their class and barely time to breathe as it is.

[Lisa1970]

You know, just find a chart online or at a store. Get that for her. You can probably find one online to print for free. Then explain that one to her. They are all pretty much alike anyway. I hope that helps!

[VisionaryMom]

I think waiting 5 days is too long, but I think your daughter should have been able to provide enough information that you could've found it by using Google. DS' teacher emails parents back during her AM planning period and/or after school. I've always been emailed back within 24 hours. DS hasn't needed that kind of clarification in class before (he's only in K), but I would imagine it wouldn't take 5 days.

I do think it's worth considering, too, what One_Girl said - that perhaps they were still going through lessons based on the chart, so the teacher was working through the lessons with your daughter, assuming she'd figure it out as they moved along. It's hard to know since I don't know how quickly their class moves.