My daughter, Isobel is 5 (6 in December) she's in year 1 at school, this is her second year. If you've been unfortunate to read my blog before I have covered this many times! Isobel goes to a private school, it costs over £6k a year plus extra's, its a girls school, this year her she has 2 teachers who job share, mrs B on mon/tues/weds and Mrs T on weds/thur/fri.
Since she has been in year one (about 5 weeks or so) things seem to have been better, I was called in a couple of weeks ago by Mrs B to talk about Isobel being in trouble, she and 5 other girls were sent to the head teacher. She kept bursting in to song in class and not doing as she was told, she's fine on a one to one basis but not whilst working in a group apparently.
This isn't really a shock to me, she is a challenging child, she's very bright and is very loving and sweet but she can be a horror when the mood takes her. There are 19 in her class and 6 or 7 of them can be a real handful too, it's a hard class to teach I should think.
I spoke to Mrs T on Friday morning and just asked generally how she was doing, Mrs T told me she was doing ok, she has her moments but on the whole pretty good and by no means the worst behaved.
This morning Mrs B pulled me in and asked if we'd got anywhere with having her assessed (the school suggested that she was assessed by a educational psychologist about 5 months ago, this was during a meeting with Paul, I was pissed off about it not least as they expected us to pay £500 for it, we contacted the suggested Psychologist and she wasn't available for a few months anyway) I had thought that this had all been forgotten about. So Mrs B went in to great detail about Isobel's bad behaviour, the singing, the calling out etc and followed every sentence she said by saying that she's not the only one. So perhaps if she's not the only one she might need to look at herself as the other teacher was really positive on Friday. I am absolutely raging about it, I spoke to Paul and have made an appointment to see the head teacher this week, I really really do think that the time has come to move her elsewhere, I don't know where though, she's so happy where she is but its getting ridiculous now, its been going on the whole time that she's been there.
I don't know what they are trying to say, are they saying that there is something wrong with her? I really can't take much more from them.
I don't know what they are trying to say, are they saying that there is something wrong with her? I really can't take much more from them.
I just feel desperate and angry, really angry.
I'm now typing one handed as George has come for a hug!
Scale said 15st 8lb's (218 lbs) today, I was out on Saturday so am ok with it really, would like to be a new weight soon, am bored with being around here.
Sorry for the massive moan.
Oh Dear! Sounds to me that the second teacher is unable to control her class if there are others having issues as well. Let me preface anything I write by saying: I am not a parent nor a teacher and can only base my opinion on feeling. That being said I think one teacher has things under control and one is not. I can understand having a challenging class but suggesting to send a child to a Psych. to me is a little strange. My best friend is a School Psychologist and the children she typically sees are described nothing like that. Do you think she is testing out the patients of these teachers..? Seeing how far see can get before she gets in to trouble? I would without question see what the response is of the head teacher. Remind them kindly that it is YOU who are helping to pay salaries and that you'd like to work with them on a solution but if one could not be made then your 6k is outta there! Is she singing in class because she is distracted? You poor thing. Take a sit down and have a cup of tea or something. Let your blood pressure come down! Thinking of ya!
ReplyDeleteThank you lovely. She does know what she's doing, Isobel likes attention and lots of it and she will play up to get it.
ReplyDeleteI've calmed down a little now, did lots of housework which seemed to help but I'm still at a loss to know what to do.
Thanks again
Go see the Head Teacher as you pay so much for their services you should actually get some help. I would also have the evaluation as they might find that she is gifted and just needs to have more stimulation. My son in grade 2 was a bit of a dreamer. He would stare at his pencil and the teacher wanted him to stop. When I asked him about it he told me stories about what the pencil was doing. He was bored silly. He did test as gifted but we didn't put him in the special program as he just needed a different approach. Don't fret too much and insist the school help your daughter and not "label" her. It's their job and they need to do this. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteThis is probably irrelevant, but I watched a special on "problem" students once, and one of the people that was spotlighted was constantly getting in trouble. Up and moving around, signing in class, and just deamed a "problem" student. Luckily the counselor was familiar with this kind of behavior. She called the student and the parent in for a meeting, and chit chatted a while about the problems that the student was having. Then the counselor told the parent to step out in the hall with her for a private moment. Upon leaving, she turned on the radio and the two left the room. When they got into the hall the counselor told the mom to wait a moment and just watch. The child eventually got out of the seat, and was visibly getting into the music (it was so long ago that I watched this, so I can't remember the details). The counselor then explained to the parent that the child was not a "bad" student, but just needed a different type of learning environment. One that was centered around music and the arts. The parent enrolled the child in a specialty school, and flash forward, became a brilliant composer. Anyway, point is, some children learn differently, and maybe this is the case with your daughter. Or maybe, as previously stated, the teacher needs to work on her skills. Anyway, just a thought. Best of luck to you!
ReplyDeleteHey Alison! You should continue with your plans to speak with the head teacher - then perhaps ALL the teachers (along with the head teacher) together - to resolve the "positive/negative" feedback you're getting. It is not helpful to you as parents or to Isobel to be given these conflicting reports. And the fact that "others" are misbehaving as well is disturbing - lack of control or lack of ability to keep their attention could be at stake here.. If there is a problem, everyone should be working together as a team to see it resolved - the children come first. I would be troubled if all they wanted to do is lay the situation in your lap to "deal with". You're paying an enormous amount of money so that Isobel receives proper care and a quality education. If after your meetings you still feel that your daughter is not receiving the education you expect and that she deserves, perhaps it may be time to look into a different situation...
ReplyDeleteAnd do get that cuppa tea and give yourself some quiet time to think..
Best of Luck to you Lady - keep us posted..
I don't really have any suggestions as we are just getting into school as well. I hope this works out soon for you!
ReplyDeleteI sympathise with you - my two have a teacher this year who doesn't "get" them (or many of the other kids, really). I'm hanging out for the end of the year and a new teacher next year. Sorry, no suggestions, just empathy.
ReplyDeleteI agree that a meeting with the two regular teachers and the head teacher is in order. Everyone needs to get on the same page here. If other students are doing it as well, it hardly seems like a psychological issue to me...sounds more like a teacher who has lost control of her classroom. I'm sorry you're going through this. If memory serves me correctly, you have wanted to move her for quite some time and while she may really enjoy the school, her time may be better spent elsewhere. Trust your gut with this one. Good luck
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