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AIBU?

to ask them to move DD to another class

20 replies

DDDDDORA · 29/01/2014 09:35

Because her teacher has no enthusiasm at all and the other class teacher is full of it. She had the same teacher for two years in a row, she was full of passion and energy and wasn't afraid to speak to parents. DD loved her and thrived she was slightly ahead of average (as we're most of the class) when she moved up to yr2. Her yr2 teacher is the complete opposite, I am not seeing any progress at all and homework is becoming a struggle, DD just doesn't seem to understand it. I have tried to speaking to the teacher about how DD is getting on and all she says is she is fine. I have made an appointment after school with her and I am really going to express my concerns. I am worried that DD is now falling behind. I want to actually see the progress that she has made this year and if she is struggling then I want to be made aware so that we can help her to understand the things that she is learning.

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tiggytape · 29/01/2014 09:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AwfulMaureen · 29/01/2014 09:59

I know what you mean about unenthusiastic teachers....or ones which don't seem to give you any real info about how the child is doing. But have you thought that it could simply be that DD is going through a phase?

One of my DDs struggled a lot in infants...was always behind and then sped up her learning....I suppose it can work both ways...what aspect is DD struggling with? Is it reading or specific understanding?

winklewoman · 29/01/2014 10:11

It is highly unlikely that they will agree, as Tiggy says. If you decide to go in, you need to have a list of specific concerns, for example homework tasks that are unclear or unchallenging. Just complaining about lack of enthusiasm will not get you far, I fear.

nennypops · 29/01/2014 10:24

I think it would be a waste of time to ask, and dd wouldn't necessarily thank you for taking her away from her friends in her current class. Also, if the other class is full it would be impossible to move dd anyway without moving another child.

I think it's a mistake to assume that a teacher who is massively extrovert and enthusiastic is necessarily the best for every child. Ds had one of those and, because he is naturally quiet, she was not good news for him. The other children became slightly hyper whilst he retreated to the back of the classroom, and the teacher admitted that for some time she couldn't understand why his previous teachers had sung his praises. He did much better with another teacher who the other parents did not like, mainly because she was very strict, but for ds she provided exactly the right calm environment which enabled him to blossom.

redskyatnight · 29/01/2014 10:24

How do you know the teacher is not enthusiastic? Plenty of teachers that struggle with the "talking to parents" aspect of the job, but are great with the children.

If you have specific concerns I agree with PP, that you should speak the teacher, and if not getting a satisfactory response, talk to the HT.

I'd also point out that if your DD was well above average in Y1, you may well find that in Y2 her rate of progress is not so discernible - not to say it's not there but not as visible as earlier on. e.g. when a child is learning to read they might go from not reading at all to reading simple sentences to reading whole books. Once they've got to the reading whole books stage it's much harder to see the progress - it's still there but more subtle.

DDDDDORA · 29/01/2014 10:28

She does seem to like the teacher and the teacher has the same laid back attitude as DH. DD herself is very laid back, so I don't think it is personality thing. It's maths that she seems to be struggling with, it took 45 mins to do 10 maths questions the other day. She doesn't seem to get it at all.
She doesn't appear to be be going through a stage at the moment, she is pretty good most of the time. She doesn't shut up though maybe she talks through the instructions but the teacher has never said anything about that.
She did struggle with the change of year and teacher but I thought she had settled down now.
I do worry about things and I find it increasingly frustrating that I can't seem to get any kind of feedback from her at all.

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NewtRipley · 29/01/2014 10:29

I would agree with redsky

Unfortunately, unless you are in the classrrom, it's easy to make assumptions about what a teacher is really like and what their strengths are.

DDDDDORA · 29/01/2014 10:38

I hadn't thought that maybe her progress is less obvious now. She is on the highest reading level so I can't see progress there as there isn't another level to progress too, she was slightly behind when she went into yr1 and just flew through the year as something just clicked.
I will speak to the teacher with regards to the maths and ask her if it's possible to have a small update once a half term. That will help if she could do that, then at least I will feel involved, and will have an idea about things are going.

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WilsonFrickett · 29/01/2014 10:38

There are poor teachers - and your DD may well have a poor teacher this year. But there's not a snowball's chance the HT is going to ) admit that (and it wouldn't be a particularly positive thing if they did) or b) move your DD (because as a pp has said, that would lead to all sorts of problems).

Agree you need to go in with specific concerns but none of them can really about the teacher - more the things DD is struggling with.

Nanny0gg · 29/01/2014 11:03

You need to find out what specific maths she is struggling with and find out the strategies used so you can reinforce at home. 45 minutes of struggling is far too long.

If she is top of the reading level books I assume she is now on free readers? If not, why not?

'Fine' is not an acceptable assessment in my book. I don't know (with the changes in curriculum since I left) if they still 'level' the children so that they can track progression, but I would want to know where she was and what was predicted for her and if she was on track to make that progress. Especially as she will have SATs next term.

You definitely need to know if she is co-operating in class and what the teacher would like you to do at home to reinforce your DD's learning.

swampytiggaa · 29/01/2014 11:34

my daughter is in a year 5/6 class. her teacher is really shy and struggles with talking to parents. in the classroom she is excellent and enthusiastic... totally different. my boy had her for two years so I got to know her well... did some reading in class and went on trips etc

bit rambly but just to show that what you see isn't necessarily what you get with teachers.

Chivetalking · 29/01/2014 11:39

Are you going to do this everytime she has a teacher you don't deem up to scratch?

YABU.

absoluteidiot · 29/01/2014 11:40

I was a primary teacher in a 3 form entry school where, the year I was there, one of my colleagues was seen as very lacklustre by the parents (in fact, he was) and we had a couple of requests from parents wanting to move kids from his class, into mine. I think that was a Y3 or Y4 class.

The Head refused. You have to suck it up. TBH I wouldn't have wanted those kids, anyway -as others say, you will get years when the other class seems to have a 'better' teacher. But that 'better' teacher, if they're worth their salt, wouldn't want a colleague's kids. And how a teacher relates to parents has zero to do with how good they are as a teacher. I always had parents eating out of my hand but only because it meant they'd then leave me to get on with the job.

MothratheMighty · 29/01/2014 11:44

Let us know how you get on, I've only known it happen in very specific cases with really good reasons, and then rarely.
For example, I have both interest and expertise in dealing with children on the spectrum, so a child's parents might request that their child be placed with me.
But 'She's bored and not making progress' wouldn't get off the ground.

NewtRipley · 29/01/2014 11:45

absolute

Yes, good parental PR is a great skill to have.

DDDDDORA · 29/01/2014 12:52

Chivetalking - I want my DD to continue to enjoy her education and if I think she is struggling and the teacher doesn't appear to care then yes I will question if she is with the right teacher.
I came on here to get a range of views from other parents and so I can speak to the teacher so that I can get my view across in a well prepared and unemotional talk and get the best solution all round. Maybe DD moving class isn't the best idea and she certainly wouldn't thank me for moving away from her friends but if she is struggling and not connecting with the teacher then moving her might be the best option but until I have a chat I won't know.
Thank you for all the responses.
I will update later hopefully it is just her playing us up at home and I don't have anything to worry about.

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Chivetalking · 29/01/2014 13:43

She has a long time left in school and lots of teachers to come. Not all of them will teach in the way you want or expect.

Discuss with and plan alongside them by all means but if you're thinking of asking for a move every time one or another doesn't suit you're in for an uphill struggle not to mention becoming the talk of the staffroom.

Good luck.

WooWooOwl · 29/01/2014 13:54

Ask if you want to, but if you get the response you want I would be very surprised.

If the teacher isn't good enough for your child then she isn't good enough for any of the others either.

DDDDDORA · 29/01/2014 16:33

WooWoo - I never said she wasn't a good teacher, I couldn't see progress and DD appeared to be struggling at home.

Chivetalking - I don't care if I become the talk of the staff room.

I didn't ask for her to be moved, I explained my concerns and we had a chat but basically she has been trying out giving the children a choice of what worksheets they could do, the children choose the level work that they do. DD has been choosing the middle ground so basically the easier option but the teacher hadn't considered this with their homework and DD has been getting the harder work for homework and is struggling because she hasn't being doing it in class. The teacher has taken my and other parents concerns on board and is going to rethink things.

She understands my issue of the feedback and will try to be more forthcoming when I ask but she won't be seeking me out to give feedback unless she needs to see me about something.

I have come away feeling better, not completely happy but I have accepted that it is my personality that clashes with this style.
DD is happy with her and I am happy with that.

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Nanny0gg · 29/01/2014 17:09

basically she has been trying out giving the children a choice of what worksheets they could do, the children choose the level work that they do. DD has been choosing the middle ground so basically the easier option but the teacher hadn't considered this with their homework and DD has been getting the harder work for homework and is struggling because she hasn't being doing it in class.

Oh, for crying out loud.

The teacher has taken my and other parents concerns on board and is going to rethink things.

I should hope she will!.

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