Children back today - feel sick and sad.

[figleaf]

My 5 y.o has gone into Y1. The teacher is a witch. I feel sick with worry for him. My 8 y.o has a nice teacher but has special needs and I always feel sorry for him when returning to school. He wants to stay at home with with me. He doesnt write (uses a computer). Staff are not always sympathetic but I think this teacher is OK. Mainly the witch that worries me. <br /> On top of this we are 99.9% likely to be moving soon (possibly Christmas). While this means we only get the witch for a term I dont know when to tell the kids or how theyll feel about it. I also dont know how the witch will treat the little one when I have to tell the school we are moving.She was so unkind to my oldest and me.
3.10 seems along way away.

[Hallgerda]

I hope it goes better than you expect - you have my sympathy. Is this the school where you've been slugging your guts out unappreciated as a governor, or have I got you mixed up with someone else?

[Hallgerda]

Sorry - I meant slogging, not slugging.

[fireflyfairy2]

ah shit. Half the time liking the teacher is half the battle I hope it turns out she isn't a witch (and if she is I hope she is the magic wand and fairy wings kind)

[figleaf]

Yep thats the school. Really sad isnt it that Im a governor and still bullied by the staff.

[figleaf]

thanks ff2.

[Hallgerda]

I hope the move goes well for you and that the new school works out better. I'd tell the children about the move when it's definite, and the school when it's expedient to do so. Handle the children's reaction when it happens - I doubt advance preparation is likely to be helpful.

Is there any constructive way you could learn from your earlier experiences with the witch in order to cope with her better this time? (Yes, I know there are some intractable cases...) What did she do last time round, if you don't mind me asking?

[figleaf]

H, this is why I think she is a witch ...
1.She thought DS1 (who is really clever) was a bit thick and very lazy. Not that he had special needs. When I pulled her up about it she was really embarrassed and evasive for the rest of the year.
2. She gives the kids 160 word spelling tests at regular intervals throughout the year. The highest score my son got was 154 and for this he was never graded at higher than a B!!!
3. She made a weather chart with 25 spaces on. There are 26 kids in the class. My son didnt get a go and she couldnt see why that would bother a child. The following year she missed the same kid out TWICE in relation to freebees given to the school. Thank God that wasnt my son or Id have been forced to deck her!

[Hallgerda]

Oh dear.

No suggestions, apart from encouraging your DS to take a cheerful and resilient attitude. I suppose you could help him mug up on the dreaded spellings, if your DS1 can still remember the things (if it was the same 160 words throughout, he just might...).

[legalmum]

How old is your youngest? Remember that legally they don't have to start till they've turned 5 (Imay have got that wrong, I know nowt about education law, but I know that most kids start before they absolutely have to). If you're leaving at Xmas anyway and your youngest is unhappy, why not keep her at home till then?