my 5 yr old dd in yr 1 is bored in class

[virgo]

My dd (on the schools gifted list for what that means...) had a great reception year - they put her up to year 1 for literacy and numeracy - at least for some sessions.

But now she's in yr 1 its sort of ground to a halt and she says she's just doing number rcognition iup to 20 anmd tracing over cat hat etc -

the teacher says that she is aware of her needs but 'that she has to teach to the middle child when she's infront of the class' but said she did give dd some numbers afterwards which were more tricky eg in their 1000's but she knows those anyway...

should I do anything - I hate going into school iykwim -

[cherrycake]

Can you not see the schools g&t expert, there must be one if she is on the register, and ask what your daughters individual teaching plan is? If she is on the list then the school should make plans to specifically develop her learning. The class teacher should then implement this in her lessons. Obviously there will be whole class sessions, which will be purely revision for your daughter, but there should be room to push her on too. I would ask!
Good luck!

[virgo]

thanks cherrycake - but the teachers have a job share and one (the more experienced one) said that she knows she needs to do a plan for dd - which means that she hasn't got one yet...are you a teacher?

[nell12]

The teacher is there to teach every child if she teaches to the middle child then all special needs children (be they low ability or high ability) are not being taught properly and they might as well not be there . She should be planning to support the low ability child and extend the high ability child in EVERY core lesson (numeracy/literacy/science and ICT)

Talk to the school; find out what the school are doing to address her needs and see how you can help at home (in other words, tell them that you ARE paying attention and you want them to carry on with the programme they initiated when dd was in Reception)

[umi]

I'm in a similar position with my ds same age, bored in class and making up his own things to do. It's difficult isn't it cos you don't want to have dd singled out and not doing what the rest of the group is doing during class; she still needs her social group and all the bonding that comes with it. Last year teacher put together a pack of additional maths stuff in a special tray that my ds could go and get when he chose - so not being forced to be different, but could access more motivating stuff himself - may be worth asking for? Is parents' evening coming up - use that as a time to broach it, rather than feeling you're making a fuss at the end of a busy day when could risk annoying teacher? Are there any other kids with similar or near similar abilities that ds could feed off for a bit of motivation?
wd appreciate your ideas!

[virgo]

thaks umi - good idea the tray one - hadn't thought of suggesting that - I find it really quite embarrassing to even discuss it with the teacher - as if you are a pushy parent - but my heart really did sink tonight when dd told me her full days activities from beginning to end:

there seems to be a lot of waiting around for others to finish and for the 'music' to come on so that they can pack up...and every day when I ask what she has learned at school - she says 'nothing that I didn't know already'.

[cherrycake]

Yes Virgo, I am a teacher and my own DD in year 2 on g&t list. Her teacher is very aware of her needs, and teaches accordingly. Really your class teacher/s should have planned all their lessons from the beginning of term, accounting for every individual...there are bound to be others with varying needs. I agree with umi, you can mention all this at parents evening if you have one this half term.
But please find someone in school to speak to, before you are driven demented and your DD switches off completely!

[nell12]

How frustrating for you

But TBH in certain cases, what is wrong with being a pushy mother?? All you are doing is trying to ensure that a plan put in place by the school is carried out by the school

There is no reason why your dd could feel singled out; most of the numeracy textbooks and workbooks (Abacus Evolve for example) have extension activities on every page. The text books also run in tandem ie if the Yr1 text book is doing number bonds to 10 as its first activity, the Year2 text book will be doing number bonds to 20/50/100 etc so theoretically your dd could be working alongside her peers doing a similar activity, but from a different text book (that looks very similar on the outside) that gives her more of a challenge.

[virgo]

parents evening isn't until november - do you think I should have a meeting with the head about it - never done that before (have older ds in year 4)...I'm glad you mentioned that they should have had these in place already (teaching plans that is) -

its not hard to keep her happy - she's lovely and very happy - not at all disruptive - but just the right personality to be left to one side...

[nell12]

Write to the head and cc dds teachers (so that they dont feel left out!) ask to have an appointment to speak to the G&T Co-ordinator to discuss dds educational development now that she is in Year 1.

Finish it by saying "I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest opportunity" to guarantee a speedy response

[virgo]

..do parents really write letters to the head..

[nell12]

Yes, of course they do, dont panic

[umi]

I'd be tempted to go for a quiet chat one day after school - asking her first if she has 5 mins to spare one day in the week, and ask a freind to look after your dd so you can talk in peace. Maybe in that chat you can ask whether you should be talking to the head about it - at least give her a chance first, mind you sounds like part of the problem with the target setting is roles and responsibilities between the 2 job share teachers?
I totally agree your dd should be getting what she needs, but it's a fine line between pushing and upsetting the teacher, who after all you have to rely on for the rest of year. I'm saying this as my husband's a teacher and I know what pushes his buttons and sets him on the defensive!