dd is in Y3 and has always been very happy at school. She is doing well, behaviour excellent, loved all her teachers. The only complaint I have ever got is that she is very shy and quiet (which school seem to expect me to be able to do something about )
Anyway, this year they get streamed for certain subjects including maths. dd has always been good at maths, was originally thought to be going into top set, but her teacher told me she lacked confidence and might do better in a set down. Which made sense to me.
It hasn't worked, though: the little confidence she had has been completely eroded by her relationship with the teacher. I'm not in the class and I don't see both sides, and dd is reluctant to tell me much, but I hear from other parents that lots of kids have problems with this teacher. dd has been increasingly distressed, crying before school several days a week, saying the only way to escape the situation is to fail at maths and go down a set. Her performance - and confidence - is spiralling.
I have raised this with her form teacher 3 times, but to no effect. The form teacher basically says, well if you could get your dd to be more confident at maths...
Then, this week, dd actually walked out of school and walked home, without a word to anyone, because she was so distressed at the prospect of a double lesson with this teacher.
I've really had enough of this, and need to hear from the teacher what is going on and how we can help dd to keep engaged with maths. Of course, I'm absolutely furious but I'm working hard at staying calm and constructive. I've arranged a meeting with her now, but I don't want to just hear "I'll talk to dd". Basically I want her to just back off a bit. Failing that, I want them to put dd into another group - I don't care which set, just so long as she can get her confidence back (I'm sure they won't agree to this, though).
Any advice on how to keep this meeting constructive but, most of all, effective?
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Advice on how to tackle teacher (without making it seem like tackling)
8 replies
Devora · 08/03/2014 20:36
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