Parents evening - what questions to ask

[13lucky]

Hi there,

My ds is in Year 1. He is one of the oldest in the year (birthday October). He also seems to be very bright. A lot of this I am sure is down to being almost the oldest in the year group so I am not suggesting he is 'gifted'. However, I do want to know what they are doing to extend his learning but I'm not sure what I need to ask at Parents' evening next week without sounding overly pushy. I have, in the past, asked for a Mathletics login and exercises for him but have been told that he can't have this until Year 2 as otherwise he will be 'bored' of it by time others start on this. In my opinion as his sister does homework and sees her on this and he has asked us for it, we should oblige. I am quite willing to buy the subscription myself but I'd like the school to be setting some tasks for him. I am going to pursue this again. But what else should I be asking that they are doing (he's also quite advanced in reading and writing). Thank you for your advance.

[Ferguson]

I shouldn't worry about being 'pushy' ; it's not really pushy to want the best for your child.

In my experience, the teacher should outline where a child is in progress, attitude etc, and should invite you to see samples of his work. But also, from what I sometimes see on MN, in some schools this doesn't happen automatically.

So ask to see his written Literacy work, any Numeracy work, and also any Science, Art or ICT work.

Here are a couple of VERY good sites for Lit and Num:

//www.ictgames.com/

//www.resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/index.html

[13lucky]

Thank you Ferguson. I do get to look at his work a couple of days before the parent consultation.. but, to be honest, I'm not sure how that will help or what I should be looking for? I don't have others in the class to compare with (although I know he is hugely advanced as to where my dd was at same stage in year 1 but who achieved average year 1 targets... but then she was one of the youngest). I just need to know what they should be doing to stretch him and checking they are doing this. .. without sounding accusatory. For all I know, they might already be doing everything they need to. Sorry to waffle on and thank you for your help

[Ferguson]

. . . and it is also important that he is happy, confident, and playing an active role in the class.

But, it is only Year 1, and there is probably another FIFTEEN years to go!

I'm sure you would have heard by now had he been lacking in anyway. (And I am pretty confident he isn't.)

Before I was a TA I was a 'parent helper', and one of my first Yr1 'readers' turned up again, seventeen years later, in her final year of Teacher Training; our roles were reversed, and SHE needed to direct ME in the classroom.

So try and relax an enjoy the 'educational journey' with your children.

[Opopanax]

DD had a Mathletics login at the start of Y1. She is also quite bored by it but I don't think the two things are related! She is very able, too.

I wouldn't worry about homework in your shoes - if he wants to do something, why not ask him to think up some homework on whatever topic you choose and supply the answers himself. He may get a lot more out of this than just filling in someone else's worksheet. Or look at sites like nrich, get him to write a chapter book over a few weeks, anything open-ended and particularly things that teach perseverance and self-correction. DD likes this kind of thing loads more than homework and gets an awful lot more out of it.

[13lucky]

Thanks Opoponax for the ideas. ..I think he would enjoy these. I just wonder what happens in the classroom during lessons to differentiate. Thank you for your replies