And the answer is probably both, but I'd still appreciate your views about where to go from here...
DS1 (8) is in a small class of 18. He was telling me tonight about a 'project' he and 3 friends have been doing in his art class.
It's drawing a comic.
As he explained it, I was thinking "ooh - this sounds modern and forward-thinking, and engaging for the children.." until he told me that this isn't a 'class' project, that their teacher doesn't know they're doing it, and that they've done it INSTEAD of the work they were meant to be doing for the last two lessons.
I have some very mixed feelings about all this:
- I'm pleased that DS has felt able to tell me (i.e. admit this)
- I'm concerned that he doesn't seem to have thought about the fact that this is a naughty thing to do (i.e. not do the work he's been set)
- I'm quite impressed by the teamwork, creativy and iniative of he & his friends
BUT more than anything
- I am very concerned that this could happen in the first place. What has the teacher been doing if he has not noticed that nearly a quarter of his students are not doing the correct work??
DS & I discussed this at length, and he's now realised that this kind of thing could get him into trouble if it continues. We've agreed that he'll tell his friends that he's happy to do it out of classtime, but that they need to get on with their proper work.
I have no idea whether in the next lesson he will be able to catch up and do the work he is meant to have done, although he seems to think he can (which suggests it isn't very challenging )
DH and I have discussed it, and he thinks we should leave it there.
I'm not so sure. I think it suggests that there is a poor level of teaching and supervision e.g. what if they had been working with craft knives or something and had been messing around?
I think I should perhaps have a chat with the Head Teacher, or his class teacher (who is not the same as the Art teacher).
But DH thinks this will just get DS into trouble...
Any thoughts?