How much info do you get from your child's school? Do teachers give suggestions on how to help at home?

[jaded]

Just wondering if I am expecting too much here. We received a curriculum letter at the beginning of term outlining the topics covered but not very specific. We get a yellow book home with a new book once a week and we write comments about reading. The teacher has written two comments so far. No other homework yet. We had a ten mins parents' evening and I was told DD was doing very well. When I asked how I could help at home, the teacher's response was "Don't worry, we teach them to read". It's a shame that the school have this attitude as I'd like to be more involved and part of my daughter's education. We also have no idea which sounds are being taught, how addition is taught (although I don't feel very comfortable teaching any level of Maths!)and there was no mention of the other subjects on the curriculum. It would have been nice to see some of my DD's work at the parents' evening too.
What are your experiences? Do you feel you are well informed?

[thisisyesterday]

god i would love a school with an attitude like that!

that's why she is there surely... so they can teach her? if you wanna teach her then homeschool her

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

no snd with varous other reasons we are moving schools.

[jaded]

thisisyesterday - how rude!

[KnittingisbetterthanTherapy]

thisisyesterday, surely it should be a partnership? We hold maths evenings to help parents understand the new methods of teaching maths so they can help. As for reading, lots and lots of exposure to books and reading with her . Don't worry too much about the mechanics of it at this stage. I think it's a shame they are not sharing with you .

[thisisyesterday]

ok. but really... why do you need to be teaching her at home too?

is she in reception?

[thisisyesterday]

i'm all for helping if it's necessary, and once they start having homework... but in reception? no

they spend 6 hours a day at school, home should be for playing and spending time together relaxing IMO

[jaded]

I agree, knitingisbetterthantherapy - she is still little and at school more than she is at home. I just want to know what she's doing and then I can chat to her about it. The school like to distance themselves from the parents.

[KnittingisbetterthanTherapy]

It's not about 'teaching' her, it's about being aware of what she's doing and feeling involved. So, for example, if you're doing Owl Babies as a set text and something comes on the telly about owls, you can say "oh look DD, there's something about owls" etc.

I really don't understand parents with the attitude that teaching should be from 9 til 3 and not a moment longer.

[KnittingisbetterthanTherapy]

x-posted with jaded, we're obviously thinking on the same lines!

[KnittingisbetterthanTherapy]

The maths one is interesting though Pixie and one that comes up a lot. Teaching maths has changed completely since we were at school (well, I'm 38 and it's certainly changed since I was at school) and we have real problems when parents start teaching the 'old' method while we're teaching the 'new' method - kids get very confused.

So it does matter . . .

[thisisyesterday]

but knitting... she does know what they're covering, they've had a letter outlining all the topics

it obviously works for the school anyway?

[thisisyesterday]

which is surely why the parents shouldn't be teach9ing it, but leaving it to the school?

[Itsjustafleshwound]

I found the lack of info from our school quite astonishing! I know they are starting to stand on their own feet, but we didn't get much info from the reception teachers about what we should be doing with our children or what was expected of us. (There was a lot of discussion amongst the parents as to what they were doing with their child). We kind of got a lesson plan, but I personally think it was all just a lot of thumb suck and broad outlines of what was covered in the classroom. Her schoolbooks were out for our inspection in the last term, but there was generally a hands-off, don't ask don't tell policy which I really struggled with!!

Now that she is in Yr1, she has more homework and a better idea of what we are required to do ... I think it all boils down to the teachers ...

I could send her to the local private school where there is a lot more input and homework, but I just can't justify the fees ...

[KnittingisbetterthanTherapy]

This is for when parents are helping kids with their homework thisisyesterday, which I'm sure most parents do?

[thisisyesterday]

i think reception is very play-based though isn't it? or ours seems to be, not that structured, so maybe that is why not much info comes home until they are in year 1?

[thisisyesterday]

yes knitting, i am sure they do.

but the OP's child doesn't have homework yet...

[forehead]

The teachers at my dc's school writa a weekly newsletter for each year. The newsletter tells us what was covered that week and also informs us as to what they intend to cover the following week.
Many parents have found this extremely helpful.

[KnittingisbetterthanTherapy]

That point was for a different poster!

[piprabbit]

It's not really down to the parents to be teaching their children exactly - but there are all sorts of ways they can reinforce and support the lessons being given in school.

When DD was in reception we knew what the sound of the week was and children were asked to bring in an item beginning with the sound. Knowing the sound meant that when we came across words/events/stories/names that used the sound we could maybe practice the wiggly snake gesture for 'S' or the scurrying ants gesture for 'A'.

For maths, parents were encouraged to talk about numbers to their children. Perhaps the number on the bus, the odd and even numbers on houses as we walked down the street. Making maths a part of real life as well as something that happened in the classroom.

I'm surprised that the OP has so little idea about what's happening in class - doesn't sound as though the teachers are keen to make use of parents as an extra resource.

[thisisyesterday]

jaded, i am sorry if you feel i was being rude. i don't mean to be, i just am well... blunt i guess. i say it how it is (to me anyway.. my opinion you see)

i honestly don't think you need to be worried if your daughter is in reception, but if you have concerns then speak to the teacher after school, or ask if you can go in and have a meeting with her?

[KnittingisbetterthanTherapy]

Try telling most parents that pixie! We have said to parents that they don't need to help with homework - but they insist .

[thisisyesterday]

do you not find that the parents help a little too much?

see i always try and make sure ds1 does his homework by himself because I presume (maybe wrongly) that his teachers want to see what he is capable of and see his ideas as he sees them, not with my influence or what i've encouraged him to do?

[thisisyesterday]

obviously if he was struggling with something i would help him