DD2 is in Year 5 at an independent school. She's a young Year 5, her birthday is July. The school is selective at secondary level. She is generally quite bright but she has some minor SEN in that she has some executive functioning difficulties affecting her ability to organise herself and her belongings and she has some sensory sensitivities. These have been documented by an occupational therapist in the past.
Last year (Year 4) was brilliant. The teachers supported her organisation unobtrusively and she did really well. Ended the year on a high, in the top Maths group and top English group, very confident, very happy. I was thrilled.
This year, so far, has been a real struggle. Her teacher expects her to organise herself, as that's the expectation in Year 5. I understand that, even though she finds it difficult, as it is something she has to learn. However, the teacher is really negative about her in the language she uses to describe her to other people and to me. She has dropped her down to the bottom Maths group because she is struggling with long multiplication/division (she cried for hours about this as being good at Maths is part of her self-identity, has been since she was little). She writes negative comments on her work.
Examples:
(said to me in front of another teacher?): 'She needs all the help she can get.'
(said to me when I raised a sensory issue - reluctance to wear a particular coat so 'losing' the coat): 'I've never heard of any child over-reacting like that.'
(written in her book): 'X did not finish this piece of work because she took so long doing her Art project!'
'X, are you in Reception? This is not Year 5 standard!'
The end result is an extremely demoralised child who is now worrying she isn't clever enough to make it to the Senior School. The reality is she is clever enough but she needs to tackle organisation and speed. I can only help her so far with this out of school.
I try to talk to the teacher about her progress but I don't feel I get anywhere. She seems to think it's down to me to sort out her 'attitude' but I don't think it is attitude. She is really trying. It's not ability either, it's the impact of the organisational difficulties.
I feel really angry at this teacher as I think she is making things worse by her negative attitude and surely if she is concerned about progress, she should be putting in some extra support rather than just being negative about it.
Would you say anything to the teacher or higher up about this, or am I being over-protective? I know the jump to Y5 is big as my DD1 found it hard when she made it. She had the same teacher and also found the negativity grating but she is a different personality and reacted to it differently.
The teacher also lost my DD1's project book the year she had her and lost DD2's book last term but found it again. So she's not exactly super organised herself!
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Would you say anything to or about this teacher?
16 replies
bathsh3ba · 08/01/2019 11:22
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