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Original poster

Two classes in the same year group - very different experiences

140 replies

Balletdancemum · 14/10/2023 21:02

If you had twins in two different classes, would this bother you?

Class A:
teacher is like Miss Honey. The classroom is very pretty, the children have the most wonderful experiences, which the teacher documents via photos and sometimes videos and shares with parents regularly. (3-4 times a week).You feel like you know what is going on and it’s lovely to be able to use the pics as a talking point with dc.

Class B:
Classroom is very garish colours and doesn’t look anywhere near as lovely as class A. The class do the same topics as class A but we get to see very little. The teacher barely updates with pics and the teacher just seems far more negative in general.

There’s a noticeable difference between the two. Would this bother you?

OP posts:
PeggyPiglet · 14/10/2023 21:05

No it wouldn't.

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 14/10/2023 21:07

The only thing I'd wonder is how the hell Miss Honey has the time to be constantly updating parents with pictures - this seems OTT to me and I had no idea it was a thing. Not everybody likes 'pretty'. One person's 'garish' is another person's 'exciting, bold and colourful'.

Teachers are individual human beings with different personalities and teaching styles. You and your children will need to get used to that.

Hercisback · 14/10/2023 21:07

No

I'd be more worried teacher A has no work life balance and will be off long term sick because that is unsustainable.

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ErcolSofa · 14/10/2023 21:09

I would know that Class A teacher is doing this completely in her own time and possibly at the expense of her own children and family. Been there- got the badge- probably my biggest regret in life.

The DfR official figures are that teacher work about 20 hours of unpaid overtime a week and that is without sending videos and sharing photos. They don't add anything the education of the child.

Bessica1970 · 14/10/2023 21:09

Wouldn’t bother me at all. The quality of teaching is important, but teacher B might be the better teacher despite not being fluffy and warm.

TheLongGloriesOfTheWinterMoon · 14/10/2023 21:09

All classes in the same are group are different. Teachers and kids. Obviously.
I'd wait to see the end of year outcomes and results before singing Miss Honey's praises quite so much.

StarlightLime · 14/10/2023 21:09

Photos and videos shared with parents 3 to 4 times per week? 😵‍💫
Is that a thing now?!

Original poster
Balletdancemum · 14/10/2023 21:10

To clarify, pictures are not sent to us as individuals, but to the class as a whole e.g. “today the class made fruit faces” with some pics of the class or “we learnt about doubling in Maths.”

OP posts:
StarlightLime · 14/10/2023 21:11

Balletdancemum · 14/10/2023 21:10

To clarify, pictures are not sent to us as individuals, but to the class as a whole e.g. “today the class made fruit faces” with some pics of the class or “we learnt about doubling in Maths.”

How is that shared with parents?

blackbirdsinginginthenight · 14/10/2023 21:11

@StarlightLime I have a son in year one, we get 3-4 pics/videos a week put onto an app- it's lovely to see!

ErcolSofa · 14/10/2023 21:11

Balletdancemum · 14/10/2023 21:10

To clarify, pictures are not sent to us as individuals, but to the class as a whole e.g. “today the class made fruit faces” with some pics of the class or “we learnt about doubling in Maths.”

She is still doing it in her own time

Hercisback · 14/10/2023 21:11

Doesn't matter whether individual or whole class, it's still extra work.

See the end of year outcomes first.

StarlightLime · 14/10/2023 21:11

blackbirdsinginginthenight · 14/10/2023 21:11

@StarlightLime I have a son in year one, we get 3-4 pics/videos a week put onto an app- it's lovely to see!

God, times have changed!

Original poster
Balletdancemum · 14/10/2023 21:13

StarlightLime · 14/10/2023 21:11

How is that shared with parents?

Show quote history

It’s an app called Class dojo and the teacher adds them to the class story!

OP posts:
AutumnComfort · 14/10/2023 21:13

Are your children happy? Are they learning? That’s what matters.

Coolbeans2 · 14/10/2023 21:15

Yes, it would bother me!
I'm a supply teacher and have had extreme different experiences in different schools, year groups and classes within a year group, depending on the different teachers and the children!
One or two difficult children in a class can really change how much can be taught / learnt and if must affect the other children.
I would want my children to have an equally lovely experience at school, so it would bother me if it didn't feel like that.

Faydi · 14/10/2023 21:16

Interesting. Is twin B progressing as well as twin A? I’d have loved the miss honey class as a kid, and the videos sound nice. But if class B’s teacher is teaching well, then that’s the main thing. I actually think the school should step in and stop miss honey from doing so much overtime: it can’t be good for her work life balance as a pp said. Unless, maybe, she’s single, without a family, and not much social life, and actively wants to do this…

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 14/10/2023 21:16

To clarify, pictures are not sent to us as individuals, but to the class as a whole e.g. “today the class made fruit faces” with some pics of the class or “we learnt about doubling in Maths.”

Yes, that's what I assumed you meant. It's still a ridiculous indulgence of the parents imo. I'm a secondary teacher, I'm in school from 8 to 5:30 and bring work home too. It's often a bit of an effort to find time to eat lunch and go to the loo during the school day. I'm pretty sure primary teachers would say the same. The idea of being expected to find time to send pictures several times a week would provoke some extremely un-child-friendly language from me. As for prettifying my classroom- let's say it's not at the top of my priority list.

YesThatsATurdOnTheRug · 14/10/2023 21:17

It would bother me if child in class B wasn't enjoying school as much as a result, I guess that's the main thing?

Coolbeans2 · 14/10/2023 21:17

Is this Reception? Could one of the teachers be fairly new to the role?

blanketsmell · 14/10/2023 21:18

How are both kids doing academically? Have you had a parents evening? Are they both meeting where they should be based on their personal strength and weaknesses?

mirabella84 · 14/10/2023 21:19

Shame on the first teacher for setting such ridiculous expectations for the other teachers in the school. Pure parent pleasing.

I would be concerned that she's cutting corners in the areas that actual matter to m the classroom.

carddino · 14/10/2023 21:19

It is entirely child led for me.

So if both needed class a, I would be fighting for that.

How is progress and learning? What are overall milestones like?

stripeymonster · 14/10/2023 21:19

No - as long as both teachers are friendly and your children are happy, then it doesn't matter. I'd rather the teacher focused on helping the children rather than taking time to take /stage photos. Colourful classrooms are fine - I'm sure the children don't mind what style the classroom is.

LuluBlakey1 · 14/10/2023 21:20

I wouldn't care. I'm not interested in the teacher sending stuff particularly, I'd rather talk to our DC about what they do and look at their books.