DS7 and school

[howlongtilsummer]

DS7 has been coming home stressed this term. He's come out with some worrying things, such as he's felt like he wasn't
himself the other day at school, is worried he's going to start failing at everything, has mentioned he's getting blamed for stuff.

Today he said his teacher told him that he started Y3 exceeding expectations and has gone backwards and is now not meeting expectations in handwriting - he was so ashamed telling me and was in tears. He said he can't write fast enough to complete the work set if it's in his neatest handwriting and gets into trouble if it's not his neatest handwriting - either way he loses his break or is threatened with losing his break.

Obviously I need to speak to the teacher, but wtf? and how do I handle this?

Wtf! How ridiculous. Personally I’d explain to the teacher the effects of her comments on your son. Ask her not to relay results to him, he’s only 7 and should find learning fun.

Also ask how she can resolve the writing issue, your son is doing his best and becoming disheartened

Thanks. It just seems so inappropriate. He apologised - almost on autopilot the other day - at home for a couple of minor things he hadn't done - like he assumed it was automatically him that was wrong. Think lego left on the stairs type thing.

Anyone else before I draft email?

Today he said his teacher told him that he started Y3 exceeding expectations and has gone backwards and is now not meeting expectations in handwriting

Surely this should have been said to you rather than to him? That's shocking.

All you need to ask for in the email is for a meeting. I think you need to discuss this face to face and follow up with an email.

As a handwriting tutor I have come across children that were also told off at school for writing too slowly, this can really affect their confidence. He certainly shouldn’t lose his break because he hasn’t managed to finish his work. Fast + legible handwriting is not easy to achieve and some children of not fault of their own will struggle to write fast. There are many factors that can influence a child’s speed when writing.