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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To feel sad that none of ds's stuff gets displayed in class?

126 replies

emkana · 20/05/2011 23:04

He's nearly five and in reception. Not one of his things has been displayed in class so far. He has special needs and can't draw or write anything recognisable, but he enjoys the scribbling/Mark-making that he does and I just think they could just once put one of his pieces up?

OP posts:
lljkk · 21/05/2011 16:40

Just say something. Doesn't have to sound pushy. Just factual.

Original poster
emkana · 21/05/2011 16:43

Re does it matter to ds or only to me - no I don't think ds notices as such, even though at the end of every term parents are invited to come into the classroom to look at work and it would be nice if I could show ds how proud I am to see something by him displayed. But on a different note, I just wonder if it's an indication of the teachers' general attitude towards him, especially in conjunction with the other things I mentioned.

OP posts:
moondog · 21/05/2011 16:45

I would be very worried about a school that can find a part for every kid in the class (apart from him? Yes?) for assembly bar him.

Where was he when it happened?
How do youuknow this>

hocuspontas · 21/05/2011 16:49

I think op said the majority. If it's like our ones, children are asked if they want to take part.

Original poster
emkana · 21/05/2011 16:50

He was there, just sat on the bench. Two or three other children didn't get to do anything either, the more immature ones. Feels like they didn't bother with those who are more work to involve.

OP posts:
emptyshell · 21/05/2011 16:51

No, displays were one of the list of tasks teachers were no longer meant to be responsible for. If it's not happening in your school - you're breaking the guidelines and the teachers would be well in their rights to refuse to do it. Many still choose to do them - but that's up to them. And the TEACHERS are paid to TEACH... not to stick and mount work... TAs/LSAs are paid to ASSIST... therein lies the fundamental flaw in the grand masterplan - we used to have a TA with a slot of time allocated to do display work across the whole year group, but as is normal with everything - schools take the piss and just dump it all on teachers as usual. Don't quite like the wording that TAs/LSAs are above such mundane tasks but the teachers aren't though.

And yes, it DOES come across that you're abusing the fact you're on the PTA to go around counting who has work up on a topic by topic basis to be honest. It sounds like you've been going in week after week keeping some kind of mental list and that part does come across as somewhat petty.

But feel free to carry on just drawing assumptions instead of actually asking and solving it once and for all. 90% of school stuff is usually crossed wires, kids not having names on stuff, kids not wanting to DO stuff or a stick with two ends and someone's got the wrong one and jumped in and ran with it... you know, the easily resolved stuff that gets stirred up out of all proportion when mulled over for day after day on the internet and would have taken a 10 minute chat to get straight

moondog · 21/05/2011 16:51

Ah, vast majority.
Hmmmm.
Be careful not to jump to conclusions eh Emkana?
I have issues with the opposite scenario where often a child with SN treated like the class pet and paraded and shown off and exempted from rules which apply to everyone else.

That's arguably even worse.

Original poster
emkana · 21/05/2011 16:52

Ds wouldn't understand what he was being asked, but I know that he would be pleased as punch to actually be allowed to hold something up or similar.

OP posts:
Original poster
emkana · 21/05/2011 16:56

I am not counting anything, I just pop in to see what they are doing especially as ds can't tell me much, and now as the year is drawing to a close I realise that not once has there been stuff up by him. Don't you think that if I was the mother you make me out to be I would have been in there by Christmas??

OP posts:
pigletmania · 21/05/2011 16:58

JGOWI that is awful, did you not mention it? I could not have let that go sorry I just could not. Every child's work should go up on display at some point in time, my dd aged 4 cannot write or draw properly compared to her peers, and what she does is what she is able to do (dd does have SN), she cannot do what she is not able to do, so if only the best goes up then it will never be hers then, but only certain children's work which is not on. I would have a word with the teacher, if its important to you. Just because your ds mabey not aware does not mean that his achievments should not be celebrated.

nannyl · 21/05/2011 16:58

YANBU

i worked in a school... it was all a bit contradictory because when there were displays EVERY child had to have their work on that display...

BUT.... they also had free choice so couldnt be made to take part in any activity if they really didnt want to!

All from OFSTEAD. Of course his things should be displayed like everyone elses Sad

worraliberty · 21/05/2011 17:08

So as a parent you need a chat with the Teacher and the SENCO.

As a Governor you need a chat with the Head and the SENCO or at the very least, the Governor assigned to SEN.

lljkk · 21/05/2011 17:08

"I feel like DS isn't participating in the class as much as he could. I think he would have enjoyed a bit more active part in the class assembly, it seemed like all the other children did something specific. I haven't seen any of his work on display. I am afraid that he might end up feeling a bit left out if his work isn't ever displayed."

Does that sound ridiculous? I think you must and can be direct but very polite. From what you're saying now Emkana, I'm afraid you might be a bit too circumspect and come away feeling even more dissatisfied in the long run unless you are very specific about what you'd like to be different.

pigletmania · 21/05/2011 17:12

Ikoto The school is seeking to reward the best efforts by displaying them and only them, this seems perfectly fair to me so I think YABU

No they are not, because the ops ds best efforts were not displayed, they were put in his book, I presume as it sounds in this case ,because its not as good as the others, but it is for him and his ability though Sad

SpringHeeledJack · 21/05/2011 17:16

it's not unknown for a school to have a policy that children's work has to be of a certain standard to be put on display, irrespective of the effort involved

dreadful

that was the policy at my dcs' (ex) school, anyway

pigletmania · 21/05/2011 17:28

that is awful springheeled means that some children are more valued than others, and probably those with SN won't be displayed, how inclusive is that!

wikolite · 21/05/2011 17:48

YABU At my ds's school only the best work produced in the class goes on the wall. A lot of the parents whinge and moan about it but I can't say I have a problem with it tbh.

Original poster
emkana · 21/05/2011 18:10

But surely that's really really demotivating?

OP posts:
pigletmania · 21/05/2011 18:15

I was lucky, at school I had SN (dyslexia, dyspraxia, developmental delay) but my work was displayed as I was very good at art Smile, and was even used in the schools sports day programme cover, and my artwork won a competition at school to Wembley, to see England Vs Barcelona, was well chuffed.

MintyMoo · 21/05/2011 18:27

I only had my work displayed once I got to secondary school because everything was done on computers by then. At primary school it was all hand written and as I have dyspraxia my hand writing's pretty dodgy.

My parents were actually told in year 6 that I was top of my class in Literacy Hour but that I had to be placed in the bottom set for it as my writing was poor... my year 6 teacher HATED me, she had previously told me (in front of the entire class) that I didn't have a snowballs chance in hell of passing my 11+, she was then extremely annoyed when I did pass and put me in the lowest ability sets for everything, all the other kids who passed the 11+ were in the top sets... as soon as the head found out the teacher was keeping me in a lower set than my ability I was quickly placed in the top set. Unfortunately some children do suffer at their teachers hands so if you suspect their efforts aren't being recognised it's always best to speak to the teacher.

Children with SN should be allowed to have their work displayed the same as NT children. I used to hate it at school when teachers automatically assumed I hadn't made any effort, even when I was the only person to get 100% in the class because the writing was untidy. I remember one lad in my class who had SN mastered the 2x table aged 11 and was allowed to recite it in assembly - he was chuffed to bits and he got a massive cheer from about 250 kids because everyone knew how hard he had worked and that, for him, it was a big achievement.

Original poster
emkana · 21/05/2011 18:39

Oh minty moo stories like that bring tears to my eyes

OP posts:
ll31 · 21/05/2011 18:43

would have expected that particularly at that age all childrens work would be displayed - seems like u should talk to teacher.. but would ask if his work is being put up rather than jumping to conclusions that it isn't.. I wouldn't expect primary school to only put up work reaching a specific standard and specifically not at that age

Original poster
emkana · 21/05/2011 19:03

Don't worry I really am not one to seek confrontation

OP posts:
worraliberty · 21/05/2011 19:09

No but you do need to be assertive here, surely you can see that?

pigletmania · 21/05/2011 19:15

No you don't confront, but as worrability has said you have to be assertive and ask for a meeting as you are unhappy about other things in your ds education that are more important than work not being displayed.