to ask why some parents have to speak to the class teacher every morning?

[MarysBeard]

Especially when the general rule is to communicate via the reading book, the office if a routine matter, or if you must, to speak to the teacher at the end of the school day, and if it's something that takes more than five minutes, make an appointment.

I would expect it in reception, but by Year 3 surely parents should know not to be standing around monopolising the teachers' attention in the morning, delaying the children getting into school. Also (apart from in reception) the kids are meant to line up and the parents stand behind some cones after the bell has gone. Yet some parents still hang around the lines of kids after the bell has gone, sometimes getting in the way of the lines of kids getting into school. It's always the same people you see doing both, in spite of repeated reminders in the newsletters. I often feel sorry for the teaching staff in the mornings & wish that some parents would just let them get on with it (as most do!)

Oh yes - mainly its 'he has only had 5 hours sleep'

Dd has a physical disability and some SEN but is in mainstream. I often give the TA a quick update on the 'state of plsy', ESP on a Monday morning, if she is very tired, has injured herself or something is going on.

How are these parents going to cope when their child gets to secondary school? Go on the bus with them?

Nope. Email. Sighhhh.

DS2 started Middle School in Year 5. He bikes to school. I have no idea whether parents still do this there.

Could some of these messages not be passed on via a short note to the teacher to be given in first thing?

Be very, very grateful that your child doesn't have problems which mean you need to communicate with the teacher most mornings.

I've had two days in the past week in which I was able to pack my DDs off without needing to send a email or talk to the teacher. It is very unusual and it felt wonderful. I'd love to be able to do it every day

Short note no good really - once in th classroom the teacher has 30 kids to care for and teach. In the lineup outside just before bell rings is IMO less disruptive tan 30 seconds to say ds needs inhaler/has been very anxious/sobbing/angry or whatever else goes with the territory of his particular needs.

because I am trying to get them to use her sodding special needs equipment that has gone missing over the holidays... she can't write properly or much without her pencil grip, without her cushion she falls off her chair (sort of flows like liquid to the floor ) and it is driving me more demented.

I am one of these parents at times.

There was a term last year where I was probably speaking to the teachers/TA most mornings.

The dc in question has a health problem that requires monitoring by school, and for which they may (and usually did during this particular term) need to administer medication for.

I cannot take the chance that they are unaware that dc will need medicating that day because they don't get around to reading the messages book.

Once dc gets to secondary school age I expect that they will be capable of managing their own health to a greater extent, and will be able to administer their own medication.

Not quite the same for a five-year-old.

Yes some parents may be chatting to the teachers about things that could wait until after school, but as you do not know whether this is the case perhaps you shouldn't be so judgemental?

Haha, I have a friend/neighbour like this, she'll say I just need to have a word with Mrs Teacher about

whats in his packed lunch
he forgot his jumper yesterday
what he has for snack
that he read his book
that he lost his water bottle
that he forgot his homework packet
etc
etc

The wee boy is 6 and in p2 and totally mortified I really feel for him.

Everyday she seems to have to speak to the teacher and on the days that the cover teacher is in she writes something in his diary but tells the cover teacher to tell the teacher.

becasue they're self-important

Yy. As I said before - there are parents who have good cause to peak with the teacher.

But there are also parents who really do just feel they should. And it is 'could she have a more challenging reading book' 'can she start doing another instrument soon. I have emailed the music teacher and she hasn't it back to me' 'could you remind him to put his tracksuit bottoms on during PE and not just his shorts'

I have needed to speak to the class teacher a dozen times ever and I have nearly always been behind someone with a non issue.

How are these parents going to cope when their child gets to secondary school? Go on the bus with them?

Well mine probably wont be able to go to mainstream secondary, but thanks for that.

But some of the parents used to speak to the teacher at First School for so long in the morning nobody else would get a chance.

I am sure that's why the parents weren't allowed in in the end and just the HT came out. If you had a problem you could speak to the HT after the whole school had gone in.

Unless you are a teacher, I really can't see why you are bothered? As Pickety says there are valid reasons why some parents may need a word each day. Do you just like sneering at people because they are anxious about schooling and their kids? I am delighted you find it all such a breeze

It's great to take an interest as a parent, but unless there is an ongoing issue or SEN I don't see why there always has to be those who must talk to DC's teacher every single day.

FFS, I live next to DS's old primary school and some mums seem to bloody live there!

Yes, Claimedbyme that's the sort of thing I was thinking about. Because then those who have a good reason to speak to the teacher in the morning, as outlined by many on this thread, can't get a word in edgeways.

God yes.
I am well known for sneering. And it must be anxiety.it couldn't possibly just be because they think their issue can't wait

Actually ds2 has a fantastic communication system and all of our dc have phenomenally difficult school lives and anxieties and food intolerances. And ds2 can barely speak.
There are still always one or two parents that always monopolise the teacher.

It means the rest of us can drop and make a quick get away before Miss starts asking about lost shoes or lunchboxes and making me late. Long may they fuss!

As a teacher, I can tell you that those parents who really DO need to speak to the class teacher because their child is ill or there is another genuine problem, are usually quick about it, respectful of the teacher's need to get the class inside, and no problem at all. Anyone with a child who has special needs (emotional or otherwise) and needs regular communication, usually gets a communication book that is read and signed by both parties daily.

The others are those who take up all the time.

Not quite the same, but I am frequently to be seen hanging around the school kitchen 'bothering' the catering staff, and I expect some other parents see this and think I am bonkers.

But - DS is coeliac, the school are (wonderfully) providing gluten-free school dinners. I have to talk to the cook about the menu for the week, which ingredients need replacing or checking. Then I have to bring in the substitute ingredients / report back on okay ones. Sometimes they want to ask me about preparation methods etc. If DS is ill and not at school but his sibling is, then I pop in to tell them they don't need to make a gluten-free version today. If he's back at school after illness, then I pop in to tell them.

I would love to not need to do this. The dinner ladies are fab though, and really helpful. I've talked to them about the best way to manage these communications and they prefer the direct method of me talking to them directly rather than Chinese whispers via the office or similar.

I suppose if your child has a serious health requirement you would have to speak to them everyday. My daughter has epilepsy and I used to have to send in emergency medication every single day and then school send it home because the GP was difficult about prescribing a spare bottle (ie one for school, one for home) as it is so expensive

I do try to always consider that I don't know what is going on in other people's lives. Being anxious or neurotic or having any other issues, even if it was just a shitty morning where nobody would put their sodding bastard shoes on in time, we all have those days. I try not to judge them, we are just different in what we worry about I guess. I wouldn't write someone off as annoying just for seeming like a fusspot.

GP did prescribe me a bottle in the end btw as school kept forgetting to send it home and it's a life or death situation and it just wasn't feasible to do it everyday

I realise that some parents really do have to talk to DC's teachers most days, but then there are just he busy bodies.

These are obvious at a small village school!

I agree re. village schools. I have always lived in towns and when we moved here and my son enrolled at the village school I had a queue of mothers inviting him round the house and not all of them were well meaning