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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that if you are allocated a 30 min slot to see your sons teacher you should get that time

42 replies

cuteboots · 21/03/2013 09:33

Ok so went to see his teacher last night regarding his school report. As I sat down she said sorry Im running bit late and then proceeded to set some sort of timer on her desk? Id been with her for ten mins when this went off. This really really annoyed me as there was lots of stuff I needed to talk to her about and I felt this just really took the piss. What is the point of giving 30 mion slots if they dont happen! Should I complain to the school ? Am I being a bit precious?

OP posts:
Catsdontcare · 21/03/2013 12:14

Ah well at least you checked here first! As for a separate appointment to go over issues you are concerned about

Mrsrobertduvall · 21/03/2013 12:29

Grin thank god you checked with us first!!

MrsKeithRichards · 21/03/2013 12:41

My sons teacher was opening the door calling the next parent in last night when I was still sat in a ridiculously small chair, talking!

Sparklingbrook · 21/03/2013 12:46

Why don't they just say 'we are coming near to the end of the appointment' or something?

LandofTute · 21/03/2013 13:01

I wonder if this will be one of those threads that goes on for pages with people saying "Are you sure it is 30 minutes long?" even though the OP has realised it should only have been 10 mins long on the first page! Grin

NoMoreMarbles · 21/03/2013 13:05

my DD is in Yr2 and we got a 5 min appointment...we needed longer and made prior arrangements for this but still didnt get much longer than the allotted 5 mins... less than 10 minutes actually

The previous parents took up about 15 minutes which made the whole evening late as they hadnt arranged any further time. They basically used our slot and we suffered because of that!

I would maybe find out what the proper timeslot length was as i doubt 30 mins was the correct amount...

RedPencils · 21/03/2013 13:07

Grin I made the same mistake on my first parents evening!

complexnumber · 21/03/2013 13:55

"The previous parents took up about 15 minutes which made the whole evening late as they hadnt arranged any further time. They basically used our slot and we suffered because of that! "

This makes the timer seem so sensible. It might appear rude if a bleep goes off while you are talking, but at least you know you will be getting the same amount of time as any other parent.

It also takes the pressure off a teacher to tell parents to move along if they are over staying.

exoticfruits · 21/03/2013 15:31

I would agree that you can't have been promised a 30 min slot-parent's evenings never give more than 10 in my experience. If you have real problems you need to make an appointment at another time. If they had 30 minute slots it would be 15 hours of work in average class which would be more than 5 hours work! Even a 10 minute slot generally means 2 evenings.

kim147 · 21/03/2013 15:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DonkeysDontRideBicycles · 21/03/2013 15:42

Aww OP that is really good of you to come back and say so. Not to worry.

Passmethecrisps · 21/03/2013 15:47

Sounds an easy one to make actually - never heard of picking your half hour. I can never get the appointments to end - I need a timer!

Midlifecrisisarefun · 21/03/2013 17:17

My DS senior school had a bell that was rung every 10mins, you then had to move round the hall to your appointment. The appointment was therefore whatever was left once you sat down and introductions made. You could see all teachers and any further concerns, meetings were arranged.
A secondary school that DS2 attended for a year had parents evenings where you booked, but the teacher only had a few slots and we found that 2 teachers had already left, 1 said he was running too late to see us and the sports teacher who was supposed to be 'available' to speak to was only interested in talking to parents of boys in the football team. When I asked to speak to him he asked who my son was and said he didn't know him! I replied 'that's why you should be talking to me!'
DS left at the end of the year! other problems that will set me off into a rant even years later

poppypebble · 21/03/2013 17:43

At my school we move around, rather than the parents. We are told that if the parent keeps going beyond the 5 minutes to stand up, offer our hand and say 'nice to have met you' then leg it down the hall!

Sparklingbrook · 21/03/2013 17:45

Secondary School parents' evenings are terrifying. Grin

Owllady · 21/03/2013 17:48

yabu but a teacher with timer at parents evening is a bit of control freak!:o

I imagine my sons middle school evenings are similar to secondary school ones. He makes no appointments, it's like getting blood out of a stone to be told any of is teachers names, I wander around aimlessly, he follows

I developed some kind of nervous cough whilst talking to his science teacher last time. God it was awful. i couldn't stop and I just kept apologising, cough cough sorry, cough cough cough cough sorry

thebody · 21/03/2013 17:50

Lol cuteboots, you might need to tell the teacher about the misunderstanding or she might think you have verbal diarrhoea.

Hilarious.

Just as an add, could you seriously discuss your Dcs for 30 mins with a teacher. I out of ideas at 5 really.

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