To want to give ds's PE teacher

[meowli]

a piece of my mind? Ds came home with a lovely report (yr 7), apart from PE, where he got a C - fine, and this comment - not fine imo.

"Ds is a pleasant student." "He is well motivated, keen to learn but lacking in confidence. He is not blessed with a huge amount of physical prowess (my bold), but he always gives his best effort. A productive year in which he has established a good platform. Target: To keep working hard, and with greater belief in your capabilities"

After reading the report, I knew ds would be upset, as he loves sport, and would love to do well, be picked for teams at school, events on sports day etc. but it never happens. He plays for a fairly successful junior football team outside school, and is regularly picked for the team, so is not by any means hopeless, but will realistically never get anywhere near school 'A' teams (or any teams) I don't suppose.

Of course, I didn't voice any of this to ds, just said well done for such a great report, at which point he grimaced and said had I read the PE comment, which said he didn't have any physical prowess.

I feel like emailing the teacher to say that if he wants to encourage ds's confidence and a greater belief in his capabilities, telling him that he is not blessed with a huge amount of physical prowess is not the best way of going about it.

AIBU and WWYD?

Ditsy4 - no offence meant. I was simply pointing out the fact that the teacher may have been restricted in what they could write. Our reports system is VERY restrictive which drives us mad - it is quicker , I had 15 sets to do (average 25 to a class) plus a set of 29 form reports to do in a 3 week window) but does not allow for anything personal or unique. And as I previously stated - any complaints have fell on deaf ears.

My art teacher once said, "Granny couldn't draw a straight line with the aid of a ruler." I thought things had got kinder. Can you get him to look at it as a challenge, you know like "I'll show him." I can't think of any other way it could be a useful thing to say.

Just to add, I think that knocking the self-esteem of a child who is already, by the teacher's own admission, lacking in confidence, is simply crass, and very poor practice.

Gilly, how do you know your dd might not 'get it', or some of it, eventually, with a different teacher/method/approach? People do manage to get to a point where things work for them, when they never have before. How about Adult Literacy Schemes? With your attitude, they might as well not bother to try learning to read. It's determination, encouragement, and confidence-boosting which can enable people to break through deeply ingrained mental and physical barriers. I believe very strongly that no-one should be 'written-off'.

We're supposed to be encouraging young people to get more exercise and take part in sport. I really don't think telling someone they have not been blessed with physical prowess is the way to do that.

Yes, that is a different take on it, SDTG. I will try and convince ds that's what he meant!

Granny , that would be my approach, too, I think. I just don't want him to go the other way and give up trying.

meowli I hope it works. My DD is a teacher and I know she has had to console one or two of her year 7 tutor group about results. It is useful that in year 7 one teacher said she would never get an A in his subject as she wasn't a "natural." She worked harder at this subject than any other and got an A at GCSE and and A at A level, no A in A levels at the time. A few of her "kids" know this story and hopefully they will use it to their advantage.

Maybe tell him the story, there could be a whole loads of kids getting A* in a few years just to annoy pessimistic teachers.

Maybe tell him the story, there could be a whole loads of kids getting A* in a few years just to annoy pessimistic teachers.

I once knew a national champion in his sport who's p.e. teachers consistently said that sports weren't his forte.

Mine always said "boots would do better in P.E. if she only tried"
I had been trying my best, I'm just shite at sports.
The year I gave up and no longer bothered to try at all I was apparently "a lovely girl who always tries her best"

Tbh I'd tell him to utterly ignore the P.E. report, there aren't many jobs I can think of where a bad report in P.E. would matter anyway.