If you are a primary school teacher can you please tell me what you taught your child before they started school?

[ferriswheel]

Just that really.

DM taught me to read at 2 - but that was only because I kept asking what words said and amazed her by remembering them. I've always been an avid and speedy reader! She then tried to teach my younger DB - no chance . So I'd say only if your child seems interested in something. Otherwise hometime is for fun and life skills like playing nicely, IMO.

Going to the loo, washing hands, getting dressed and getting coat and shoes on with minimal help where possible.

Having a conversation where all the participants have a turn at speaking and being listened to.

Eating with a knife and fork without getting the food all over.

How to ask for what they want and the concept of not always getting everything they want.

That sharing and taking turns with things is good but that they can also say no if another person wants what they're using.

How to handle a book and turn the pages carefully without tearing them.

I haven't done much in the way of teaching them reading, writing or maths because that's for school. I do of course support their learning and do homework, reading and handwriting with them but I do feel it's really important for them to be children and that not everything revolves around academia.

Not a teacher myself but I did ask her teacher-to-be what I should teach her before she started school. She said the most important things were

Dressing/undressing herself, buttons, zips, Velcro etc.

Knife and fork for eating.

Wipe her own bum and wash hands after toilet.

I was advised against teaching lots of phonics and numbers as it was likely to lead to boredom in reception if she was far ahead of the other children, so I didn't.

TBH I think the most useful thing I taught DD before school was how to hold a pen/pencil properly. I helped her learn that when she was first scribbling with crayons aged about 2. It has made it much easier for her to learn to write, and she is way ahead of some of her classmates who are still struggling with a fist grip.

We were given a big list of skills by the school.

Sionella

DM taught me to read at 2

Haha, and uni at 8. PhD by 10 ...

Volunteer

It's entirely possible.

I've known a few two and three year olds perfectly able to read and understand what they are reading.

I've known one nearly three year old who was beginning to blend CVC words in my decades of experience. I wouldn't for a second call that "taught to read" though.

Respect is earned. I think adults expecting respect just because they're adults isn't reasonable, so I sure as hell am not gonna encourage a child to comply with it!

I feel so so sorry for the teachers who have to put with little shits who have been encouraged to have an attitude.

It's bizarre to expect her to be "respectful" (obedient?) to others just because she's a child and they're an adult

And this is why there is so much shit going on in our schools

My second child could read at 3. Children differ. It tends to even out in the end. She just happened to sit down a lot and concentrate whilst her oler sister never sat still for a minute. Both of them got almost identical exam grades and are both London lawyers now.

My mother was a teacher, in primary schools. She taught us things like writing some letters and i had a bit of reading just before I started school. I was reading my mother's "baby" diary which I had typed up after she died and it does say that. "XXX for the first time expressed a desire to read. “So I can read library books when I come home instead of when you read them”. She did well with four sentences. I went for a walk in the park. I saw a dog. It was Rover."

(I was about to start school then - in the September. I turned 5 by the end of that year).

The comments above about being respectful are spot on. I think we all were as are our children and it's one reason they have probably all done pretty well at school - respectful to teachers. Who would not want their children to be do?

I'm a teacher. I taught my oldest to read before he started reception. He was interested and picked it up very quickly.

Toileting including washing hands
Getting dress and undressed
Using a knife and fork
Saying please and thank you
Nursery rhymes and songs
A love of stories by reading to them a lot

If your child does not respect others they make life difficult for the teacher, other children and ultimately themselves. Of course in school it's different to when they are looking for a job or working. Your child will grow up and expect others to "earn" their respect. A manager will of course put up with that type of behaviour so please continue to preach that selfish attitude to your children. You're raising a fine generation....

Good idea for a thread. Thanks for starting it, op.

titty

Your comment proves what is wrong with many children (and in turn adults) these days. They don't respect adults and they turn into arsehole adults who think the world revolves around them. I'm so glad you're not teaching my children.

I'm not a teacher. I'm the daughter of one though.

And DD's teachers have nothing but praise for her. She's not going to be an arsehole.

I don't recall commenting that I didn't encourage respect, or that I actively encourage disrespect.

Are you all on glue or do you need to learn to read and understand words?

My first born was 12 weeks early and ended up with an August birthday instead of October . Being a reception teacher at the time I did do quite a lot with him as he was at a double disadvantage of being prem and a summer birthday. As well as all the social stuff I taught him all the letter sounds and the first few sight words so he started reception being able to read simple books. The school just assessed him and he skipped the first few levels of reading books, he was always given appropriate activities to do so I don't feel he got bored, there were about three other children at a similar level so they worked together. I should add I didn't force this and he picked up reading very quickly. If you have the expertise and your child is developmentally ready I see no reason not to start to teach them. For my son it definitely gave him an advantage.

TwattyGoLightly

Are you all on glue or do you need to learn to read and understand words?

As well as your obvious disdain fro others, it was you talking about people needing to earn you offspring's respect. A teacher doesn;t go to school thinking about how to impress a 4 year old enough to be able to teach them.

You're rightly being given a hard time, because your attitude stinks.

As a teacher, the children "whose teachers have nothing but praise" usually think your child is a pain in the arse. Not enough to call you in for meetings, but when you go looking for compliments, they provide them, rather than give a more detailed appraisal which would take up more of their time.

I'm a mum to two under six and have just retrained as an early years teacher. The main thing for me is to instill in children that THEY CAN TRY. There's nothing worse than a 3 or 4 year old who already feels defeated by the world and is convinced they can't do this or that, often aided by a sense of learned helplessness instilled by over cautious parents. Just have a go! Have the confidence to have a go and you never know, you might just enjoy it! No one is expecting perfection, just a positive attitude to experiencing new things. I really want all children in my care to believe they can be anything they put their minds to.

As a teacher, the children "whose teachers have nothing but praise" usually think your child is a pain in the arse. Not enough to call you in for meetings, but when you go looking for compliments, they provide them, rather than give a more detailed appraisal which would take up more of their time

Shit. So those unprompted emails they send me are to save them spending time giving compliments I don't prompt are to save them time? Guessing your degree isn't in logic.

Titty,

I teach a boy whose mother has the same attitude. He believes he's right, constantly questions my decisions, shouts out, walks out when he wants to go to the toilet, answers for other children, snatches snd occasionally has been violent. All I want to do is teach him and his classmates but the constant undermining from him is draining. I fear it will follow him through life and stop him fulfilling his potential. I'm glad your daughter is polite and well mannered despite, it seems, your attitude.

I'm surprised you receive unsolicited emails about your DD behaviour. I know no teacher who has the time to send random emails about the normal, expected behavIour in class. I think there's more to that then meets the eye...

volunteer my oldest taught herself to read at 3 and was on short chapter books by school (Roald Dahl level) by school. I read a lot to her because I like to read but didn't teach her. She wasn't bored at school because she read at home and because there was other academic work to do and friends to make. She's still very good at literacy based work - the only issue is that she's run out of the junior school library books and isn't allowed access to the senior school one (she's 10). She and I choose books for her from the young adult section of the public library but she can get through book a night.

Her sister could read by 4 and did get bored but only because she's mathy. My 3rd, who I had probably more time at home with and also read to etc has just started school and couldn't read a word before school and seems to be learning at a normal sort of rate. It's more effort for me because I'm conscious that I actually need to support her learning more.

I taught mine that they had to sit quietly on the carpet, raise their hands to speak and to have some manners. I really wish more parents bothered with the basics now. They also knew all their letters by grapheme and phoneme. This was 19 years ago though.

Dd was reading about halfway through nursery.

Feebeela

I think there's more to that then meets the eye...

I couldn't agree more.

Perhaps titty is one of those parents it's better to send a quick email to rather than have to see her face to face. A pre-emptive strike.