...to wonder what the fuck primary school teachers do?

[HermioneWeasIey]

Because I reckon it must be some form of magic.

My DD really was not into writing or learning letters etc. before she started school. I would read to her a lot, but she'd get annoyed if I took it further. She absolutely hates getting things wrong or admitting she doesn't know something (must get that from her dad ), so all I could do was try and sneak some stuff in during our normal day and hope it had some effect.

She liked maths and would randomly come out with sums but again, would hate when I'd try doing maths games with blocks or whatever.

I'm a young single mum and her dad is in prison, so it was especially important to me to do what I could to encourage her down a different path than mine or (especially) his.

We're a month in and she's just read her reading book (after a few goes with me) independently, she can write her name and she wrote 'cat' and 'mum' today, she's in her bed next to me now and she can't sleep as she's too excited that she now knows subtraction and wants to tell me every sum in the world

All this in a month! With 29 other kids to teach and her teacher and TA have managed to instil this sudden massive love for learning into her. I've been trying to do it for years, and I never managed it even though it's just me and her! I can't get over it.

I love to learn too; currently doing a full time masters whilst juggling a full time job and raising her alone - but I absolutely love learning and always have, and it was the one thing I hope she'd inherit from me.

She absolutely worships the ground they walk on too, and is so much happier than she ever was at nursery.

I read a lot of negative posts on here re teachers, and a lot from fed up teachers who clearly aren't appreciated as much as they should be - and I just wanted to say (and I'll be saying it to DDs teacher at parents evening next week) that I think you are absolute magicians and unsung heroes. Thank you for all that you do

How wonderful. :D My DD was terribly anxious and struggled to make friends when she began a new school aged 7.

She stood alone in the playground day after day until her teacher changed it all. She spent all her own breaks outside with DD and her class, organising old fashioned games with them....things like Farmer in the Dell and Oranges and Lemons. They love it and DD was made to be one of the "games masters" in order to make her join in.

Slowly but surely, DD came out of her shell, made friends and was fine.

Some teachers should get awards.

It was because of my daughter's reception teacher that my eldest DD is on her way to qualify as a teacher herself.. although she's aiming to push herself and take on the world of teenagers.. brave girl xx

I agree with everything you’ve said, my DS started reception only a few weeks ago and he too read his first book this week! They’ve even taught him about punctuation. I’m very impressed with the standard of education he’s getting.
Although he does call exclamation marks “explanation” marks, but it’s cute

That's so cute

My DD has started to come out with some really random new vocab, which I absolutely love. Today she said she walked into the class next door by accident after she'd been to the toilet. I said 'oops, what happened? Was the other teacher kind to you'? And she said 'yes mummy, I just told her that I was very sorry but I suspect I've walked into the wrong classroom'.

Witchcraft and magic I tell you. I don't care what anyone says, especially EYFS teachers. They have some weird powers us mortals can't understand.

I have friends in EYFS and honestly I don't really understand what they do all day. One minute they've got sticky little things and have to remind them to wash their hands after going to the toilet and the next they're more like mini versions of our students.

Give me teenagers any day of the week.

I've had an idea - each time Mrs Teacher's/TA's sayings are repeated to you, make a note of them - and stick them in a card or a poster at the end of the school year; I bet it'll make Mrs Teacher/TA smile at the things that have stuck.

Love this idea! I'm definitely already getting some of this. And she tells me how they are just so proud of how well she's helps at tidy up time, whilst she wades knee deep through every toy she owns that she's just got out the toy boxes in the space of 20 minutes.

I remember saying my to my eldest DD
"You love Mrs Harris ( her reception teacher) more than you love me!"
" Mummy", she replied "I love you both exactly the same"

My youngest DD used to have a picture of same Mrs Harris in a locket, I cut it out of a proof of the class picture and out it in there whn she insisted.

Aw. My daughter LOVES her teachers so much she is always asking if they can come and live with us.

They worked wonders for my stubborn dyslexic son, too.

You've obviously raised your daughter brilliantly, OP, that she is doing so well and enjoying learning so much.

This is my favourite post today.
Teachers are ace.
X

Thank you for everyone's kind words, btw!

Am loving hearing from the magicians themselves (both primary and secondary - if I ever win the lottery, I'll track down all of my secondary school teachers and send them a lifetime supply of gin, for what they went through with me and my cohort), and stories of everybody's lovely kids (both little and now grown up).

Beautiful post. Thank you.

From an ex reception teacher.

I know what you mean, DD2 couldn't even hold a pencil properly when she started, she pushed the boundaries massively, by the end of summer term she was reading to me and exceeding in maths, and knew who was boss, in other words not her

So lovely to read this. My late Mum was a reception class teacher. She loved the children and her work with them. When she died ten years ago, although she had been retired for many years her school chose to mark her time there by dedicating the new school library to her. I cried when I saw the plaque. It read “In memory of (Mum’s name), who inspired children with a love of learning.” I still get messages on my Facebook page from her former pupils, now grown with children of their own, saying how they loved her and how she made a difference to their lives.

I think there's something about the setting and other kids that helps kids learn too. It's not just 'mum trying to make me do boring stuff' but a journey you're on with a bunch of other kids.

That said, Reception teachers especially are magic - I am in awe of how they teach a class full of children that can range from articulate kids who can read books already to jabbering semi-toddlers who are hardly out of nappies and daytime sleeps (eg, my son when he started school).

After a few years (decades) of wishing for a different job, you have just absolutely reminded me why I do it. You and the lovely barmaid last week who barrelled towards me and LEAPT on me shouting "my favourite teacher!!!" She's 19, I taught her in reception.... still remember her birthday bizarrely....

They’re magic! Last year my DS started reception and, being a stubborn and very physically active little so and so, he wouldn’t read books with me, didn’t want to draw, I could see he was bright and he could count and do simple sums but he wouldn’t even hold a pen even at nursery who were very lovely. By Christmas he was writing his name, he would come home and ask me to read with him, he was brilliant with phonics. By the end of the school year he could read so much and got an award for his maths. He’s just started y1 and he read a whole Beatrix Potter book to me this week. This is the boy who would only listen to me read 2 pages a year ago before running off. I am in awe of the teachers tbh, he went from being a completely uninterested (and I put in a lot of effort with him as did his nursery) child to a really engaged enthusiastic learner. Anyway I’m so proud of him and I think the teachers are witches! So any primary teachers out there thank you, you do an awesome job.

You reading to her was a massive help. You have taught her lots of things about reading, Eg: text carries meaning, it is read from left to right, top to bottom, and most importantly it is enjoyable.

Nursery, Reception and Y1 teachers practice some kind of VOODOO. I'm sure of it. DD started Y1 sounding out simple words and then one day a short time later was reading chapter books. How did that happen?! I'm constantly silently mouthing WTF at some of the advanced vocabulary she has picked up.

Teachers: you are witches and wizards and I have the utmost respect for you.

After a few years (decades) of wishing for a different job, you have just absolutely reminded me why I do it.

Good! I'm so pleased. You're changing kids' entire life trajectories each day, without even knowing it. Hero!

OP you have made me cry! What a lovely post. You and your DD sound like wonderful people, and your DD’s school are lucky to have you as pupil and school mum!

I would also like to give a huge shout out to my DS's teacher and class TA's. He has severe learning difficulties and their job is bloody hard but they are amazing.

I tell them repeatedly that no amount of money could persuade me to do what they do every day.

I am my Son's Mother and have to care for him, they CHOOSE to do that and my respect for them is inestimable.

You reading to her was a massive help. You have taught her lots of things about reading, Eg: text carries meaning, it is read from left to right, top to bottom, and most importantly it is enjoyable.

Ah, that's good to know. Thank you. We come from a v deprived area, none of my wider family even went to college, I know of 5 people out of 200+ in my year at school that went to uni. It was not really sold as an option to me growing up, and I didn't actually go until she was born, when I was 20.

So I hope that she'll see me as a bit of a role model () and know that she can achieve whatever she wants and she doesn't have to be just another statistic who was destined to not amount to much. She dresses up in my mortarboard all the time and lists the (numerous) degrees she's planning on attaining, so I think it's working on some level so far.

Really heartening post (your writing was really engaging OP).
I’m not disagreeing with your praise of the teacher but you’ve obviously laid the foundations of your daughter’s love of learning- thanklessly but consistently and that has made all the difference

My love you are an inspiration. You are an amazing mum to be able to see all this.
I'm so happy for your dd, sounds like learning will be magic for her, and she'll be bright.

Lovely post!

My DM still knows my reception teacher and when I was pregnant with DS1 I met up with her, still as lovely as she used to be, and expecting her own grandchild at the same time.

I have a really good memory and can remember an awful lot of that first year, even what books she read

My cousin is a primary school teacher. The class after reception class (l don't know what it's called!). She teaches at a school in a small rural village, and it's not unusual for her to have well over 30 children in her class. And usually the majority of which are boys, for some odd reason - it must be something in the water.
She's very dedicated and passionate about what she does. l've spent many an evening at her house helping her put together projects, Easter baskets, and at one point, making costumes for the Nativity play. Her classroom is fantastic - l've been to the school with her on a weekend and in the holidays (as has her grown up daughter) putting up things on the notice boards, creating displays, etc.
l have huge respect for all teachers. l don't think they always get the credit they deserve for doing what's sometimes a difficult job in difficult circumstances. l also don't think everyone appreciates the amount of time they spend out of school hours doing school related work.
To be fair, her husband taught at an academy, and both of them said they couldn't have done each others' jobs for a pension!