Shouldn’t/Wouldn’t a teacher notice?

[Camperseatinginsects]

This post is not to slag off teachers, I’m an Early years teacher myself and I know what an amazing job the majority of teachers do.
Dd started pre school in September, she does mornings in a class of 23.
Dd has been different since she started school and has huge meltdowns at home, I appreciate it’s a big change for and that she might be letting it all out at home. Her meltdowns seem like they might be more than this though, I’ve also noticed some possible sensory issues.
Had a meeting today with Dh and Dd’s class teacher, I mentioned my concerns and her change in behaviour at home etc, plus things she’s told me about hiding under the chairs at school because of the noise and so on.
Her teacher said she’d not noticed anything as she only has her in the mornings and has a class of 23 (there are assistants too)
Whilst I know how hard this is, I still believe that I would have by this point in the term have been able to have an idea of pupils behaviour and anything that may be different/stand out a little. Dd tells me she sometimes cries and hides in the corner…her teacher just kept saying she hasn’t had chance to observe as the class is so big.
Isn’t this her job though or am I being unfair?
Any teachers out there also? What do you think? Would you have been able to form ideas about students by this point?

YABU

Girls especially are very good at masking their behaviour.

The fact she’s having meltdowns at home indicates that she is behaving extra well and ‘masking’ at school.

Considering they are all pre-school age then I can guarantee they’ve all had a cry about something or other since September and it’s often when they first get dropped off and then 2 minutes later they are back laughing.

I do not believe that you can do a proper assessment with a pre-school aged child within a few weeks of them starting school.

They will all have completely different behaviours because they’re settling in and getting used to a completely new environment and people - it would be very wrong to label her as something when actually it’s just her settling in.

I work with SEND children and it’s only now am I starting to see the true personalities of the ones who started in September.

@Camperseatinginsects sorry I thought you said your dad just did morning so I assumed that she had a morning class and an afternoon class.

I cover teach in Nursery 1 day a week and Reception the other day.

30 in Reception, 39 in Nursery.

I could tell you all of them that have flagged up to me as additional needs. From one day in each classroom.

She's slack. I'm glad you've pulled her on it

Wait as in I teach one day in each classroom since September. Not from day one 😂

Not sure about other schools but we've broken the 'old' 3 terms into 6 terms per year now so that's why I said 'almost 2 terms'. Either way, it's been approx. 10wks. That equates to 50 school days - more than enough time to get a handle on an usually small class of 23 little ones - it's the teacher's job to get to know them, settle them in, etc!

@BusyMum47 Exactly 🤷🏻‍♀️

@Hangingtrousers Dd has started just mornings so far, I’m reluctant to progress to full days now, in case it’s causing her stress, hence the meeting with the teacher to find out if she’s coping ok. I’m none the wiser at the moment

She is politely telling you that your dd is lying!

@DuploMum Yes, I mean, she might not be, but the things my Dd says she’s been doing might be worth reporting to me 🤷🏻‍♀️

@realmsofglory Do you think so?

I know my Dd isn’t and would have no reason to..it doesn’t make sense

Gosh only the 23 kids to manage with a helper or two. Sounds a doddle.

She sounds a little defensive to me. Surely a more appropriate response would be ‘I haven’t noticed that but I will certainly keep an eye out. Thanks for letting me know.’

23 is not a big class at all, especially if there are TAs.

@Remaker That’s what I thought? She was just saying everything was fine etc, it goes against what Dd has said and also her behaviour at home since just after she started and having nightmares etc. She doesn’t say she doesn’t want to go, given the choice she’d stay at home, but never asks to go and sighs when it’s time to go, I think she’s sort of accepted it, but I’d like her to enjoy going

How old is your dd? And when you say preschool do you mean a nursery which is part of a primary school or one that's just a nursery?
What is their child to adult ratio?
My dd is 3 yrs old and started nursery in January, there are 4 assistants plus the main nursery teacher in a class of 15. Two days a week they have an additional member of staff who joins the class for music and wellbeing.
Every 2nd day the teacher shares photos on seesaw with me of her working and playing which forms part of her learning journal. Everyday at pick up they'll tell me if she has a snack, what she had, whether she chose milk or water and what the main activity was of the day. It takes a minute or so to pass this information on whilst dd puts her woolies on.

Yes, the teacher should be noticing, concerned by and alerting you of behaviours like that for sure! My DD's teacher (of a similar class size) knew each and every child very well and was very vigilant and dedicated to assuring their wellbeing.

Oh God sorry! Old thread!

this is preschool though, surely there is much crying and hiding, and general noise and movement all around - your daughter might have done it once, for all you know- and this teacher is not realistically going to know the personalities of all 45 ish children she has running around her all day