Phone calls home

[kscience]

Dear parents, I have been trying to call home since Tuesday for a couple of pupils who are not putting in the effort I expect in class (despite virtually standing over them and becoming a broken record of nagging) and who have important revision homework ready for their end of year assessment.

I just want to give the parents the heads up that the pupils have revision materials and ask that they could please encourage their DS to spend some time looking at them.

Would you be upset with a phone call from a teacher on a Saturday morning?

internet access isn't beyond anybody, it is often free, and is widely available then it is the requirement of the school to provide it. but actually I think you will find when you come down to it, that there isn't actually anyone genuinely without.

It would be far far easier to just provide the odd hard copy of a letter or note for the tiny percentage of parents withou internet than to expect everyone else to use an outdated system.

It's not free here unless I travel into town to access it at the leisure centre or library. Not a problem for me as I have a car but if I had a number of children and had to make the journey by bus ( Buses run every 2 hours to nearest village then a 30 min wait for the bus to town) it wouldn't be something I'd do daily in order to check email.

That is not what you said hesterston, you said you COUNTED OUT your praise, and that is what I was referring to as soul destroying. Children are not stupid, they know exactly what counter out praise is worth. Unfortunately, that valuation of the praise they are given never leaves them.

It's not free here unless I travel into town to access it at the leisure centre or library. Not a problem for me as I have a car but if I had a number of children and had to make the journey by bus ( Buses run every 2 hours to nearest village then a 30 min wait for the bus to town) it wouldn't be something I'd do daily in order to check email.

Not every day, but certainly every week.

There are some very deprived areas where it is an issue No there arn't, not in this day and age, it is just a case of making it a priority, and some parents don't - and I am speaking from one of the most "deprived" areas in the country

You seem to have a distorted idea of life for some families Karbon.
I've taught children who don't even have a bed. I've taught children whose parents have to make very difficult decisions every day because they have no money ...if you are struggling to feed your family there isn't money for bus fares ...if you can't afford a bed you don't have a smart phone ...sadly life for some is difficult

personally I would prioritise internet access way over a bed. It is possible for everyone, and parents need to prioritise it.

I have taught many children without beds. Not even unusual, and not anything like as important.

So you think a child sleeping on the floor is more desirable than a child without Internet access?????

Pupil premium money can be used to get a disadvantaged child home internet access. Indeed there have been calls for it to be used in exactly this way.

Children without a bed should be a matter for social services.

If you think there isn't real poverty in this day and age you are living in a rose coloured bubble!
I had a boy whose ambition was to go back to the hostel for the homeless because he had a bed instead of a hard floor (so every day he was too tired to learn) and where he got breakfast.
I had another family sleeping on a cold hard floor with only a thin blanket ... Too hungry and tired to learn ...

Social services won't provide a bed noblegiraffe

I have lots of work colleagues who don't answer work emails that are flagged up as top priority (we are geeky academics). No way I'd expect parents to be better, email is not that reliable at all if you want to be sure the message got thru.

I'd like our school to have more info linked to their online calendar & the general website, about upcoming events. Local school (DC aren't at) has a parent portal login & the local parents seem to like it a lot, talk about how good it is to be able to tell just what their kids are up to, all messages are copied there.

DSyr10's English teacher rang a few times to emphasise he should do homework, I'm glad she showed she cared that much, it got his attention too.

I'm dreading phone calls about DS-soon-yr7. There will be heaps about behaviour. It's going to be an utter nightmare.

Mrz, there are charities that can. Social services should be alerted to the situation, certainly. They should be able to put the family in contact with the appropriate organisations.

Just to say, if I get a call from either a withheld number or a number I don't recognise, I don't answer it. And that's why I don't have a problem with nuisance selling calls and (unlike most friends) haven't had to change my mobile number in forever.

So... if you called me, I wouldn't answer. If you then left a message, I'd happily call you back - but if you withheld your number, I couldn't. And I wouldn't answer next time either. However, I'd call the school on Monday. And I'd be happy that you cared enough to make the call.

There are charities that can and do but I sat in a TAF meeting a few weeks ago where the family had to decide between a washing machine or beds .,, with young children they chose the washing machine so they continue sleeping on the floor

If you think there isn't real poverty in this day and age you are living in a rose coloured bubble!
I had a boy whose ambition was to go back to the hostel for the homeless because he had a bed instead of a hard floor (so every day he was too tired to learn) and where he got breakfast.
I had another family sleeping on a cold hard floor with only a thin blanket ... Too hungry and tired to learn ..

This thread is just bizarre, non of this has anything to do with internet access.

family had to decide between a washing machine or beds ., washing machine are a luxury item!