What should I expect?

[CURIOUSMIND]

My Ds1 currently in y2 is doing maths level 6,(between 6 n 7).He worked with three year 6 children for the past term. I know a secondary school teacher came to work him once or twice a week and he goes to year 6 once a week.I generally always feel this teaching is not on a daily regular basic. Headteacher got frustrated too as he never saw a ks1 child worked on ks3 level.I know he reported to LA and they then reported to London and then what? We had 6 meetings last term to discuss about this, so far I haven't been given a plan for september.
From your experience , what should I expect school to do next term and even in the next 4 years?

this is great for maths mad kids. Marcus du Sautoy is involved.

Click on the button top left to enrol your children in the JUKU version.

"I think in theory yes especially at this age children will advance quicker with HE, BUT at what cost to them socially."

Oh, dear, I do wish people would do some basic research on what modern HE is about before spreading these old, tired misconceptions.

Schools are the worst places for children to learn "social skills". Where in life do you get bundled with 29 other people who are exactly your age and who live within a small geographic area?

You need to learn to get along with people older and younger than you, learn to form and manage relationships with all kinds of people from babies to pensioners. That's what happens in most HE groups. In schools you spend most of your time in a class based on age. The occasions when you aren't working under the supervision of an adult you're on the playground - a high pressure environment of short duration bursts when everyone is expected to let off steam (so they can get back to the "order" of the classroom). Hardly the best environment for developing life's social skills!

Stop buying that nonsense teachers and the rest of the education system spew about how indispensible they and their environments are to the imparting of these social skills. It's a load of bullsh*t. Our country would be a lot better off if we parents took a bit more responsibility for it and didn't rely on the school playground to teach our children "social skills"!

Iggly,
You are very lucky.Tell me which part of earth you are on,I will move there!
I remembered early this year, his teacher, at the parent evening said, I am not qualified to teach him, I need to learn thesemyself, Which sounds very hopeless.
I am not thinking about HE, that' why I want to know what should I expect from school.
Did your school just send secondary school teacher to your Ds every week?
Or any special teacher is working with your Ds regularly?

Hi curious mind,
I am in Scotland. The school give him an hour with a tutor one to one once a week firstly he observes him doing the maths he is doing with the class for the rest of the week . This is so he can check it is at a suitable level.Then he either extends the subject with additional questions which he devises at the time or he gets to play suitable computer based maths games (linked to the topic). For my son having computer aids is a way that he really learns (and enjoys it). Hope this helps.

Dadatlarge,
I understand your opinion about HE.I am not going to do it is because I am not able to do it, not becaue I am against it.
The wild world from 200 years before to 200 years after, still many will go to school, many home educated. So, how about if people take it, then good for them;if not, let them.
Anyway, you shared so many information with me, Ireally appreciate!

"I am not going to do it is because I am not able to do it"

"I remembered early this year, his teacher, at the parent evening said, I am not qualified to teach him, I need to learn thesemyself,"

You're better qualified than the teacher - you are the parent! There is nobody better qualified than you. There is nobody who knows the child better than you do. A teacher is pumped full of somebody else's dogma mixed with her own prejudices. On a per child basis she spends 30 minutes a week with your son (if that) - a grand total of 20 hours a year. A freaking year! Your child isn't her top priority, or her second or third or even fourth priority. She has to appease her paymasters, her boss, her colleagues and she has to fit that around her own personal life, problems and leave requirements. When you take time off work it's to look after your child. When she takes time off work it's so she doesn't have to look after your child.

20 hours. Then your child moves on to next year's teacher.

"Not qualified to teach him"
Jeez! That makes me really angry! It's teaching for crying out loud, not brain surgery. 99% of what your child knows - from his walking to his bum wiping - is what you taught him. Remind her of that when you're pulling her head out of her backside.

Dad at large: Curiousmind did not say that they were unqualified to teach certain things to their child but that the child's teacher had said that. The teacher may well feel unconfident teaching secondary school subjects and topics to primary school children. Curiousmind also said they were "unable" to HE. This maybe for lots of reasons and may include financial reasons!

Curiousmind, i know what you mean, i have many friends and family who would love to home ed but just can't due to many reasons. I'd say just work with the school and ask for as much provision as possible. I am fortunate enough to homeschool, otherwise i'd be on here looking for advice on the same matter x

I have always agreed with DadatLarge's view and I think he's spot on in his analysis of what happens in a lot of schools. (There are always exceptions).

However, there are a lot of people out there who are unable to homeschool. We have looked into it BUT with no family support around us the only way to do it would be for me to give up my career, and I am not prepared to do that. It's not just about money either.

Dadatlarge, Jazmin, Harp, and Iggly,
I actually agree with what Dadatlarge's opinion.

What makes me think I am not able to HE is not for financial reason, but because I myself was never a balanced students, so good at something ,maths, physics, anything with a number, but not interested in many things like history, literacy,arts. I know what I am able to do something, so I part time home school my boys.Then they still go to school. My DS1 just finished year2(The one I am talking about on this thread), got a 3b for writing which is a credit to the teacher.(Writing has been his weakest point so far). Some children picked up the more than others when the teacher talked to all.

Yes, HE is absolutely right thing to do if you can.I am here actually seeking materials to home teach them certain subject.

I would like to hear more about HE if you don't mind we are part time only.

I'd like to say something to those who lack the confidence to HE (like CURIOUSMIND).

For those who don't want to HE, can't afford to HE or otherwise would prefer to not HE, this is not for you.

HE isn't doing what the school does, but doing it in a home environment. It's not about following the national curriculum or using teaching methods that are standard in schools. It's about guiding your child's education. You don't need to have a great deal of education yourself or be an expert in the subject you're teaching. There are numerous online and offline resources that make HE much, much easier in this day and age. Further, you may find local HE groups where they share things, where children go to one parent to learn cooking and another to learn Mandarin. My son has learnt a completely new maths concept last week, something I have no knowledge of. He learnt it from playing some carefully chosen computer games. I didn't have to master the subject first and then follow some half-baked, rigid teaching method to impart that knowledge.

With a child of average ability you'll be able to cover in a month's worth of work all the academic stuff they do in a year's schooling. That's with your qualifications as a parent, not a degree in applied mathematics! If you do not have the confidence to HE or feel you're too thick, think again. Take a step back, meet some local HE parents, attend a meeting or two, read up on HE if you like... you'll find that you're far better qualified than any teacher! Give it a shot for a few months - or a whole year (trust me, your kids won't miss much in a year's worth of school) - and you'll never go back.

Dadatlarge,
It is very sad that you started this from being deeply let down by your school,it is truly amazing that now you find it enjoyable, fruitful, and so much to looking forward to! It is amazing to see somebody has so much passion to do what you want to do!

I am happy to take the criticism and encouragement as well.
Think I will put more effort into this anyway.

No criticism of you was intended.

It is very sad that you started this from being deeply let down by your school
For the record, I was very happy with the school our children went to. The head and (most) staff couldn't have done more given the constraints, pressures, budgets and system they were working within.

I pulled my children out not because I was unhappy with the school but because the system is crap and I realised DW and I could do a million times better with our eyes shut.

Sorry, Dadatlarge, I sort of took it for granted.
By the end of the term, we got a time to see children's work.I can't believe how much DS1 improved for his writing.Several writing books done! For each pieces or work, targets clearly stated,then every pieces marked, comments made, good bits highlighted,praised with headteacher stickers , hearts. The comments is much more from teacher's heart , not like the report which is from the word bank! The chief teacher tried very hard to hold her tears when she was talking to the parents who came to say thanks you ,sincerly.I was one of them who really wanted to do so.
So far I still believe there are some good things about mainstream school. Although, I am not sure about his maths progress as this stretched the school out of their comfortable zone.
Anyway, Dadatlarge,I really respect that you took the decision, and you have been doing so well, off you go on and on!
I will enjoy my parttime HE role this summer holiday, not intense at all, but will do some more or less.

Several months after while I was worried, imagining Ds1 was doing nothing at school, I was called to see the teacher. I was asked about secondary school plan becasue they are going to start GCSE with him! The teacher said they assessed him throughly and he was absolutly brilliant.
What should I expect?
I didn't expect this! Still can't believe what she said...What have they done and what should I expect now? Oh,my!

DAL

Thanks for the list of websites, very useful.

I am glad that they have come up with a course of action for your DS Curiousmind . Sounds like your son had a great teacher.

"By the end of the term, we got a time to see children's work.I can't believe how much DS1 improved for his writing.Several writing books done! For each pieces or work, targets clearly stated,then every pieces marked, comments made, good bits highlighted,praised with headteacher stickers , hearts."

I hope he continues to like his maths. Keep us posted .

Thank you Iggly2! Will see what happens next.
By the way, this thread is great! We can find some people who experienced the similiar situation.

It is amazing to see so many gifted children here. Can any parent on this thread share their last 10 years experience with their children and schools, or their wisdoms to overcome any obstacles? Many thanks