I'm having a week of it, I know...but.....(school awards)

[Basketofchocolate]

I find it sad (but I do understand why) that DS comes home with acknowledgement that he is normal (all pupils get a sticker at end of term with one of 3 or 4 bland things on) i.e. he is one of the 3 or 4 things that every other child is. He didn't get a certificate for 100% attendance so that's just it. No recognition for his hard work for his academic achievements. Not even privately from the teachers.

I know he's still young (just finished Yr 1) but was wondering why school don't acknowledge it. He knows he's different and that he struggles in other areas, such as social skills so it seems sensible to praise in areas where he is doing well to help self-esteem.

We have told him we're very proud, etc. but....I don't know just having a week of annoyance with the school and stressing about next year already!

BertrandRussell - it has been thus since school began. I was continuously ignored in French class for years as always knew the answer so stopped bothering as was just building up arm muscles.

Clavinova - oh how I wish I could send DS to your school! I think he'd have a fine old time!

DS also finds the work too easy - they certainly never push to his limits to see what he would actually need to put major effort into (and here I mean the sort of effort that other parents talk about when talking about their child learning to read). So far, I guess DS has not had to put that sort of amount of effort into anything, so maybe school is justified. But....then surely that means they are not challenging him enough, rather than him not putting any effort in? How will he learn to make an effort if the work they give him doesn't actually require much of it?

Var123 - Shame your DCs are older as would be good to meet other parents/kids in the same boat!

Dweck, while saying some useful things, is turning, via some misinterpretation, into a stick with which to cut down tall poppies. I find this very dispiriting.

We ended up moving from state to private, in part because of precisely these issues. It's still not perfect - DD who is v bright but dyspraxic does ask sometimes why there aren't sports days for academic subjects and I don't have a proper answer for that. Why doesn't Dweck apply for sports? DD's effort never seemed to get noticed there in either school.

Basket - will PM you.

OP - I am sorry i derailed your thread.

OrangeSquashTallGlass - just so you understand the severity fo the situation: two of DS2's teachers (years 2 and 4) have taken me aside at the start of the year and told me that they will not be teaching DS2 match that year because he is "too far ahead".
The Y2 teacher added what did I expect? She couldn't give him the next stage up because that was year 3 work and then what would he do when he got to year 3?
The year 4 teacher explained that she would have liked to teach DS the next stage as he was ready for it, but she had children in her class that were behind expectations and they took priority.
Both times, I went to see the HT about it (different schools and therefore different HTs). The year 2 Ht just denied it had been said. The Y4 HT suggested I teach DS myself in the evenings instead, and offered my his G&T books to photocopy.

As a teacher, do you find this credible when you think of the practicalities of managing a class/ school?

Getinthesea - we are having that debate here re: private but really cannot afford it any which way we look at it. Plus, rarely spaces at Y3 in any schools around here, so unlikely to find one without moving. There is one that could potentially put him forward for a test for - have to pay for that - but may then get a bursary, but as someone on this thread or another said, it's not likely if they consider that level of ability the norm....plus, private school doesn't mean able children. I aim to visit the open days this autumn though so can find out a bit more.

Var123 - derail away! :)

DS has the 'maths expert' for school this year as form teacher. Last year he went to their Yr 2 class for maths, but was given work above Year 2 level. This year he will be in Year 2 but him and another boy will be working at Year 4/5 I think - though am going to check! He can ace Year 4 on ixl website (thanks, think was you Var123 on another thread who recommended it) and can do Year 5 in some areas. The infants and juniors are separate sites but I have been reassured that they 'borrow' resources from the juniors as needed. So far I am happy they are trying, but I don't feel that he gets as much attention as could do. This year at least the two of them won't be adding to the class (to make 32) but I guess there may be Yr1s coming up to their class.

Small further derailment! the thing about maths specialist just reminded me.

DS2 left primary school for good a few days ago and he was sent home with about 20 inches thick of A4 paper! Most of it was just old worksheets etc, but I was going through them today (recycling tomorrow!) and I found a bundle of end of year test papers going back to Y3 that would have been used for year end reports.

So, DS looked a random sample, and one of the ones I picked up was the Y5 maths test. I quickly glanced at it and I saw that he dropped 1 marks. So, I looked at the one he'd got wrong. DS2 had written the correct answers down, exactly as the question had asked. I asked Ds1 to sanity check it and we were both scratching our heads as to why he only got half marks for that question. I don't know what the Y5 teacher thinks is the correct answer, but she's mistaken - and she the school's maths specialist.

You'd think she'd look again when she's scoring a paper and thinks she's seen a mistake, but no.

Mind you, not being able to do maths was not her only weakness - she couldn't spell (nor check a dictionary even for the weekly spelling words) and she repeatedly set homework that was full of mistakes and lazy differentiation by outcome e.g. "Choose a continent (e.g. India) and make a poster about what you have learned was one of her howlers!

The mention of homework has just reminded me......all thru Yr1 DS has had maths in Yr 2. For homework, Yr 1 get a worksheet. In Yr 2 though, they have had a weekly maths test instead. They are given the test orally in class and have to write the answers down. DS scores full marks (as long as legibly written!) every time and I gave up prepping him for it after first couple of weeks when I got the eye rolling when I asked the questions. So, although he's apparently given differentiated work in class, the homework is the same. Well, he's basically not had a single piece of homework all Yr 2. Doesn't match up with trying to encourage effort.

Am making a note now to ask about differentiated homework come Sept!

Basketofchocolate - it means he'll get a worksheet, exactly like all the other children, but there will be 3 sections. Section 1: ultra-easy for everyone. Section2: for the slightly advanced.
Section 3: maybe 2 mins extra work for the G&T. Typical examples are write and solve your own questions like the ones in section 2.

Your DS will still have to do the sections 1 and 2 but now he'll have to prove that he's mastered it in section 3, as well. It won't be any harder and he won't learn anything new, but at least it will be quick to do.

Ha ha - Var123 if there is only a suggestion of doing your own ones he will not bother. After all, it's not required, so it means he doesn't have to do it. We had those in Yr 1 but none in Yr 2. If it is an oral maths test, am guessing DS and the other boy will sit there twiddling their thumbs as they already did that while in the Yr2 class for maths. Have added it to my list of things to ask about.

No, No! Its not a suggestion - this is the extension work! If he doesn't do it, then the teacher will argue that he couldn't and therefore he's not as advanced as you think...! However, if he does do it, she'll say that she's already challenging him as he's doing the extension work.

Were you the poster who i described the run around to? The one that starts with "next year is a big step up and the work will be much more challenging"? This is one of the many mid-year variations that you'll doubtless experience several times.

Var123 - yup, that's me. As I said, was having a bit of a week of it last week :) Sudden realisation that school haven't said how he's doing and when asked get vague responses and of course no longer any levels to be given so trying to work out how he's doing along with wondering why 100% attendance and winning a 50m sprint get certificates and special mentions but two kids working two years or so above their level don't. And conversations with DH about junior school options and cost of private, etc.

And now realising he's not had any real homework so how will they know how he's done? No worksheets and of course he aces the 10 question test cos it's Yr 2 curriculum and he's working at Yr 4, so certainly no extension (makes note to self to write that word down to ask teacher come Sept).

ok... the school dictionary (with my tongue-in-cheek interpretation)

Stretch - bad word
Challenge - how to say stretch without getting anyone's back up!
Extension - same thing with a micro-step of more challenging work given to the G&T children
Differentiation - what you want instead of extension
Differentiation by outcome - its up tot he child to decide whether to deliver beyond the minimum
Design a poster - write everything you know about a subject on a piece of paper. Draw pictures on it too.
Sufficient Differentiation - what you really want (and probably will not get)
Clever - bad word
More able/ Higher ability - almost ok to say
Gifted/ Talented - don't ever call your child that!
Growth mindset - very good. If I try hard, then I can be better
Fixed mindset - very bad. "I am already clever and that will not change"
Attainment - acceptable word for achievement
Attitude to learning - the most important thing ever!
Other children - never, ever refer to them!
Position in class - you do not need to know!
Below expectations - bottom 20%
At expectations - anything slightly better than the bottom 20%
Above expectations - anything slightly better than at expectations, but probably top half.
Mentoring - most able finish their work and then offer assistance to those who are stuck
Engaged - very good word
Bored - without meaning
Working at level x - can only be determined by teacher. If, for example, she asks Einstein to practice his number bonds up to 10, and he does it, then that's the level he is working at. If he doesn't, then its the level he is working towards!

The only answer is to home educate. That way your child will have the one to one attention you think he/she deserves and he/she won't have to rub along with the mundanes.

So true! How dare my child ask for even one day a year when they can be educated too, when the education system exists solely to meet your child's needs!

I feel a bit the same, though we have come up with some solutions - 2 boys, just finished reception, both exceeding in every area, both free readers, working really hard - no awards at the end of the year as the school (rightly I think) went to students who have improved their behaviour during the year / students who need encouragement etc.

We have a 'Star' plate that the boys get their tea on when they have worked hard at something, achieved something , overcome something.

Research has shown that it is resilience that is the number one predictor of success, so we try to build that as much as possible. We 'big up' keeping trying, not giving up, rather than winning stuff. So far it seems to be working ok :)

I forgot one... "average". This does not mean middle, mean or most frequently occurring. It means anyone in the middle two thirds i.e. not the bottom 1/6th or the top 1/6th.

However "above average" does not mean top 1/6th. it might mean the same as above expectations (confusing!)

BoC - differentiated homework was one of our big battles in Yr1. We were promised it loads of times, it came for a couple of weeks and then went away again. We gave up in the end and moved to private. It's another world. We had one conversation with them about the spellings, which were too easy, in fact DD had the conversation with her own teacher, and the next week she had her own list of words.

You do all know that most education experts agree that homework in primary school -except for reading- has absolutely no impact on academic achievement at all?

.... apart from the benefits of learning to work independently and time management. With the result that being required to work by yourself isn't a complete shock to the system when you are revising for the GCSEs?

Just telling you what the latest research says. Not sure that making a big deal about the right homework in year 2 is going to make much difference to how they behave in year 10 to be honest.

actually, I agree with that. I am no fan of homework in primary either, reading aside. And memorising times tables, i suppose.

Maybe if your child is struggling with something, its an opportunity to find out and offer them some 1-1 tuition, but that applies less frequently to G&T children.

The only advantage that I can really see, is that if you get the school to offer appropriately differentiated homework, then chances are you've won the argument about getting them appropriately differentiated classwork.

When I was at school I hated this. We got end of year subject awards in high school, but that was it. I used to set myself challenges, but they were things like finishing tests in half the time so I could arse about more. I also used to pick what position I wanted in the class and try and answer enough wrong and right to get it. Total waste of time.

They have awards at the dds primary school, some for attendance (which mine got but only by virtue of being lucky enough to not get ill) and each key stage had awards for each subject in sats. Each class also got a behaviour/friendship, achievement and star award. They are moving to a new school where the head made a big point of saying they encourage competition so hopefully things will be good there.

Imo awards are good. For effort but also for achievement.

Dd1 apparently got full marks on all the reading assessments and worksheets in y3. She's a good reader (she reads a lot at home but doesn't get everything right or understand everything) , but she's not at, say, gcse level or anything. To me, they could have gone further and given her tests until she started having to put effort in and getting some wrong. Her self confidence is really low despite her scores being good.