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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

YR3 workload

12 replies

luckyJess · 19/09/2010 20:15

DS has just started Year 3 and is in tears tonight as he was last Sunday as he is dreading going to school as the work is too hard, the teacher is too strict and he says he is not allowed to ask the teacher for help. The teacher does have a bit of a reputation for being strict and I dont find her easy to talk too.

He has always enjoyed school and normally does quite well, his end of year report was very good and is SAT results were fine.

I just feel so sorry for him and I worry that this might continue and he will end up hating school at such a young age.

Tonight, I told him as long as he tried his best it didn't matter if he gets it wrong, then the Teacher would see that he hadn't understood the work. I can't understand why a teacher wouldnt allow a child to ask if they couldnt do the work.

Does anyone have any advice, its breaking my heart to see him like this. I will try to talk to the teacher tomorrow.

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PixieOnaLeaf · 19/09/2010 20:24

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Original poster

luckyJess · 19/09/2010 20:33

Thanks for replying so quickly.

I don't think he has fallen out with his friends as luckily he is the type of boy who like to tell me stuff (fingers crossed he stays this way). I think he is finding the KS1 to KS2 jump hard, and so am I, I struggled to help him with his mental maths homework today .

Like the idea of asking for a proper meeting, make it a bit more formal.

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Earlybird · 19/09/2010 20:37

Tempting as it may be, I wouldn't 'grab the teacher for a word', as she is likely to continue being not-easy-to-talk-to.

Instead, can you write her a note/email to ask when it would be possible for you to have a brief chat? In that way, she is (imo) much more likely to have a productive conversation with you.

PixieOnaLeaf · 19/09/2010 20:39

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mumoy · 19/09/2010 21:01

A lot of emphasis may have been made about progressing from KS1 to KS2 which may be frightening him.
Make an appointment and have a proper chat with his teacher after school, not in the morning when she is rushing to get her day started. If she is any good she will listen to your fears and try and make your DS feel more comfortable in class.

newbeliever · 19/09/2010 21:11

I had tears from my Year 3 DC this evening. I thought she had been a bit subdued this weekend and she started to cry just before bed-time. She started off saying the work was too hard (a bit like your DS), however, when we finally got to the bottom of it, it turns out she had been told off in class last Friday for chatting - she was mortified as she had never been told off before. Poor thing, she obviously had been stewing about it all weekend.

Hope he's ok tomorrow. I can remember hating Sunday nights myself - especially when the 'Last of the Summer Wine' music came on - knew the weekend was definitely over!

DrZeus · 19/09/2010 21:13

Hi, I work in Year 3 as a TA. It is a big change from Y2 to Y3 and it takes some getting used to. Agree with Earlybird. Drop a note to your DS's teacher asking for a chat. That way you can schedule it in without other classroom distractions getting in the way.

Hope your DS (and you) are OK. It will improve - honest.

FlorenceMattell · 19/09/2010 21:22

HI
Poor little boy. Agree if teachers not too friendly dont grab her before school. But do send a note saying your DS is upset about school in general. And you want an appointment to discuss ways off improving the situation.
My DD also year 3 and noticed a big change - homework tables etc.
School must be fun, you dont want to put him off learning at such a young age.
Hope it all goes well tomorrow for you both.
And for you Newbeliever

lovingmy2 · 19/09/2010 21:29

The jump from Year 2 to Year 3 is huge. Sometimes the teachers in Key Stage 2 in my opinion are a little stricter than Key stage 1 unless they have worked lower down the school and understand the jump emotionally.

I am sure though however you want to approach her she would want to know that your DS is struggling to adapt.

I promise though that it does get easier and they inevitably adapt to Key Stage 2 and the workload.

Hope tomorrow is a better day for him and YOU

Original poster

luckyJess · 19/09/2010 21:56

Thank you for so many great replies and great advice. I will talk to the teacher tomorrow and hopefully get to the bottom of this.

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PixieOnaLeaf · 19/09/2010 22:27

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Serendippy · 19/09/2010 22:33

Was he in an infant school and has moved to junior or is it an all-through primary? The jump from KS1 to 2 is huge in terms of expectations, workload, independence etc but needs to be so, it is only 4 short years til they are out in the big wide world of secondary school! It is debatable whether teachers are too hard on children in KS2 or too easy on them in KS1, either way I have never seen a child who has not adapted to the move, they all have to in the end. Hope your DS finds a way to approach the teacher and realises that she is there for his benefit. Good luck.

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