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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

Is this ok for a teacher to do?

19 replies

ForMashGetSmash · 08/11/2010 23:31

Sigh....Ialways have these small worries where I am not sure whether to bring issues p with DD's good but scary teacher...DD is in year 2 and is very slow sometimes at completing work...she is very able according to her teacher but will simply take far too long ovr something which should be done quickly.

We have done stopwatches...it worked but she has a lot of lapses of concentration...and will mess about/wriggle/simply sit there dreaming rather than DO any work. It's not all the time...she regulary gets stars, wishing stones and lovely comments in her home book...

Last week the teacher kept DD and some others from her table in over playtime to finish some work. Fine. I think DD was a bit embarrased about it because she i naturally a "good" kid..today she came home and said she had not eaten her snack due to having to finish her work...but she had had a drink, she didn't seem particularly perturbed by this...she just told me factually.

Is that ok? Or would it have been more sensible to let her eat it to get some energy up? I kno DD and she is always starving...she is one of those kids who graze constantly and I dont really like the idea of stopping her from eating...or m I wrong? Is his a perfectly valid thing to do?

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Original poster

ForMashGetSmash · 08/11/2010 23:32

DD is 6 and is young for her year...but no mention of any problems in her development o r behaviour.

OP posts:

beachyhead · 08/11/2010 23:35

It's OK. There are only so many rewards/punishments a teacher has and so I think missing her snack is OK, At least she remembered, so maybe she'll hurry up next time.....

Joolyjoolyjoo · 08/11/2010 23:37

Well, I'm a bit torn. I know that this happens at dd's school, and I feel a bit like you, but I suppose it's usually not too long till lunchtime, and the teacher's are trying to teach them a lesson about finishing work. Having said that, I think I'd prefer they sent the unfinished work home with her at night, but I don't think I'd be too upset about it if it wasn't happening on a regular basis.

Not sure if that really helps you or not !

MrsShrekTheThird · 08/11/2010 23:40

IMHO it's reasonable to get a child who's been working really slowly to complete their work in the break (my ds2 sounds like the op's dd...) I do this in KS2 so they're a bit older, and it does certainly work as a deterrent because they rarely daydream a second time within the term
Maybe your dd did it on purpose today to keep out of the rain

cat64 · 08/11/2010 23:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster

ForMashGetSmash · 08/11/2010 23:41

That's what I thought...they have to come up with some kind of punishment don't they? I know DD and she would hapily draw all day bless her..and she is pretty able...her teacher really WHOOPS when she's turning good work out and on time and DD did not seem disturbed.

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Original poster

ForMashGetSmash · 08/11/2010 23:44

I also know how MAD itcan make me when DD spends an hour writing somethin she could do in ten minutes!

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GrimmaTheNome · 08/11/2010 23:44

It seems ok to me.

We never used to get snacks/fruit at morning break and survived just fine. Drinks are more important but I doubt a yr2 really needs to eat between brekkie and lunch.

Original poster

ForMashGetSmash · 08/11/2010 23:50

No...we didnt did we Grimma? And now you mention it, the handbook says something like"Year 2's may still bring in a snack if they wish"

So in a way it' not a given is it? Their drinks are always available I know that.

I love Mumsnet...as I am a bit OCD/weird/obsessive I can alway rely on people to set me straight here! can now sleep!

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Sazisi · 08/11/2010 23:57

I wouldn't like the withholding of a snack personally; even DD1 has a snack at small break and she's 11. I wouldn't be bothered about the having to finish work during break, but I think it would be nicer to let them eat their snack quickly first, then get on with the work.

YeahBut · 09/11/2010 00:05

If your daughter has trouble completing tasks or is a bit of a dreamer, have you considered the possibility that she has difficulty concentrating?

DD1 has ADD - she sounds like your daughter in that it is hard for her to stay on track, hard to complete things in the timeframe set by teachers, even though she has the capability, because her brain just finds it difficult to concentrate for the periods required.
Girls without the hyperactivity element, that sit quietly and try to do what they are told but tend to go off in a bit of a dream and consistently under achieve, are the single largest undiagnosed group of children with attention issues. Punishing these children for something that they cannot help is incredibly demoralising.

YeahBut · 09/11/2010 00:08

This book is incredibly useful and insightful. here
It's written by the same guy that wrote "Toddler Taming" and has lots of practical advice. Even if your daughter simply has trouble staying on track, rather than clinical ADD, there are lots of tips in this book to help her out.

LelloLorry · 09/11/2010 00:12

Sounds like my DD1.
Yes, it's fine to do - your DD needed to get the work done, if it's not done in time, she'll be using her own time to make it up.
I think that sounds perfectly reasonable, but if you think it might happen again perhaps give her a more filling breakfast like porridge?
Not sure I phrased that right - meant something like 'keep her fuller for longer' iykwim.

Littlefish · 09/11/2010 11:10

I doubt that the snack was deliberately withheld in a "you haven't finished your work so you can't have a snack today" type of way.

It was probably more of a... snack happens during playtime and fruit is taken outside to be eaten. If you're not outside, you won't have collected your snack. It wouldn't really be feasible to have children then eating snack after play time when the rest of the class are back in the classroom.

RedGruffalo · 09/11/2010 11:17

:o You could be describing my DD and her current situation! I wouldn't be bothered if it was a one-off or occasional thing, but if it starts happening frequently I would go in and have a chat.

The prospect and occasional staying in at break has helped my DD focus her attention! I think she has only had to stay in twice.

Original poster

ForMashGetSmash · 09/11/2010 11:33

No Littlefish...in DDs schol snack does not happen at breaktime at all...it happens in the classroom.

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Littlefish · 09/11/2010 12:01

Ah, I see. In which case, I would, as redgruffalo suggests, monitor it to see whether this is a one-off, or whether it happens regularly.

However, I stand by the fact that to have a couple of children eating snack after all the others have started working again, could be disruptive.

Original poster

ForMashGetSmash · 09/11/2010 12:41

Yes....I dont think a child should eat whilst the teacher may be explaining the next task...I am sre it's fine after comments on here. The teacher is experienced and respected. So I wil forget it now I think,

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PurpleKate · 09/11/2010 13:20

My DD is easily distracted too, and can often take ages to complete her work. She has spent a lot of time completing work in breaktimes over the years. She is in year 4 now and she has alwsys been this way - its her fundamental nature. However she is slowly concentrating more and working faster.

I have to say that I don't necessarily see day dreaming as a major character flaw. My DD is clearly thriving at school even though every teacher has said how she is easily distracted. She is also apparently 'a joy to teach', so overall I'm happy that my DD works hard and plays hard.

So just be aware that your DD may take some time to improve her concentration, but its not that awful a trait.

However I wouldn't be that happy if my DD had a snack denied. If that happened more than once or twice I would be having a word with her teacher.

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