How can I imporve teacher/parent communication

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My DS (6) is struggling with school and I want to help him as much as possible at home. The past 2 years i have asked the teachers to send home unfinished work, extra work and/or notes on areas i can work on from home. I have not recieved a thing. I cant understand why the teachers are not responding to my requests, surely my input at home would help both teacher and DS in the classroom??

As this approach has not seemed to work, I was thinking ideally I would like to speak to the teacher at the end of each month (just a few minutes) for some feedback. Ie any improvements noticed/areas we can work on. I know the main focus is reading and writing, but im just looking some regular tips like, practice counting backwards, counting in 2s, struggles with particular sounds etc.

Do you think this would be a reasonable request? (I understand poor teachers are stretched to the limit) and I will be seeing teacher and senco twice a year.

If all else fails, does anyone know a good website that would give me a good idea what I could be working on with him (yr2/primary 3)

P.S DS is on Action plan stage one, but this really is not suggesting anything that is going to help much.

www.year2maths.co.uk/

sorry I'm not really familiar with CfE expectation but I find this useful for Y2

www.primaryinteractive.co.uk/english.htm

www.teachitprimary.co.uk/index.asp?CurrMenu=searchresults&keyword=post+card&search_go_bttn.x=0&search_go_bttn.y=0

www.iboard.co.uk/curriculum.htm#maths-year1numstrategy_yearreception

Write a polite letter to the headteacher reflecting on your requests over the past two years. Continue to push for what you requested. Ask for a meeting with the head if necessary. Don?t give up. You are on the same side as the teachers and they should provide what you wish.

Perfect!!! iboard is just what im looking for!
year2maths - my goodness should a 6 yr old/yr 2 really be doing sums like 32+14? If so ive really got alot of catching up to do! We are currently on 6+4+3 etc I hope that kinda thing would be near end of yr 2 lol
Thanks again :)

www.andrelleducation.co.uk/BMFreebies/BMBT%20CLIC%20Tests.zip

www.andrelleducation.co.uk/BMFreebies/BMBT%20Learn%20Its%20Tests.zip

Thanks Maree1
Im wondering if my problem has been that I made the requests during October parent interviews and the teachers prob had so much else going on, even though they did make notes. I am going to speak to new teacher next week about everything and put across about a few minutes catch up end of each month. If this proves difficult im going to go for the letter you suggest, thats a gr8 idea. :)

If he's in Y2 you may ewell find that they have an information evening/afternoon to explain about SATS & what they do towards them etc.

sending home unfinished work and extra work is a big ask. sending home a few notes about what you can do to help is not as difficult.

My friend worked so was not there for pick up, instead of passing messages through a childminder the school provided her with a diary to communicate with her and her with them.

It worked really well, they could comment on things he found difficult to finish so she could discuss it with her son. She could tell school what they had worked on at home. He wouldn't be given work to finish but she was told what to work on with him, like getting him to write a story or write for 10 minutes.

Re maths, our school gives a workshop to parents to show us how maths is taught that year, plus we get a yearly meeting where they tell us what the year will entail, what big topics they will cover like Vikings or Victorians, themes like underground and the school trips they will be taking etc.

School always tell us they have an open door policy and to see them at the end of a school day when there aren't 30 children waiting for a class to start.

Speak to the teacher and if nothing comes of it then write a letter. Best of luck.

Both my girls were slow to read. DD1 is dyslexic, possible that DD2 is also. Luckily, Maths is not a problem for either.

What worked for us, is bedtime reading. We established a routine where child would read me a few pages of 'their' book, and then I read them several pages of a book of their choice. We keep it very relaxed. Child is already in bed, and I lie beside them.

Teacher advised of suitable practice reading material (Learning tree Magic Key books - Oxford Reading Tree). Our local library stocks these books, and child would pick a variety of books from Level 2 to level 6+. DD2 level is Level 2/3, but can pick out many words from Level 3-4, and feels very proud when she makes 'good' attempt at a higher level book.
Child get to pick the book they wish to read (just a few pages, unless child wants to finish it). And then I read to them from a totally different book (Rainbow fairies book or Harry Potter, etc..)

I allow DD2 to take her time, and to sound out any word that she doesn't know (if she is tired or not concetrating, she may sound out words that I know she knows - like 'The'!). If it is not a phonetic word, I usually just tell her the word.

DD1 has have huge progress. 2 years ago she was struggling on Reading Tree level 3-4, and is now above average in her reading skills. (Has read all the Harry Potter books and big into Michael Murpurgo at the moment)

DD2 is work in progress - but I'm seeing improvements.

Best of luck to you and your DS. Really, practice does make perfect. Keeping it relaxed is key.

Finally - do make appointment with your DS's teacher for out of hours meeting. Make it is easy as possible for her(?) to help you - ask what YOU can do - rather than make specific requests of her.