Should I email the teacher?

[MollieO]

Not sure if I'm being a bit PFB so need a bit of perspective.

Ds got his school report last week. Yr 3. First time he had effort grades. Mostly fine or as we were expecting (eg C for games - ds hates it with a passion).

He somewhat unexpectedly got a C for music. The comment from the head teacher mentioned it was a disappointment and unexpected. The music teacher said he is a very musical child, did very well playing an instrument but she would like to see him in the school choir (he has an exceptional singing voice).

I'm wondering if he has been marked down because he refuses to join the choir (he tried it at the start of term, hated it and refused to go back). He sings in the church choir (admission by audition - he was the youngest boy ever to be admitted). He loves it and is happy to attend two choir practices a week plus Sunday service (every Sunday during term time so a real commitment and he misses other activities to attend).

As this is something he does outside school his music teacher wouldn't know anything about it (he would never mention what he does outside school in school).

Should I say something or let it go? I walked into church tonight to collect ds from extra choir practice (they have a service on Christmas Day) and I heard him singing. It was so lovely that it made me feel really about his report.

oh and I think rewarding only As for effort is a bit harsh. It will be based on a mathematical spread so there is scope for rmovement term on term based on the smallest of margins, especially within such a small group. dd got an Effort prize this term with a mix of A and B grades.

I think that B for effort is pretty good.

I'm not too sure what you are concerned about. He messes about in music and has been given a C for effort ( slightly lower than his effort marks for other subjects but not especially so, perhaps he distracts others more in music than he does in say Chemistry or Maths) What he does outside the lesson is immaterial, it's what he does in the lesson that his teacher sees. So it doesn't matter to her how wonderfully he sings in the church choir if he doesn't concentrate in his music lesson. You aren't thinking of complaining about his other effort marks are you?-yet presumably he could do better in all of them if he learnt to concentrate.

Children at my son's school studying music HAVE to join the school choir, no matter how beneath them they feel it is, it is part of the school spirit of teamwork and pride in each other's achievements, perhaps something that needs developing?

My concern at the outset of this thread was that his teacher suggested he join the choir when he had already tried and hated it. Do I tell her that he had tried it or say nothing? I've decided to say nothing.

Ds is 7, he doesn't study music in the sense that he has a choice like in senior school. All the lessons he has are compulsory!

If it comes up again then by all means say that he did try it, but if she encouraged him maybe he would be prepared to do so again as he does enjoy singing elsewhere. It may have changed since he tried, the agenda and music may be different next term and dynamics of the choir. However maybe he would just prefer to keep it out of school and feel it is less scrutinised. I don't think you need make an issue of it at this stage, just accept what the mark being is based on.

Well she might like him to join the choir but presumably it is optional and there will be many boys who don't. However whether your son does or does not won't affect the effort ( or lack of it) that he shows in lessons, which is what he is marked on.