Dd not enjoying year 2 so far-how to help her

[Molehillmountain]

Dd has just started year 2 with a very well respected teacher. She has come home every day saying she is too slow at her work and mrs x is cross with her. She said she cried in the toilets with another girl and today she cried with me saying she'd never get to do her artwork because only the children who finished got to go. I probed about why she was slow and it turned out she was chatting. A combination of another child talking to her and her also starting to chat as well. Is it worth telling the teacher about this? In some ways it's obviously having its desired effect as dd knows what's wrong and is upset and worried about it. But can the teacher also perhaps offer some support to dd to help her and should only children who've finished get to do the "fun" stuff? Art is a curriculum subject too. We talked about how it is important to do your work without chatting, how she can choose to talk or not etc etc.

I know it's harsh but I'd be telling its her own fault and if she stopped chatting she would finish quicker. She obviously knows chatting is wrong if she told you that's why she is slower. The choice is totally in her hands, chat and be slow, don't chat and get to do art. It's pretty cut and dried really.

Agree with Social.

Agree with the replies you've had so far.

The punishment of missing play to complete work worked with my chatty dd. I think y2 is old enough to start this as it's only a year away from juniors. (It seems like yesterday that my y2 was in nursery)

Sounds like quite normal teething problems. Your dd is trying to get the measure of a new teacher, what's allowed, what she can get away with, how to marry up her fab sociable nature with the expectation that at school she should focus, focus, focus. She won't be the only one falling foul of the rules. So many teachers do the "don't smile till Christmas thing" and pick the kids up on every tiny crime at this time of year. Predictable but understandable that they concentrate most on establishing the ground rules that they hope will enable them to manage a group of 30 kids smoothly for the year, I think. It's not till later that they get to know the children as individuals a bit better and can make a few allowances for personality and learning style, if they're so inclined. I do hate the no art/pe punishments, personally. Think they establish literacy and maths as officially dull and chorelike and prevent the kids who might most need a bit of zooming about/peaceful creativity from accessing that, making their behaviour worse half the time. But again, I think teachers reach for the stuff that will make them appear ruffty tuffty and not to be messed with at the beginning and this may not be her usual style once she feels she's established control over the class and that the majority of them understand her rules.

I would do nothing for the moment, except encourage dd to believe that she can stop chatting and finish off her work if she puts her mind to it (whilst not making her feel that being a chatty 6/7 year old is the crime of the century as 1. it isn't and 2. it sounds like the teacher is already getting the message across and huge censure from you would be major overkill, imo. If it doesn't die down in a few weeks it might be worth asking if she can sit next to someone else? Maybe someone who would benefit from chatting a bit more?!

Really appreciate the replies. I agree! Am going to pop in to see the teacher tomorrow. I think she should know that dd is very upset about it, and also that we support the idea that dd needs to buckle down and work hard. So that we're basically singing from the same hymn sheet. The only bit I disagree with and am upset about is that dd is starting to see art and other stuff as treats and things that she doesn't get to do. However, we have chosen the school and entrusted dd to their care so we will support both the school and dd. dd has gone into school vowing to do better today. Fingers crossed.

Better day today . Dd had a good work sticker. Here's hoping we're on the up.

Same experience here. Already been called in to see teacher about behaviour.

I think it's important teachers crack down early on - and they realise that school is for work not chatting.

I say this as a notorious chatterbox at school

Saw teacher-she's lovely . All boundary setting. Dd had done lots of chatting but has settled down and done good work last couple of days. Teacher very warm towards dd and clearly deserves her reputation.

That's great.:)