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DD finding work very easy - nearly through yr 6, would you say anything?

12 replies

Takver · 13/03/2013 19:09

Apologies if this is long, but don't want to drip feed. Background: dd has an alternate teacher one day a week. Right from the start, she's found the work from this teacher very easy and pretty much invariably comes home complaining about being bored stiff all day.

Teacher is new to the school, and so back in September, my feeling was she was just getting the measure of the pupils, and easing in gently. Then after half term it was nearly Christmas, then it was almost half term, you know how it goes.

Fast forward to now, and dd is now really not wanting to go to school on a Wednesday, it sounds to me from reading between the lines that she's messing around and getting in trouble (this wouldn't be at all out of character, shall we say), etc etc.

Again only from what dd says, but it sounds like the teacher isn't doing any differentiation at all, the whole class (yr 5 & yr 6) are doing the same work. The example she gave today was spending the entire morning doing addition/subtraction involving negative nos. (so -9 + 12) and ordering nos including negatives. Maths is definitely dd's 'thing' and whilst she may have been exaggerating when she said she was doing this type of sums in yr 2, she's probably not overstating the case greatly.

So, the question is, given we're now getting towards Easter, would you try (continue) to persuade dd to put up and shut up, or would you go in and speak tactfully to the class teacher?

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Takver · 13/03/2013 21:02

..

OP posts:
MTSgroupie · 13/03/2013 21:54

We sucked it up and just counted the days to the end of Year 6.

Takver · 13/03/2013 21:55

You're probably right. If it weren't for the messing about/getting in trouble factor I'd definitely take that course. Maybe just a Stern Warning and crossed fingers Grin

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PastSellByDate · 14/03/2013 05:53

Hi Takver:

First - it is just one day a week and Year 6 (as MTSgroupie suggests) will soon be over.

Second - have you thought of speaking to this teacher? Express your concern about your DDs declining attitude in that class in such a way that the teacher may well suggest differentiating work for higher ability pupils.

One factor you may not have realised is that the school will be under pressure to get everyone in Year 6 to NC Level 4 - so although this is easy peasy for your DD it may be that a large proprotion of the class don't get this - so she's reviewing this to help improve scores (because there will most likely be questions on addition/ subtraction with negative numbers).

If your DD is way ahead and you haven't got things to entertain her at home regarding maths - you may want to take a look at Mighty Algebra (through Mathsfactor) - which is the next logical step mathematically - link here: www.themathsfactor.com/algebra.aspx. So at least her maths can continue to excite her and keep her interested. There also are excellent free resources at Khan Academy for maths: www.khanacademy.org/math/arithmetic

HTH

Takver · 14/03/2013 10:05

Lots of helpful thoughts there PastSellBy. I don't think its the level 4 issue as we're in Wales so no SATs.

I might try to catch her, but its tricky because of it being just one day a week then fill in sessions whenever their main teacher is absent. Otherwise I'll just encourage dd to chill a bit - she & DH both enjoy doing logic puzzles & other maths stuff together so I'm sure she won't lose her general enthusiasm for the subject.

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PastSellByDate · 14/03/2013 10:14

Hi Takver:

given you say she likes puzzles - your DH and she might like to explore NRICH Maths (set up by Cambridge University to provide extension exercises in maths). It's a fabulous website and really makes you think

Link here for upper secondary: nrich.maths.org/secondary-upper

There also is a really inspiring website on the huge range of careers in maths which may be an idea to start exposing your DD to: www.mathscareers.org.uk/

If you haven't come across it - have a look at a daily newsletter on maths here: paper.li/NathalieFytrou/mathematics which has all sorts of links to news, ideas, games, videos, etc... related to maths.

Vi hart (vihart.com/doodling/) has some fabulous videos (she's now working for the Khan Academy) - and I can heartily recommend:

Fibonacci sequence videos 1 - 3: , and

and my personal favourite: Open letter to Nickolodean regarding spongebob's pineapple being a mathematical impossibility:

HTH

Takver · 14/03/2013 10:17

Wow! That all looks great :) I will point her towards them . . .

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imnotmymum · 14/03/2013 10:18

She should not mess around and disrupt class because she finds the work easy that is not on so a definite talking to. Why does she not say to teacher that it easy and could she have more work ? However one day a week ...I would just let it go have a word with DD and it is nearly Summer !!

Takver · 14/03/2013 10:27

imnotmymum - believe me, we have had this discussion . . .

To be fair, I think she has asked for more work - apparantly a couple of weeks back they were given a worksheet that she had done (ie literally the same sheet, not similar work) a couple of years back and the response was simply 'well, it'll be easy for you then, won't it'

The problem partly I think is that because she has very poor presentation/writing skills (dyspraxic/dyslexic stuff going on) it is always an easy answer to tell her to work on making everything neat. Fortunately her main teacher doesn't do this and in fact she's able to use a keyboard for a lot of work now.

However, that's a bit like making me spend hours doing beautiful tiny cross stitch sowing - I still wouldn't be able to do it, no matter how long I practiced, and it would be mindlessly boring. No doubt I too would be tempted to start kicking my chair, flicking rubbers et al, even though I know I shouldn't!

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imnotmymum · 14/03/2013 10:30

Now Takver stop making excuses she is nearly at secondary so she has to know what behaviour is acceptable and just because she bored she should not disrupt. I have sat through many boring lectures and not started throwing anything.
However if she has complained maybe just have a quick chat with teacher I guess and should iron out. Is she the only one who finds it easy could to speak to other Mums?

Takver · 14/03/2013 10:33

Not excuses - as I say we've already Had Words. But equally I think that setting work that has been done before is not reasonable either!

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PastSellByDate · 14/03/2013 10:40

HI Takver:

Just realised I pasted NRICH link to secondary upper (which is senior school level - oops) - meant to have link to upper primary here: nrich.maths.org/primary-upper

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