comment in DD's school report - do I need to mention it to her?

[thefuturesnotourstosee]

She's year 2.

It says "DD clearly has impressive artistic ability. It would be wonderful if she could apply this to drawing the maps she's been asked to rather than more pictures of hedgehogs and other animals."

It is true she sits and doodles sketches of animals at every opportunity but I hadn't realised this had expanded to her lessons!!

Oh my DD was the same! I had a comment about that at the same age!

I did mention it....I explained that illustrating everything wasn't really on...but the teacher had noticed how good she was at art.

Perhaps a word about listening to what she's asked to do? But then, I believe that school discipline is a school issue (as long as their right to discipline is backed up from home). If they don't have the structures and engagement measures right to get a basically calm child (evidenced by her production of animal drawings) to do what she is asked, how is it your issue?

Yes I would. While the school should tackle it first I think it is only fair to let the parents know and expect that they also talk to the child.

At DD's school this would be listed as a target to listen to the teacher and stay on task and we are actively encouraged to discuss this with our children.

Listening or not is a totally seperate issue. This is certainly something to discuss/improve.

re actual drawing Strikes me the teacher needs to up her/his game a bit. I heard whiny nonsense. I understand its to illustrate (oh the irony) her complaint but she/he should be able to control that else what's the point?!

Dackyduddles, listening is not a separate issue.

If a child is told to draw a map and they draw a hedgehog instead then they are either not listening or being wilfully naughty.

I have a child in my class who continually doodled on his work. After a few times of having to stay in at break to redo his work he learned not to do it! However, when he's not listening the doodles come back...and I might be working with a target group or SEN children so it's not always possible to "control" what every child is doing in every second of every lesson.

It comes down to the child taking responsibility for their own work and doing the right thing. That's part of what they're at school to learn - how to be independent learners who don't need to be supervised every second of the day.

I would mention it to his parents because they might be able to help with that.

At that age children should be reading their reports with their parents (or having them read to them).

Interesting comments.

I've spoken to her and we've looked at her books together and what she says is that she finishes drawing her map and then as she has some time left decides to add in the animals she thinks should live in the place she's drawn.

A map of Austraila has some rather nice kangeroos, a map of UK has hedgehogs and Africa has an elephant and tiger (must talk to her about the natural habitat of tigers )

sorry hit send too soon. We;ve ahd a chat and Ive explained that if she's finished one bit she should be getting on with the next bit not doodling little animals

Lol - if my DD did that, the hedgehogs, elephants, tigers and kangaroos would all look the same! She sounds brilliant!