I think ds2's teacher must not want a Christmas present this year ...

[roisin]

When ds2 went back to school he chose a non-fiction book he's had out before, called "The wild garden book" with lots of information about encouraging wildlife in your garden, etc.

I wrote in his reading record:
Mon: "We've got a wild garden already, I didn't realise we needed to read a book about it!"
Wed: "I'm trying to persuade d2 that leaving catfood out for hedgehogs might also encourage cats to come into the garden."
Fri: "Ds2 wants to keep this book for the weekend, as he's making notes and plans for the garden next year ... Oh joy!"
Mon: "I'm hoping ds2 will finish writing his notes soon"

Today his teacher has written in the book:
"Rather than read we discussed ds2's plans for your garden. I have given him some A3 sheets of squared paper for him to draw out his plans and diagrams. We also talked about masonry bees."

LOL - perhaps he's going to be a Garden designer

buy her a worm factory or bee breeding hive for her Christmas!! See how she likes it!! heehee!!

that'll learn ya!!!!!!!!!!

All I can say is next time ds2 wants to take a frog and a slug into school to show his teacher, I won't talk him out of the idea!

He's actually a fab teacher: he had ds1 in yr1 and transformed ds1's experience of formal education. Let's hear it for male primary school teachers!

I have to say he sounds like a good teacher. How many teachers would make a child 'read' at reading time, rather than sitting down and encouraging them to do something else that they're really keen on.

Too many teachers would think "it's reading time we MUST read", while your DS's teacher obviously has the brains to think "actually what would really help this child and give them more enthusiasm (sp) is too encourage them to expand on their ideas and be able to practice other vital skills".

What a fantastic teacher.

Lol sounds like my dd1!
Does sound like a good teacher though , dd1s yr1 teacher was like that!

Sounds like a good guy, roisin.

My dh always felt that it was very sad that there were so few male teachers in the children's primary schools.

Five years ago we had no male teachers at our junior school - then we got one - now five out of our 10 full time teachers are male. Can make lunchtime in the staff room more interesting and the competitive element has definitely increased!

DS2 (10) came home from school yesterday and asked why there are so few male teachers. They have one supply teacher at the mo who is male. Other than that the entire teaching staff at his school is female (the male head retired last year).

It's very sad, because all the children seem to respond so well to male teachers at this age.

When the boys started at their primary school 5 out of 14 classroom teachers were male. Unfortunately now there are only 2. But the three are not "lost", one is specialist IT, one is specialist music (0.5), and one has just retired, but will still be helping on the residentials and other stuff. We also have another male member of staff, who does IT. It definitely adds to the school. And our Head is female: she is fantastic.

I do hate the model where the only male member of staff in a primary school is the Head.

LOL!

Buy him a bok on garden design for xmas...the teacher that is