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What extra support would parents like in regards to your childs education?

34 replies

littlemissnorthernbird · 12/05/2018 16:23

Hi,
Purely for my own research... Would love to know what support parents would like to have in regards to your child's education. The curriculum in schools is very different nowadays compared to our own education and often means many parents are left confused with expectations.

Do you have any particular areas you would most like support with? What do you find most difficult in regards to supporting your child?

Thank you

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Tomorrowillbeachicken · 14/05/2018 09:40

Tbh I really do think this education is not well suited for outliers, especially for those with Sen. These children’s potential is being lost as lots learn to just coast too.

Tomorrowillbeachicken · 14/05/2018 09:42

Tbh I’m pretty sick of these kids being thrown under the bus to be honest too.

TheFlannelsAreBreeding · 14/05/2018 09:45

I agree with @briolliotic - there’s a real danger that academic kids hit secondary school (or even uni) having not actually learned how to learn because it’s all come so easily. I don’t see how school can help much, though, if they’re complete outliers with no peers anywhere near. Not without giving them more than their fair share of attention in a class of 30.

I do think school needs to help with the social aspects of the problem, as it tends to be quite isolating (or they learn to stay quiet or pretend to get things wrong, which is also a problem). ELSA groups etc, plus a culture of kindness and valuing everyone’s different skills.

Engagement and challenge are what chess / ballet / swimming / team sport / anything else you can think of that they’ll not get right first time is for.

vickibee · 14/05/2018 09:48

understanding special needs better, teachers have limited training and could do with understanding common SEN traits.
Also to adopt a more holistic approach to a child'e education instead of being an results factory - caring for the whole child

Tomorrowillbeachicken · 14/05/2018 09:50

Teaching by ability not age helps

reluctantbrit · 14/05/2018 10:51

I feel sorry for teachers. How on earth do you think they can find the time to prepare 30+ individual supplement information so parents can help?

Don't understand me wrong I have been on the side where no information meant DD's standards slipped and we didn't know. But I personally think there are better ways.

For us it meant getting homework where DD had to do work like in class, maths and SPAG/comprehension workbooks, instead of silly projects like "design a poster of your favourite xyz". We realised DD had significant issues in working independently on the level the school gave her. So for us it meant then talking to the teacher and seeing what goes on.

We had tutoring after that because DD's problem couldn't just be solved with more practice or in class with 30+ other children. 6 months help with a tutor worked, it clicked and she moved up from "working towards" at the end of the year to "working exceeding" this year.

If the school gives out more information during the year of what is actually being done in school like proper homework or books on a more frequent basis or even more parent evenings, then parents can interact better, help out faster and children do not fall behind.

I wonder how many parents know of the actual hours teacher work. There are some days I collect DD from her childminder and for this I walk past her school at 5.45pm. I still see teacher leaving the grounds. DD told me that her teacher uses Sunday afternoons for marking books. He runs additional maths classes in Y6 once a week.

The problem is not necessarily the schools themselves, the problem is the system on which they operate. Too much red tape, too much paperwork, classes too big, too much pressure from the government.

RainbowFairiesHaveNoPlot · 14/05/2018 12:20

I wonder how many parents know of the actual hours teacher work

I used to be one. I'm more than aware. Nice try on the moaning parents have no clue front though.

catkind · 14/05/2018 13:44

Teaching by ability not age helps
Yes it really would.

Able kids getting more than their share of attention is not a thing at our school. Much less than fair shares. Which is fair enough, kids who are behind do need the resources, but just a little regular slice would make such a difference. For example being given an appropriate book and heard reading once a week. Things the rest of the class get as a matter of course at least weekly, and lower ability groups get every day.

School's contribution to Dd's reading progress so far was to sic rainbow fairies on us in reception then leave her to it. Net negative contribution by my reckoning.

catkind · 14/05/2018 13:54

Sorry, feel like we've sidetracked there, this wasn't supposed to be about able kids. Though perhaps telling that they have come up from several of us.

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