Ds (yr 1) is lazy!

[mogs0]

Ds started a new school at the beginning of term and I made an appointment to see his teacher today to check everything is going well and to discuss a couple of little things with her.

He's dealt with the move amazingly and has made quite a few friends and enjoys going to school.

At the end of our chat today I asked his teacher how she thought he was doing and, after a longish pause, she said she thought he was lazy and if he could get away with not doing something he would. I was crushed!! My gorgeous, loving, happy boy has been branded lazy at 5 years old!!!!! - I'm sure I was at least 11 before it happened to me!!! I asked if there was something I could do to help at home but she didn't really have an answer.

So, anyone have any tips on helping ds to be more motivated? He's an average reader and has, so far, got all his spellings correct.

FFS the teacher called him lazy That's pretty poor reporting on her part. For goodness sake he is five and if the lessons or work isn't stimulating enough perhaps it is her own lessons she should reflect on.

Sorry rant over (but really calling a child lazy is pretty crap from a teacher bah!)

Don't believe their is such a thing as a lazy 5-year-old.
An unmotivated one perhaps, but not lazy.

there

I would be furious TBH. He is probably just finding his feet, and is still not 100% confident, so maybe he is observing how everyone else does things, before having a go himself.

I would be annoyed with a teacher for making such a negative judgement this early in the term. Also, if she doesn't have an answer to your request for suggestions, then she doesn't strike me as being a very competant (sp) or experienced teacher.

Not just me being a sensitive parent then!! Everytime I think about it I cry!!

Oh no mogs0, I'd be upset too.
I wouldn't bother about it, just do fun stuff with him, muck about.
In Sweden he wouldn't even have started school yet!

Actual advice for inspiring a child to learn,. mmm. I would say look to his interests, at this age, he is still very young and you don't want to turn him off learning by ramming dull work down his throat. So look at the topics he has coming up, and go do some exploring of your own. If the project is about Egyptians then play about with trying make masks and pyramids, make up your own hieroglyphics and write in code to each other etc... If he likes modelling then make a pyramid, you get the idea.

tch, course the teacher could be doing some of this inspiring of course

I've heard that about my DS every year since he started school. The more tactful teachers refer to it as "not reaching his full potential". But boils down to the same thing.Don't have any answers, encourage him to read at home and practise his spellings, and ensure he knows you expect him to do his best. After that, IME it's a matter of waiting until they decide they want to apply themselves a bit more. Won't depress you by telling you how long I've been waiting for that in our case..... Oh, and you'll get really fed up of people telling you it's a boy thing, when your DS is surrounded by other boys who aren't lazy at all....

teacher does sound a bit crap, tbh.
He'll probably get a fab one next year and then he'll be away!

and yes, agree, what happens in the classroom isn't the be-all and end-all at this age. Encourage other activities which he enjoys - swimming/football/chess/whatever

What I mean is he'll catch up.
I'm off to bed, not making sense
Good Luck!

Forgot to make this point in my last post.

Learning as such would be an incidental thing in the playing you do with him around topics. So while building that pyramid you think cor that'd have been tricky for them egyptians wouldn't it? But you don't bother trying to make anything stick. There is no need.

Thanks, ladies! He's an August baby and, even though he loves school, he really struggled last year with the full-time hours. I'm very relaxed about what can and can't do with regard to reading and writing. I know he'll do it at some point and am very encouraging when he does. He's at that fab stage of writing things as he hears them and is so excited when he reads a sign on the road or the name on the side of a lorry.

If the teacher had said, " I sense some thing of a mismatch between his oral abilites and general knowledge and what he records independently.."

Or if she had said " understandably he is needing a lot of reassurance and encouragemnt to have a go at things, but I am sure he will soon grow in confidence. We're giving him lots of praise and each day he seems more settled.."

or perhaps " he seems to like to know that he's getting it right before he'll have a go. We're working on trying to build his confidence and show him that having a go is absolutely the way to go"

It's highly unlikely that your ds is lazy. It's much more likely to be a lack of confidence, hesitancy or perhaps not understanding sufficiently clearly the instructions he had been given. For some children at this age, there is a very noticeable click when the lights go on and it is blindingly obvious that they have worked out how to learn and what school is all about. Perhaps he is yet to click.

I think the most helpful thing to do is to erase that comment from your mind. read to him, read with him, play with him and help him to play with others. construction, building dens .. it really doesn't matter.. anything he enjoys will help him develop and learn. build his confidence and encourage him gently to have a go at the tricky things. Mostly just love him and I am sure there will be no need to worry further.

That's exactly the sort of thing his old teacher would have said!!!

So, inother words, she isn't telling you anything new, she's just crap at choosing her words! think no more about it!

Ahhh, I've just had that click moment that you mentioned!! Thanks!

My DS1 was branded as lazy (or lacking effort I think the words were) by his year1 teacher. Now in year 2, his teacher is delighted with him and he's loving school because "the work's harder".

It wasn't just lack of effort, it was that the work set wasn't stimulating enough imo. He is my PFB

I'm laughing about this (in a sisterly, empathetic way) as I have a Ds in Year 1 who likes to coast (which I think is a polite way of putting the same thing). He does not seem to expend additional effort where not required and likes to conserve his energy.

His reception and Year 1 teachers have both commented on this. His output is great and he is performing well, he just is not the type to be bobbing up and down with his hand up saying "ooh me, miss! I know the answer miss!"

(As DS said after his last open evening - "Attainment A, Effort C - smart lad!)

I think you need to be clear with the teacher as to whether it is a personality trait or an impediment to his learning. If it is the latter, then I agree that you need to work with the teacher on finding things that stimulate him. But it is not enough for her just to say - oh, he is lazy.

(I have a theory that the boys can seem less efficient as a lot of the girls bustle about making a lots of noise - and I say this as the mother of a very "bustly" girl!))