Help Advice Teacher has just told me news that all mums dread

[zanzibarmum]

Help. Advice please. Class teacher has just told me something about DS that all mumnetters fear.... That...DS is. How can I put this 'average'. Ahrggggh

How do I cope.

[ICANDOTHAT]

AVERAGE !! How fabulous .... your dc child will positively thrive in our education system - CONGRATULATIONS !!

[zanzibarmum]

FallenMadonna - yes, as people have said "average" is not a bad place to be; what really counts in life are social skills and a work ethic; not all above average kids have these skills.

Besides what is "average" in one school would be counted below average or above average in another. Average defined by the mode wouldn't be a bad place to be - what's important is not just where the child is relative to others but what the child's attainment level and distribution of children around the mean.

[Goblinchild]

You're right you know, on our planning we have G&T, Higher ability, Middle Ability, Lower Ability and SEN.
But when talking to parents we say things like 'peer equivalent' to bamboozle them.
And a parent with an sn child needs a GSOH or you might as well give in to despair before breakfast on a daily basis.

[TheFallenMadonna]

Wasn't it John Major who said he wanted all children to be above average?

And he was Chancellor of the Exchequer...

[zanzibarmum]

Sorry; it was a joke but with a serious point to it amid all the striving by us and "pushy parent" threads here on mumsnet. Besides I am not sure a teacher would ever use the dreaded A word.

zanz1bar - at least you got the joke but sorry I am not from Zanzibar.

[hifi]

agree with posters who say lighten up.

[beanieb]

how is this insensitive? It's supposed to be a joke/funny little chat isn't it? Some of you mumsnetters are just plain weird

[zanz1bar]

Zanzibarmum Love to know how you chose your nickname, as my Mum was born in Zanzibar.

You made me giggle and believe me, my mother spent a lot of parents evenings in tears, but I turned out all right in an average sort of way, 2x dc, 1xdog, volvo, house in country, no grammatical knowledge and bad spelling.

[PlumpRumpSoggyBaps]

I was told last year that ds1 was average.

He's put a lot of effort into becoming below average since then.

Little blighter.

[Scrumplet]

[pagwatch]

I thoughtthis was very funny and I too have a child withvery severe SN.
Do you know - when they give you your childs diagnosis they don't simultaneously book you in to have your sense of humour removed ( although most LEA's stretch it as far as it will go)

What a terrible over reaction from earlier posters.

I have a fabtasticly gifted child, a child with severe SN and a really average child.

Guess which one is happiest?

[Hulababy]

Maybe OP has left MN. Afterall, is there even a place for a mum with an "average" child on here? Maybe we will need a special section do you think?!

[TwoHot]

argggggggggggggg

[dilemma456]

Message withdrawn

[Overmydeadbody]

I do think you should ask for a second opinion though OP, and maybe a referral to an independant Ed. Psych to make sure.

Some teachers are too quick to label children these days.

[Overmydeadbody]

lol

[PuppyMonkey]

Oh good, I thought at first I was the only one who giggled, but have read rest of thread now and see I am not alone. Phew.

[dilemma456]

Message withdrawn

[ronshar]

POor OP. You try to make a small joke to cheer up a dull Thursday night and what happens. You get abused.
Mumsnet is not what it used to be

[happywomble]

Last year DS' teacher said he was below average (along with most of the other boys in the class). A term later the next teacher said he was above average. Take it all with a pinch of salt!

[OrmIrian]

Oh come on! Twas a joke. And let's face it on MN the vast majority of DC are bloody geniuses anyway it seems

[Oblomov]

Has Op not come back then ? Shame.
Christ , you can't discuss any flippin' topic on Mn these days.

[piscesmoon]

I blame Ofsted-you can't be satisfactory any more-you have to be good or outstanding!
In the same way you can't be average-you have to be good or outstanding!

[myredcardigan]

Come back, OP!
It's a new day op so hopefully some on this thread will have changed out of their judgy pants.

You made me laugh anyway! And having been here for 5yrs I've seen many a thread that really was insensitive.