How can I help dd yr 7?

6 replies

Posey · 02/03/2009 21:50

Dd is at a mixed-sex state school with kids of all sorts. She just wants a quiet life, to get on with learning and to have a nice bunch of friends.
However she is getting increasingly frustrated by a handful of the class who constantly disrupt, particularly with their main teacher who they have for 2 hours a day. She says they can't learn properly as they are always being disruptive and then everyone just starts talking. The teacher doesn't sound to follow the school's guidelines re: sanctions. Dd is really fed up and I don't really know what to say. Previously when she's commented about this group I said "I know, it is annoying, but that's the way it often is, you just have to learn to live with it...." but that isn't really good enough now as she is getting upset about it. I think she's tired and I know hormones are kicking in so she's finding lots of things tougher to deal with... but is this acceptable? Does she just need to put up with it? Should I speak up? If so to who?

I would really appreciate feedback as I am new to having any issues with school having sailed through primary. This is the first time I really have not known what I can do, if anything, to help. Many thanks.
Many thanks

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nappyaddict · 02/03/2009 23:37

If the teacher isn't following the school's guidelines it needs to be brought up perhaps with DD's head of year?

LadyGlencoraPalliser · 02/03/2009 23:41

Posey, I don't know, but I feel your pain. DD is also Y7 and has this problem in two of her subjects. The rest of her classes seem fine, but there are two particular teachers who don't seem to be able to keep the rowdier elements of the class under control. I have been telling DD to put up and ignore too, as I can't see what else can be done. Will watch this thread with interest to see what advice you get.

magentadreamer · 03/03/2009 07:04

if the teacher is unable to controll the rowdy element then as others have said I'd contact the head of year or the head of department. My DD's maths class was continually interpupted by 3 boys during the first term. The teacher did however use sanctions plus ring the parents. Once they'd had their academic tutorials where I suspect this was raised again with the boys parents the rowdyness has settled. DD herself in an ICT lesson told one of them to shut up as everyone else wanted to learn stuff! Funnily enough this worked.

sdr · 03/03/2009 12:15

I'd contact her Head of Year. They've been at school 6 months now so things should have settled down. Sounds like you've got a mature DD, unfortunately in Y7 you still get some who behave like they're still in primary.

christywhisty · 03/03/2009 13:02

We have just had this problem in Yr8 with Ds's MFL teacher, she just not control the class and has had a lot of support with Headmaster and Head of MFL sitting in on the lessons. DS just switched off from the lesson. Other teachers told us at parents evening how much they enjoyed teaching that class and they had no problems in YR7.
This is top set, so in the end I decided to play on ds's SEN status (he is dyslexic) and got him moved down a class for german yesterday. He came home so happy and he had actually really enjoyed his class yesterday.
Feel a bit guilty as this doesn't solve the problem for the rest of the class.

Original poster

Posey · 06/03/2009 17:55

Just popping back to say thanks to everyone who responded. I eventually got to speak to the head of year today and came away feeling very happy with the response I got. He took the problem seriously and I'm going to see him again at parents evening in 3 weeks to discuss how things are going.
Dd is also happy that it is not being ignored, and she actually feels like she and her education are important now which is good for her self-esteem.
So thanks all!

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