who has school/home books so the Teachers can write down what your child has done?

[anniebear]

Are they important to you?

I only ask as I love to look in DD's each day after school (SN) to see what she has done

she has speech but is not able to remember what she has done through the day unless I know what she's done then I can chat to her about it

I find it is nice for me to be able to do this and important for DD

But it is getting filled in by the teachers less and less

I have mentioned it a couple of times but they just said they are sometimes busy

This week, they wrote on a Monday and thats it. I have written things to them , some important and I dont know if they have even been read

DD has being doing some sessions at MS school and been taken on the bus. I wrote down "Has she been ok going on the bus"?

No answer

I am being OTT?

Should I mention it yet again to the Teacher? Go to the Head?

I feel embarrassd though and awkard having to say about it again

Thanks

[anniebear]

thats funny Joggeroo, Im sure everyone loved reading it!!!!!

[Joggeroo]

Well done Anniebear for persevering. Hope this week is a better week for communication.
Other posters made me smile when talking about the importance of parents writing in the book...i threatened to change the heading of Ds's book to DH's book las year when I found he was telling them lots about his days, not just Ds's!
DD who attends MS Pre-school always writes in he home-school dairy before she goes to pre-school but they never put an entry in, even though they used to be g ood when DS was there.

[anniebear]

was chatting with another Mum this morning and she mentioned her sons book and said it hardly gets written it!!

He is non verbal

she is going to wait a few weeks before mentioning it so they wont know weve been chatting lol

[magso]

Parents are espected to acknowledge comments (tick/thanks/comment) in the school home book so the teachers know it was read at home and appreciated. I love the book, it is so useful (Ds has profound language delay)even though for us it is early days. Like Gess we could not get a communication book up and running in ms but after 2 weeks in SN school we have had more communication than 3 years in ms!Hope your DDs school will understand how important it is to you and your DD Anniebear.

[anniebear]

Headmistress had a quiet word on the way past earlier and said they had discussed it and that she had left a note in the book for me

and she had written that it has been discussed and they think the problem was because DD has only been doing mornings so it has been forgotten and one of the members of staff will do it

Hope so

They prob think Im some neurotic Mother and a pain in the backside!!!!

[dustystar]

We have one and its great becuase ds really can't handle being talked about even if its praise. Often its just a couple of lines but when necessary its more.

They should be checking it every day IMO

[Mitchell81]

I totally agree, my DD is non verbal, so I have no idea what she has done during the day unless they tell me in her book. She was off school thurs and friday last week being unwell and I had written for them to let me know how she was today. When DD got home this afternoon, her book wasn't in her bag, so felt a bit annoyed. But just got a call from the school apologising for not putting the book in her bag and telling me that she had a great day. Sometimes they really are great.

[gess]

It's not good enough anniebear- is this at the special school? I think you could bring it up as a general concern because it will affect other parents as well (not in a conflict type way, just as something that's essential). I get through about 2 exercise books in a school year.

Even at ds2's school they write a quick reply if I've put something important in his home link book.

[anniebear]

and I do write things in her book

I often write if we have had a day out, so they can chat to DD about it
will say if she has been up extra early etc


It was an important thing I wrote last week last week and I don't know if it was read

I am really so fed up with it all at the mo

[anniebear]

well I mentioned it this morning, wish I hadn't

Am so due on!!!! I was all worked up, mentioned nicely to the Teacher (apologetically of course!!) but she wasnt really too concerned, said she will try her best

It felt like it was me who was being a pain for asking

But this is the 3rd time I have mentioned it

Too be fair, a child was trying to escape out of the door at the same time that I was trying to speak!!! But thats the only time I have

I really dont think they understand how important it is to us, but they should

I am not expecting an essay , she could just write

Paint

Number recognition

music time

that would be fine, just as long as I have some one to chat about to DD

Don't think I'm asking too much and it shouldn't be a case of "I'll try"

Got back in my car and had an hormonal cry lol lol

[gess]

I always get it- Usually about half a page. Longer if necessary. I loved the first year at his special school as the home-school books chart his eating progress!!

At maintream I had terrible difficulties getting a home-school book up and running, and getting any sensible information out was even harder. Usually it was one word 'fine' (and then I'd find out he'd done something hideous).

[moondog]

Yes,please remember it works two ways!
All the teachers I work with want parents to write stuff and talk approvingly of those who do.
(They do however often fall guiltily silent when I ask if they have told the parents this. I recommend they put a cheery note in kids' bags reminding parents of this fact.)

As a salt am always amused (and often a little disappointed ) to think of how we hone in on our children's 'deficient' communication skills yet never stop and think that there are many things that we as adults could and should be doing to improve general communication.

[Saker]

This is interesting. Ds2 has just started at a new special school and they have supplied a home-school book and timetable but they don't write in every day. I guess they are busy but I am little disappointed when there is not information. I can extract some out of Ds2 (although proper RDI protocol does not allow it ). What they do do though is print a general report on the whole classes' activity for the week plus a special bit about Ds2's week on the Friday.

Now I've read this thread I feel a bit more confident about asking them to write some more.

[moondog]

In the schools (SN) I work in they are filled in every day.I always tell ask the teachers to let parents know that comments and anecdotes from their end are appreciated too,particulalry in the case of children with communication difficulties.

We also have picture diaries which go back and forth (parents have a set of relevant pictures) which are essential as they are the children's books to share with adults.

I always point out that written stuff is great but not accessible to non readers.

[arena]

Hi my ds sn school not only write in the book, they also put photo's in there about 3 times a week so we can see what they are doing.

I think all sn school's should do that, as seeing the picture's makes such a different's, seeing my ds doing things that i think he could'nt do is great.

[thomcat]

Yes, we have one that is split into sections so I can see how she was at PE, reading, play, and in general.

Then I have a book where I write what wegot up to at the weekend so the teachers are a) aware and can b) chat to her about it.

Would have to have a word if it slipped with us as I don't have a clue without it and it's the first thing I go to after kissing her hello.

[smurfet]

I'm lucky that my DD's SN school DO write in her home to school diary every day even if its only a short mesg,like you all say its important to know how their day has been!

[ShinyHappyPeopleHoldingHands]

It's all down to the LSA really.. DS has an excellent one, same for second year in a row and she writes essays in it.. and so do I.. and we have the same sense of humour so it's brilliant.

Y1's couldn't really be arsed and she when she did it was generally negative. DS's behaviour has got more challenging since then and although Mrs S tells it like it is, she is always quite to make much of the positive or funny things DS has done.

We are very lucky. I would go spare without this good commuication tool as DS goes to school on transport so I don't see them every day.

[anniebear]

sorry, that was a bit long!

[anniebear]

She comes home from Mainstream with a whole page been written on what she has done by her 1-1 !!!!

she has started going on the bus 3 mornings a week, so those days it feels like she hasnt even been to her SN school

I am able to talk to DD about what she has done in the afternoon sessions at mainstream (she has a twin sister in the class so I get a bit of help some times lol) but not SN school which I think is sad

she has been going to SN School since she was 2 and 4 months! went into a new class in Sep 06 so has been in it for a year

I also appreciate that most children dont tell you what they have done at school!! (as DD has a twin!)

But at the same time, I know my other DD has done reading, numeracy in the mornings, I know she is doing well them and the afternoons at some point she will come out with bits of info

sometimes we have what we call 'family time' where we all tell each other what we have done that day (so I could find out about school lol)

But of course, 1 DD cant join in

thanks, at least I know it is important to others and I will be brave tomorrow and mention it for the third time!!!!

[bullet123]

Ds1 has a home -nursery book and it's the only way I have a chance of knowing what he's done that day.

[Joggeroo]

i say 'chat' , I read, he smiles or laughs.....