Parents' Evening

[Daisy]

I bet we all remember these with our own children, as well as other ladies like me who sat the other side of the desk for many a long evening!

My DSs, bless them, never got awful reports - or very good ones either. They were among the forgotten masses who did ok, but nothing spectacular. However, GD1's mum and dad went to the first PE at her new school last night, and to say they were chuffed is an understatement. The teacher couldn't sing her praises enough saying how hard she works, how well she does and lots of other nice things. As proud daddy, DS2 finished telling me all this he added, so it was a bit boring really! Honestly - I'd have loved to have heard things like that when he was at school!!!

Still, very proud of what GD1 has achieved, especially that she's always willing to help other children and was voted class Senator by them.

What were your own children's school reports like - how do they compare with your GCs?

[Oma]

I can understand the boring bit Daisy as its like GS1s
Never anything unexpected always full of praise and how well he's doing . He's a all round good student
GS2 on the other hand is completely different , Teacher always say if something catches his interest he's brilliant at it ,but if it doesn't he goes off in a world of his own and he's the class clown

My DD was like GS1 always good always a good top student ,
DS wanted to be good at stuff but his reports always said could do better He was a very friendly popular child who loved reading and music but wasn't academic , Didn't stop him getting on in life though

[Grauntie Mag]

DD1 was a rebel so you can imagine those conversations but she has had her own business since she was 20 and is doing ok.
Her children are both keen and bright. Every PE they were told how well GD1 was doing and were then shocked to hear that she was very behind in maths at the last but one PE! All down hill and too darned late to do much about it for the 11+. This has been the fate of many in the class. I would like to be a fly on the wall at the next PE. They will be on the case with GS1 from now on though.
DD2 was the opposite of DD1, well behaved and studious but disliked school.
I hated it and played hookey a lot in the final year.No role model.

[Daisy]

GM - it's shocking how many children still fall through the net, and I can understand how upset you all are about GD1 and her Maths. I always like the rebels when I was teaching. They had the extra spark that just needed a cause they could light up for! Your DD has done extremely well to be running her own business at 20, and it's a pity somebody at school didn't spot her potential.

Sometimes the lack of communication is dreadful. I know it was a long time ago (and hopefully things have improved) but I didn't find out until it was too late that DS2 hadn't handed in his GCSE Art coursework - because the teacher always rubbished his style (a bit Banksi-like) and was so rude about his coursework efforts that DS2 couldn't see the point of handing it in! He was thinking about doing Graphic Design at that stage, so Art was important to him. And I've sat the other side of the desk and tried to talk to parents whose attitude is 'not our problem - you're the teacher'!!

I remember talking to one set of parents whose DD was struggling, despite extra help from all her teaching team, and they said it didn't matter - she could go and work in a bank for a couple of years and then get married and have children. They had a very different attitude with their sons!

[Gemini]

Well done to your GD Daisy, I bet her parents were very proud

My GD has always had excellent reports too.
GS1 has just had his first parents night. DD and SIL came away very proud. He is ahead academically, and is happy and they said very popular, everyone wants to play with him!
The teacher said he has settled well and in the early days helped each morning to comfort a little boy who cried every day. DD said she had tears in her eyes when the teacher told her this!

DD2, mum of my super-clever GD was far from academic! At parents night, although they always said how nice she was, they said 'K comes to school for the social life'
DD1 , mum of GS1, worked exceedingly hard throughout her school career. Teachers were visibly shocked if they didn't realise they were sisters, once they found out! It was always a pleasure to go to her parents evenings.
One 6th form parents evening the tutor said 'A is the only student in the whole of the 6th form who I would advise to do less work!' I totally agreed with her and there was no pressure from us, at all. Her pressure was all her own.
My 3rd DD was somewhere between the 2. Hard working, did A levels, went onto uni, but not as hard on herself as DD1.

[Daisy]

Gem - you got the full range with your 3 DDs. How lovely that GS1 has had such a great start - not just academically but being such a good pal to a little boy who was upset.

[Nanto2girls]

Never had a bad report about the kids. Used to get comments like talk too much,or easily distracted.

A couple of years ago, youngest grandaughter got a bad report, for the very first time.
She didn't /doesn't like the school at all. I know there were 1/2 teachers she didn't like either.
I think she must have settled down,because her last 2 reports have been very good.

I still have hubby's school report book, no idea what happened to mine.

[Gemini]

I think mine were similar to my DD2's. Nice girl, but could do better

[Daisy]

Nanto - I've still got my report book - full of comments like "Daisy could do better if she tried harder". I never understood how they could tell if I was trying or not!