Trying to understand

[grannyjules]

Hi All, I just need to get this off my chest and hope you can help me to understand the message our village school is trying to make.
The class was set a reading challenge, they had to read a number of books, I believe. If they completed the task they were allowed to watch the Christmas film. Well Rhys didn't manage it and there were a few others too. Now I know I'm his Grandma, but I think it was disgraceful for these few children to be left out. For Rhys to actually read the books , well it's not going to happen and with all the medical things they have to get through before bedtime, it's impossible to fit it all in. He is read to every night and does his special words most nights of the week. The other 6 year olds have to do as their parents tell them and if that's not including their reading task, well it's down to the parents at that age. So I feel it tells Rhys he's not clever enough for the treat. He was upset he missed out, but instead of giving up and thinking what's the point, I'm never going to make it, he said, "If I read during the holidays, will it count towards next year, so I can see the film?" I'm not sure what the lesson for the children was, it might have been a lesson for their parents, but very mean at Christmas.
I told DD to give his teacher the gift tag off her gift from Rhys and tell her if she'd made the grade she would have got the present , too.

[Sum1Ls]

I agree GJ this is absolutely disgraceful. Not the sort of thing which should ever happen in any school. I'd be inclined to make an appointment with the head teacher ASAP and make my view known. These children are too young for homework anyway and I have to say as a former tutor in the education department of a university, I can't think of of a more sure and certain way of putting children off reading, my blood is boiling too.

[grannyjules]

Mine too Sum1Ls. If I'd had to take him to school the next day I would certainly have had my say.
DD has said she will cheat all year and make Rhys look like a star pupil, they'll have to call her a liar to her face , if they want to question the issue.
It doesn't pay to be honest and to try your best., so it seems.

[Libra Gran]

That is disgusting, I would have had a hissy fit if that had been one of mine. What does she think she is teaching those kiddies by excluding them, I agree with Sum1Ls and would see the head teacher as soon as school re opens.

[Shemadee]

That's a dreadful thing to do. Whatever was the teacher thinking of? Definitely needs a word with headteacher as this actually seems cruel and pointless.

[Oma]

OMG Sorry GJ but if it had been one of mine I would have been hammering on the Heads door , apart from being cruel they know Rhys can't keep up but does his very best , this is no way to encourage children to read what about children who have Dyslexia are they excluded too ? The woman should if not sacked at least re trained , I'm livid for you

[Daisy]

My blood is also at boiling point. But we've experienced similar situations in two different schools.

In GD1's Infant school (not even a primary school) if the children are late in a morning they get a playtime detention! Detention for 4/5 year olds???? Now I don't know how many children in this age group have got enough control of their parents to make sure they are got to school in good time. There is one child how has a younger sister with severe medical problems. If she is having a 'bad' morning, Mum can't get out to take the older child to school at any time, let alone on time. Last year they had a special outing in the Autumn term for children who had 100% attendance. One day, GD, aged 4 at the time, was sick in the afternoon (after registration). She felt fine within a couple of hours but the school rules would not allow her to go to school the following day, thus ruining her 100% attendance and missing the outing. She was very upset.

A long back story, but briefly, when GS2 started school he had to go to a school about 3 miles away from their home. Their starting and finishing times were exactly the same as his older brother's, so one child was late arriving or late being picked up every day. Then GD2's school came up with the wizzy idea of rewards for children who walked to school!!!! He would have been there in time for lunch!! He was already feeling alienated and vulnerable, and his Mum had very strong words with the head about the rewards for walking scheme!

So, yes, grannyjules, I would be absolutely steaming over this. Rhys is a stellar example to all the children in his school, and most children of his age will do their best whatever the task - they don't need coercion, threats and punishments. They need praise for what they do strive for and achieve. One of the principles of teaching which were drummed into me on my Cert Ed course was 'organise for success' (not the same as lowering standards) because success begets more success.

[Elisi]

Without a doubt this is a truly crass example of so called teaching I would make the first appointment available in the New Term to state my feelings openly to the Head, if this were me. Hopefully the holiday period would have allowed me to calm down and be able to make my point rationally.

Back it up with a letter to the authorities, and show that letter to the Head.

Good luck.

[grannyjules]

I'm glad it's not just me then. DD did fire off an email to the SEN teacher but has not had a reply as yet, which is very unusual for her. Rhys's teacher did look sheepish the next day.
She wasn't even going to mention it the day before , but DD asked about it. So she had time to explain it all to Rhys the night before, so he wasn't upset in school. They decided to use the "I'm not bothered" look, and just get on with what they gave him to do instead.
DD volunteers in the office and is now a new Govenor, only been to two meeting so far. May be she needs to flex her muscles soon.
I think if DD found out I'd written, it would be a step too far. I did try to wind her up to speak out , but she didn't, except via email.

[Plantaholic]

Poor Rhys, he is such a star and an example to all. I would certainly have had something to say to the Head about it.

[Gemini]

GJ, poor Rhys, and those other children
. We all know there are many reasons why some children won't finish books as quickly as others. Sometimes this will be lack of parental encouragement, but the children themselves will be punished. It is punishment, to my mind, to exclude certain children from a treat like a film. There are ways to reward the quicker readers, if necessary without penalsing others.It is hard to imagine that anyone could think this is appropriate.
I would be furious if this was either of my GC.
It's appalling.

[Elisi]

I can relate in a way GJ as my DD had Dyslexia and struggled SO hard to read for many years. We paid to get her accessed by Bev Hornsby who was the expert at the time and her report got DD some one to one tuition from a teacher she loved, and she became gradually better. She still has problems now and then but passed her exams, went to Uni and has now set up her own business.

The school told me she was a "dreamer" and that she was hopeless at almost everything except sports. HA !!! I don't think so!

[Mimi]

This is a terrible way for teachers to treat their pupils. Where does the head teacher and school governors stand on this sort of teaching, if it can be called that.
When my three children were at school they all took to reading in a different way, the first loved it and sailed through all the stages of reading , he still loves reading now the second hated reading, sitting still and reading was impossible for him, he was the outdoor type. He now works outdoors , works out at the gym and never reads a book and my youngest enjoyed reading most sorts of books but her passion was maths , she works in finance and is doing an accountancy course. They all arrived at reading stages at a completely different ages but they all turned out OK. If their school had taken that way of 'teaching ' , two of my children would have let the whole class down .

[Nanto2girls]

Feel so angry for you grannyjules. I certainly hope your daughter says something, I know I would. Wonder what the parents of the other excluded children think.

[ZIZI]

GJ I am upset for him, how dare the teacher behave like that? Joe is an avid and good reader, Ben is only a year younger but much slower at his schooling as he has had a lot of time off for hospital etc. The school make allowances for him and that is what this school should do. I also do not like the idea of pitching the children against each other "if you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far go together".