Parent evening woes

Key Stages 1-2 and SATs advice

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Jules7
Posts: 248
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 7:55 pm

Parent evening woes

Post by Jules7 »

DD2 is in Y3 in a nice average primary school. She's lovely but always been the sort of child you have to tell over and over to get them to do something. She has a great ability to spend ages engaged in something she is interested in but is woefully lacking in focus on concentration in other areas - like her literacy homework...
Anyway, just had parents evening and she seems to be slipping up. Predicted 3B in maths and reading and 3c in writing by end of this year. Maths on target but still only 2A in reading and 2B in writing half way through the year based on tests before half term. Teacher says her actual work is better than that but didn't do that well in the tests. So...bit worried now...but the teacher says the transition to KS2 tests is often tricky, especially for those young in the year and less mature. Teacher then says DD's focus in class is becoming worse and she has had to move DD, even on occasion to a table on her own, so she can concentrate and not distract others. Very worried now.

Despite me explaining / nagging / imploring until I'm at my wits end, DD still doesn't get the need to be more focussed and not to be distracted from what she's meant to be doing. How can I help her to focus more?
scarlett
Posts: 3664
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:22 am

Re: Parent evening woes

Post by scarlett »

Hi Jules,

I did pen a reply to you last night but it looked a bit weak and woolly ...but as you have zero replies..I shall cobble together another one. :)

Why do you think your DD has suddenly lost focus and has become a bit distracting for others ? Do you think she might be a little despondent in her abilities and perhaps her self confidence has taken a bashing ? My DD is also in year 3 and her weak point is writing and she will often say she didn't finish her work and couldn't think what to do...however she will spend ages on her maths and ask to do extra at home because she knows she is good at that and so enjoys it. It does sound like a maturity thing and I'm sure it will suddenly all click. You just need to ensure she doesn't feel she is rubbish and that can only be solved by really having a good chat with her to get to the bottom of it all . What ideas has the teacher come up with ?
fatbananas
Posts: 1411
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:03 pm

Re: Parent evening woes

Post by fatbananas »

Hi Jules 7,

Coming up with new ideas is quite tricky. My DS's ideas are way way too complicated so he spends ages on them and then gets nothing down in the classroom. I'm trying to get him 'back to basics' - we're looking at basic myths (they're doing this in class) and also some of the less girly (as he's a boy) fairytales, to try to help him see a basic, more simple structure. Then I'm going to think up different names (ie, not Goldilocks or Red Riding hood, or Medusa), but Basil, Charlie and Sid and a more 'normal' scene and see where we go from there. Perhaps doing something similar with your DD might help her 'borrow' some ideas? All the great storytellers have done it :D
Seize the day ... before it seizes you.
Jules7
Posts: 248
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 7:55 pm

Re: Parent evening woes

Post by Jules7 »

Thanks Scarlet - our DD's sound similar - thank you so much for your advice, it has really made me think. The teacher says she's not badly behaved but can sometimes be "silly" and sometimes doesn't concentrate. She is apparently happy and popular at school but "young" in the class and she can be treated as such by some of the more mature ones, according to her teacher. Your idea about self esteem is an interesting one as my Mum suggested something similar when I was discussing it. DD seems happy but maybe there is something in there that needs delving into. My mum wondered whether her having an older sister who was always advanced in the reading & writing department is a factor?

Thanks also fatbananas, I hadn't thought about doing story development work with her. This sort of thing is not really my strength either but I shall read up and see what we can do! I think it's not her lack of ideas that are the problem though, but writing more complex sentences and using punctuation etc. DD's teacher suggested going to a website called Primary Resources and printing off some worksheets on connectives and spellings.
Jules7
Posts: 248
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 7:55 pm

Re: Parent evening woes

Post by Jules7 »

Quick update Scarlett speaking to a couple of other Mums (they asked me how parents evening went and they had similar worries!) - some of the other children hadn't moved on the reading and writing levels either. I'm not going to be complacent though because I know she is capable of better and I know inside has developed since taking the KS2 tests where she was at 2A in literacy.

I also googled this last night (nothing like a child related worry to ignite the search engines!) and apparently it is common to plateau or stumble a bit on the transition to KS2 as so much more is expected of them and they are marked differently. Anyway it's a good wake up call!
push-pull-mum
Posts: 737
Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2010 2:52 pm

Re: Parent evening woes

Post by push-pull-mum »

Jules7 wrote: I also googled this last night (nothing like a child related worry to ignite the search engines!) and apparently it is common to plateau or stumble a bit on the transition to KS2 as so much more is expected of them and they are marked differently. Anyway it's a good wake up call!
I remember being told this when DD hit a plateau in Year 3 and I'm remembering it now DS is in Year 3. I can't see any noticeable progress since the end of Year 2 (report and parents' evening scheduled for next week) and he just doesn't seem very interested in school work at the moment.
Keep telling myself that so long as he keeps reading .....
scarlett
Posts: 3664
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:22 am

Re: Parent evening woes

Post by scarlett »

I think my DD has dipped or at least plateaued in literacy since the end of last year when she was level 3...she does declare herself the " dumbest in the class "when it comes to writing , but then both my older boys weren't that great either .In the end I did a little with them but I think helping with literacy is harder then say, maths. Keep on with the reading and see if you can find any resources and then you can only praise her and point out things she is good at....do try and find out what is the catalyst for this. I've found over the years some of the worries or problems my children have had sprung from surprising causes you just wouldn't have any idea of . :? That's children for you :)
Jules7
Posts: 248
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 7:55 pm

Re: Parent evening woes

Post by Jules7 »

Bit of an update - went in to see the class teacher and HT as things were still niggling me. They had got quite a few children to resit a writing SATS paper as there appeared to be a general problem. Fortunately DD2 did come out 2 sublevels higher thank goodness but I have "done a Scarlett" and visited the bookstore to purchase some English books so DD2 can practice comprehension etc !!

Also teacher has moved DD2 nearer the front facing forwards to help in the distraction department and to keep more of an eye. Still some work to do here but she is a little better. I asked whether she could be seated next to someone she wouldn't ordinarily chat to but the teacher tells me DD2 quite happily does not discriminate in her friendliness....

On table arrangements the teacher (quite sensibly I think) has turned all the tables to front facing for general teaching, rather than this group nonsense where some children are seated at awkward angles to the front. I support more of an old fashioned eyes forward approach.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Parent evening woes

Post by Guest55 »

Jules7 - it worries me that they are SO reliant on tests for assessing their level.
Very many schools use APP (Assessing Pupils' Progress) which relies on a wide range of evidence. Perhaps this is something the school should consider as it gives a more 'realistic' level of where a child really is - not just a snapshot on one piece?
Last edited by Guest55 on Tue Mar 27, 2012 4:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
scarlett
Posts: 3664
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:22 am

Re: Parent evening woes

Post by scarlett »

That all sounds very positive Jules :D I'm sure it will all come in time especially with 1 to 1 from you ....and at least you know what a warm hearted, friendly little girl you have ! These things are important too !

I've just had parent consultations too , and my DD also is lagging behind in her writing , she just prefers maths which she is a 3b for....but only a 2a in writing ( sorry Guest55..I can hear you tutting from here :) ) However her teacher is going to tackle it from the reading end ?? I'm not too bothered really, there's always something that seems to be highlighted as a problem....and when I read her work it looked 100 x better then her 2 brothers work at that stage !At least I could read it ! The main thing is for them to concentrate and feel positive and happy in their abilities , isn't it ?
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