Music Lessons in year 7

Discussion of all things non-11 Plus related

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

11 Plus Mocks - Practise the real exam experience - Book Now
ginx
Posts: 2151
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:47 pm
Location: Warwickshire

Music Lessons in year 7

Post by ginx »

My dd decided to continue flute lessons at gs after effortlessly getting a merit (she is so lucky) in grade 1.

The flute teacher at gs is lovely, but told her off yesterday for being late.

Dd2 put her hand up during geography asking to leave for her lesson, the teacher firmly said (shouted I think) that no hands were to go up until the end of the lesson. So dd2 could not ask to leave. Which isn't great given that she's diabetic; she could have needed to leave because she could have been unwell. And of course teachers must be aware music lessons go on through the day.

The flute teacher was cross, dd2 said she wants to give up now because it is too difficult to leave lessons. What is dd2 to do?
Waynetta
Posts: 23
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2012 10:58 pm

Re: Music Lessons in year 7

Post by Waynetta »

I would strongly recommend getting a good private teacher and doing it outside of school - I do for both my DDs
stroudydad
Posts: 2246
Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2011 2:25 pm

Re: Music Lessons in year 7

Post by stroudydad »

That's terrible Ginx, but should be able to be easily resolved, speak to the school, and let them know how cross you are..
KS10
Posts: 2516
Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2010 12:39 am

Re: Music Lessons in year 7

Post by KS10 »

The teacher needs to be gently reminded :wink: that music lessons do take place during ordinary lesson time and that sometimes you have to put your hand up for reasons that aren't directly related to that lesson. If it can be done as a general reminder to all staff - there are enough staff briefings for this to happen quite easily - this particular teacher is unlikely to be too upset by it. It's not fair on your daughter and in another school the teacher might find that the child isn't quite so accepting about being told off twice for no reason at all.
hermanmunster
Posts: 12815
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Re: Music Lessons in year 7

Post by hermanmunster »

Is it worth DC mentioning to the teacher at the beginning of the lesson that they are going to have to go out during the lesson for a music lesson?

On the other hand - far less hassle to do it in out of school time
ginx
Posts: 2151
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:47 pm
Location: Warwickshire

Re: Music Lessons in year 7

Post by ginx »

You're right about doing music after school. I can't help feeling they shouldn't offer lessons, though, if the teachers aren't going to let them leave.

And that's not to mention her diabetes. She has a pass allowing her to leave the classroom. In the unlikely event she had to, she could hardly walk out, if she couldn't put her hand up , she would probably just sit there until she passed out. Not good.

Time for my first email. Thank you for the advice everyone.

Edited to say, sent a rather strongly worded email to the lovely Pastoral Care lady. I have asked her to sort this out, all teachers should know dd2 (oops, nearly named her) she has diabetes and they should not ignore her hand going up, whatever stage of the lesson it is.
Reading Mum
Posts: 1841
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2011 9:44 am
Location: Reading

Re: Music Lessons in year 7

Post by Reading Mum »

DD's school has a slip system. They collect a slip at the end of the music lesson for the following week and then when they get to the affected lesson they give it to the teacher at the start if they have to leave part way through, or hand it in when they arrive part way through a lesson. It means they don't get told off for being late.
silverysea
Posts: 1105
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 3:32 pm

Re: Music Lessons in year 7

Post by silverysea »

I would definitely complain about the music lesson- it is much more convenient to have them in school, they contribute to you dd settling in and having a good activity to join like band, which in turn contributes to the school.

Moreover the school has agreed and arranged to have the lessons on site, and in our case taken my money for the lessons.

We have lessons in (brass) and out (string and piano),

How annoying. This is the sort of teacher approach that made our year 7 and 8 so traumatic.
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: Music Lessons in year 7

Post by Tinkers »

Any child in a class could have an issue and need to leave or have assistance for some reason.
It's really off of a teacher to tell of a child for putting up their hand.

My DD often gets nosebleeds. In primary she would either put her hand up to say if the teacher was talking to the class, or just get up if they were working individually. None of the teachers have ever told her off for it.

I remember when she was at brownies once she had a nose bleed and one of her friends tried to tell one of the leaders but got told to be quiet. She did apologise to both of them and me when she realised why though.

As for music lessons, if the school allow kids to have time from normal lessons for music lessons then the teachers should be aware. As Reading mum says, at DDs school there is a slip system. However my DD didn't have the option of continuing her instrument (keyboard) at school as they don't do it, so she now has lessons out of school. Has worked out for us as her new teacher is also teaching her piano, so she is learning both for the price of one. He seems more flexible about what she learns.
talea51
Posts: 522
Joined: Sun Feb 06, 2011 5:10 pm

Re: Music Lessons in year 7

Post by talea51 »

I hope the school take your point seriously Ginx. It's ridiculous to tell a child off for putting their hand up during a lesson. As someone else said, children have lots of reasons for putting their hands up during a lesson and they should at least be given the opportunity to be heard. The teacher could have listened first and then, if it turned out that she was asking a question, the teacher could have said to leave questions to the end.

Frankly I dislike the idea of a teacher being unwilling to discuss a child's question during a lesson and yes, I do know that it can disrupt the teacher's flow of thought and that it can lead to the lesson going slightly off topic - but if a child does not understand a particular aspect of what is being said - surely it's best to deal with the question there and then whilst the child remembers what it is that they are unsure of rather than later when they've forgotten?

My dd gets migraines and I have complained to the head teacher at her primary previously because she has put her hand up and been told off for doing so. This has led to her coming out of school with a banging migraine, going straight to bed when she gets home and only waking up the next morning when, if the teacher had just listened to her, she could have gone to the office, taken her medication and probably been OK. I doubt she learnt much during that particular afternoon session as it is virtually impossible to concentrate with a migraine!
Post Reply
11 Plus Platform - Online Practice Makes Perfect - Try Now