any ideas

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watergirl
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Jul 02, 2012 6:38 pm

any ideas

Post by watergirl »

My ds who failed to get a grammar school place now goes to his local comp. I've spoken to his maths teacher about the constant disruption in the class from other children, he feels there not much else he can do apart from giving out detentions. what else can I do as a parent, would a private tutor offer my ds the stretch he needs, or do I move him to another school. My son is happy and settled at his school but just doesn't get that stretch that's offered by the grammars.
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: any ideas

Post by Tinkers »

If the teacher can't deal with the distractions then he has a problem. A good teacher should be able to deal with it. If there isn't a problem with other subjects then it's the teacher and not the class, as obviously other teachers can deal with it.
I'd possibly start with emailing the head of year.
This won't just be affecting your child but others as well potentially.

You shouldn't have to resort to private tutors or moving school just because the teacher can't control the class.
Yamin151
Posts: 2405
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2013 8:30 am

Re: any ideas

Post by Yamin151 »

Tinkers wrote:If the teacher can't deal with the distractions then he has a problem. A good teacher should be able to deal with it. If there isn't a problem with other subjects then it's the teacher and not the class, as obviously other teachers can deal with it.
I'd possibly start with emailing the head of year.
This won't just be affecting your child but others as well potentially.

You shouldn't have to resort to private tutors or moving school just because the teacher can't control the class.
Completely agree with all of the above, except to say, I would be tempted to get him a private tutor if that is an option. This tutor could either help him gain a place in the top streamed group (maybe he is already, shocking if he is) where behaviour may be more work oriented, or to at least do some maths projects with him that maintain his ability and maybe stretch him a little and make maths more fun for him than it is in class.
Okanagan
Posts: 1706
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2011 9:20 pm
Location: Warwickshire

Re: any ideas

Post by Okanagan »

Is this year 7? When do the school set them for maths? Or did they do it anyway on the basis of SATs results? It may well be that they re-jig the groups at this half term, although I know that some don't set until year 8. I'd at least be asking this question of them.
watergirl
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Jul 02, 2012 6:38 pm

Re: any ideas

Post by watergirl »

My son is in the top set albeit they also have children in the group who haven't yet reached their projected targets ( mixed ability ). It is so frustrating I do think the only way to ensure he is stretched is by private tuition just got to find one now. Many thanks for the replies, my eldest is at a grammar and seeing how she is encouraged to aim high / pushed only makes me sad that my son isn't getting the same quality of education.
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: any ideas

Post by mystery »

It is a shame but it is not because it isn't a grammar school. I would still follow up the advice everyone has given. I don't quite understand how it is top set and mixed ability.
silverysea
Posts: 1105
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 3:32 pm

Re: any ideas

Post by silverysea »

The disruption should be dealt with and if their detentions don't work then someone higher up needs to look at their approach. In my opinion these kids should be kicked out of the class on each offense and facing consequences they don't like. Our school calls the parents in, which annoys the parents-good! Earache for the disruptive ones at home as well as school.

That said, as a parent there isn't much you can do except complain as far as the school side goes, and then they may or may not take effective action.

My dd asked for a private tutor for maths in year 7 and I reluctantly found one, but now she's in top set in year 9 and a maths leader who is going to tutor the struggling year 8s (some as low as 2c, this is a comp) and I think the earlier tutoring I paid for inspired and put her on the right path. Get a good one, qualified teacher if poss, it's worth the extra.
Proud_Dad
Posts: 500
Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2013 9:55 am

Re: any ideas

Post by Proud_Dad »

If you feel your child isn't being stretched enough in class, as a cheaper alternative to private tuition, why not just get some of the many study guides and books available for their appropriate level and work through those with them (if you have the time). Schofield and Simms, Letts etc (i'm sure other people can recommend others)

We found the maths ones particularly useful in reinforcing what they're supposed to be learning in class and extra stuff that they should be learning but maybe weren't.
ginx
Posts: 2151
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:47 pm
Location: Warwickshire

Re: any ideas

Post by ginx »

I have a dd1 in year 10, she's had similar experiences over the years, in our comp (which has an excellent reputation and results). Disruption was the problem, the teacher could not control the class.

She is good at maths, but during year 7 was in set out 3 of 5 for maths.

She had one teacher who had a reputation for "if you're in Mr x's class, you're guaranteed to fail your maths GCSE" which is shocking.

This being secondary school, I don't know other parents, but I emailed and phoned head of maths and head of year several times. They did try to help. They put another teacher (the drama teacher, who is popular but strict) in the maths lessons as well as the maths teacher and the dc all behaved and learned some maths. So the drama teacher stopped attending these lessons, and the disruption continued. A cover teacher sat in ... this went on for a term and then the teacher left. My dd1 said she learned nothing during that time.

Meantime, we did lots of mymaths online at home. We don't have an alternative school and can't afford tutoring. All I could do was complain. Eventually I met another parent who said there had been a few complaints, so I wonder if the teacher was sacked - he left mid term.

Nothing happened to the children causing disruption; but I believe it was many children. The teacher just could not control them. Dd2 tells me now they have a new teacher, all is fine.

I actually feel sorry for the teacher. How do you control a class of disruptive kids who don't want to learn?
southbucks3
Posts: 3579
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 am

Re: any ideas

Post by southbucks3 »

I do not feel sorry for them, these are not unaproachable, inner city gangster kids being discussed, but normal mid to top stream youngsters.
They obviously did want to learn in your dc's case, as the new teacher is fine. Lets face it, for normal kids, or even bright ones, most school subjects are "booooring", it is up to the teacher to motivate, discipline and educate, not the kids to beg to be taught, because realistically that does not happen.

Shut the door the wrong side of a bunch of gs boys in a maths lesson, giving them clear instructions to finish work and i bet in 5 minutes they will be giving one another chinese burns and flicking one another on the head etc..all be it quietly, as they know anthing audible to adjoining classes and they will get a detention.
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