Schooling Central

I must be getting old -I'm complaining that the kids are getting too much free time, and aren't doing enough work

But seriously, formal lessons practically stopped in the first week of December last year, and the kids filled in the time before Christmas making Christmas directions and watching movies. Now they've been at school a full week, and they've just watched another movie (and it's one of the same ones they saw last year!!). I know they need to 'ease' into the year, but I am concerned that they are losing 2 weeks either end of the year -a total of 4 weeks, or close to 10% of the year I can understand last year was Prep, and I can almost get my head around it happening for grade 1, but ds is in a 1/2 class, so it seems the same thing happens in grade 2.

What do you think -am I just getting old and cranky, or is the school year taking off way too slowly?

Annabel.

After they watched the movie, did they have to do any work in relation to the movie? Does your DS bring any work home for you to see? Can you look through his locker/chairbag/table to see his work, maybe ask his teacher if you can look at his work, you might be able to tell how much he has done by looking.
Did you ask your DS what work he has done through the day?
Kim

eggy99 wrote:

QUOTE:
After they watched the movie, did they have to do any work in relation to the movie?

Nope, not as far as I am aware

QUOTE:
Does your DS bring any work home for you to see?

Nope!

QUOTE:
Can you look through his locker/chairbag/table to see his work, maybe ask his teacher if you can look at his work, you might be able to tell how much he has done by looking.

They have tubs they keep their workbooks in. I guess I could ask the teacher to see the work, but I don't won't to expose myself as a pushy mum too early in the piece lol!

QUOTE:
Did you ask your DS what work he has done through the day?

We certainly ask, but he doesn't tell us much! From the bits and pieces we have been able to get out of him, it seems they have been decorating their work books in preparation for work they will do in them, and also doing a few reflective writing exercises, for example 'what are your strengths and weaknesses' and 'rate how much you like a subject from 1-5'. They have also been starting to do their specialist classes such as art/computers/library/LOTE etc, although I suspect they're just doing 'warm-up' exercises in these classes too. Apart from some silent reading I don't think they've done any reading at all, and certainly no maths.

As you can see, things are moving along, and I expect maths/literacy etc will start for real next week. Maybe I just need to chill out a bit I still think it's all a bit drawn out though. Maybe five days warming up, but assuming they will start maths and literacy lessons on Monday, that will be seven.

Annabel.

Ok, so I got a couple of things wrong in that last post...

Apparently they did discuss the movie in some detail (actually ds was crying to me that if they discussed the animals in the movie one more time he would leave the room ).

And maths and literacy classes did not start this week....they start next week, so that will actually be 12 days of class before they officially get underway.

Waaaayyyy too long if you ask me

Annabel.

I agree it is way too long, did you ask the teacher why it has taken so long to get organised, or is there a reason of why they dont start straight away,
Has any other parents questioned this?
Kim

I haven't said anything to the teacher as I have a feeling this is more a school policy than just her decision. None of the other classes have started literacy or maths lessons either. I know other parents are concerned about the issue -I guess we should all say something, or nobody will know there is a problem. I find this teacher muss less accessible than the one we had last year (who used to come out of the classroom and mingle with the parents every afternoon). I think this is partly just the way things work after prep, because other parents have said the same thing. I can see I'm going to miss a few things about being a prep parent!

Annabel.

Me again -still complaining about the slow start to the year

Still no reader -the teacher hasn't finished assessing the kids yet. And whilst maths classes did start last week, they spent the week doing an assessment, so no actual lessons yet.....

....waiting......waiting..........


Annabel.