Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
#286
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: Puglia, Umbria and London
Posts: 864
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
I cannot believe the attitude of those teachers Indie, what utter ignorance. My son, half English and half Italian, lives in Belgium with my Austrian dil, the kids speak English to their Dad, German to their Mum and speak in Flemish at school and to each other! They speak a little Italian when they are here on holiday. What would those numbskulls maestre advise them? My sons all tell me that the english taught by their Italian mother-tongue teachers here was pathetic (no offence meant just stating their opinion), one insisted that you go into a pub in england and order a pint (rhyming with skint) of beer and was very annoyed to be corrected. I am glad you are getting lots of help and support on this site and wish you the bestest luck. Also I believe you are right to make sure the kids speak in their mother-tongue at home as one day they will need to feel confident in an english school.
#287
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
Awww thanks Pat. Must admit that most peeps I know speak their mother tongue with their kids so I don't really understand this attitude.... never mind. One more day to go and then we are on our hols until the 7th of Jan!! Never thought I'd say it, but I cannot wait!!
#288
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
You do know that she liked you a lot don't you??!! She can sometimes be a bit shy but she wasn't with you at all! Just kept right on chatting!! I must admit that after school it's a nightmare for me as they both want to talk and they get annoyed with each other.... I have considered ear plugs.... but I think my ears block intermittently for a reason
#289
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
Hmmmm, must admit I am thinking that TR.... I wrote a note in her diary last night as she was upset that she had lost 2 glue sticks in a week and I thought 'sod it... I know they don't like notes but I don't like being called into the school for 'problems' that are really non problems'... and do you know the teacher wrote back saying that she found both the glue sticks on the floor under her desk as Julia doesn't take care of her things and if they fall on the floor she leaves them.... Funny, there wasn't one there when the cleaner was mopping the floor on tuesday night when we went to the meeting. I've written a reply that says: 'Grazie mille, Maestra, I've told Julia to take better care of her things in the future.' although I was tempted to add: 'although she is very careful with her things at home.' Silly women!!!
#290
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
I think TR has a point Inidie - they seem to just pick on your kids regardless. I would give it serious thought about moving schools.
I've had the lecture as well (but only once) about that we shouldnt talk English at home because its slowing down their progress - I just thought what a lot of b****cks The teachers you are dealing with have probably never been abroad for real 'work' experience - they got their jobs and with it a huge slice of 'I know best' - it would be laughable if it wasnt so upsetting for you and what they are putting you through.
I dont think I've ever come across such narrow mindedness
I've had the lecture as well (but only once) about that we shouldnt talk English at home because its slowing down their progress - I just thought what a lot of b****cks The teachers you are dealing with have probably never been abroad for real 'work' experience - they got their jobs and with it a huge slice of 'I know best' - it would be laughable if it wasnt so upsetting for you and what they are putting you through.
I dont think I've ever come across such narrow mindedness
#291
Concierge
Joined: Apr 2007
Location: Verona/ Nr Turin
Posts: 4,670
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
Hmmmm, must admit I am thinking that TR.... I wrote a note in her diary last night as she was upset that she had lost 2 glue sticks in a week and I thought 'sod it... I know they don't like notes but I don't like being called into the school for 'problems' that are really non problems'... and do you know the teacher wrote back saying that she found both the glue sticks on the floor under her desk as Julia doesn't take care of her things and if they fall on the floor she leaves them.... Funny, there wasn't one there when the cleaner was mopping the floor on tuesday night when we went to the meeting. I've written a reply that says: 'Grazie mille, Maestra, I've told Julia to take better care of her things in the future.' although I was tempted to add: 'although she is very careful with her things at home.' Silly women!!!
#292
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
She came out with her xmas candle that she made for xmas. It was an unpainted lump of DAS with a red candle stuck in it!! The other kids had pine sprigs stuck in their das for decoration but we didn't know we were supposed to take any in!! Harrison came home with a lovely bauble that they had made by soaking wool in glue and wrapping it round a balloon that is really lovely and a snow globe made out of a jam jar and a spoon. I thought it sounded a bit naff but it looks lovely actually and he was really proud of it. He got a kiss off of his teacher too and I got a happy wave. He actually looked really happy. I think he's got a taste for kissing as he went and gave his swimming teacher a kiss after swimming too!!
I think I'm gonna bring all this stuff up with the psychologist when I go in to see her in Jan. She might be able to shed some light on it for me....
#293
Concierge
Joined: Apr 2007
Location: Verona/ Nr Turin
Posts: 4,670
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
The Julia I met gave the impression of someone who new what if not how, she was doing. Can't see her loosing one glue with out hunting high and low and asking everyone in the class, let alone two.
#294
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
Exactly. She is very self reliant, but obviously a bit too self reliant for the teachers and a few of the other children in the class!!
#295
Concierge
Joined: Apr 2007
Location: Verona/ Nr Turin
Posts: 4,670
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
So one or more of the other kids hid them.
#296
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2009
Location: Modena
Posts: 546
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
I think TR has a point Inidie - they seem to just pick on your kids regardless. I would give it serious thought about moving schools.
I've had the lecture as well (but only once) about that we shouldnt talk English at home because its slowing down their progress - I just thought what a lot of b****cks The teachers you are dealing with have probably never been abroad for real 'work' experience - they got their jobs and with it a huge slice of 'I know best' - it would be laughable if it wasnt so upsetting for you and what they are putting you through.
I dont think I've ever come across such narrow mindedness
I've had the lecture as well (but only once) about that we shouldnt talk English at home because its slowing down their progress - I just thought what a lot of b****cks The teachers you are dealing with have probably never been abroad for real 'work' experience - they got their jobs and with it a huge slice of 'I know best' - it would be laughable if it wasnt so upsetting for you and what they are putting you through.
I dont think I've ever come across such narrow mindedness
#297
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
Will they even have trained to be teachers? If it's anything like middle school, probably not unless they are quite new. A friend of mine took the exam for the teaching "competition" where they were asked a load of questions about French literature, then six years later got a phone call to say come next week and sign your contract. She then instantly became a French teacher in a scuola media with zero training- fortunately for her pupils she had years of experience teaching Italian to French people so it was a start. They've phased that out now though- my sister-in-law actually trained to be a middle school French teacher- and obviously it's an older age group, but with everything that Indiebird's kids' teachers are coming out with, it does make you wonder what actual training they have received!
It does seem to be a cushy number too doesn't it?? My friend here does have a foreign language degree but couldn't get a proper class teachers job as she needed a teaching degree here now but she did do what sounds like that same exam your friend did K about English culture though and was then allowed to become a supply teacher... she did a few months before getting pregnant and she's been off work over a year now and only just stopped getting very generous maternity pay!! and we wonder why the taxes are so high here!!?? In the UK, I have friends who are teachers and I honestly don't know how they do it!! We're talking proper full-time days if not more, followed by hours of marking and planning lessons at home and the constant scrutiny from your head and Ofsted too!!
#298
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
Well I think it's funny how the teacher went a-searching and found the glue sticks AND a lip balm (I've binned it by the way!! ) under other children's desks.... the glues weren't hard to spot seeing as they are Sainsburys ones and have her name written all over them in permanent marker!! The other kids reckoned that she had dropped them and because she didn't pick them up they did but she says that they were on her desk when she went to empty her sharpener/ take her work to the teacher and not there when she got back...
#299
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
Something like that happened in a first year class at our school recently.
Some parents had complained that rubbers and glue and nice pencils etc. were going missing or getting lost too frequently. The teacher said the kids have to look after their own stuff, check at home and check their own bags ........ until one day, one little boy went to the loo and when he came back some of his stuff had gone. He told the teacher that he knew he had it before and it couldn't be at home.
The teacher made every kid empty their bag upside down onto their desks and discovered that all the missing stuff was in one little lad's rucksack. He was a right hoarder by all accounts and had a huge loot of other people's things.
Some parents had complained that rubbers and glue and nice pencils etc. were going missing or getting lost too frequently. The teacher said the kids have to look after their own stuff, check at home and check their own bags ........ until one day, one little boy went to the loo and when he came back some of his stuff had gone. He told the teacher that he knew he had it before and it couldn't be at home.
The teacher made every kid empty their bag upside down onto their desks and discovered that all the missing stuff was in one little lad's rucksack. He was a right hoarder by all accounts and had a huge loot of other people's things.
#300
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2009
Location: Modena
Posts: 546
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
Hmmm well none of them are spring chickens
It does seem to be a cushy number too doesn't it?? My friend here does have a foreign language degree but couldn't get a proper class teachers job as she needed a teaching degree here now but she did do what sounds like that same exam your friend did K about English culture though and was then allowed to become a supply teacher... she did a few months before getting pregnant and she's been off work over a year now and only just stopped getting very generous maternity pay!! and we wonder why the taxes are so high here!!?? In the UK, I have friends who are teachers and I honestly don't know how they do it!! We're talking proper full-time days if not more, followed by hours of marking and planning lessons at home and the constant scrutiny from your head and Ofsted too!!
It does seem to be a cushy number too doesn't it?? My friend here does have a foreign language degree but couldn't get a proper class teachers job as she needed a teaching degree here now but she did do what sounds like that same exam your friend did K about English culture though and was then allowed to become a supply teacher... she did a few months before getting pregnant and she's been off work over a year now and only just stopped getting very generous maternity pay!! and we wonder why the taxes are so high here!!?? In the UK, I have friends who are teachers and I honestly don't know how they do it!! We're talking proper full-time days if not more, followed by hours of marking and planning lessons at home and the constant scrutiny from your head and Ofsted too!!