marika g

Hahahah! I kinda had that thought too!

Shard

Well I suppose it's better that they are concerned than not concerned. But obviously there are limits to personalisation. It's another open floodgates issue at the end of the day.

Zoe Bell

probably makes them excellent teachers.
decent teachers tend to spend their time thinking about tecahinbg rather than filling in all the stupid forms.

Again don't equate not filling in lesson plans with not planning lessons.

Some of my best lesson planning was done in my head , lying in bed at 3:00am when unable to sleep

Shard

Well said!

marika g

Yeah I understand that Zoe but how do you back up an IEP or IBP when you have to produce written progress reports on a child who has a special educational need? Bit difficult when you have a psychologist, social worker and SENCO in the room awaiting detailed accounts of the past month or so of learning outcomes.

Unfortunately paperwork is part of the job....

ann m

My kids go to the local school. I went to visit and it was OK. What else are they really going to show you, but the best bits, and with their oh-so-Canadian friendliness, how are you really to judge on a half hour tour? I visited one other school and I like the Principal better. I didn't choose that school because of the Principal - I got this school because I chose the house I liked.

As it transpires, bullying had been a big issue in the area in the year or so before we arrived. It still can be, and generally speaking, confrontation is a no-go for sorting it out. But some kids are just horrible, right?! Parents simply withdraw their children from school if there are issues that cannot be easily resolved. You'd never hear that in the UK.

Both of mine have finished elementary, gone into middle school - one is still there (grade 7) and the other is now at High School (grade 9).

They've had great teachers and duff teachers. Grade 6 for both of them was particularly difficult and uninspiring. I don't know why. Most of those teachers are no longer at the school. Both me and the girls have liked or disliked a number of teachers, but the girls work around it and continue to make progress.

My kids (still) rarely have homework, unless they have missed some days. Does that mean they are getting a crap education? They pay attention and finish stuff in class and prefer not to bring it home if they can help it. Their peers in the UK are drowning under hours of homework...who is scheduling their time better? I'm not being facetious - I don't know.

I'm fairly mellow now. As long as my kids are happy in school, have a vaguely structured curriculum, and they are learning stuff, I'm a fairly relaxed parent about their education. And yes, I do care, and I hope for the best for them, but I won't stress about it too much, or unless I really have to.

Visiting the school for an awards ceremony is scary. The kids are frequently "bloody rude" and "high spirited" (read that as noisy and wriggly as hell, and get up and shout out and wander around randomly). I find it frustrating.

I was one of the super stressy new arrivals from the UK and I can now smile at my posts from way back when. I do understand. But really - coming from the UK we are OBSESSED with "good" schools. It doesn't translate very well coming here. I just don't see and hear that obsessive attitude. Unless it means, of course, that my kids are already at a good school and I have my head in the sand.

Oink

If I had a pound for all the times I've that hackneyed line back in the 90s I'd be wealthy. "We don't teach anyone, Pippa, all we do is fill in forms, my god the paper work is so . . well I thinking of leaving the profession don't you know."

Then naff quick as we have loads of younger, dedicated and enthusiastic teachers to fill your places.

Zoe Bell

then you'll be delighted to hear that is exactly what I did

Zoe Bell

what you are talking about there has nothing to do with producing a standard 3 page pro forma driven lesson plan for each lesson

Of course there is paperwork. Some is needed , most is not

marika g

Anne...I hear what you're saying and that's kinda why I decided to not obsess so much about the UK system (and to be honest I probably saw the worst possible side of the UK system with my role!).My son is going to learn what he learns and the outcome is also dependent on the input we give as parents...that's often the case anyway.

Like you said there are some great teachers and some crappy ones...just like in the uk....I guess it's for us to identify that and help out our kids when they need the extra support!

Oink

TBH if you were really "obsessed" with your child's education you wouldn't have moved to Canada in the first place.

marika g

Lol Oink! I'm starting to wonder about that! But then I guess here at least the kids seem to still be able to be kids...from what I've noticed anyway...

Shard

Meaning....?

Oink

That's a good point although you could try cosmetic surgery to keep your kids still looking young.

HGerchikov

It was a reference to the previous comment that people who say to ignore the Fraser Report only say so because their kids school are poorly ranked.