Patty

I think its the parents Indie that off their own backs have decided enough is enough and they have obviously got lawyers to make and present a case against that silly woman Gelmini who is the Minister of Education.
I think they are right - if you add up what we have to spend to send our kids to school its simply too much - especially when we pay more taxes than most other countries (or maybe all !).
I've just paid for the school bus for the first term 62€, then the buoni for the canteen 44€ for 10 tickets, then the insurance is usually about 15€ then the books 130€ and other things like diary, pens, compass etc. I'm sure we'll get a letter soon asking for more. And apparantely our canteen runs only cos the comune helps out (either cost wise or people wise not sure) otherwise there would be no canteen.

indiebird

Yeah, we get all the sob stories too and it is never ending is it???? I'm waiting for the class rep to ask for my €5-€10 euros for the 'fondo cassa' next.. I seemed to be the only mummy who was reluctant last year and I'm not tight I just don't understand how you can pay less tax in the UK and have better services....

Lorna at Vicenza

I am bleeding furious.

Chloe got another rollocking today and came home with this written in her quaderno in fat red felt tip pen :

Cloè non ha scritto con sufficiente impegno i compiti per le vacanze di matematica.
Lavorare durante questa settimana!

She also got told she will only get a vote of 5

I know every mum defends her child - and some unjustifiably so - but in this case I think my fury is justified given Chloe's previous results and hard work. I have rung the school secretary and told her that I want an appointment with the head as soon as possible.

I am going to explain that Chloe got 10 for maths nearly all year long. I am going to show him the note and I am also going to show him the amount of Italian and maths homework that was given for the so called bloody holidays and ask him if he even knows just how much they shove on these kids.
I am also going to ask him why the teacher thinks she can give Chloe such a low vote for holiday homework when it is not even a legal obligation to give out or do any work during the holidays. To my knowledge holiday homework has never been classified as a vote in the past.
Perhaps she was threatening Chloe with a low vote which is even worse - threatening a 10yr old.

The effing bloody teacher hasn't even learnt to write Chloe's name properly in 4 years of school.

My first instinct was to sit down and write a stonking letter to the teacher but on reflection I am going to speak to the head because I want to see just what he is aware of and what he isn't, and what he thinks is right and wrong. I might even ask him to look up the word "vacanza" in the dictionary because the definition of holiday that I know doesn't seem to tally with this teacher's definition.

Bloody cow !!!!!!!! My dad is here and even though he doesn't agree with a lot of things that have and are happening and changing in British schools - in his eyes for the worse - he is disgusted at the style and content of the note, the red felt tip and the state poor Chloe came home in after just 2 days of school after working so hard and getting good results.

indiebird

It's horrible Lorna isn't it! Especially when as you say she does really well. I don't think they understand how this kind of thing can really undermine a kid's confidence. Good luck with the Head and please come back and tell us all how you get on.... xxxx

I got nice happy waves from Julia's teachers after school today but then as it's her birthday I did send her in with English choccie for the whole class including the two teachers.... Got to go and buy H a load of folders for all his subjects at school.... no expensive materials as yet, although do you think he will need to carry in about 5 big folders plus books each day??

37100

That's crap Lorna. Worth reminding Chloe that the other kid's parents probably did their homework.

Gio

I agree..that's totally crap teaching...Do the Italian teachers show their displeasure with the English kids more because they are English? This is a question? Not a comment. I just wondered if this exists.

Lorna at Vicenza

Thanks girls. Chloe will be okay but I am determined that she will not be finishing off all those holiday maths problems on top of the normal daily homework. They are the kind of problems where they have to rewrite them all out in their excercise book and show all the workings and some of them take up loads of time and 2 whole pages of paper:

You know the kind ......

Signor Rossi collects stamps. He has 863 stamps. 5/8 (five eighths) of his collection are foreign stamps. 2% of the remaining stamps are duplicates.
How many foreign stamps does Rossi have?
How many Italian stamps does Rossi have?
How many stamps are duplicates?
If each duplicate stamp is worth 24.30 Euro - how much can Rossi make if he sells 6 stamps?

It takes the kids forever to rewrite all that stuff in the exact way the teacher wants. Chloe knows how to do it. She has done loads of them. She has got them all right. She is NOT doing the ones left and I WILL tell the headmaster.

Another friend just confirmed that the teacher cannot give Chloe a 5 or any vote at all for this stuff as it is holiday stuff and not proper school year curriculum work. I will confirm this with the head too.

HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JULIA XXXXXXXX

Lorna at Vicenza

Totally crap !!!

English shouldn't factor in this case Gio as Chloe is as Italian as any of the kids here - with the added avantage of having me as an English mum and being bilingual.

indiebird

God I hate those Lorna... they make me Julia had those in her homework book too and it took H a while to do them exactly the way the teacher wanted them set out....

Gio, I don't think it's just because they're English. Some just seem to be a bit power mad and forget they are dealing with kids from 5-11 and not with University students.... it also depends on 'who' your parents are within the community here sometimes too.... but that could just be here and how I view things....

Lorna at Vicenza

This one seems to be power mad and it drives me crazy when they criticise and rant about a kid and they haven't even learnt how to spell the kid's name or be bothered to look at the register or one of her school books to check. They just write off notes with the first pen they can find without thinking properly. Great advertisement for a bloody teacher.

Wait 'till Chloe's dad gets home. He'll be spitting like I am but he knows I can deal with the head better than he could. He loves me when I'm angry .... as long as the anger is not directed at him

Patty

Oh Lorna - what a ruddy bad start to the school year. Chloe must be feeling really sad! And soo undeserved too. Do let us know how it all goes with the head and I think we'll all be waiting to see what he thinks and whether you get his support or not. Am very curious. I dont think I'd even contact our head as he is head of about another 6/8 schools and doesnt have a clue who is who. I tried explaining that in england each school has a head and a deputy head and that it makes alot of things work better but most people here cant understand why this is necessary.
You give 'em what for Lorna

Patty

Indie - say a big Happy Birthday to Julia

Lorna at Vicenza

Oh I will do Patty.
If the head hasn't rung me by 9am tomorrow I am going to be straight on the 'phone to the school again demanding an appointment.

I'll keep you all posted. If I don't say something this teacher is going to go on and on and on at Chloe about this bloody unfinished maths.

Pecora Nera

Good luck, thinking about you and Chloe.

dina1965

so would I be. It's beyond ridiculous

school starts tomorrow here in Campania. I'm just happy that my son's Italian teacher has left the school. she was the only teacher to give holiday homework (read "the kite runner"). I caught Ricki reading last night while texting on his iphone and checking his facebook page on the computer. When I asked how he could possibly read at the same time, he replied with a term I'd explained to him a few weeks back - "I'm multitasking"
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.