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Well I went see the teacher and it got a little ugly!!!!!

Well I went see the teacher and it got a little ugly!!!!!

Old Feb 16th 2008, 1:34 am
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Red face Well I went see the teacher and it got a little ugly!!!!!

So today I popped in to see Master Miggins teacher as it was his last day at school before I moved him to the catholic school down the road as of the 25th of Feb. As you know I have had big issues about him not coming home each evening with books (even though I plead and plead), being beaten up by two girls on the play ground and the principal not even being told by his teacher, a serious lack of educational focus regarding the fact that he's bored stiff, and to make it all worse it was suggested by his teacher that he let others have a turn in class in a way that was obviously not constructive, as he didnt speak in class for three weeks. He then told me that he was scared of her.... after my meeting with her today, I can see why.

Basically she was incredibly intimidating, really nasty and very very aggressive in a curt and clipped manner. She told me that she hoped I would find whatever I was looking for regarding his education. She also said when I aksed how did he test with his literacy (after I spent the last 3 months reading with him once a day, because she wasn't doing it - and by the way she directed me to do it so he could facilitate his own learning as he's so bright i.e instead of feeling bored, he can pick up a book himself type of thing) so anyway, she, with the scariest expression ever, looks at me and says he's gone from level 6 at halloween up to level 14. And then had the audacity to say "what are you doing to him? Just what are you doing? He's only a baby......" (He turned 6 in November)

Now at the above point where I have been treated like a something she wiped off her shoe, I say "Debs, I sense that you are really angry and I just don't know why". So she then says she didn't appreciate that I told the head I was moving him because of literacy, and about the incident with the girls. And at the point where I say there was a lot of factors (and I am saying this really calmly and non threateningly, relying on every last conflict resolving skill I have) I say, " had myself and the principal spoken before this week, like during one of the three appointments that I tried to arrange in June, I would have felt able for the three of us to sit down and discuss this matter in full and come to a conclusion that didn't mean my son being removed from the school" She then gets up and says, I think we are done, we have come to an end here!!!!!!!!!!!

So there you go, what do you make of that?

I then take him to his new school that's given me a list of words to have him read by sight, where the teacher asks them to do cursive writing not just print, and he has a great time. They talked there of differentiated learning and stretching him and being aware of him as an individual.

I have never been so shocked in my life as I was today, and I am not quite sure what to do next. As a child and youth care worker/ student/ ex literacy tutor, educator, I am thinking something needs to be done, but I don't know what. But then the other bit says chalk it up to experience as it will look like bitter grapes whatever..... but I am really concerned at someone like this being left with kids to be honest. And I don't think this is a side many people have seen as she has been all sweetness and light before to us, it's quite an act I can tell you.

Even when my child tried to tell her that when he had tried to explain to her this week that a boy had been pinned down in his chair by girls, and not allowed to go to the bathroom, when she popped out of the room, she told him to shhh and get on with his work. She said that she didn't understand how it was only ever him that she didn't listen to, as the other children didn't have that problem????????????? I am dumbfounded.

Because she was so volatlie, I just kept very calm and manouvered out of the room with little said as possible. But now I feel like I should do something.

Anyway, my wee fella had a great afternoon at the new place. So fingers crossed all will be well.

Hope you and your families are all having a good Friday evening.

All the best
a confused
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Old Feb 16th 2008, 2:04 am
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Default Re: Well I went see the teacher and it got a little ugly!!!!!

I don't think anyone is dumb enough to be the first person to reply to this post.

Oh.
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Old Feb 16th 2008, 2:12 am
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Default Re: Well I went see the teacher and it got a little ugly!!!!!

You know I still want to marry you Novo, just for the mental challenge alone lol!!!!

In fact I have just had a very interesting PM from someone who reassured me that it's not that unusual, and that I am a probably best to just let it be....

Thanks for your post though Novo,
Mrs M x
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Old Feb 16th 2008, 2:34 am
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Default Re: Well I went see the teacher and it got a little ugly!!!!!

Originally Posted by Mrs Miggins
You know I still want to marry you Novo, just for the mental challenge alone lol!!!!

In fact I have just had a very interesting PM from someone who reassured me that it's not that unusual, and that I am a probably best to just let it be....

Thanks for your post though Novo,
Mrs M x
Marry, sirrah! Marry!

Actually, you could think about discussing that teacher's attitude with the principal. If yours is an isolated comment, nothing will happen. But should you be the most recent of several, then you might be doing future students a favour.

I've mentioned before that OH is a teacher... she has a couple of truly incompetent colleagues who she bends my ear about all the time, but she's not allowed to stir things up because of union rules about this sort of thing,
(and just in case dbd, Oakvillian or AX are listening, that's exactly how it should be), but parental complaints, especially the relatively rare rational ones, are listened to.

Nowt is more terrible than a feral mom.
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Old Feb 16th 2008, 2:42 am
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Default Re: Well I went see the teacher and it got a little ugly!!!!!

When I have been chatting with people about it this afternoon they have been really shocked, but at more at the fact that I stayed calm, than anything. As feral just really really isn't my style AT ALL. I think it's best to move on, and just take from it tonight, that my little lad has gone to bed with a smile on his face knowing that he's finished there, and that he stood up for himself to someone who has obviously been terrorising him....Other than that I don't think there is much else to do, as the principal is totally dippy, I mean he picked up a phone mid converstion when I was trying to explain the issue, kept not showing up for scheduled meetings, and his staff are not even telling him when serious incidents happened. So what more is there to say on that subject really???

Anyway, thanks for the pointers, and tell your OH I think she's a really brilliant person to do what she does and do it well, it makes such a huge difference to people's lives

All the best
Mrs M xx
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Old Feb 16th 2008, 2:49 am
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Default Re: Well I went see the teacher and it got a little ugly!!!!!

Thanks for the comment about the OH. I think she's rather speshul too.

Cheers,

Novo
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Old Feb 16th 2008, 2:56 am
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Default Re: Well I went see the teacher and it got a little ugly!!!!!

You've certainly done the right thing by your own child and he will hopefully grow in his new school and settle well.
If you felt strongly make your feelings known about this teacher to the principal, as he may have had previous complaints or may have in the future. If you write it down he will have a record of your complaint and has the option to call you for further discussion if he wants to clarify.
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Old Feb 16th 2008, 3:25 am
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Default Re: Well I went see the teacher and it got a little ugly!!!!!

As a former teacher i can quite happily say i would rather have a million parents like you who obviously give a damn about their childs education than any of the chavvy "I can't do anything with him/her," parental scum I usually had the pleasure of dealing with.

Even in the massively constricting realms of the brittish national curriculum there was always something you could do to stretch a bright child.

Personally if a parent came to me wanting to improve their child's literacy I would have bitten their hand off in eagerness.
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Old Feb 16th 2008, 3:40 am
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Default Re: Well I went see the teacher and it got a little ugly!!!!!

Zoe I really need some advice here then, am I being overly pushy to expect a book to come home each night?

And what the hell is a level 14 reading kid? She said that he can't go beyond level 16 until he went in to grade 2 anyway apparently?

The other thing I would like honest feeback on, is it right that she should have notified the principal of the incident with the kids beating him up (this was on her playground duty where she told him to get indoors when he tried to tell her what happened by the way)!


I don't know whether to push to get him assessed and go down the gifted route or not, but the last thing I want him to have is a label that can be seen as weird by others and then internalised as such for him???

Fanks for the support
Mrs M xx
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Old Feb 16th 2008, 3:47 am
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Default Re: Well I went see the teacher and it got a little ugly!!!!!

I'm afraid I know nothing about Canadian reading levels, so can't help there but in terms of any incident when you are on duty , I would tend to document it.
To be honest I would do it mainly as an arse covering exercise but I would certainly let someone know , especially if a parent had become involved.

I honestly don't know whats "normal" in Canadian schools. I don't think expecting a child to have a reading book from school is unreasonable but I would back this up with stuff at home.

Apologies if I'm sounding patronising but I would be using the local library with my child and making sure that appropriate material was available at home as well (something I'm sure you do anyway).
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Old Feb 16th 2008, 3:55 am
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Default Re: Well I went see the teacher and it got a little ugly!!!!!

Originally Posted by Mrs Miggins
Zoe I really need some advice here then, am I being overly pushy to expect a book to come home each night?

And what the hell is a level 14 reading kid? She said that he can't go beyond level 16 until he went in to grade 2 anyway apparently?

The other thing I would like honest feeback on, is it right that she should have notified the principal of the incident with the kids beating him up (this was on her playground duty where she told him to get indoors when he tried to tell her what happened by the way)!


I don't know whether to push to get him assessed and go down the gifted route or not, but the last thing I want him to have is a label that can be seen as weird by others and then internalised as such for him???

Fanks for the support
Mrs M xx
Astonishingly, I'm still awake.

In ON the gifted assessment is is grade 3, age 7/8? Wait a while, but go for it if offered. My kids both went that route and although "gifted" often means "socially maladjusted psychopath", it was quite a trip.

How they turn out as young adults of course is entirely up to you.

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Old Feb 16th 2008, 4:40 am
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Default Re: Well I went see the teacher and it got a little ugly!!!!!

Originally Posted by Novocastrian
Astonishingly, I'm still awake.

In ON the gifted assessment is is grade 3, age 7/8? Wait a while, but go for it if offered. My kids both went that route and although "gifted" often means "socially maladjusted psychopath", it was quite a trip.

How they turn out as young adults of course is entirely up to you.

Novo.

LOL! I get you on the gifted thing there Novo, and like a friend of mine who is a developmental psychologist said, at the end of the day, a gifted child, just turns in to a bright adult, nothing particuarly outstanding usually, but it's good that they should have that self esteem in academics, as of often they tend to be the class nerd, not the joker, jock etc ...

Yep as far as the library is concerned, we left with 16 books last weekend all for the kids. We have to go back this weekend, this is mostly due to not being given anything to bring home.

Thanks for the input chaps

Mrs M xx
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Old Feb 16th 2008, 4:42 am
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Default Re: Well I went see the teacher and it got a little ugly!!!!!

I don't know about schools in Lethbridge but here in Drayton Valley all bullying incidents are reported to the principal to deal with. If you have a problem with a teacher you go to the principal first and if there is still no joy go to the school board.

Hope this is some help, I would complain because not all kids tell Mum and Dad what's going on because they are so scared of the teacher and you may be helping them out.

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Old Feb 16th 2008, 5:38 am
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Default Re: Well I went see the teacher and it got a little ugly!!!!!

Not sure what you're looking for here, Mrs M. You've probably done the right thing, and all bullying must be taken seriously. However, I bet if the teacher were to give her version of events it would be quite different. Not really fair to ask us to pass judgement on her based on your side of the story only. You just have to do what you believe is right for your son. I'm sure he will be happier in the new school.
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Old Feb 16th 2008, 12:59 pm
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Default Re: Well I went see the teacher and it got a little ugly!!!!!

Originally Posted by Mrs Miggins
So today I popped in to see Master Miggins teacher as it was his last day at school before I moved him to the catholic school down the road as of the 25th of Feb. As you know I have had big issues about him not coming home each evening with books (even though I plead and plead), being beaten up by two girls on the play ground and the principal not even being told by his teacher, a serious lack of educational focus regarding the fact that he's bored stiff, and to make it all worse it was suggested by his teacher that he let others have a turn in class in a way that was obviously not constructive, as he didnt speak in class for three weeks. He then told me that he was scared of her.... after my meeting with her today, I can see why.

Basically she was incredibly intimidating, really nasty and very very aggressive in a curt and clipped manner. She told me that she hoped I would find whatever I was looking for regarding his education. She also said when I aksed how did he test with his literacy (after I spent the last 3 months reading with him once a day, because she wasn't doing it - and by the way she directed me to do it so he could facilitate his own learning as he's so bright i.e instead of feeling bored, he can pick up a book himself type of thing) so anyway, she, with the scariest expression ever, looks at me and says he's gone from level 6 at halloween up to level 14. And then had the audacity to say "what are you doing to him? Just what are you doing? He's only a baby......" (He turned 6 in November)

Now at the above point where I have been treated like a something she wiped off her shoe, I say "Debs, I sense that you are really angry and I just don't know why". So she then says she didn't appreciate that I told the head I was moving him because of literacy, and about the incident with the girls. And at the point where I say there was a lot of factors (and I am saying this really calmly and non threateningly, relying on every last conflict resolving skill I have) I say, " had myself and the principal spoken before this week, like during one of the three appointments that I tried to arrange in June, I would have felt able for the three of us to sit down and discuss this matter in full and come to a conclusion that didn't mean my son being removed from the school" She then gets up and says, I think we are done, we have come to an end here!!!!!!!!!!!

So there you go, what do you make of that?

I then take him to his new school that's given me a list of words to have him read by sight, where the teacher asks them to do cursive writing not just print, and he has a great time. They talked there of differentiated learning and stretching him and being aware of him as an individual.

I have never been so shocked in my life as I was today, and I am not quite sure what to do next. As a child and youth care worker/ student/ ex literacy tutor, educator, I am thinking something needs to be done, but I don't know what. But then the other bit says chalk it up to experience as it will look like bitter grapes whatever..... but I am really concerned at someone like this being left with kids to be honest. And I don't think this is a side many people have seen as she has been all sweetness and light before to us, it's quite an act I can tell you.

Even when my child tried to tell her that when he had tried to explain to her this week that a boy had been pinned down in his chair by girls, and not allowed to go to the bathroom, when she popped out of the room, she told him to shhh and get on with his work. She said that she didn't understand how it was only ever him that she didn't listen to, as the other children didn't have that problem????????????? I am dumbfounded.

Because she was so volatlie, I just kept very calm and manouvered out of the room with little said as possible. But now I feel like I should do something.

Anyway, my wee fella had a great afternoon at the new place. So fingers crossed all will be well.

Hope you and your families are all having a good Friday evening.

All the best
a confused
Mrs Miggins xxxx
I think you did the right thing -

When I was a little kid, I was always bored at school, and never challenged mentally, it's not productive, and isn't healthy for the mental development of a child. Especially if they happen to be quite intelligent. Children often turn to destructive mental habbits if they aren't stimulated.

Congrats on not slotting the teacher... I might have in your position... )
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