hm2009 Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 DD asked her teacher if she could have something to do when she was waiting for the others to finish the class work. Teacher's response "It will not be fair to the other kids." Well I'm glad and really proud that dd asked herself...she is a very shy kid. But now she does not want me to talk to teacher about the matter--differentiation at the PTConf on Friday. She is scared the teacher will get mad at her. Well I'm pretty mad at the teacher :glare: Any ideas welcome in general as well as the pt conf :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 (edited) If she's just sitting there, I'd start by having her pull out a book to read until the class is ready to move on. Depending on my mood and my vibe from the teacher, I may or may not ask permission before telling my child to try this :tongue_smilie:. I'd guess that a great many teachers would allow reading. Then, if that goes well, I might think about sending in work that could be done, but it depends on how long the blocks of time are that she's just sitting there, and whether the teacher allowed simple reading while she waits. I'd probably ask permission before doing that. eta, I think it's unlikely that the teacher will provide extra work at or above your child's current grade level. I would handle this by providing the work (and then you get to choose it ;)), so that you are "helping" the teacher rather than asking the teacher to put in more of her own effort. In other words, don't hold your breath expecting actual differentiation; to get what you want, make it as easy as possible on the teacher. Edited October 3, 2012 by wapiti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Teachers are usually okay with reading. It is sometimes the parent volunteers that raise a stink. Not sure what grade your child is in. My kid did his homework in class when he was in a B&M school. That did not raise a stink. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Way of My People Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 I can't imagine a teacher objecting to your daughter reading quietly in her seat or something like that. Maybe the teacher thought your daughter was asking if she could go out to the playground or do something else that the other kids would notice and object to? In either case, I'd definitely ask the teacher about this during the conference. Your daughter shouldn't have to just sit there and twiddle her thumbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 If she's just sitting there, I'd start by having her pull out a book to read until the class is ready to move on. Depending on my mood and my vibe from the teacher, I may or may not ask permission before telling my child to try this :tongue_smilie:. I'd guess that a great many teachers would allow reading. I wouldn't ask. I developed the fine art of reading under the desk during class sometime in first grade and it served me well til college when I finally got caught. It's not really that hard to read and follow the class well enough to answer correctly when called on! Sometimes in high school, it was another class's homework. There are definitely teachers who will pitch a fit about this, consider it rude, etc. without ever considering how rude it is to expect the child to sit there bored for hours every day. And there are teachers who, if asked, will say no but, if not asked, won't mention it. If you ask, and she says no, an obedient child will then sit there bored anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenbrdsly Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 I'd definitely talk to the teacher, even though that's not what your child wants. :( Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hm2009 Posted October 4, 2012 Author Share Posted October 4, 2012 DD is in third. Reading is not allowed in class, because "They don't know when to put the book away and it costs me valuable time to tell them after every activity to put your reading away" --This was said on the curriculum night. Well I get that point because dd has missed bus a few times because of being too deep into the book. Well as of now she takes a small note pad to write stories. She loves making up stories so I think she will probably continue this for very long...but then she also literally "laughs out loud" at the funny points of her story. So I don't know whats going to be the teacher's response. Any more ideas about stuff which can be easily put away? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hm2009 Posted October 4, 2012 Author Share Posted October 4, 2012 @Arcadia- homework is only passed out at the end of the day... @Heigh Ho - I think dd would really be interested in drawing....esp doodling... she is a perfectionist, so she would have already checked her work. dd's request - I want something that is the size of a small notepad. She doesn't want to attract attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lamppost Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 Reading is not allowed in class, because "They don't know when to put the book away and it costs me valuable time to tell them after every activity to put your reading away" --This was said on the curriculum night. Oh me oh my... frankly this sounds like a bad situation to me. (I've been looking at your other posts.) The teacher sounds truly awful. Any chance of moving her to another class that's a better fit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 I can see the teacher's point but I don't think I would have survived under that rule. I think I spent a lot of school reading novels while waiting. Can she do puzzles? I found crosswords and Sudoku make going lectures and seminars easier - and you can take notes at the same time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extendedforecast Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 How about sending a book of logic puzzles, sudoku, or crossword puzzles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extendedforecast Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 I can see the teacher's point but I don't think I would have survived under that rule. I think I spent a lot of school reading novels while waiting. Can she do puzzles? I found crosswords and Sudoku make going lectures and seminars easier - and you can take notes at the same time! Oops. I didn't read the whole thread before posting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hm2009 Posted October 12, 2012 Author Share Posted October 12, 2012 Thanks for all your inputs... How about sending a book of logic puzzles, sudoku, or crossword puzzles? These sound good. As of now I am sending her a Sudoku mini paperback that I found at Target dollar spot. The PTConf was a waste of time. "She(dd) is good at everything..Blah blah blah.." Regarding me sending in stuff--she does not want anything sent that will be distracting to the other kids. So I'll have to stick to mini books. Anyone have any idea about something better than Sudoku and crossword? Any Idea on this book So You Think You're Smart: 150 Fun and Challenging Brain Teasers ? The reviews look good on Amazon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hm2009 Posted October 12, 2012 Author Share Posted October 12, 2012 One more question--> Where do you buy good Sudoku and Crosswords books? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Sorry in new Zealand. I get them from bookshops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoPlaceLikeHome Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 You'd get crossword books for this age group that are small booklets from AC Moore or Learning Express type of stores. However, I wouldn't accept this teacher's lack of classroom management. I'd head to the principal, who is probably being pushed to up the amt of nonfiction reading and comprehension, and ask for help. :iagree:I am appalled that this teacher does not encourage reading in spare time. It takes only a matter of one sentence to tell children to put away reading when the teacher wants to move on. She sounds like she is not a very good teacher:( My son's teacher requires that he bring his outside reading book to school everyday and asks that they read it in their spare time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iwantsprinkles Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 Just wanted to say we feel for you! We have been trying to find a solution to this same problem ourselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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