What to do when you don't agree with the teacher?

[hischool]

My daughter is in preschool and we have been using Handwriting without tears at home. She finished the pre K book and is using the Kindergarten book.

 

She already knows the Capital letter formation pretty well. Today, I got a note from the teacher with a letter formation chart, asking us to use that as a guide when we practice letter formation at home.

 

I really like the HWOT way better. My daughter is kind of confused and told me the teachers do not let her use the HWOT way in school.

 

I know the only way to avoid this is to homeschool her, but it's not an option for us.

 

My husband said I should just let it go and tell our daughter to do the teacher's way in school only. I am really not liking this, but I also know I have to pick my battle. I am wondering if this is a battle I should fight?

 

I am kind of upset because we spent time at home teaching her letter formation. I do not feel the need to re-teach her when I feel this new way is really inferior!

 

Thanks for listening. I appreciate any advice you guys can give me. :bigear:

Edited November 14, 2008 by hischool

[Hillary in KS]

Well, this is my first thought:

 

The next time you take her to school, talk with the teacher (don't e-mail, don't call).

 

Explain that your dd had learned how to print her letters *before* they began teaching it in preschool. Having a different explanation during school is causing your dd confusion.

 

I'd then ask if it would be okay for her to print the capital letters as she does, but then expect your dd to learn the lower case from her teacher.

 

At home, you can help her learn the lower case letters the way the teacher has taught during class time.

 

Now, if the teacher expects your dd to print *only* the way she is taught in preschool, then I'd side with your husband and explain it to your dd. :)

[mamaof2andtwins]

In my experience, the preschool teachers that I my children had were convinced that the children would never write in lower case if they used captials first. Also, they wanted to teach the children to match what they would be learning and using in kindergarten. I imagine it would reflect poorly on them as a preschool if the children weren't where they were supposed to be.

 

This was about 8 years ago, so things could have changed. However, that is what we found with the first two children who attended preschool.

 

Jennie

[BabyBre]

My dc do a lot of things differently at school than we have learned them at home. It may depend on what your intentions are for her schooling. Will she be continuing to higher grades in this same school? If so, I'd just give it up and teach her the teacher's way. If you plan to have her at home for her primary education, see if it's not too much for her to do what the teacher wants her to in the classroom and she can use her HWOT method at home if she likes. My dd could have done this in preschool, but ds could never have, so assess her on her capacity to do such a thing first.

 

After intensive handwriting practice at home with my ds, he was unexpectedly put into ps kindergarten last year and has picked up some very interesting handwriting habits. Try as I did to combat them, the fact is that he spends more of his writing time away from me now, reinforcing his now poor pencil grip and letter formation. I've handed him over to people who can't give him the attention he needs to correct this and I feel powerless. Thankfully (I guess), with my kids in public school handwriting is not my top concern.

[hischool]

Thanks everyone. I think it will be a very long emotional journey for me lol. I'm already stressed when she's in pre K.

 

We do not plan on staying next year for K. We plan on enrolling her in public K.

 

I feel quite strongly about this because the letter formation they're teaching is really strange. For example, the Capital W is taught using 4 strokes. Each stroke starting from the top. The letter M is the same, 4 strokes. V is 2 strokes. I grew up in Asia and so did my husband, neither of us learn it this way. HWOT does not teach this way. I simply think it's a very odd way to form these letters. How can the students transition to cursive easily if they form their letters like this? :confused:

 

I think my daughter will be fine doing things differently though. I was quite upset and I talked to my daughter about this. I also asked her to write A-Z in Capital to make sure she still remembers what we learned. She does!

 

What's funny is my daughter said she will talk to the teacher :lol:

 

I can only imagine the battle once she has to start Everyday Maths in 1st grade LOL.

 

Thanks everyone for your kind words :001_smile:

Edited November 15, 2008 by hischool

[mchel210]

Im dealing with the same issue with math. I told my dd to just keep doing it our way...not the school way. They want them to round up and add sets up numbers or something weird like that...or count with 10s to add big numbers. I have no clue. I told my dd to just keep adding our way...but it really threw her for a loop while they did that unit. Regardless...they moved on and my dd still does it her way and skipped their way. Now she knows her numbers in a second and it seems everyone else takes longer and is more confused. Ughh.

 

I just tell my dd to keep doing it my way...It is a lot harder with a preschooler. My dd finished HWoT as well. I just told her teacher that we have completed it and she knows all her letters. Maybe you can ask her to just not pay so much close attention to that detail with your dd as she cant relearn it? I dont really see a reason why the teacher wouldnt just be able to meet you halfway on this and maybe just let her do her letters the way she does them. Dont they end up the same in the end? Regardless on how she forms them?

 

I wouldnt want my child to learn the way you are explaining because it makes you lift the pencil too many times. We also had started cursive with Abeka and my dd does a lot in cursive...so the way you are saying would be hard to transition later into cursive. (Just my opinion)

 

Ok...I think you have had some wonderful advice here...I guess it depends on whether your dd can still do it their way in school and not have problems.

[Rosie_0801]

What's funny is my daughter said she will talk to the teacher :lol:

 

 

I think that's your problem solved ;) If your daughter feels that strongly about the issue, her teacher will eventually be persuaded to leave her to it. You can argue with kids' parents forever, but not with the kid herself.

lol,

Rosie

[momsquared]

I am new here, but definitely not new to this issue. My DD is having similar frustrations with writing. Here is how I have dealt with it - I ignore them. They sent home a progress report that was laughable - could have been written about a different child. I have curriculum I use at home and she knows home learning and school learning sometimes go together and sometimes they don't.