Am I making too much of this?

[debih]

I know this should really be on parenthood but there is more footfall here!

L has come home from school today complaining about her maths teacher. The class has been told that if they get their times tables wrong they will be given a detention and possible a C4 - which means working in isolation. She has been given a C1 today for not getting as far as her 7x table (this is basically just a formal telling off that is marked on their record. At the end of the year the kids with no C's - consequences - get a prize. L got a prize last year).

This is a child who is really good, helpful and does all her homework on time. She struggles academically but always does her best. We practice her x tables every night but she just can't get it - S is the same. They seem to have a mental block.

I am absolutely furious and intend on going in to see her head of year tomorrow. I feel that they are punishing the child because of the teachers failings to get them to learn! Would a teacher get away with punishing a dyslexic child for getting their spellings wrong?

I have told L (and will tell her head of year tomorrow) that if she is punished for failing to know her times tables then I will escalate it to a formal complaint to the head and governors.

Do you think I am over reacting - I know you don't always see rationally where your child is concerned!

[cruiser2]

Debih,
It seems everything is now tick boxes.
Has the teacher tried to help L with learning her tables?
How are the tables taught? Is it by rote, or does each pupil have to learn them by themselves/
How many other pupil;s have got C1 in the same class?
Who introduced this from of detention and is it the same for every subject?
How long has the teacher been at the school?
How many pupils got C1 or more last school year?
Does the teacher teach L for other subjects?
The teacher should be encouraging the pupils not making them feel inadequate.
Hope this helps.
Please be calm when you are speaking to the Head of Year

[debih]

Thanks Cruiser.

L was they are given the sheets and left to learn by themselves. Almost the whole class got a C1.

Fortunately she only has the maths teachers for maths and not other lessons. I understand the same tactic is being used across the maths department but I'm not aware of it being used in other departments.

I'll be calmer by tomorrow when I speak to the teacher!

[Kaz]

It is wrong Debih! Detentions and punishments are for bad behaviour IMO, not for a perceived lack of achievement

I would also be very cross!

[debih]

I've just asked her again - she says they aren't given sheets to learn the tables, just to test them.

They are told to learn their tables at home but haven't been given any hints on how to learn them.

[Diflower]

You're not making too much of it Debih, and I'd be furious too
It's easy to put children off school, especially lessons they may already struggle in

There 'might' be a case for telling them that this could happen in the future I suppose, but even then only if the detention was actually used for extra teaching of the tables.

[debih]

It is wrong Debih! Detentions and punishments are for bad behaviour IMO, not for a perceived lack of achievement

I would also be very cross!

What makes it worse is that she is n the bottom set for maths so it's a class of kids that all struggle with the subject!

[Osc]

I'd be just as furious Debih I remember Miss Osc struggled with however they were being taught their times tables (remember, she is 37) so we worked really hard at home to help her learn them by rote - I don't know why there isn't more learning tables by rote, because that's how we learned ours and I can still rattle them off many many many years later (elderly lady shuffles off into corner).

[saundra]

what a shame doesent encourage children does it
i always had trouble learning my 8 and 9 times tables
i hope things improve

[Kaz]

The rote system is definitely the best way Osc, you learn the pattern of it, and like you I can still 'hear' them now!

Punishing children for poor teaching just isn't on