Comments on Linda and her Twaddle: School Talk

Karen: Daydreaming is definitely showing a creativ...

2009-07-04T19:34:22.032+10:00

Karen: Daydreaming is definitely showing a creative inclination.

When I went back to full time study at aged 28 I really had trouble getting homework done. Nothing had changed. Daydreaming was still an issue.

MJ: My son was separated from his best friend in grade two because they talked non stop. They were never put back in the same class again. They are still best buddies though.

JJ: Since all the other kids had a similar problem I am guessing that teacher who talk the Indonesian really must have been talking to the blackboard for forty minutes each week.

Re: LOTE-- "Something is not being made clear in ...

2009-07-04T10:51:51.474+10:00

Re: LOTE-- "Something is not being made clear in class about what the children are actually doing,"

Is that teacher "spin" for "I'm taking a break during that class?"

I would have laughed too!

i was a chatterbox only with my best mate who sat ...

2009-07-04T10:44:17.971+10:00

i was a chatterbox only with my best mate who sat next to me. infact, the teachers put us in different division the year after despite us taking exact same subjects!

Wow, he sounds like me at that age. I could stare ...

2009-07-03T23:34:29.396+10:00

Wow, he sounds like me at that age. I could stare down a window like nobody's business!

I'd never finish my in class work, OR my homework. It was boring. I guess I had some retention skills though because I always managed to squeak by in my classes.

Daydreaming shows gifted potential. Your son is obviously very bright, and the classes bore him. ;)

MJ: Ah, you were the chatterbox in class were you?...

2009-07-02T14:42:51.790+10:00

MJ: Ah, you were the chatterbox in class were you? Have you changed much since then?

dbcooper: I know, it is not the first time he has had a subject that I did not know what it meant. Things have changed. We just had French. That was it. F-R-E-N-C-H

Presious: School - fun? Ha! I found school so boring it was unbearable. Except for art and media studies I just could not concentrate in those boring rooms hearing blah blah blah.

His teacher is a good sort. Last year he loved his teacher who was a tough maths teacher (male, about 60 from Sth Africa) who really motivated him in maths. Male teachers are scarce on the ground and my son loved having one.

It has taken a while for my son (and my husband and I) to get into that routine of homework. He comes home, has a snack and then homework. Otherwise he will just be almost impossible to get going again. I got sick of him saying in the morning "Oh, I have not done my homework".

I guess by child number four, you had some idea of how to get it to work out.

Kat: Indonesian. Yes, well, I cannot see it being useful here. And since they will be doing French in high school anyway, why bother. I think French is a great language because it also directs you to the source of a lot of English words.

Although, I did not like French much. It is like shorthand, once you walk out of the classroom you forget what you learnt.

Fragrant Liar: He did tell us he learnt to say hello and goodbye. I am like you, what on earth is going on? The teacher who takes them for Indonesian also takes recorder lessons - which he did last year twice.

Last year they had yoga classes.

Well I'm still baffled about the Indonesian langua...

2009-07-02T13:00:45.496+10:00

Well I'm still baffled about the Indonesian language class. How do you not know that's what you're learning? Teachers are falling down on this one. Doesn't sound to me like this woman is taking her job seriously. That makes me mad!

What's the point of learning Indonesian? Am I miss...

2009-07-02T02:04:09.134+10:00

What's the point of learning Indonesian? Am I missing something? Is there much call for it down there?

Kat

I also meant to say that my kids, from day one, ha...

2009-07-02T01:07:42.324+10:00

I also meant to say that my kids, from day one, had to come in from school, wash their hands, have a quick snack and get right on their homework before t.v., game stations, computers or friends. I found it difficult to help them with thier homework because I did not know how to do it myself!...lol! That's the advantage of having multiple children! They can help each other ...lol! Other times, their father helps them.

If I found that their grades were slipping, restriction i.e. removeval of ALL electronics is enforced. Sometimes, if the offense is big, I include writing standards or an essay. They rarely get to that level :).

Knowing there are worsening consequences for their lack of effort really helps.

You know, teachers act like kids should "enjoy" sc...

2009-07-02T01:00:30.055+10:00

You know, teachers act like kids should "enjoy" school! This really irritates me. I know there are a small number of kids who really do enjoy school. However, MOST kids DO NOT like school.

Like you, I still have those same moments. I remember having such a hard time staying focused on the subject in middle school. High school was even worse!! That's where it was really hard to stay awake, let alone to do the work!

Your son is just being a young boy who would rather be doing something more fun than sitting in a classroom. I really don't blame him. None the less, he still has to do his work.

Although his teacher seems really nice and understanding, a lot of teachers seem to take it personally when the child is not interested in their lesson. At least this teacher is not taking it personally. She sounds like a sweetheart.

I can tell you, I've been through two of my sons already and I'm working on my 3rd son, the last one. By high school, they really struggle with this. It's not because they don't know the information or the subject matter, but it's just boring to them...which, in my opinion, is understandable. They still have to get through it, hopefully, with a decent grade.

Hang in there.

LOTE?? I wonder how many hours it took some academ...

2009-07-02T00:40:05.060+10:00

LOTE?? I wonder how many hours it took some academic to think up that abbreviation. Too funny

never had that problem at school. infact i'd be ha...

2009-07-01T23:16:14.606+10:00

never had that problem at school. infact i'd be hauled in for talking to other kids and disturbing THEM from studying.

i studied solo grade 1 onwards. i hated anyone touching my work.

Projectivist: Don't forget, you are doin' it alone...

2009-07-01T22:36:18.149+10:00

Projectivist: Don't forget, you are doin' it alone and I only have one. Makes a difference.

oh you're a star! i felt sure that every other chi...

2009-07-01T22:34:18.353+10:00

oh you're a star!
i felt sure that every other child in class willingly sits and does their homework.

what on earth is going on with the LOTE?!

"But don't worry, everyone is asking the same question. "

excuse me? sounds as though they don't have any idea what's going on in that class.

Projectivist: You bad mother. Letting your kids be...

2009-07-01T22:15:41.225+10:00

Projectivist: You bad mother. Letting your kids be kids. Sheesh, what is the world coming to.

We have to sit with him (one of us does) when he does homework (only assisting when he gets stuck). Turn off television or he watches it. He would NEVER do it voluntarily. But he does it.

If worse comes to wear he knows that he is not allowed to use the computer or Xbox until after homework. That helps - currency.

remember your report "could do better".....mine said that.

good lord, Linda! i'm sure i had that exact interv...

2009-07-01T22:03:23.339+10:00

good lord, Linda!
i'm sure i had that exact interview with my son's teacher. i came away feeling a bit of a bad parent - i've been quite lax with the homework, letting the children run over to the park across the road until the sun goes down. playing outdoors and generally being kids.

i work all weekend, and my only time with the kids is those afternoons...i'm wondering what to do next term - come down hard with the homework? try to get them into a routine?

is your son pretty good with doing his homework? if so, how'd you manage that? tips please!