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Primary education

Pied Piper of Spellings

12 replies

Ilovespelling · 05/07/2013 21:53

DD has had an excellent teacher in yr2 this year. It's as if he has some kind of "Pied Piper" effect, and DD tries hard even in subjects she hates. She gets on with him very well indeed - he likes teasing her and she likes the attention I guess. It is the school's policy not to set spelling tests. Despite my efforts to teach spelling at home, DD's spelling is rubbish. I recently completed a school questionnaire and I gave her teacher an extra copy. I said all is great, except the lack of formally taught spellings. In response to this, the next day DD's teacher gave her a folder of spellings to learn at home for tests a couple of times a week at lunch time. So, DD is finally learning to spell, to my enormous relief, and she is now asking "who's going to test me on my spellings over the summer?" I can't believe she's even contemplating doing spelling during the summer. Alas, I do not possess the same "Pied Piper" effect as her teacher. DD has many more words left in her spelling folder than there is time left in the term, and her teacher started it with only 3 to 4 weeks left anyway. So, a question for all you teachers out there, would it be a massive, cheeky imposition to ask DD's teacher if he'd perhaps be kind enough to carry this on during or after the summer holidays? I don't imagine DD is going to get "individual" spelling tests from her new teacher next year. But, her current teacher will obviously have a new class to worry about. Basically, I wish he could have done this for the whole class earlier in the year.

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xylem8 · 05/07/2013 21:56

I thought the pied piper led the children to their doom? or am I thinking opf the wrong story

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Jinsei · 05/07/2013 22:20

Sorry, I'm not a teacher but I think it would be an imposition, and it's too cheeky to ask.

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cornypony · 05/07/2013 22:24

yes it is very cheeky

spelling tests don't teach children to spell either, so it would also be a waste of time

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steppemum · 05/07/2013 22:30

No, you really can't ask.
The nearest thing you could do is that you continue over the summer and she shows her spelling book to the teacher in sept ( just a quick - look what I've done moment)

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Ilovespelling · 05/07/2013 22:33

This is good to know. I work all kinds of crazy hours, so it's good to get a balanced viewpoint, that this request would be unreasonable. Thanks!

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IHeartKingThistle · 05/07/2013 22:33

Oh man please don't ask!

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bellablot · 05/07/2013 22:36

Why don't you ask him if he does private tutoring? Asking a teacher to do work in the summer holidays for one child is highly unreasonable and unrealistic, a liberty actually and I'm not a school teacher!

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PatriciaHolm · 05/07/2013 22:45

Can't you set her some tests from the spellings you have left? What does the teacher actually do?

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Ilovespelling · 05/07/2013 22:46

Thanks all, the private tutoring and "look what I did" in September suggestions sound great.

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Ilovespelling · 05/07/2013 22:49

PatriciaHolm - yes I'm more than willing to do this, believe me I've tried this in the past - DD just digs heels in and refuses to do tests for her Mum. But she is willing to learn at home for a test a school. Kids...

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Shootingstar79 · 06/07/2013 12:34

You are confusing learning to spell with learning to achieve marks on a spelling test.
If you believe your daughter's teacher is superb, why don't you trust his professional judgement in this area? The fact that it is school policy should tell you something...
I am pleased that your daughter wants to do well in spelling tests but don't be too surprised if she doesn't apply these spellings to her extended writing tasks. There are better ways of teaching spelling to ensure the children use learnt spellings in writing than cramming for a weekly spelling test.

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alanyoung · 07/07/2013 09:21

Would like to know why a year 2 child 'hates' some subjects.

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