The Matrix - Re-Evolution!!

Memory_Girl

Kittikins that is fabulous - makes me even more determined to get mine done, dusted and staged. It will do us a few years but would be wonderful to get somewhere smaller and Debt Free IYSWIM?

Selling vibes to others on the market

MM done and in the post - waheyy!!!

MG

crickett1234

Memory_Girl wrote: »

And she's off - wooooweeeee!!!!

Warning though - Oxford has some seriously crappy admin offices shoehorned into very odd places - insist on a Window!!! And when you get the job - can DS1 and I come for tea???:rotfl::rotfl:

MG

I promise you can come for tea, and I will take you to the Randolph for high tea!!

maryb

DD1 was always different from the others and when there was a bit of bullying, this was put forward by the school as explanation and, it seemed, justification. It still enrages me years later. Things got a bit better when she moved to senior school. She was never one of the crowd but she had one or two nice friends - and that was enough. The school wanted her to fit the normal mould - bright (certainly that) hard working and well organised (certainly not that). Well it certainly would have made the teachers' lives easier, wouldn't it? But highly intelligent children don't cope with boredom very well and she could never bring herself to do some of the homework that was clearly only set for the purpose of making the parents think they were getting value for money eg learning half a dozen words of French vocabulary by doing a particularly pointless crossword. She got better as the work got more interesting and in fact developed amazing powers of application for things that mattered to her.

We got called in to see the new head early on when she was 12 because she wasn't like the others and the school had jumped to the conclusion that it was because I was a working mother - they completely overlooked the fact that my DH worked from home at the time!!. I said at one point that DD was not, and never would be, an average suburban schoolgirl. The Head of Year bridled as if I had used a string of four letter words, but that seemed to get through to the head and she became a supporter from that time on. I had to laugh recently when the parents of a younger girl who is also 'different' said to me that the head had said to them that she knew she shouldn't compare one child with another but she looked at their daughter and saw mine. The point being that DD1 is now at Oxford and loving it.

Being different can make school an endurance rather than a joy, even if it is just because it is unfulfilling. But she really relished the time she was free to spend on the things she did enjoy doing and copes with frustration much better than someone whose path has always been smooth

Horace

I can remember my school days and I was always above average when it came to languages although stick me in a maths lesson and my brain would turn to mush. I left middle school at the age of 12 being able to speak fluent French by the the time I left High School in 1979, I couldn't or rather could not be bothered I guess. Our entire French lesson was conducted in English and I feel sure that the teacher couldn't actually speak the language himself.

I have a problem in that I cannot pass exams despite knowing the work which is why I stayed on for an extra year at school for resits, I was doing A levels too but quit through boredom. Like my friend who I spoke about earlier, the pair of us had difficulty with friends although I tended to have two groups of friends (there were times when I was friendly with one group and not the other and vice versa). My original plan was to be an archaeologist and I needed History but during my first year of High School (we were taught everything before picking subjects), I had strong words with my history teacher Mrs Helliwell. She expressly told the class not to answer certain questions on the mock exam paper because she hadn't taught us about it but I ignored her because I knew the answers to those questions as well as the ones I was supposed to answer. Mrs Helliwell was virtually apoplectic with rage when she handed my paper back to me with a big fat zero on it - it seems that I didnt deserve a mark because I had disobeyed her..I found out later from my year head (oh yes, I made a complaint) that I had in fact achieved a 100% pass because all questions were answered correctly and dear old teacher had also learnt something as well because she had to do some research to check that I was correct. As soon as I discovered that she would be my teacher to O Level and beyond, I dropped the subject entirely and at the same time changed my career plans. Was she right to mark me down or not? It is strange to think that I could achieve quite a lot without access to the internet which at that stage hadn't been invented.

Maybe I should take a test to see if I am borderline Aspergers?

Memory_Girl

That reminds me of an English Teacher who refused to submit my dissertation in sixth year.

My diss was on "The Unsettling Power of the Pause in Pinter Plays (I loved allieration then can't you tell?)

So the summer between fifth and sixth year I actually worked at the Festival on a series of Pinter plays directed by the man himself - so took notes in rehearsal from day one as to HIS direct intentions of the pause etc.

Two weeks before school went back I had a full Mind Map done and by the first Thursday of term I had handed in my dissertation. My teacher refused to even consider that the work would be of a good enough standard as she hadn't "taught" the subject. So I took the dissertation to the Rector and told him "I was done" - he could sign off on the dissertation or hold it until the end of the year but I wouldn't be in school on Thursday Afternoons (Triple English writing workshop) as I would be working Matinees at the local theatre instead earning money to head off to college in London.

She scowled at me the whole year - but I got an A* for English - OH and also managed to squeeze in Geography and Art at CSYS level and an additional Higher too.

Wish DS1 had a bit more strop like I used to have LOL

MG

Igamogam

Memory_Girl wrote: »

The school has doubled its roll in the last 18 months - so lots of "new" kids have arrived and TBH the Teachers are pretty darn hot on the whole bullying thing.

Head just been on the phone - Psychologist is in on Monday for a meeting so she will raise DS1 then as a concern to speed things up.

Karate not for him I'm afraid - physical contact is difficult for him ( apart from cuddles) and the tai-chi class is overrun with trendy pensioners - which although he found fun doesn't help him make friends of his own age LOL.

Band practice -again he is hanging out with grown-ups, ditto with his golf. See he is pretty social with adults!

MG

I teach children with addtional needs some of whom have been diagnosed with ADHD, Aspergers, Autisic and ASD ( on the spectrum nothing specific) You have had lots of advice and pointers already and LEAs work differently as indeed do schools and then there are differences between England Scotland and Wales..............

In my setting (infants school) the school is very open about children with additional needs and we use terms such as autism dyslexia Aspergers etc quite freely and encourage all the children to discuss what this means and how allowances are made;how and why some children behave differently etc etc - the children have no problems; some of the parents well thats another story! All our staff understand the different needs - thats all teaching all support all ancillary and all volunteer staff

A diagnosis sometimes is difficult and inconclusive and can sometimes serve no purpose at all - what you need is a sympathetic, knowlegable,trained staff; teachers and support staff who can think creatively and an ethos of tolerance, undertanding and celebration of different skills embedded in the school. We work with children at the start of their education of course and so we have open minds to work with.

Memory_Girl

Can we come to your school please?

He is actually much calmer today - his class teacher has had a quiet word and explained that from here on in its all about helping him find strategies that work - so fingers crossed. There is one lad in particular who is giving him grief - and two of the other lads had words with him at playground today about playing fair (all off their own backs).

Lets see how Monday goes

MG

groatie_queen

Mmmm, sounds encouraging for DS1, MG. Well done on finishing the MM, and another lined up - book sounds interesting too.

Kittikins great news! Happy house-hunting - somewhere a house is waiting for you.

There must be something in the air - things are moving for people - a wrinkle unravelling in the fabric of the space/time continuum? - Crickett, you're sounding so good, and application submitted - well done girl - it's on its way, surrounded by the Matrix magic vibes.

And me oh my, having unpacked oodles and oodles of AF foodles, and wondering where I can store it all, as my cupboards are already full, guess what? I have a house viewing on Saturday afternoon! :rotfl::rotfl:Thank you Universe!

So I'm just about to go and buy two underbed storage boxes to squirrel away my goodies in. I'm downsizing, so they will probably serve the same purpose in my new abode!

Have a good evening everyone.

ClootiesMum

That reminds me of an English Teacher who refused to submit my dissertation in sixth year.

Wasn't Plook, was it?

Good on teacher - and the other kids......

Won't stay long tonight - just heard that ex-SIL has had not good news about her recently diagnosed cancer. I have a lot of time for her (although we're not buddy/buddy close) - what can you say........

Life is short ladies - enjoy every day

clairewop

Good evening

Horrible weather here today, absolutely pouring down .

Glad DS1 is much happier today MG.