smallholdingsister's strivings

AlexLK

Some parents never fail to amaze me. Personally, I'd be pleased if my son was set extra work at school, though would perhaps informally raise the topic with school just to be sure he wasn't falling behind in any subject. However, there are some that I teach music to and their parents have some kind of odd belief that the child doesn't need to practise and will learn to play a musical instrument just from the information I give in a 60 minute lesson. :eek:

Your post reminds me of something a parent said a few months ago; that I "hated" her daughter for setting some (simple) research work to be completed in preparation for the next lesson. That absolutely baffled me at the time.

Goldiegirl

smallholdingsister wrote: »

Question.
If your child came home and said Miss was making him and a few others do different/extra work what would you say/do?

I'd ask my child why (depending on the age of the child of course)


If it was because they were considered to be bright sparks and needed more challenges, I'd be pleased, and just leave it at that.


If it was for another reason, like the child needed easier work, I'd get in touch with the school, to see if there was anything they could suggest I could do to help my child.


But I'd generally consider the extra work to be a positive, because the child is receiving additional attention.


But as I'm not a parent, I don't really know how some of these parents think these days!

apple_muncher

Aha! I thought it was one of your own!

Parents of secondary-school-age kiddies really should know to take any message like that with a pinch of salt. A handful, even. And should be able to ask questions of their child to probe deeper in to what everyone else was doing, to work it out for themselves.

Ah well, I guess that 4 fewer Christmas cards you'll be getting...!

smallholdingsister

Its not just me then?!

The DDs instructor set them homework for their D and D+ tests. It just made me think how thorough she is.

apple_muncher

But you are a rational, thinking person with a brain

smallholdingsister

Why thank you.
She is a school teacher so I would expect that of her...
unless she is a teaching assistant who calls herself a teacher
or a healthcare assistant who calls herself a nurse
or a legal secretary who calls herself a lawyer.

AlexLK

Possibly my dumbest parent told me she didn't want to buy her son a piano "until he could play it". My response was "that's like expecting I teach him to write without allowing him access to a pen between lessons". Same parent was also one that saw "no difference" between a 6 octave electronic keyboard and a piano... She was a teaching assistant.

smallholdingsister

The 'rents just bought DD2 a keyboard which was very kind and generous but its hideous and huge and we are trying to flog our house...

AlexLK

I thought your children played piano? Also, can't really see how a keyboard is going to affect you selling the house? If it does have a negative impact, I dread to think what potential buyers (if we were to put the house on the market) would think to our music room.

At the risk of starting one of my 'these days' rants, it seems OK for people to have a large TV hanging from the wall and a big, ugly Michelin man shaped sofa but a point of contention whether or not to buy a child a piano. In fact, I heard on the radio that one of the 'most desirable' things potential buyers look for is a "cinema room". :eek: Can't remember the rest but can remember lots of things from my house featuring on the 'least desirable' list. :rotfl:

smallholdingsister

Number one plays piano but number two plays keyboard as its what was on offer at school.

I am hoping in y7 that she will be able to switch to piano?