[*LucyE*]

I suspect it does seem to be an issue with trying to simply move teaching approaches/curriculum down to Prep (4-5 year olds) rather than targeting the teaching approach to that age group.

I feel for the younger, less experienced teachers though. They are afraid to spend any time not following exactly what they are told. Our prep teachers have been told they are not to waste any time playing outside ssecret.gif and are actually questioned by admin over such things.

I think this is the crux of the problem here. The front line teachers who are meant to be implementing these changes, are not experienced enough to ensure they are meeting the NC in an age appropriate way. Some seem to lack understanding about pedagogy.

[Rach42]

...
Yes, I expect the problems we are having with our lower primary levels is a temporary problem. Understanding and accepting that doesn't make things better for the students who are suffering and struggling NOW.
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Instead of working out age appropriate ways of teaching 4.5 yr olds content that was previously taught to 6 yr olds, they have merely used methods used for 6 yr olds on 4.5 yr olds.
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Brushing it aside as teething problems, which is in some ways true, does not help those who are currently caught up in the change.

Parents of those children, shouldn't have to suck it up for the greater good, our children deserve better.

I agree with this - it's the poor children this year that are struggling and these years can be quite important in setting their attitudes to school.

All of that said, it's not such a problem in my classroom because I'm not always good at doing exactly what I'm told I feel for the younger, less experienced teachers though. They are afraid to spend any time not following exactly what they are told. Our prep teachers have been told they are not to waste any time playing outside and are actually questioned by admin over such things.

I wish there were more teachers like you! I feel sorry for the teachers as well that are not only trying to cope with the NC changes but no doubt some not very happy parents as well.

[barrington]

This is a problem with the teaching, not the curriculum. Our kinders in NSW have been doing the same thing for years. And the kids come out of school at the end of the day, smiling and laughing, skipping along, chatting with friends.
I've been in the classroom, there is still plenty of fun in learning.

So HOPEFULLY, a lot of the problems this year are just a bit of a case of the QLD schools over-reacting a bit to the curriculum, going a bit overboard. And with more experience, the teachers will readjust to find the balance.

Its not actually a problem with the teaching.

When DS (now in Grade 2) was in Prep, he didn't start readers until Term 3. He did NO sight words in prep. None. He is now doing a national Grade 2 curriculum along with students in other states, who started sight words in week 1 of Prep. How is that fair?

Luckily for us, DS is quite bright and so is not struggling with the work. But I feel so sorry for so many of his classmates who are struggling and playing catch up.

[It'sallgood]

Thanks everyone for your replies. In actual fact, although nothing has really changed, I am at least much reassured that it's not just us or our imaginations that this year is a bit of nightmare!

My other thread got closed and I don't want to drag issues in, but I'll quickly try to update our story for those who are interested.

had a pretty good meeting with my DD2's teacher (grade 1) and in all honesty, I'm still not quite sure what the big deal or problem IS!?!? Maybe I'm a bit challenged IQ wise, becuase apart from not being enthusiastic and not concentrating 100% when doing some flash word exercises in class (from what I gether the teacher flashes up a couple of sightwords on a card for a few seconds and then the kids have to write a sentence using those words) where she is daydreaming and misses the words and then can't do the exercise

So, of course, either she gets in trouble for not watching and / or she gets upset when she realises she didn't see the words and can't do the writing OR she is jsut tired and says "I can't do it.."

ALL in my opinion which wouldn't be entirely unusual for 6 yr old lol

The other issue is related to finding words or making up other words using various letters. So maybe they are doing the letter "P" and the teacher writes up a sentance or several P words...they talk about it. Then she asks them to come up with other P words taht aren't on the list or in the sentence that she wrote....and DD either says she can't do it or just clams up when asked to give a P word.

Further to this, when she is "tested" she is only getting something like 15/30 or 20/30 on exercises about words similar to above.

I can see how this would / could be a problem. I can see why the teacher is a bit concerned...however, I DO wonder how much of it is REAL and how much is just nerves, tiredness and being "put on the spot"?

I DO like this teacher, my other DD had her last year. however, she IS a very forceful personality and I think a big part of the problem is that DD2 is quite intimidated by her.

I have been doing similar exercises at home...thinking up a letter and asking her to come up with words starting with that letter and mostly, she seems to be able to come up with several words for each I put to her quite easily, and not sightword ones either. Just everyday examples. BUT - she DOES often "pause and think" for a god 10-20 seconds sometimes. and yes, sometimes I have to remind her I'm expecting an answer!!! LOL She tends to lose a bit of concentration if something else comes into her zone (as in the dog wanders in or her sister does something...kwimw?)

I KNOW that DD2 is a bit of a "flippity-jibbit" as my mum would say, but I think her concentration span, whilst not top notch, is not overly worrying.. She'll get there.
tbc
Tamm

[It'sallgood]

In meeting with the teacher, she told us that these are the only areas of concern. Her behaviour is great, she gets on well with everyone, follows instructions (mostly!!) and nothing awry there at all. She doing fine in all the other areas of learning, the mathematical areas etc.

Anyway, it's a losing battle with the homework. Like someone said here earlier, the expectation is that parents WILL spend the time and if the kids dont' do the homework, they will fall behind because it's not just "mindless revision" but pretty much part of the curriculum for them to complete it.

I believe this is grossly unfair on small children, but clearly, if we don't force the kids to do it, they'll fall behind. So.....

Like others here, I'm hoping that once this year is over and things settle down a bit, everyone calms down, it might improve a lot. I DO think that a lot of the OTT about this is comeing from the school principals and "middle" management of the education system, which is fair enough too, becuase when things go awry, it's these poor buggers who cop it from all angles.

So I suppose, they are trying to "get it right" and get up to speed...and the kids are just caught in the middle of it all

I'm just trying to protect my own children I suppose. DD1 is not as badly effected I don't think, well, she's not as intimidated by others, a bit more of a confident person / personality. She hates doing homework too, but is a bit more of a "pleaser" type, so when her teacher rewards her and praises her for doing her work, it works, it motivates.

DD2 is not much like that. Not as much anyway.

Tahnks again, Like I said, a lot of what others in Qld are experiencing is similar, so that's reassuring (in a sad sort of a way, means there are lots of stressed out 5, 6 and 7 yr olds out there )

Oh - I worked with a lady other night and she told me her grand daugher, in grade 3( not at our school) who previously just LOVED school, has now been having panic attacks and has been assessed by a psychololgist as she's been so stressed over school in general and now Naplan Poor kid.

Tamm

[Grumpy1]

I have a child in grade 3 and grade 1 in Qld. Basically I've been told by teachers that they have moved the bar and a grade 3 is now expected to work at a grade 4 level and so on down the line. The trouble is our kids have so much catching up to do since they did not have the national curriculum when they started prep. Therefore they do not have the fundmental starting blocks that kids who started Prep this year will have. So they are playing catch up and are expected to be doing work they have not been prepared for! I believe that this should really have been taken into account and it all should have been introduced much more slowly. In fact I hate the idea of a NC. It seems to me it will kill off the kids love of learning.


Yes my girls have more homework and are very tired and totally over it by the end of the week. Also their grades have dropped despite the fact that they are working harder. Both my girls are some of the youngest ones in their classes having been born in April and March and this doesn't help either as that isn't taken into account. My grade 3 at 8 is working at the same level as 9 year olds. I'm sure that 6-8 months difference in age impacts on maturity and ability to grasp more difficult concepts.