pre school. concerns

monflat · 22-01-2015 10:36pm #1

Right o im looking for advice from people in the know !
My 4 yr old daughter attends her ecce ( aisteoir curriculum) free year. . She will be 5 in the summer.
She attended 2 days a week for the term she just turned 3.5
Basically on numerous occasions I have asked the staff how she's getting on .
They replied grand doin great!
So its only in November gone has one member of staff told me that she has never talked to them or answered up to their " weekly news " session . She has never asked them a question or interacts in a way of asking adults questions.

She interacts extremely well with her friends and that is where they hear her talking.
She won't interact with staff at all.

Ok im not overly worried.
We tried for her to tell them weekly news.
She has told me that she does not like her teachers.
So that's fair enough.

There is two members ofstaff there that do not inspire me ( or other parents ive talked to)

So what would you do as a parent.
Do you move her to another school where she would possibly interact a bit better with teachers..
do you leave her there. As she has no problem with her friends.

she has started speech and drama classes and she has no issues there with her teachers.

she is labelled as " shy " in her current school but aren't a lot of 4 year olds .

They had put on a play recently and as any parent was looking forward to seeing their " little girl " perform.
a werk before one of the staff was reminding me what clothes to put on her that day and she added " now she won't actually be doing anything " .
Of course she was doing something it turned out she said her nursery rhymes very well in a group with others .

I feel some members ofstaff have taken her quietness personally.

what steps should I take next ?

Moonbeam · 22-01-2015 10:43pm

Do you get a notebook from the school home that details progress and parts of the curriculum that htey have completed?that you need to read and sign?
What does she have to say about it?
Is it playschool or montessori?
How many children do they have?
How many teachers?

koriko · 22-01-2015 10:48pm

Could u elaborate on the things that don't 'inspire' you about the staff? Find this part of your post intriguing....

monflat · 22-01-2015 10:52pm

A notebook ! God no nothong along those lines!

She enjoys her friends she likes playing with them every day .
with a bit of coaxing she will tell me she likes none of them bar one who is a fas girl..

Its a play school
Theres a montisorri only recently started in next town and I ferl like pulling her out and putting her in there. As they are very progressive and their Facebook pages shoe the proof.
.

They don't cook they don't bring home weekly artwork .
She comes home once every 6 weeks with a bundle of artwork .

There is 16 in her bunch with 2 teachers one of them is a fas member

monflat · 22-01-2015 10:54pm

koriko wrote: »

Could u elaborate on the things that don't 'inspire' you about the staff? Find this part of your post intriguing....

Motivatuon levels .
No cooking.
artwork comes home in a big bundle every 6 weeks.

not much tp show what they are doing every day

Moonbeam · 22-01-2015 10:58pm

If one of them is on work placement and not a fully qualified level of staff they are on breach of the ECCE regulation of 11:1.
Do you know other parents there,what do they think?
Why did she only start her ECCE scheme in jan and not Sept?

Standard 3 of Síolta is to involve parents and families -
http://www.siolta.ie/services_standard3.php

monflat · 22-01-2015 11:04pm

Moonbeam wrote: »

If one of them is on work placement and not a fully qualified level of staff they are on breach of the ECCE regulation of 11:1.
Do you know other parents there,what do they think?
Why did she only start her ECCE scheme in jan and not Sept?

No sorry she started in sept 2014.

Some parents think the same as me.

But because most of her class will be goingto primary together im reluctant to pull her out.

but part of me wants to .if she won't interact now ( I mean zero interaction ) doesn't ask for toilet does be bursting upon comin home some days .
will go to toilet if another friend is going.

Im at a stage where im worryin aboyt her in primaryschool

Moonbeam · 22-01-2015 11:10pm

I would be worried about her not interacting with the staff and why.
I would also be worried about how the play school is being run and if they are adhering to best practice,Aistear and Siolta.
The Pobal website may have a report for that play school on it.

koriko · 22-01-2015 11:12pm

monflat wrote: »

Motivatuon levels .
No cooking.
artwork comes home in a big bundle every 6 weeks.

not much tp show what they are doing every day

Ok. Motivational levels vary- interesting when you consider how little these people are paid. May be a connection here.
As an infant teacher in a primary school I meet a variety of parents who have very different expectations if the school system.
From what you say:
1: Your child is doing great attending a preschool- Aistear is an amazing programme with lots of hidden teaching / learning opportunities. It can easily be misunderstood to be merely play- it's much more targeted. In fact it can be extended up to first class level so depending on what primary school you choose your child may be already ahead in terms of the skills the programme enhances.
2: preschool is great for your child to develop socially. I feel it's the most important part of their time their tbh. In the infant classroom a child who hasn't been to preschool or equivalent can often appear to take longer to adapt to the school day and also forming friendships (clearly this is not always the case, but keep the positives in mind!) .
3: as regards the Art etc. so long as your child had fun doing them activities that should be the main thing, right?! Who cares how they come home- if it bothers you just ask for them more often! They will get the hint then. I would often hang up art work for all to see outside my classroom and not send it home for weeks- this is something that happens in schools everywhere as far as I know :-)
4: try to encourage your little one to like going to preschool as much as you can, it will have lasting effects for them in 'big' school. I'd change preschool if that's not something you feel you're able to do- go with your gut feeling so to speak.

Excuse typos- on my phone :-)

monflat · 22-01-2015 11:16pm

Moonbeam wrote: »

I would be worried about her not interacting with the staff and why.
I would also be worried about how the play school is being run and if they are adhering to best practice,Aistear and Siolta.
The Pobal website may have a report for that play school on it.

Yes I am worried about why shes not interacting with staff but she tells me she dors not like them.
She won't open up too much about it when I discuss with her.
But she looks forward to going there walks in no problems .
and goes and seeks out her friends.

Her drama teacher has said it is common for some prechool children not to "speak up " and thats what they inadvertently do a lot on in drama classes.

koriko · 22-01-2015 11:17pm

monflat wrote: »

No sorry she started in sept 2014.

Some parents think the same as me.

But because most of her class will be goingto primary together im reluctant to pull her out.

but part of me wants to .if she won't interact now ( I mean zero interaction ) doesn't ask for toilet does be bursting upon comin home some days .
will go to toilet if another friend is going.

Im at a stage where im worryin aboyt her in primaryschool

Toileting is something I would nip in the bud immediately if you can? Could you Tell the staff to 'remind' you child to go. Ie, 'when it's snack time we need to go to the toilet first' or 'when we go out for a walk we must go to the toilet first'. Obviously she needs reassurance that's it's ok to go and that everyone will still be there when she gets back. Maybe even a social story to visually show her the steps to asking, going, coming back would work?

monflat · 22-01-2015 11:29pm

koriko wrote: »

Ok. Motivational levels vary- interesting when you consider how little these people are paid. May be a connection here.
As an infant teacher in a primary school I meet a variety of parents who have very different expectations if the school system.
From what you say:
1: Your child is doing great attending a preschool- Aistear is an amazing programme with lots of hidden teaching / learning opportunities. It can easily be misunderstood to be merely play- it's much more targeted. In fact it can be extended up to first class level so depending on what primary school you choose your child may be already ahead in terms of the skills the programme enhances.
2: preschool is great for your child to develop socially. I feel it's the most important part of their time their tbh. In the infant classroom a child who hasn't been to preschool or equivalent can often appear to take longer to adapt to the school day and also forming friendships (clearly this is not always the case, but keep the positives in mind!) .
3: as regards the Art etc. so long as your child had fun doing them activities that should be the main thing, right?! Who cares how they come home- if it bothers you just ask for them more often! They will get the hint then. I would often hang up art work for all to see outside my classroom and not send it home for weeks- this is something that happens in schools everywhere as far as I know :-)
4: try to encourage your little one to like going to preschool as much as you can, it will have lasting effects for them in 'big' school. I'd change preschool if that's not something you feel you're able to do- go with your gut feeling so to speak.

Excuse typos- on my phone :-)

thanks for reply.
its a difficult job to deal with that age group and a job that I would not do so please don't take it personal as to me saying they lack motivation .

Theres been an array of little things that possibly myself and a few other parents feel .

im in no way an overly fussy parent but im now thinking am I not fussy enough? They had told me for months she was getting on great. Yes she was academically but socially she is not interacting with teachers.

Am I a bad parent to let this slide ?
Should I be doing more.
im not one to be hounding the staff .I know she has not yet spoken up but I hope that one day she will.

some parents are there every day discussing issues with the staff .
should I be like that ?
Im not going to get her to like them at this stage but maybe its a persinality clash?

monflat · 22-01-2015 11:31pm

koriko wrote: »

Toileting is something I would nip in the bud immediately if you can? Could you Tell the staff to 'remind' you child to go. Ie, 'when it's snack time we need to go to the toilet first' or 'when we go out for a walk we must go to the toilet first'. Obviously she needs reassurance that's it's ok to go and that everyone will still be there when she gets back. Maybe even a social story to visually show her the steps to asking, going, coming back would work?

Ok thats an idea.
they dont go outside at all though haven't been out since October.
personally I don't know how the staff cope inside all the time !!

edit. :
is it the done thing in prechool to have at various times a "boys " table and a girls"table to do various girl and boy activities.?

byhookorbycrook · 23-01-2015 12:05am

Boys' activities and girls' activites?????? Get her out of there asap. Feck sake.

monflat · 23-01-2015 12:18am

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Boys' activities and girls' activites?????? Get her out of there asap. Feck sake.

Yes you see as shes my eldest im new to what to expect and how much should I be involved.?

Do I keep on to them each day once a week or what ?

I suppose there is a number of " little things " which I feel that can't be right.

also one staff member openly admits that they don't particularly like children and is doing it cause its " handy" ( hours etc )
Dealing with children in my opinion I have 3. Is the furthest from handy you could get!

Moonbeam · 23-01-2015 12:32am

monflat wrote: »

Ok thats an idea.
they dont go outside at all though haven't been out since October.
personally I don't know how the staff cope inside all the time !!

edit. :
is it the done thing in prechool to have at various times a "boys " table and a girls"table to do various girl and boy activities.?

There is no such thing .
I would take her out tbh

monflat · 23-01-2015 9:41am

Moonbeam wrote: »

There is no such thing .
I would take her out tbh

Can you change to a new schiol during your free year?

Moonbeam · 23-01-2015 10:54am

Yes,you can.
I can send you details of how to do it.

monflat · 23-01-2015 11:00am

Moonbeam wrote: »

Yes,you can.
I can send you details of how to do it.

Ok great thank you.
I chatted with one of the staff this morning.
So basically she has improved slightly In regards that she will only talk on a one to one bssis but will not anwer up in a group.
will not answer when's the roll is called.

But is fine academically knows all her colours shapes and numbers alphabet etc.

how will she be next year in school ?

Moonbeam · 23-01-2015 12:30pm

At that age I would not worry about them academically but would watch their life skills and social skills.
A lot of kids and adults do not speak up in a group so I would not worry about that.
What is her opinion on the teachers when you talk to her?

koriko · 23-01-2015 10:42pm

monflat wrote: »

Ok thats an idea.
they dont go outside at all though haven't been out since October.
personally I don't know how the staff cope inside all the time !!

edit. :
is it the done thing in prechool to have at various times a "boys " table and a girls"table to do various girl and boy activities.?

Gender differentiation? Thought that went out with the Irish pound!

heldel00 · 23-01-2015 10:59pm

I know children can veer off themselves towards activities usually associated with either boys or girls but that is mental that this type of play be structured and encouraged by her play school.
Today, for example, in my classroom we had station activities, mixed groups of boys and girls, and at one stage the boys would have been playing with the dolls, teaset, fashion designer and the girls were playing with farm set and Lego.

With regards to her not speaking up or interacting with adults I have had experience before. Some children just clam up when talking to adults. The only time I ever heard one particular child speak FOR THE ENTIRE SCHOOL YEAR was when she was doing her reading with me. I didn't like to push her too much as I was afraid she would become conscious and upset. She was happy, played well with others, was well fit to manage so it wasn't a massive concern. She's 5th class now and is still pretty much the same! Very capable, contented child though

pre school. concerns

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