Treading scholastic water

SC loaded her sharpshooters slung them in her holster and went to school for a showdown with IS’s teacher, GJ. Previous meetings with GJ had not gone well. In fact, previous meetings had gone badly, borderline terminal. Where calm and reason would have not only have reinforced our case but highlighted the deficiencies in GJ’s teaching ability. On the past 2 occasions, unfortunately but understandably, SC had lost her reasonable stance and became too emotional. And GJ clearly has no empathy with SC.

This meeting was predicated on the fact that IS has become bored with school and her work has suffered. The meeting went according to form. SC scrolled out a litany of our and IS’s educational woes: IS is not stimulated in class, her writing has deteriorated, her stories are flat, she feels that GJ doesn’t include her and, well, GJ just doesn’t like her. All SCgot back from GJ, in a mock-surprised, fake-anguished North-east accent was, “Oh really”, “That’s news to me”, “I am surprised” and a tilted, quizzical face.

The final repartee went along the lines of….
SC: When the whole of the class was writing this class poem why wasn’t IS involved?
GJ: I really don’t know. I think she was doing her own poem.
SC: But her poem is hardly started.
GJ: Well, all IS’s ideas were used up on the class poem.
SC: So, this is what’s happened to her writing?
GJ: Yes, I think she’s got writer’s block.

Hemingway had writer’s block, Pynchon had writer’s block but a 9 year-old girl…..!? Save me from the amateurs (GJ only has a NEST - North East Steiner Training – qualification: she previously ran a helath food store) who think are capable teachers.

IS is very bright. IS LOVES reading – she’s nearly finished Watership Down. IS has a gentle, imaginative way with words. IS is so quick-witted and witty – I tell her she’ll take up Dawn French’s mantle one day. So, having to deal with this teacher is frustrating, distressing and emotionally draining……..

Until the next educational hiatus….which I fear is not too far away!

Treading scholatic waters

Over the weekend we came to a decision about schooling – we are making no decision on schooling!We’ve decided against moving IS from her Steiner school to a local state Primary school or even to home-schooling. Despite the draining car journeys, her uninspiring teacher and her ambivalence about being at the school, IS is relatively content at the school. And we weren’t exactly knocked sideways by the local Primary - it’s something about devils and deep blues.

We also had to consider ES who has a wonderful new teacher, Louise, for almost half a term now. Louise has brought all the strengths of the state system to the ‘sensibilities’ of Steiner. ES not only really likes her teacher but ES is whizzing on this past 4 weeks.

So, the NO decision was a tentative positive decision……until the next hiatus.