You may, or may not, have read my recent post, an open letter to the Education Secretary, Nicky Morgan, regarding the changes to the Primary curriculum and the unrealistic marking policies.
Well, today, because of that idiotic policy, I had tears in my eyes.
I cried.
Seeing my Lil Man totally give up.
He’s been pretty strong, up to now. Saying he doesn’t care, it doesn’t matter. He is tryng his best.
Today we were doing some homework, and it was maths. Not his best subject. Neither is it my strong point.
He found it really hard. He didn’t want too much help, as he said the teacher needed to be able to really assess it to see how much he didn’t understand.
He did what he could, or guessed it, then the aggression I have witnessed in him since then… well, I couldn’t say or do anything to console him. We sat and talked, or rather I talked, and reassured, and he listened, but he wouldn’t look me in the eye. When I caught a look at him, his eyes were reddened, and he was surreptitiously turning away to wipe tears.
HOW DARE YOU, BRITISH GOVERNMENT, ALLOW MY CHILD, AND POSSIBLY MANY MORE, TO BECOME SO INSECURE ABOUT THEMSELVES?
I let him go, to bat a ball around, and sat there and the tears welled up. I feel so helpless.
I’m sorry I may be ranting, but I hate to see or hear my family, and my children, in particular, feel so low, or upset. And I cannot bear to see them hurting, especially when I can’t do anything…
But I Smile Anyway... 
Feb 18, 2016 @ 16:28:10
And this academic push for kids these days are just unnecessary. Why do they do that! I hope they get the bs done with.
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Feb 18, 2016 @ 20:23:09
I hope so too!!!
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Feb 18, 2016 @ 16:26:42
😦 : ( : ( Feeling your pain Ritu! My kids are not there yet, but I can imagine it’s hard to watch and you are so helpless about it. I remember feeling that way when I was a young student. I cried a lot over Maths…it was hard. Something I wasn’t very good at. Nothing my parents could do except nag and tried to get me a tutor. I cried even more because I didn’t undersrand his methods. It took a very patient and good teacher years later to get me through o’levels. My first passing grade of B3 after years of F9s!
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Feb 18, 2016 @ 20:22:54
It’s heartbreaking. .. all we can do is try…
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Feb 18, 2016 @ 09:40:44
I really understand your thoughts Ritu and it is difficult. Do you know a young, older than your son, who might be able to help your son with the maths by explaining him how to understand and do? Sometimes it helps to get it explained by another than the usual teacher.
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Feb 18, 2016 @ 09:58:51
Bless him, he’s had so much different help… I think the big problem is that because the need to keep teaching new things, more complex calculations, is so great, when a child struggles with the basics, that foundation is not strong enough to pile more on top.
But this is what schools have to do. They can only work to a child’s specific need, so much, before they have to put the pressure on to try something different…
This is where the National Curriculum falls down by being too prescribed… One size fits all, if you know what I mean!
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Feb 18, 2016 @ 10:58:27
I do see, what you mean. I had same problems with my son years ago and it helped him much to get the basic in better order outside the school time. Then he became much more secure at himself and was able to learn better in school too. My son had special school but needed mire help.
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Feb 18, 2016 @ 11:06:11
It’s so tough… we try all we can, and school are so good, but the government expectations are what kill it every time. ..
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Feb 17, 2016 @ 15:18:37
Oh, I am so sorry Ritu, for you and for Lil Man too. What the hell is going on in this country? It is all about bloody targets and figures with no thought for feelings and emotions, not to mention self-esteem! It sounds like Lil Man is doing his best to be brave about it but it must be gutting for him feeling like he is not good enough. I am shocked and appalled about this.
Sending you and Lil Man lots of hugs xxxx
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Feb 17, 2016 @ 16:07:17
Thank you sis. The unions are pushing for abandoning the SARS this year… I’m. All for that… load of rubbish!!!!!
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Feb 17, 2016 @ 16:17:15
Me too!!!! 🙂
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Feb 17, 2016 @ 16:17:54
Fingers crossed!
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Feb 17, 2016 @ 10:12:35
So difficult. Being angry and upset is the one thing that the government loons have failed to factor in. I stopped teaching over 10 years ago and the SATS fiasco has progressively worstened. Even back then we were pressured by our headteachers to get the necessary results or else. The only way is for ALL headteachers/unions to refuse to carry out the SATS. Obviously, individual teachers can’t take this action but cluster schools should be able to. I also wonder what the true legal position would be as regards to contracts.
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Feb 17, 2016 @ 10:23:08
NUT have stepped up and suggested that. Now just waiting on other unions to agree too. It is just too much… and seeing how it effects my son is even more personal.
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Feb 17, 2016 @ 16:10:24
Let’s hope so. In the end all the politicians want is to compare well with their European neighbours. It boils down to statistics which will never be viewed as good enough anyway. Of course … if the unions do take effective action then the media will have a field day and teachers will be accused of educational genocide.
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Feb 17, 2016 @ 16:15:59
Wouldn’t it be better to have achievable targets so the kids pass then the stats will improve automatically?!
Instead we have more failure leading to more youngsters feeling like they’re not good enough and so turning to the wrong things…
If they feel capable from the off, surely the positivity they emanate will in turn help them become better achievers in the future??
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Feb 16, 2016 @ 22:48:02
Really sorry to hear that. Sounds like what we’re dealing with in the States because of Common Core. There are a lot of angry parents, disenchanted kids, and frustrated teachers around here. I’m dreading the day my son ends up in this mess. There definitely a sense of helplessness when I’m having as much trouble with the stuff as he is. I keep praying that the system will be changed to something more logical or turned back to what worked, but it feels like a generation or two of students are going to suffer first.
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Feb 16, 2016 @ 23:04:05
We can Only hope Charles.
. But in the meantime there’s a lot of insecure children. Out there and the only ones to blame are the government…
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Feb 16, 2016 @ 23:37:29
I truly weep for the future of humanity. Wonder how many politicians have kids or grandkids in this system.
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Feb 16, 2016 @ 23:45:57
Totally… I know Charles
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Feb 16, 2016 @ 22:35:30
Tweeted Ritu.
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Feb 16, 2016 @ 22:36:25
Thank you Chris, I just saw 🙂
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Feb 16, 2016 @ 22:23:57
Aw, I hear ya. This is not a rant but honesty speaking. That’s the same problem my mum’s been having with my younger. Some of the questions set for grade 4 even adult have got rack their brains foe the answers not to talk of the little ones. Hope your son is feeling better now. ❤
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Feb 16, 2016 @ 22:28:19
Thanks Ameena. It is a really tough situation. Honestly, I sit with Google open to do some of his work, as it is so tough! And he is 10!
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Feb 16, 2016 @ 22:16:43
No, sis, you are not ranting at all. That is the desperate call of a mother whose heart is breaking when she looks at her overwhelmed son. He tried his best and all of a sudden that is not good enough anymore. I am so sorry. I totally feel with you and my eyes are filled with tears too! That is so unfair. Hug you all so strongly! 💖
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Feb 16, 2016 @ 22:27:05
It’s so hard to see your child suffering like that… sis, I really don’t know what to do, besides being there for him, and I will always be there…
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Feb 16, 2016 @ 22:31:09
It is so hard and the worst part is that you cannot do anything to help him at the moment. I so get you. As you said: feeling helpless! The mean thing is that he was willing and motivated and they destroyed it! I don’t know the English school system and what options there are to help him and if he still cooperates.
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Feb 16, 2016 @ 22:34:52
He has very supportive and understanding teachers, but the thing is, they will be stretched so much now, trying to help many ‘underacheivers’ and he is not one to make a fuss at school, so I just hope he doesn’t end up slipping through the net, so to speak, in the tidal wave of struggling pupils that they will have to deal with…
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Feb 16, 2016 @ 22:39:33
I absolutely got your concerns right away! On one hand you don’t want to put too much pressure on him but on the other hand there is the danger of, as you said, falling through thenet. We know what is coming up for them. That is a struggle I am having with my youngest currently too. He is not serious enough and is close to drop to a lower school level which is not good at all. That is why I understand your worries so well.
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Feb 16, 2016 @ 22:57:25
Somehow. .. We will get there. .. I just don’t know quite how yet. ..
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Feb 16, 2016 @ 23:03:59
Again at least a heartfelt hug 💖
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Feb 16, 2016 @ 23:08:17
Thank you sis xxx
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Feb 17, 2016 @ 08:06:48
💖💖💖
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