Yesterday I asked my youngest sons teacher if she had looked into his reading diary today. I had written a tinyurl link to this blog there.
She said no, tuesdays and thurdays were the days for that, so i gave her a piece of paper with the URL on.
Its pretty difficult getting anything more than a few sentences from my sons teacher, my partner tried the other day to engage in conversation, and the schools paperwork handouts make it clear that they're preferred methods of communication are appointments and scheduled parent evenings. Compared to the creche they were in, there is very scant information about what is going on in the classroom. At creche we had daily reports on what they had eaten, what they had done, incidents good and bad.
Today when i dropped of my kids, I was asked if the main teacher could speak to me after school.
This is great news, I hope it goes well.
Incidentally, I noticed this morning, at around 9.05am a man with a large alsatian dog standing at the end of the schools road, drinking a can of beer. I was going to photograph him, but my phone camera wouldn't work.
Just a comment, feel free to leave comments below.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Stone Age Worries
The same breed of dog that caused this damage, recently attacked my kid, whilst we were walking home from Blaise School, Bristol.
I've been convinced by a correspondant to report the incident, even though I have very scant information.
From personal experience, I know that the police will not destroy dogs, until actual damage has been caused. We were attacked in Cornwall not long ago, by another rottweiler.
How do your kids get home from school?
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Rottweiler Attack
I used to like dogs when i was a kid.
Nowadays we make our way through a minefield of piles of shit on the way to school.
Some local kids walk right through it, oblivious, they're parents:oblivious.
Yesterday though, on the way home from school, we got attacked, by a rottweiler. A few days ago, a family lost they're child to a pair of the beasts in a pub.
This is the second time we have been attacked by a rottweiler in the past year. This time i have no address, so its useless to report it to the dog warden or police. The common factor, besides breed, was location. Both times we were on a council estate where we live.
I wonder if a judge or politician's kid were mauled, in a nice cozy cotswold village, there would be tougher action on these animals.
Patricia Hewitt is seeming to try and find a way to legitimize doing nothing:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5377262.stm
The problem is, these dogs are too popular with they're owners subculture. Politicians risk making enemies of voters if they enforce any new legislation. Our national totem is a fighting dog, the 'British Bulldog', so its pretty deeply written into our society that its ok to own these things.
And people do it because they can't own a gun. My girlfriends reaction to yeterdays attack was 'We could get a rottweiler, to protect the kids'.
I think it would be better to ban them from the street, and legalize pit fighting, to let the dog-violence thirsty among us feed they're need.
Is it fair to let even one more human child pay the price for our (aging, fattening) hard men to have they're weapon with them as they walk down the street?
Its a semiotic weapon, usually, walking a deadly dog, that says: Don't fuck with me.
Thats why they own them. Else why not own a labrador?
Nowadays we make our way through a minefield of piles of shit on the way to school.
Some local kids walk right through it, oblivious, they're parents:oblivious.
Yesterday though, on the way home from school, we got attacked, by a rottweiler. A few days ago, a family lost they're child to a pair of the beasts in a pub.
This is the second time we have been attacked by a rottweiler in the past year. This time i have no address, so its useless to report it to the dog warden or police. The common factor, besides breed, was location. Both times we were on a council estate where we live.
I wonder if a judge or politician's kid were mauled, in a nice cozy cotswold village, there would be tougher action on these animals.
Patricia Hewitt is seeming to try and find a way to legitimize doing nothing:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5377262.stm
The problem is, these dogs are too popular with they're owners subculture. Politicians risk making enemies of voters if they enforce any new legislation. Our national totem is a fighting dog, the 'British Bulldog', so its pretty deeply written into our society that its ok to own these things.
And people do it because they can't own a gun. My girlfriends reaction to yeterdays attack was 'We could get a rottweiler, to protect the kids'.
I think it would be better to ban them from the street, and legalize pit fighting, to let the dog-violence thirsty among us feed they're need.
Is it fair to let even one more human child pay the price for our (aging, fattening) hard men to have they're weapon with them as they walk down the street?
Its a semiotic weapon, usually, walking a deadly dog, that says: Don't fuck with me.
Thats why they own them. Else why not own a labrador?
Monday, September 25, 2006
Healthier Material
(How to Be Healthy - Kids Book)
My eldest (5 years) came home with a better book: How To Be Healthy by Nash Kramer
I was really impressed with this one and so were the kids.
(I eat vegetables and I eat Lots of fruit)
(That keeps me healthy too)
This weekend we bought Room on the Broom, which is quite complex really, but well worth it.
(Room on the Broom)
My youngest read pages of this one as well, with help. I had to work on them for quite a while to buy it instead of Horrible Histories sticker books.
My youngest has taken to saying:
"If you chase two rabbits, you will lose them both."
This is a saying he got from Civilization 4, which i highly recommend as an alternative to first person shooters or third person jumper type games. Its quite educational, in more ways than one. It was created by Firaxis Games.
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Civilization
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
CandyMan and CigarDad
Well we went throught the picture book together, my youngest son and I.
It has a juggler, a man handing out sweets, and a dad character who dresses up and smokes a cigar.
Spark are Flying
Today we had to watch out for shooting sparks on the pathway inside the school. The workmen on the roof were using angle grinders. I reported it, and thats the end of that...sorted.
We had a nice long play in the park today, the boys are getting bigger and stronger.
However. My youngest came home with another picture book, this time featuring someone dressing up and smoking a cigar. An explanatary note in his diary said:
'I have given you another book without words as it is really important that they start by using pictures to tell a story as they won't get chance further up the school. They will have books with words soon.'
Well...firstly I can acknowledge the need for them to make words up to tell a story, thats fine, but why would a teacher think that he was just starting? Starting they're curriculum or system of study perhaps, but he's not starting to read or handle books from his own individual point of view. Additionally they *will* get
the chance to make up more stories using pictures later on...regardless of whether its scheduled. We will make stories with them, and let them decide how the story goes.
My other sons bookbag had the same book in it again, the one i asked to be changed yesterday. I guess the teacher had not the (scheduled?) time to do reading today. Again.
Finally. When I asked what they had eaten for lunch, I was informed: chicken nuggets, ice cream and jelly.
This is annoying, and not what I was led to think they would get judging from Blaise School's paperwork. Aside from an odd incident with they're Grandmother, we had successfully banned ice cream and jelly from our house and family.
I was also told that my eldest was offered chocolate by bigger children. He says he refused. What was the slogan in the eighties?
Just Say No.
Thats right. He managed to say no to the other kids, but i guess a dinner lady ladling it onto your plate legitimises it..
I would say its time to write a letter, but this blog is that and more, being public and all. I think I'll send people the URL's.
We had a nice long play in the park today, the boys are getting bigger and stronger.
However. My youngest came home with another picture book, this time featuring someone dressing up and smoking a cigar. An explanatary note in his diary said:
'I have given you another book without words as it is really important that they start by using pictures to tell a story as they won't get chance further up the school. They will have books with words soon.'
Well...firstly I can acknowledge the need for them to make words up to tell a story, thats fine, but why would a teacher think that he was just starting? Starting they're curriculum or system of study perhaps, but he's not starting to read or handle books from his own individual point of view. Additionally they *will* get
the chance to make up more stories using pictures later on...regardless of whether its scheduled. We will make stories with them, and let them decide how the story goes.
My other sons bookbag had the same book in it again, the one i asked to be changed yesterday. I guess the teacher had not the (scheduled?) time to do reading today. Again.
Finally. When I asked what they had eaten for lunch, I was informed: chicken nuggets, ice cream and jelly.
This is annoying, and not what I was led to think they would get judging from Blaise School's paperwork. Aside from an odd incident with they're Grandmother, we had successfully banned ice cream and jelly from our house and family.
I was also told that my eldest was offered chocolate by bigger children. He says he refused. What was the slogan in the eighties?
Just Say No.
Thats right. He managed to say no to the other kids, but i guess a dinner lady ladling it onto your plate legitimises it..
I would say its time to write a letter, but this blog is that and more, being public and all. I think I'll send people the URL's.
Nutrition for the Body, Nutrition for the Mind
Well its now law that schools have to provide decent food for they're pupils. This is excellent. Both our childrens classrooms have a place where you can leave they're snacks (fruit) and i have seen no vending machines, I have however seen numeous kids high on sugar, walking around just after school with crisps, candy-things and whatnot, that parents have brought them.
I know that some parents do this to appease they're child when they collect them. On one level it doesn't bother me at all - its not my kids after all - but my son said that a teacher had been hit by a pupil and I can't help but wonder if its sugar/additive related.
If schools enforce good nutrition inside, thats great, but what about when mum/dad arrives bearing poison gifts? The behavioural fallout still falls to the teacher/state/society to deal with
doesn't it?
We're also increasingly concerned that our children are actually learning anything yet. They have been well educated at home and creche so far, but Blaise, by contrast seems to be firmly in the 'let them play' strategy. Which is great as far as it goes, but my youngest was sent home with a picture book when he can read to the standard of the year above him, and when i asked for fresh books for my sons
the next day, I was refused, twice.
In the previous school (we have just moved house, and area) my eldest
came home with a new book almost every day. His reading needs were clearly being monitored daily, and his reading diary regularly filled in. I have been home educating them all summer, and, at least as far as reading goes, still need to fully educate them in this, as opposed to supplement the schools
reading program.
I know that some parents do this to appease they're child when they collect them. On one level it doesn't bother me at all - its not my kids after all - but my son said that a teacher had been hit by a pupil and I can't help but wonder if its sugar/additive related.
If schools enforce good nutrition inside, thats great, but what about when mum/dad arrives bearing poison gifts? The behavioural fallout still falls to the teacher/state/society to deal with
doesn't it?
We're also increasingly concerned that our children are actually learning anything yet. They have been well educated at home and creche so far, but Blaise, by contrast seems to be firmly in the 'let them play' strategy. Which is great as far as it goes, but my youngest was sent home with a picture book when he can read to the standard of the year above him, and when i asked for fresh books for my sons
the next day, I was refused, twice.
In the previous school (we have just moved house, and area) my eldest
came home with a new book almost every day. His reading needs were clearly being monitored daily, and his reading diary regularly filled in. I have been home educating them all summer, and, at least as far as reading goes, still need to fully educate them in this, as opposed to supplement the schools
reading program.
Youngest Childs First Day
Today is my youngest childs first day at Blaise School, Bristol.
As we arrived, I found that the gates were locked, and a dinner lady told me through the fence that I'd have to walk my child around 'all the way' up such and such a road.
A quick couple of phone calls later and another lady appears at the boundary and motions us over. It appears that tommorrow we will have to walk around because that is the 'front' of this school... and the office staff, and its lunch time, and ...
I have to walk my children to and from school three times a day. I would appreciate being able to let my child into the school through the gate opposite the park at the correct time, even if this meant it having to be staffed. Obviously staff shouldn't be made to walk several meters if they suffered from some condition that prevented it (verucas, obesity...) but I don't think that this is
too much to ask.
Inside the school looks bit run down; some of it looks like a building site. The teachers seemed nice though.
I am determined not to jump to premature conclusions about Blaise school.
As we arrived, I found that the gates were locked, and a dinner lady told me through the fence that I'd have to walk my child around 'all the way' up such and such a road.
A quick couple of phone calls later and another lady appears at the boundary and motions us over. It appears that tommorrow we will have to walk around because that is the 'front' of this school... and the office staff, and its lunch time, and ...
I have to walk my children to and from school three times a day. I would appreciate being able to let my child into the school through the gate opposite the park at the correct time, even if this meant it having to be staffed. Obviously staff shouldn't be made to walk several meters if they suffered from some condition that prevented it (verucas, obesity...) but I don't think that this is
too much to ask.
Inside the school looks bit run down; some of it looks like a building site. The teachers seemed nice though.
I am determined not to jump to premature conclusions about Blaise school.
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