(no subject)

[turps]

When OE reinstalled my folders, it also downloaded every email stored at my web email, and there was a lot, over 60,000. ( I've got me email set up so it downloads to OE but also leaves a copy at the website, so all of those copies got downloaded. Annoying in one way, but also a great back up to have )

It's been fascinating sorting through those emails. It was like a journey through part my fannish history. All the emails from The Sentinel lists, the sentinel angst list I was on, and the dues I had to produce to remain on the list. The highs and lows. The giddy times of SeSas, and first starting sentinel_thurs, thinking up the sparkly glee challenge and watching the change from Sentinel based mails to mostly popslash. It was a nice reminder of the past, and now I've only got 8,000 left to sort through.

I would have finished by now but we've been busy. Late night shopping and yesterday I went and bought all the family Christmas cards, then sat and wrote them all out. The first of my friends cards have been sent too, and I have plans to get stuck into more later. Corey's computer has been delivered and we've a nice pile of gifts bought. So Christmas wise, things are going nicely.

It was Corey's first open day yesterday. Unlike primary school, this school schedules you a 15 minute meeting with his form teacher. There are no actually classes going on, so Corey had to come with us, then got to go home after. It was a mostly good report. He's got 100% attendance, has never been late, received a few commendations and has had no bad behaviour marks. But when we first went in his form teacher said the head of year wanted to see us, which was eeep. It seems he's not working to expected marks in some of his subjects. The targets are based on his stats, and in history, maths and geography he wasn't achieving that target. As his effort and class behaviour is so good they suspect it's a case of learning to put that extra bit effort into assignments and asking his teacher if he doesn't understand something. We also worked out some goals together, one of which was a suggestion he join another after school club. So he's going to see what's on offer today.

I'm impressed with how the school has dealt with this. They've flagged him early, and are working to sort it out. I'm also very proud of Corey still, he's working hard and most of his lessons he's working to a high standard. With a little extra help I'm sure he can sort these three out too.

Comments

[tara]

Wow, that's very impressive from Corey's school. It's so much easier to work on these things before they really start to become a problem, rather than trying to stick band-aids on them once they are problems.

[turps33.livejournal.com]

Exactly. He was a little upset because this is the first time he's ever had negative remarks, but we've talked it through, and like you said. Now we know we can deal with the issue.

Before he started this school I was a little worried as it's so much bigger than his primary school. But they've structured it so each year group is like a mini school within one huge one. So his head of year is very hands on, which I have to admit. Is reassuring.

[tara]

Negative remarks are hard the first time around, but he's not going to be perfect at everything, and this way he'll be able to be proud when he improves in the subjects in question :)

[ariadnem.livejournal.com]

I love that in schools, that they carea bout their students and actually try to do what they can to help them overcome the difficulties ^^ And Coery is such a nice boy *○*

On a different note, it makes me so happy to see you this enthusiastic about Xmas ^^ In mycity, we don't tend to give Xmas cards, but rather "aguinaldos" those are Xmas presents we give to everyone and receive from everyone here. I gotta start buying mine.

*smooch*

[turps33.livejournal.com]

I love that in schools, that they carea bout their students and actually try to do what they can to help them overcome the difficulties

Yep. It's a great thing, and by bringing up concerns now it means we can sort things out before bad habits get ingrained.

I love Christmas a lot! So very much. I always like to know about cultural differences, but I do know you'll be getting a card from me :)

[ariadnem.livejournal.com]

Being a teacher myself, I think that's what's actually valuable about the school life; you as a student are not alone and your teachers won't let you down.

Speaking of Xmas cards, snail mail in my country sucks, but I'd like to send you sth. Can you send me your addy?

[http://users.livejournal.com/_bettina_/]

Wow, that's really cool of Corey's school! :-)

[turps33.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I thought so too :)

[turloughishere.livejournal.com]

there was a lot, over 60,000

*boggles* And I thought I was a pack rat :-)

I'm very impressed by Corey's new school, they really seem to try and take care of the new students properly!

[turps33.livejournal.com]

Well, in this case there's so many because I never use the web based mail, just set it to download to OE and leave a back up copy over there. Years worth of back ups add up it seems *g*

Yeah, his school has gone out of their way to help. It's good to see that.

[babycakesin.livejournal.com]

It's fantastic that Corey's school does something like that - and the fact that Corey is working so hard is awesome! Congratulations on your boy *smootches* You have every reason to be proud *g*

[turps33.livejournal.com]

He's working really hard. I think by the next meeting he'll have met those targets.

[myorangecrush.livejournal.com]

Target/Goal setting is actually fairly standard in most secondary schools now. We had ours 2 weeks ago. 15 minute appointments with the tutor. In our place, they've replaced parents evenings.

However, calling you in to see HOY for being below target after 1 term is very random. Those grades are based on his Y6 exams and an exam he might have done called a MIDYIS just after starting the school. They're projected grades that he should reach BY THE END OF YEAR 9.

He should have an FFT target (this is the 'statistic based one), a teacher based target, can be higher, never lower for what they expect at the end of the key stage and a current level if he carried on working as he is now (this can be lower).

My own personal opinion, FFT scores are a load of shite invented to give the goverment something to say 'oh, look what we're doing'. We have kids who can't read and write down for level 7s and kids who are dead bright down for level 5s. They suck.

My Y7s who are expected to get level 7 by the end of year 9 are currently working at a level 5 really. They can't expect to come in and get the Y9 level now. Personally, if he's a good kid, working hard and trying then be happy. Don't let the school put pressure on him and turn him off learning. Shit, the fact he's upset about negative remarks is enough to make me think the school approached this incorrectly.

Really, HOY for being slightly below target, that's overkill.

[turps33.livejournal.com]

See, this is one of the reasons I like having you on my flist, you can actually explain these things in an easily understandable way.

I have to admit, being told the HOY wanted to see us was a total surprise, and what he said could have been easily explained by Corey's form teacher. By him coming in it made the whole thing seem more ominous you know?

While I am glad that they try and nip problems in the bud, their method of doing so is a little bit of overkill.

[myorangecrush.livejournal.com]

This is based on my school of course, but FFT grades are universal.

Glad to be of serviec though.

[clumsygyrl.livejournal.com]

good job school.

[turps33.livejournal.com]

Yes, I agree.

[ephemera.livejournal.com]

*smooch* - the governator meeting I was at on Tuesday, we went through all the ways students who might benefit from a little extra help are identified, and what sort of help can be made available, so it's kind of cool to see that being put into practice at Corey's school. I hope they're able to give him that boost now, rather than waiting for things to be bigger problems later, and that it's not too much pressure on him!

[turps33.livejournal.com]

That's what I think is cool, that they're stepping in now before things get too advanced to change.

He's decided to join the maths club, so hopefully that'll be a big help.