[moodymaximus]

DD is 6.5 and has been attending a once a week, 2.5 h, "russian school" since September. They do an hour of Russian, and hour of crafts, and 30 min of "science stories." It is her choice to attend.

Since then everything she does is "for" that teacher. When she's doing her russian homework, she mutters to herself: "Oh, my teacher will be so pleased / surprised / happy." When she talks about her homework it is always in the context of making her teacher happy or surprised at her abilities or skills.

Recently she showed a lot of interest in math, and asked to do daily workbooks. It turns out it is because she wants to "show" her teacher that she's good at math.

Ever so often she tells me excitedly about things that her teacher taught her--things that she already knew, actually, but she doesn't remember knowing them.

Frankly, this drives me NUTS!

I'm not sure what irritates me most--whether I feel out-staged by the teacher

, or that DD feels she needs that teacher / a teacher to learn? How did THAT happen?

thoughts?

 

[green betty]

It sounds like she really likes her teacher and is approaching the experience relationally, ie through the lens of relationship (imo not a bad thing). I'm guessing it's pretty easy to have that type of focus when you only see someone 2.5 hours a week. FWIW, I kinda doubt she'd be so joyful about it if she A) didn't have a choice and/or B) spent the majority of her waking hours with her, as she currently does with you or would with a regular schoolteacher.

You are the foundation, as nurturing, fundamental, and taken-for-granted as the earth beneath her feet. The teacher is an occasional treat, a pretty moon in the night sky to ooh and ah about. Trust me, nothing could upstage you. ;-)

Charlie natters on that way about Amy, though, and I know the feeling--"what do you mean, AMY will like that? and you want to make a present for Amy?" He doesn't sit around making present for me!

 

[AntoninBeGonin]

I think it sounds wonderful that you allow your daughter to have positive adult influences in her life.