I need some advice about how to handle a problem at my daughter's school. (Top dollar private school i might add!)
She is in Year 12 which is the final year of high school here. The school year finishes in Dec 04 so she is half way through.
She has always been an A or B student, studies hard (she doesn't go out or play up) and was selected for advanced mathmatics in primary and high school.
Here's the kicker - she and most of her class mates (also advanced students) got a D in last week's end of semester examination (some got a C).
I was up at the school earlier in the year complaining that the maths teacher was absent from class too often (weeks at a time) and the "fill in" gym or art teachers were not progressing the students through the curriculum resulting in her class getting way behind. She suffered in her last examinations (a C) directly, I believe, as a result of this.
I engaged a tutor for her to get her caught up but now I've got a D to deal with.
Because (if) the rest of the class have the same result I just can't reconcile myself to the fact that the work is too hard for her. She says the class hadn't covered most of the work in the exam which I tend to believe.
She also says that the teacher doesn't "teach". He writes rules up on the board and says "learn those rules you need to know them" or gives out sheets and says "work on those for the lesson" without explanations or teaching.
I've made an appointment with the teacher and the head of maths demanding (nicely) to see the class results and get her moved to another teacher (difficult without changing other subjects)
What would you do if as I suspect most of them did badly. Doesn't that mean the school has failed? A class of advanced, bright students can't fail without it being the school's fault can they? Am I missing something?
The school is not going to (can't afford to) admit they stuffed up badly. How can I not let them fob me off with - your daughter and the other girls just aren't clever enough? I can't afford for her to get a D. She's blown her chance at university if that D stands. What can I ask for - resit another test?
She's in tears, unconsolable and I feel like I've got a knife in my heart. Her entire future is ruined by this result.
How would you approach this? Thanks.
She is in Year 12 which is the final year of high school here. The school year finishes in Dec 04 so she is half way through.
She has always been an A or B student, studies hard (she doesn't go out or play up) and was selected for advanced mathmatics in primary and high school.
Here's the kicker - she and most of her class mates (also advanced students) got a D in last week's end of semester examination (some got a C).
I was up at the school earlier in the year complaining that the maths teacher was absent from class too often (weeks at a time) and the "fill in" gym or art teachers were not progressing the students through the curriculum resulting in her class getting way behind. She suffered in her last examinations (a C) directly, I believe, as a result of this.
I engaged a tutor for her to get her caught up but now I've got a D to deal with.
Because (if) the rest of the class have the same result I just can't reconcile myself to the fact that the work is too hard for her. She says the class hadn't covered most of the work in the exam which I tend to believe.
She also says that the teacher doesn't "teach". He writes rules up on the board and says "learn those rules you need to know them" or gives out sheets and says "work on those for the lesson" without explanations or teaching.
I've made an appointment with the teacher and the head of maths demanding (nicely) to see the class results and get her moved to another teacher (difficult without changing other subjects)
What would you do if as I suspect most of them did badly. Doesn't that mean the school has failed? A class of advanced, bright students can't fail without it being the school's fault can they? Am I missing something?
The school is not going to (can't afford to) admit they stuffed up badly. How can I not let them fob me off with - your daughter and the other girls just aren't clever enough? I can't afford for her to get a D. She's blown her chance at university if that D stands. What can I ask for - resit another test?
She's in tears, unconsolable and I feel like I've got a knife in my heart. Her entire future is ruined by this result.
How would you approach this? Thanks.
