Saturday, July 01, 2006

Oh good! A letter from the school!

I am sure this will be about my ‘Gifted and Talented’ daughter who has been such an all round star in her first year at comprehensive school she has been selected to spend an extra week in school during the summer holidays, when most of the other kids are lying in bed till 12.00pm. Apparently this constitutes a ‘reward’. Hum, how times have changed since my school days. However, I am so proud and need to read the letter carefully which will no doubt give us the itinerary for that week.

To the earth – back - with a bump.

The letter is not about ’Gifted and Talented’ star daughter, but about 14 year old son and application, or lack of it, for his Design and Technology GSCE course work. Phrases like ‘Little or no evidence to show that homework time is being used on this project’ – ‘Quality of work below standard I would have expected from your son’ – and ‘General attitude in class is a concern’ to name but three of many damning lines leap out of the page at me.

I really enjoyed being a smug parent over ‘Gifted and Talented’ daughter for five minutes. I enjoyed it so much I am just going to type the words ‘Gifted and Talented’ one more time. And now for a word with my son……………………

6 comments:

Holly said...

Oh dear, my bro been skipping his engineering classes but thought he wouldnt get "found out"...however his teacher phoned my dad to tell him!!

Reidski said...

Argh, those letters from school moments. A few months ago, I opened up one from the boy's school and congratulated him after I read "I would like to be able to write to you with news that the boy is doing excellent in all subject areas ..." Big hugs to boy and promises of visit to Pizza Express. The boy tells me to read the letter properly. It says, yes, you've guessed it: "However, the reality is rather different as the boy's work has taken a dramatic dip in recent months .... blah blah blah!" (Or words to that effect)

Yes, those bloody school letter moments indeed!!

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Box the lad's ears or warn him that Reidski will be coming to sort him out! Why is it that young people have to make the old mistakes before they learn the error of their ways? It would be so much easier to listen to wise advice and act upon it BEFORE making the inevitable mistakes with their consequent misery.

themoy said...

Ouch! I used to inspire letters like the one your son got. My heartfelt sympathies go to you both.

By the way, thank you for the pudding recipe. I plan to try it out and possibly incorporate it into our next Thanksgiving dinner (I'm a complete failure at roasting turkeys, but can do a mean roast beef and since we only have it about once a year..)

If you need any good Louisiana recipes for gumbo, jamabalaya, beignets, RB&B etc., let me know.

Arthur Clewley said...

I bet your mum got loads of 'gifted and talented daughter' letters JJ.

I'm writing letters to all the england team's mothers but the words 'gifted and talented' will not be over-used in those I think

J.J said...

Moo, be sure their sins will find them out.

Reidski..yes, as in exam questions so woth letters from school- always read the letter very carefully before drawing any conclusions.

YP, it must drive you crazy as a teacher seeing kids wasting their chances. At least to my J's credit he has sat down and got on with the course work this weekend.

The Moy, I can't believe that!!
Good luck with the pudding.And any Louisina recipes would be great!

Arthur, to be honest I had a very mixed school career. A school I hated from 11-15 and a bad attitude cultivated to go with it, and then a school I loved from 15-18 and modesty should forbid me from mentioning it, but best A Level results in the school. Although I was devastated that a house move meant a new school in a new area at the end of my fourth year at school, it rescued my education.