Update on After School Science...still frustrated

Ciarrai

Here's the original post from last week.

I don't know that there's anything I can do, but I'm frustrated.  Apparently, this week was even worse than last week in terms of the rowdy boys.  I did talk to DD's teacher this morning and she promised to make sure DD sat up front where she could see.  DD came home saying they learned about magnets and talked about some of the activities so this is definitely an improvement over last week when she couldn't even tell me what the unit was about.  BUT the boys have gotten worse.  At one point, the teacher left the classroom telling the boys she wouldn't come back until they behaved.  Of course, this caused them to act out more saying "Woo hoo.  Free time."  (according to DD).  There are more boys acting up - screaming and singing.  This is an after school science program that I paid for and that is definitely not mandatory or anything.  Other parents I talked to said it was great, but now I'm frustrated.  I know that part of it is one or two boys getting all of them wound up, but I'm a little frustrated with the teacher too, though I know discipline and forcing kids to work isn't what she signed up for.  It's supposed to be kids interested in science and very hands on.  Anyway, the teacher was basically telling the rowdy boys (which is almost half of them) parents that they need to decide if they want to be part of the program or not.  Fair enough, but having paid for this and everything, I would expect them to get it together ASAP.  So nothing I can do, but I'm venting.  If it doesn't improve fast, I will definitely not be signing DD up next semester.

Temp108743750006959

that stinks. The Director of the program should give them a choice: in or out. It's not a FAPE situation -- I'd boot their asses out.

femmegem

vccake:

that stinks. The Director of the program should give them a choice: in or out. It's not a FAPE situation -- I'd boot their asses out.

This. The kids should get kicked out if they can't behave, IMO.

L D

The parents should be called to pick them up immediately when they continue to act up.

Joenali

It's time for these children to be done with the program. And it also seems that the person who is leading the after school science class could use some training as well.

Ciarrai

As I said to my mom tonight, it's not that hard to "scare" 5-8 year-olds.  While I agree the "teacher" shouldn't be expected to discipline kids since it's an extra-curricular program, she should be able to maintain some control.  Apparently these 5-6 boys are singing the Bob the Builder theme song.  Seriously?  DD put it best when she said "Science is way cooler than Bob the Builder and more fun."  Fair enough.  We'll see what happens next week.  Are they really kicked out (as they should be)?  If not, do I pull DD (even though she loves it and actually learned and did something this week) and request my money back?  DH said if it was a football team, those boys would be long gone.  They don't have to be there.  If they want to be, they certainly aren't showing it and even at 6 and 7, they know how to behave in school.  So I'm waiting until next week to see if they follow through.  Otherwise, they will be getting another email from me...and a less nice one.  It's not a cheap program and if DD is having fun and learning, that's great, but if not and because of these boys, something has to give.

Littlejen22

I might be the odd one out but I am leaning towards you emailing whoever runs it now and asking if you will be able to get your money back if the teacher is not able to gain control of the activity so that your child can learn.

AnnapolisLari

Littlejen22:

I might be the odd one out but I am leaning towards you emailing whoever runs it now and asking if you will be able to get your money back if the teacher is not able to gain control of the activity so that your child can learn.

Why should she be the one to get her kid out of the program? I would insist that the troublemakers be the ones removed.