Guest Posted December 9, 2010 Posted December 9, 2010 Evening I need a different perspective on a small problem I have!!! I have a smashing class of 15 of varying abilities but we do have a group of parents who are incredibly competitive and this is really impacting on my displays -my parents bring the children into the class in the morning and this group of parents are always looking around and asking their children which is their work and carefully eyeing up the work of others then going out onto the playground and comparing and commenting on the other childrens work. I believe in celebrating all work and I am finding it frustrating I thought about not including a name with a piece of work but children like to see their name on their work. These parents do have the brightest children in the class and are just as competitive with each other - never come across this problem before so grateful for any advice.
AnonyMouse_30128 Posted December 9, 2010 Posted December 9, 2010 perhaps you could just display collaborative work for a while? i'm afraid i have a bit of a thing about keeping childrens art work...my feeling is it belongs to them and should therefore be taken home to show off to parents/grannies etc! (radical i know! )
AnonyMouse_15046 Posted December 9, 2010 Posted December 9, 2010 Could you find a way to showcase the talents of the less academically able children on the displays too? Perhaps photos of their sporting prowess or descriptions of their abilities in drama, being helpful and friendly? My daughter's teacher puts up work that they've done in twos and threes so you can't teel what each child contributed but the children still recognise their work.
Guest Posted December 9, 2010 Posted December 9, 2010 Some great ideas here. Perhaps you could also 'discourage' them from feeling quite so at home in your classroom? My children's teacher is always doing reading with individuals first thing, so it feels inappropriate for parents to hang around, she is rightly focused on the children. I know you're meant to make links with them but it's your space and if they are not respecting it I think you should feel within your rights to reclaim it. Or do some giant 'whole class' displays where the children work collaboratively?
Guest Posted December 9, 2010 Posted December 9, 2010 (edited) You could display the children's work as you do already but put a note at the bottom or top (wherever their eye level is *) saying "created by Dorris, Morris and Boris, Tilly, Tom and Tiny" so all the names are together. *Children's Edited December 9, 2010 by Guest
AnonyMouse_19782 Posted December 9, 2010 Posted December 9, 2010 this group of parents are always looking around and asking their children which is their work and carefully eyeing up the work of others then going out onto the playground and comparing and commenting on the other childrens work. Are you sure that is what they are talking about, or are you being a little over sensitive and assuming that is all they could be talking about. If they are that competitive (sadly) then I would take away the source of their discussions - send work home immediately or only put one of that group of children's work up at any one time so that they cannot be compared to each other. Change over to having a wow wall - so that you can celebrate all childrens' achievements no matter what they maybe - perhaps with the emphasis on non academic activities for a while in the New Year.
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