And still it rains. And rains. And rains.

And still it rains at school.

French Homework is to complete a crossword. A French Crossword. Marks will be deducted for incorrect spellings.

Dad I can’t even do a crossword in English never mind French. I can remember the sounds but I can’t spell the words. The Teacher knows this but just says I have to try harder.

And we have more…

Drama Homework is to complete an acting related Word Search Game. Really. Very early on his previous school it was identified that he could just not do Word Searches Tables. The Psychologist who looked into this established that for some reason he was not able to visualise letters and collections of letters if they were printed diagonally or backwards. On top of this his dyslexia just made identifying words difficult. As this was stressful for him it was strongly recommended that his education did not use word based games. Fast forward a couple of years and his current school now requires him to do word searches as it’s the set task for the class.

I can see the point of a French Crossword for some kids but how is a dyslexic kid expected to complete this. Has our school system become so inflexible that we can’t just vary the teaching programme a little for each individual child need. Clearly not. The Government is committed to this Factory/Production line model of education. That’s for State Schools. Private Schools have more scope to flex the teaching programme. Unfortunately many can’t afford to go Private. But that won’t bother Boris and his buddies. As long as the chauffeur driven car turns up and the expensive wine keeps coming.

Ok I can see the point of a crossword for French for some BUT… What is the pigging point of a word search for Drama. I guess it’s all part of the Government’s drive to make every kid spell correctly the defined key words. Spelling is given a higher profile that actually understanding what the word means. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe the best way to develop the next Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Anthony Hopkins, Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg and Tom Cruise is to focus on spelling. Oh hang on a minute these have dyslexia as well. So no I don’t see the point.

We just set too many of our kids up to fail. They see other kids repeatedly praised for great spelling or neat handwriting while at the same time they are just told to try harder. How demoralising is that. A phrase you hear often is that kids with learning difficulties have to try super hard just to keep the perceived learning gap from widening. DAMM RIGHT THEY DO. Too many kids are forced through the same stereotyped classroom hoop. Never given a chance to demonstrate their unique skill sets as these are not in the areas deemed valuable by the Government.

Too many kids have been failed by our society. It’s not as if our society is particularly successful or sustainable on the back of this. This has to stop. When it does stop and we start allowing all our kids to grow – just take a few minutes to think how good this world will become. That is a hope worth fighting for. That is a hope worth voting for.

58 thoughts on “More rain”

  2. Leave this one with me. I will personally make up a French Crossword that will not contain any mistakes and you can send it back with a buttered crusty baguette for that teacher to shove right up their arse. Sideways.

    The word search and difficulty in being able to pick out certain words, shapes or letters and patterns hidden behind others is a common thing with Asperger Syndrome which most Aspie kids have – not some of them. MOST.

    The info processing information through his eyes misfires and gets stuck on the way to the brain especially when it’s something deliberately tricky, hidden and for the most point, useless.

    Sam spent half an hour trying to draw the outline and then inner patterns of what he thought was a complex drawing of a flower when he was seen by OT. Half an hour huffing, puffing and getting really annoyed.

    It was just four overlapping circles like the Olympic rings and until that was pointed out, his brain could not see circles at all.

    WTF a word search has to do with drama homework is beyond me but make sure to tell your lad sensory processing problems is common, he’s not think he just has a brain with so much going on the rest can’t keep up

    Need to move these sodding horses standing out in a field like yours as though nobody cares.

    He’ll have his French crossword by the end of today. You have my word 🙂

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

    2. Thank you. I tried to do it but struggled. It’s just so difficult to write a French word downwards. It also showed how bad my French spelling is as well. I keep asking the French Teachers to try some of the visual French learning programmes on him. But they won’t as it’s not in the teaching plan.

      Like

      Reply

      1. Quickly sticking this link here cos I’m out moving more animals in the cold. Oh Lordy I want a brew.

        Site is pretty good you can make up your own puzzles and it designs / lays it all out for you just needs a word and hint.

        What a great little find 🙂

        OK I’ll come back need to keep moving or I will not get up again before Christmas

        Liked by 1 person

  4. Its a truly heartbreaking situation in that education is there to help kids not make them feel even worse. I don’t understand why the child’s real needs and limitations are not taken into consideration, is it just a lack of flexibility or creative thinking? I can understand why you get so frustrated. I wish there was a solution.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      1. It sounds like a fortress really. It sounds like a truly narcissistic system….. I am sure you are one of so many who struggle. But you are supporting your son and letting him know its the system’s fault so in that way he will be okay. And maybe in time he will help to change things. ❤ Big hug

        Liked by 1 person

  6. I think you’re being too generous to the school on the point of a word search for Drama.

    My guess would be that the teacher has set this for no better reason than it’s easy to mark.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  7. Y’know, Gary, it just hit me: whatever the system is, teachers can do a lot to get the better of moronic education policies. With some ingenuity and determination, they can work around whatever sod the government comes up with to ensure meaningful learning for all kids. Your son is the only Asperger’s kid in his class, right? Why can’t teachers set out different tasks for him? Yes, it will be exhausting so maybe they can’t always do it – but they could do it for him often enough so that school is not the nightmare it is.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  8. Ugh, they are so frustrating. Try harder? They clearly aren’t recognizing your son’s different educational needs. They’re placing their responsibility as teachers onto the learner who has a different operating system and setting him up to fail. So frustrating and lazy on their part.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  10. Hi, I’m sure I’ve said this before, but I work for a Secondary School and we have a Base for children on the autistic spectrum, and they all get special help. SURELY there must be a school somewhere in Yorkshire that has special provision? (or maybe you need to open one?!!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  12. Everyone else has said what I would say. I understand your frustration! It took several years, several teachers and several schools before Ben was someplace he could be kept SAFE, learning comes after. He is 11 and he’s just starting to learn to read and add.
    Factory Education…into the meat grinder with you!
    Try harder? Hey you, the one with paralyzed legs, TRY HARDER to stand up?!?! Yeah, okay.

    Its pouring rain and windy here in SoCal today….brrr… I couldn’t do it all the time the way you do. Of course, you probably dont have to worry about fires every October.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  13. Unfortunately, a “better world” will NOT come from a politician…I don’t care how good they sound or how good they look. The one percent, piece of s*** ruling class do not care about the welfare of the masses. “Just do as you are told…or else.” F*** YOU…the lot of you.

    Tell your son that none of this garbage is necessary. One size does NOT fit all. We are ALL individuals. We are all unique. All he can do is navigate the stupid, elite labyrinth the best he can. It is NO reflection on him that their machinations are pointless. Trying to master nonsense is no feather in his cap.

    The only thing kids learn today in a government run school is how to obey commands like dogs. They whole system should be shut down. Ours is failing, too.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  15. It’s is so ridiculous. I do not know why society does this. There are so many things in this world that cause struggles; this should not be one of them. My heart breaks for your son. Stay strong you can get through this. You’re great. Dad.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a comment