5 year old struggling in class with teacher and friendships.

[bigbum]

Hi Guys,
My 5 year old is very unhappy at school :'(
I think there may be a few things going on..
her teacher is an older lady, quite immobile, comes across very stern (which isnt all in all a terrible thing) and runs the classroom the way they ran in the good old days.. she just sits at the front and tells the kids to copy what she has written up.. gives them worksheets to complete etc. Its rather basic, not very interactive and she is physically unable to get down to their level.
She is one of the youngest in the class and seems to be struggling with the basics, despite the fact that she is otherwise clever, met all her developmental milestones on time, good language skills and such. I read to her from when she was a baby and she has always enjoyed stories and drawing and trying to read/write. She seems to be shying away from learning now and cries that the work is hard and she is slow and her writing is 'messy'. She says the teacher gives out rewards to the kids who do the good work, but 'i try my hardest but my work is bad so I get nothing'. She has been held in at recess a few times to finish writing.
This is a public school, I am not sure what my rights are here and whether there would be any hope for change at this stage.
Am I being overprotective..? perhaps she will adjust. It breaks my heart seeing her so discouraged. She also is coming across less social, complaining that her friends wont play with her and has started talking like a 'baby' We had none of these issues last year.

[Mod-Wise Enough]

I would talk to the teacher then the principle if you're still unhappy. My 5yo goes to a learn through play school. She never had friends at kinder but has settled in well there.

Is there other prep classes?

[frankie46]

Oh gosh, the poor thing! Definitely speak to the principal. I'd be mortified if that was the experience my 5 year old was having. Kids that age need to be active, social, and learn through play. Yes the basics are important, hugely so - but the fact that she's five years old and is worried about her writing being messy?! Being held in at recess?? That is not ok. See if you can get her moved into another class, you are not being overprotective at all!

[BornToBe]

I would definitely move to change that learning environment, too. It's such a tender age and you don't want that learning spirit crushed through a poor classroom set up. I don't have much experience dealing with schools (I home educate our 5 year old) but would expect speaking with principal would be first. Any other schools in your area you can access?

[Simil]

Another thing i would consider besides speaking to the teacher /moving classes and teachers...is placing her into an external activity of some sort.. someplace she can meet a new group of kids and hopefully lift her social confidence. Perhaps a swimming class or a sport she enjoys? Social confidence is the key here.

[Bluebirdgirl]

Well that sounds depressing
Your daughter sounds artistic and creative and it's probably just suffocating her.
I hope you can find a way to move her. I get the feeling the teacher won't change.

[misho]

They doesn't sound good. To hold a 5yo in because they're messy?? I don't like that at all.

I'd be setting up a meeting pronto.

Fwiw my ds1 has weak wrists (which his teacher noticed) and is slow and messy. Not once did he get called out on it. In year one he brought home some work to finish (not a lot) and anything that I deemed wasn't a good effort, I made him redo.
Kindy/prep is waaaay too young to be going down that track. It's only term one!!!

[Skye Baby]

Its not good your little one is having a bad time with school. I would go and talk to the princible about what's going on especially about keeping her in. I do not agree with detentions over recess or lunch at all. I have had to go to my children's school in the past to let them know that they are not to keep my children in no matter what.
As adults we are entitled to our regular breaks, our bosses could not take them away from us due to poor performance. I don't know why some teaches think this is ok to do it to kids.
I told them that if work is not finished then send it home.

I Hope you can sort it out and your little ones school experience becomes a happy one again.