Class Monitor

[sakura_2009]

Since you understood from your DS that the school rotates the appointment of class monitors, then he too will have a chance to be appointed, isn’t it? You can re-confirm with the teacher again during the PT meeting, and at the same time, check to see of there are other opportunities for your DS to be involved in activities that exposes him to some form of leadership skills. My DS is also the only child (similarly not much chance to mingle with cousins nor really have friends that he can hang out with). He has never been appointed as a prefect or class monitor before (I believed the teachers have their own set of criterias when selecting students for such positions) but he has been involved in other roles which gave him some form of ‘leadership’ training such as being the leader for some Maths program etc. Similarly, his classmates have also been given the same opportunities to be a ‘leader’ in some other projects. Do check with his form teacher on this during the meeting

[teh_oh]

Hi,

Does your son wants to be a monitor?
My child does and we encouraged him to raise up his hands when teacher asked for volunteers to help out in class. He is vocal and offers his assistance to teachers as and when the need arises. We encourage him to help out his weaker friends too and he was appointed study buddy last two years to the weaker students (he even received Thank-you notes from his ‘buddy’). When he lost out in his second term of monitoring job due to popularity vote (he lost by 2 votes), he took it in his stride and assist the appointed monitor in whichever way he can.
One does not need to be a monitor to hone leadership skill as he/she can start with being a good leader and offering help to classmates and teachers.
With his personality, my child is eventually appointed school prefect and he told me that his ‘goal’ is to continue to help his teachers and friends.

[HappyFaye]

How old is your boy? If your boy is in lower primary, then I think there is no harm to approach the teacher for help.


My DD1 cried for 3 months during her K1 when she was new to the school because the form teacher was very fierce, even though she loved and wanted to go to school everyday. I approached the teacher about my concern and asked if she could be appointed as monitress (termly chosen) or model student (monthly chosen) but the teacher replied blunctly that they have criteria for choose model students or monitor. I was upset but no choice, just continued to send my crying DD everyday to school. Till one day I could not take it anymore and I went straight to the Principal. The principal talked to my DD1. The next day, miracally, my DD1 stopped crying and she was selected twice as model student the following month and a few months down the road. Her confidence has since improved and no more crying! I felt bad for not bringing the issue up to the principal early enough.

So if you think that will help your boy, go ahead! Explain to the teacher your concerns and as mentioned by others in this thread, there are many leadership roles in the class nowadays. I believe that a good teacher will be able to fit your boy in any leadership role.

However, if your boy is in upper primary, then you may have to discuss with him if he is ready to be a leader. it is true that there is criteria set for leadership quality in the upper primary. If he is forced to be a leader which he is not comfortable, his peers may gossip or question about his leadership. It will not do him good.

HTH!

[wkong]

Hi MomDana,


There are more than 1 option for your DS to be train being a leader. I know my DD who is in lower Primary is a Group Leader. Each group about 5-6 pupils. Her responsibilities are making sure her team members submitted their homework punctually, collect their homeworks and hand-in to teachers, making sure corrections are done on those folded pages etc. Each time there will be points given for the team to see at the end of each terms which team wins. So being a group leader, you need to ensure all these are being done and interact with different students.

Another way is being Prefect in the school, that can be a option to be train for leaderships too.

Just my 2 cents thought

[auntieM]

My DS's class uses the voting method.. ..so volunteering won't work..

Perhaps you can get your kid to speak to his teacher to find out more..

[MomDana]

Hi all,


Thanks for the feedbacks !!!

Well, he is in P3 lower primary. So far last year he was a line leader, this year a seat or so called row leader collecting books or handout for his row. Well, that's about it.

He said he is interested to become a monitor and he was sure that he can do a better job than the current one. (Such confidence :lol:)

My hubby encouraged him to speak his intention to the Form Teacher but DS wants us to find out from the PTM if he stands a chance before he approaches his teacher.

So, after reading your feedbacks, i decide to share with his teacher his intention and let see how it goes from the PTM...

Thanks a zillions... :celebrate:

[MomDana]

:x with his Form teacher. She acted like an during the parent-teacher meeting but with the students.


Its been 2 weeks after Term 2, i casually asked DS what the status quo of the class monitorship. He replied there was no changes.

Today, he came home and shared with me what had happened. He said he picked up his :oops: courage and asked his FT. She told him to \"Shut up and keep quiet\" :!: :!: :!:

I told him it was ok (knowing his ego had been hurt ) and we will just move on from here. He told me even in future she asked him, he will not take up. I think he is marajok already.

But deep down inside me i am :x furious and offended by how this FT treated her students. DH & me TOTALLY loss faith in this FT

[buds]

This was one reason why more of us here discouraged

you from approaching the teacher in the first place...

Most times teachers do indeed have a certain criteria
and requirements of what makes a good leader or
monitor and in cases like your son's school where
there are more opportunities to eventually get to
be one via rotation, the chance would come
sooner or later in my opinion. My girls school
in fact, both their old school & the current
one practise the same. According to them..
everyone gets a chance to be a leader of
something.. This allows for all the
children to have a feel of a leadership
role whether or not it is a \"class
monitor\" role specifically.

Hope your child can spring back from this unfortunate
experience and gain his self-confidence again. :hugs:

From your post above, i can empathize how you must
have felt after hearing your child's feedback.

Meantime, i don't think the matter should be pushed
further with the teacher and at the same time you
may also console your child that he may have caught
the teacher at a bad time... like mebbe she was having
a bad day. He still has like 8mths more to go with this 1.. :snuggles:
JMHO.

[Faun]

Dear MomDana,


Sorry to hear about that bad encounter. You son could have caught her at the wrong time. Nevertheless, that was a terribly rude reaction from the FT.

Frankly, I don’t see much about roles like prefect, monitor, etc. I think your son can practice leadership in his everyday interaction with his friends. There are many leaders who don’t get a chance to take up such roles but they are able to garner their friends support when they want to. In this case, not by authority but by sheer leadership. My ds had been monitor, prefect before and he hated it. At P6, his teacher kicked him out of the prefect board and he was so so very happy, because then he could go play soccer with his friends during recess without having to be sneaky. His teacher thought he was not a good leader because he couldn’t get his class to shut up when necessary. However, in his CCA he was so well respected by his friends and they look up to him in every competition for morale support and guidance.

So, play on your son’s strength, help him find his place to be a leader. It need not necessarily be being a monitor. I think it is more fun being a leader in a CCA than class monitor or prefect. Imagine, having to keep
telling people to keep quiet, not to run, etc. It’s a tiresome battle.

[MomDana]

Thanks all for your feedbacks and encouragements.


What i am most upset was the FT's insensitive remarks :x . Not so much about the monitor position. Does she treat all her students like that? Shut up and keep quiet? Is that what NIE been training teachers? :slapshead:

No wonder nowaday students lack the proper respects for the elders and peers alike. They are exposed to such insensitive environment. :scared:

Not to worry i won't pursue the matters further but i will be keeping a close eye on her (and other teachers) to make my feedback to the school. I felt the role of the teacher is important to inspire and not thumbing down students.

My DS 1st year FT also like that, but last year P2 FT was so much kinder and very firm and caring :grphug: . Look like DS is going for another rough ride this year. Now i understand why some time he came back looking \"blank\". Asked him what he learned in school? Answer don't know most of the time. :scratchhead:

Look like i have to look out for more interesting stuffs \"outside of school\" for him if school is not feeding him developmental needs. Can't imagine they are going to spend the next 10 years in school and they keep meeting FTs like her! I bet their inspiration in learning will go down the drains.. . . :imdrowning: