An update & advice needed

[OmarsMum]

Hi

I didn't post an update since a long time. Omar is doing well at school and he attends several after school classes.

At school he is a high achiever. His key teacher tries to motivate him all the time, he is ok but I feel that sometimes he panics and questions his abilities.

Many things are going around the school. He was chosen to take part in the school's iBook, he will have to participate in photoshoots & short videos.

His religion studies teacher approached me few days back to ask if he can participate in Quran reciting competition as he already memoried all the required versus.

Today his teacher gave him extra home work, he was given comprehension sheets and she told me she needs a proof of his abilities as she already submitted his assessment but she didn't give me much details why she needs the extra work.

There is also a math challenge and he was selected from his class to participate in the challenge.

2 days back the school vice principal stopped me when I was picking him up from school, she was friendly & chatting and asking me questions about his teachers and if he is getting enough support. She even spoke to Omar & told him that she named one of her twins Omar and she wants her baby to be like my son.

Now I'm panicking, my son is an introvert, I know that the challenges will not be public and the assessments will be private between a teacher (not his teachers) & the student.

I know his participation will help in boosting his self esteem at school. Until now he is fine with all this & he is excited. But I'm scared once he is with a teacher he doesn't know he ends up panicking & refusing to speak.

Is there anything I can do at home? Or should I leave it to school? When his teachers talk to me and they start to talk to him he doesn't answer back when I'm around and he hides his face behind me, I don't know if he's more open with his teachers when I'm not around

 

[Nibblenic]

Will he tell you if it gets too much for him? Or will he wait until he is very upset or highly anxious?

I think its okay to push kids in this way as long as they enjoy what they are doing. There is more to life though than academic success. It seems he is doing a huge amount of things around his recall and intellect, if he is struggling socially or with his self esteem and you think this could be detrimental to either I would maybe limit it so he doesnt have so much on at once.

 

[OmarsMum]

Will he tell you if it gets too much for him? Or will he wait until he is very upset or highly anxious?

I think its okay to push kids in this way as long as they enjoy what they are doing. There is more to life though than academic success. It seems he is doing a huge amount of things around his recall and intellect, if he is struggling socially or with his self esteem and you think this could be detrimental to either I would maybe limit it so he doesnt have so much on at once.

It is not too much for him, I mean there is no preparation or practicing, those challenges are for PY1 students, they are basic, he doesn't really need to sit & study, I'm not worried about that, I'm worried about the actual challenge when he will be facing a teacher he doesn't know for assessment.

The math challenge is a speed thing that will cover number bonds & simple addition/ subtraction. They are practicing at school as part of their normal curriculum.

The Quran again is easy for him as he already memorized much more than what's required for the competition, and the competition is in May.

Extra English work is not much, the extra comprehension was easy for him, he did it in less than 10 mins. We don't spend a lot of time studying at home, the max is 30 mins per day.

He is into sports & I honestly don't push him to study more at home, he needs the time for his sports classes & for free play time and for me those are more important than academics at his age.

He is not bothered, he is excited about the certificates he's going to get even if doesn't win

 

[LaughOutLoud]

Hmmm if he's excited about doing those things then let him carry on. Is your main concern that he will not respond when he sees new teachers? If that's so then talk to him beforehand and ask how he feels? Might be an opportunity to help overcome the shyness if he is still excited?

 

[eddjanuary10]

I'm not sure what to suggest he will probably do just great ! Good to hear Omar is doing so well at school, all the best for his upcoming events x

 

[OmarsMum]

Hmmm if he's excited about doing those things then let him carry on. Is your main concern that he will not respond when he sees new teachers? If that's so then talk to him beforehand and ask how he feels? Might be an opportunity to help overcome the shyness if he is still excited?

Yeah, this is my main concern, but he seems fine.

He was also asked few days back to join an Arabic reading challenge, but he refused, he told me that he doesn't have time to read 50 books from now until end of May. So I guess he is capable of deciding what he can & can't do.